The artwork “My Marilyn” by Richard Hamilton, created in 1965, is a notable example of the Pop Art movement and is categorized as a portrait. This piece reflects the quintessential characteristics of Pop Art, which often includes imagery from popular culture, and is rendered in a style that challenges traditional fine art by incorporating imagery from mass media, advertising, and other cultural icons.
The artwork is composed of a series of images arranged in a grid-like format. Each image appears to be a photographic print or could be perceived as fragments of photographic prints, with various markings that resemble the editorial marks made by photographers or editors during the selection process. Some sections of the artwork appear to be crossed out with bold, dark lines, suggesting a decision to exclude those parts from a final selection or highlighting process. The color palette is a mix of vivid and more subdued hues, predominantly featuring shades of pink, orange, and blue, overlaid with black.
The portraits contained within the artwork are reminiscent of film stills or candid photographs, capturing different poses and expressions. This style of depiction not only represents the subject but also hints at the underlying process of image selection and the manipulation of media representation. The blend of imagery and expressive markings in Hamilton’s work creates a narrative about the public’s role in editing and perceiving celebrity images, and by extension, speaks to the larger media landscape and its influence on perception and identity.