A representation of Marilyn Monroe, a well-known actress and sex icon who also passed away from a barbiturate overdose in 1962, may be found in Andy Warhol's Marilyn Diptych. Warhol is able to capture the superstar's terrible life and death. His artwork was based on a press photo of Monroe used to advertise the film Niagara. The actress's face appears fifty times in the artwork, twenty-five times on each of the right and left sides. On the right, Warhol chose bright and striking colors (yellow, orange, and turquoise), while on the left, the theme is repeated in black and white, with a gradual fade of the picture (Warhol and Buchloh 28).
Expressionism achieved in Marilyn Diptych
A significant strength of this work of art is the expressionism achieved by the artist in two-fold. The first thing that is notable in the painting is the use of a different mix of colors, from the bright colors (yellow, orange, and turquoise), of the dull color mix. Also, one instantly notices the fading away of the faces after the use of dull colors. A keen art enthusiast will also notice the mixture of acrylic on canvas and silkscreen on the work. Through the use of a mixture of materials and different colors and a slow-fade of the photos towards the end, Warhol can capture life’s transition from the bright and youthful days when one is full of energy to the tragic halt caused by death, which is also signified by the dull colors. The use of acrylic on canvas and screen painting, though criticised by many, shows a transition in life from the typical art on canvas to something more modern: screen painting. As such, Warhol does not leave out any considerations, which makes this piece of art to be the third-most influential modern art pieces according to an art survey that involved more than 500 art critics and artists.
Abstract expressionism in Marilyn Diptych
Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych (1962) utilizes abstract expressionism encompassed in the expressionist art theory. The abstract expressionism used in this painting helps in bringing out the strengths and weaknesses of the theory while helping us understand the work, according to Barrett (20). One strength Warhol embarks on is the influence of art history and pop culture. In this painting, abstract expressionism is identifiable, similar to the works of renowned artists Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock. Similar to the works of these two artists, Marilyn Diptych’s monumental scale serves as a significant strength of defining the theory; the painting, measuring about nine feet by six feet instantly demands the viewer’s attention while announcing its subject matter. Further, the ‘carelessly’ handled paintwork, depicting an ‘all-over composition,’ as well as an even distribution of color and form throughout the entirety of the canvas makes the viewer’s eye wander without necessarily having to focus on one point in the painting. Referring to the work of expressionist Jack Pollock in his drip paintings as described by Barrett, Marilyn Diptych truly embodies the abstract expressionism theory.
Emotional flatness in Marilyn Diptych
Further, the abstract expressionism theory helps us in understanding Warhol’s work through the depiction of emotional flatness in Marilyn Diptych (1962) (Barrett 35). Warhol takes an impersonal image as the subject of the painting, appropriating an already existing image instead of creating his own. He goes deep into the expressionist theory by taking a standard form (a mass-produced picture of Marilyn Monroe) and expresses the correct form in the details. In the real form, the actress wears a seductive look to the viewer, donning parted lips and heavily-lidded eyes. However, her expression looks somewhat inscrutable, with the repetition making her face into inanimate, eerie mask. The use of the silkscreen technique ‘flattens’ the actress’s face. Further, by using un-modulated colors in broad planes, Warhol can remove the shading in a gradual sense, thereby creating a three-dimensional sense, inherently suspending her in an abstract void. These choices allow Warhol to achieve the transformation of the flatness embodied in the paper-printed publicity photo into a piece of art depicting ‘flatness’ emotionally, while the actress is given some form of ‘automation.’ This form of expressionism captures the details of the expressionist theory as described by (Barrett 84). The only weakness perceived by Marilyn Diptych (1962) is the lack of expression of art dematerialization as captured in most of other artists’ famous pieces such as Jack Pollock’s work, which was the trend in the 1960s to 1970s conceptual artwork.
Works Cited
Barrett, Terry. Why is that art?: Aesthetics and criticism of contemporary art. Oxford University Press, USA, 2008.
Warhol, Andy, and B. H. D. Buchloh. Andy Warhol. Vol. 2. MIT Press, 2001.
