The print was one of the first examples in human history of a mass produced item. From humble beginnings over 3000 years ago, print technology has made it possible for hundreds, even millions of identical images to be produced from a single source. From early Chinese woodcuts to the modern machine press, the print has brought visual media to the masses. Andy Warhol was inspired by mass production, so much so that the process of reproduction became the focus of his art, both physically and conceptually. Warhol theorized that the most important, cultural significant items were those that were accessible to everyone thanks to the economy of mass production. “What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. [...] The President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and just think, you can drink Coke too.” Andy Warhol. In his 'Factory', Warhol would create copies of each artwork through the screen print - the original artwork essentially no different to the reproduction and no less valuable. The body of multiple prints were in fact the artwork, a piece made of numerous identical components. A friend now has a Flea Market print of a Warhol Campbell's Soup Can hanging in his living room. It may be a poster, but the image is still an exact copy of the real thing. The Campbell's Soup Can is the perfect example of an artwork that has been incessantly reproduced to the point that it has become a cultural icon. Reproducing the artwork in print hasn’t adversely affected the aura of the original series hanging in the MoMA, instead it has formed the basis of it's fame. The Campbell's Soup Can has long ceased to be famous because it is great - today it is great because it is famous.       ‘I should have just done the Campbell’s Soups and kept on doing them ... because everybody only does one great painting anyway.’ Andy Warhol  

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