Kiku 309 is a part of Warhol’s series of flowers entitled Kiku, the Japanese name for Chrysanthemum. The artist was commissioned in 1983 by the Gendai Hanga Center in Tokyo. Warhol has created other works with flowers as the subject matter, most notably, his 1970 series based on a photograph that resulted in a controversial copyright lawsuit. Unlike Warhol’s other flower prints, this particular series features a more realistic representation of the flowers, while incorporating beautiful pinks, purples and blues. While the flowers are not as heavily abstracted as others, this series is a representative of Warhol’s refusal to follow a rigid formula in creating his art.