Curator’s Eye

As stripes and dots ripple around the garment,
the silk sateen of the shirt is somewhat reflective

Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997), UNTITLED (SHIRT), 1979 | AARON IGLER PHOTO

THE FABRIC WORKSHOP AND MUSEUM (FWM) was only in its second year of operation when Roy Lichtenstein visited and designed this shirt. Printed in an edition of one hundred, its pattern reflects Lichtenstein’s earlier mirror paintings and utilizes the Benday dots and bands of color that became his hallmark. As stripes and dots ripple around the garment, the silk sateen of the shirt is somewhat reflective, like a mirrored surface. But whereas Lichtenstein’s painted mirrors reflect no discernible images, their abstract patterns confined within vertical, oval, or round frames, reflecting an empty world, the shirt comes to life when the pattern undulates with the movement of the wearer.

As a partnership to benefit Artists Space in New York, the project exemplified the spirit of creation and collaboration that continues to be the foundation of FWM’s studio program today. For almost forty years, we’ve provided artists with opportunities for experimentation— originally with textiles and later with new mediums and technology. Using our facilities, materials, and staff expertise, artists have the opportunity to expand the scope of their creative production. And like Lichtenstein, they often still choose fabric.

Susan Lubowsky Talbott
Executive Director
Fabric Workshop and Museum
Philadelphia