Andy Warhol's "Marilyn"

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the Andy Warhol's images of Marilyn Monroe, displayed in his 1962 art exhibit. The paper explains the techniques and processes Warhol used and the message about society he tried to impart. The paper points out that the Marilyn images are a comment on the commercial aspect of art as well as the willingness of the public to buy into escapism.

From the Paper:

"There is controversy about exactly which image Warhol used to create the final work. The one that is widely accepted to be the source work, may be from the same photo session, but Warhol may have used a different shot. This is unknown. The image Warhol silkscreened is another pose, a new facial expression and different lighting. The process, however, is the determining mechanism of the final form of the work. His working method is well known. He chose a photograph, cropped it as necessary, then ordered a silkscreen in a specified size. Variations occurred when screening the reproduction onto the canvas.
The artistry lies in the control of the density of the paint. In this way he was able to vary the black images between faint and darkly saturated. At this time, he elaborated the presentation of the photographic material, transforming it according to what he wanted the finished work to say. This method created an initial shock in the finished work and is the essence of its lasting significance."

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