LONDON.- Building on the success of its current exhibition, Andy Warhol: The Portfolios, from the Bank of America Collection, Dulwich Picture Gallery today launched a series of print workshops for young people from the local area. The Myth Factory, part of the Gallery’s Urban Youth programme, is funded by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and will be led by professional artists during evenings and school holidays.

Taking Warhol’s imagery as a starting point and exploring the theme of myths and legends, participants will learn how to create prints using techniques such as lino-cutting, and discover how a basic design or picture can be adapted through replication.

The first phase of the project links Dulwich Picture Gallery with the Redthread Youth Project in South East London. Borrowing from Warhol’s methods, 10 young people each session, will work from photographs taken in and around the Gallery using cameras or their own mobile phones. Sources of inspiration will include prints and paintings featuring myths and legends from the Gallery’s permanent collection as well as Warhol’s own beguiling Myths portfolio. The professional artists involved in teaching the techniques include, Erica Parrett and Victoria Browne.

The series of activities will engage hard-to-reach young people. It will promote confidence and creativity, and build skills, experience and ambition. Participants will capture Warhol’s sense of performance and create artwork that is bold, fresh and relevant to popular culture. The works produced as a result of the workshops will be presented at a special exhibition at the conclusion of the project in early 2013.

Andy Warhol: The Portfolios concentrates on the period 1962-1984 during which Warhol focused almost exclusively on silk-screen printing. The Myths portfolio (1981) is perhaps the most captivating series. It depicts characters from popular American culture, such as Superman and Uncle Sam. Several of the series’ images are based on photos taken by Warhol himself.