Gold Marilyn

Image of Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe in gold and black 

Shortly after her death in 1962, Andy Warhol used a photo from the 1953 film “Niagara”, featuring Marilyn Monroe, to mass produce silk screen prints of the actress. The artist was impacted by the passing of Marilyn Monroe and this project was a tribute to the actress and the woman, but also was the result of his fascination with fame, celebrity culture, and mass media. Monroe was the symbol of Hollywood, likened to glamour and tragedy, she embodied the themes that Warhol had explored during his career. She was a cultural icon whose identity was shaped as much by media representations as it was by her actual life.

Warhol's use of silk screen printing allowed him to produce multiple versions of Monroe's image, preserving her legacy while also commenting on the superficiality of fame. The stark contrasts and bright colors in these portraits highlight the colorful public persona that millions knew her for, contrasting her somewhat dark private life. Warhol not only paid homage to one of the most famous actresses of his time, and ours, but also critiqued our culture of worshiping celebrities and the media's role in creating these larger-than-life figures.