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Mirrors
1969–1972

Roy Lichtenstein's Mirrors series, created between 1969 and 1972, represents a critical exploration and culmination of themes central to his work throughout the 1960s. This period in Lichtenstein's career is marked by a shift from his early pop art creations, characterized by their bold lines, bright colors, and incorporation of comic strip motifs, to a deeper investigation into the nature of perception, representation, and the viewer's role in the art experience.


The Mirrors series is distinguished by its focus on the interplay between reality and illusion, challenging viewers to question the nature of art and their participation in it. By employing his signature pop art techniques—such as Ben Day dots and precise, graphic lines—Lichtenstein creates mirror images that are simultaneously reflective and opaque, real and abstract. These works do not reflect the viewer's literal image but rather suggest a metaphorical reflection on the act of viewing and the constructed nature of images.


This series is seen as a pivotal moment in Lichtenstein's oeuvre, signifying a turn towards more introspective and conceptual art practices. The Mirrors engage directly with the viewer, implicating them in a visual puzzle that blurs the boundaries between the painted surface and the reflected reality. Through this body of work, Lichtenstein continues his exploration of the themes of representation and the commodification of art, while also delving into the phenomenology of seeing and the complex relationship between the object, the viewer, and the space of representation.


Furthermore, the Mirrors series is reflective of Lichtenstein's broader interest in the intersection of art history, contemporary culture, and the medium of painting itself. By recontextualizing the traditional artistic motif of the mirror—a symbol loaded with historical connotations of truth, vanity, and introspection—within the visual language of pop art, Lichtenstein contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the status of painting in the postmodern era. This series, therefore, not only represents a technical achievement in Lichtenstein's practice but also marks an important conceptual contribution to the discourse of art in the late 20th century​ (Open Publishing)​.

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