Marilyn is a four-part portrait series that reimagines one of the most recognisable figures in modern culture through bold colour, repetition and variation. Inspired by the enduring presence of Marilyn Monroe in popular imagery, the series explores how a familiar face can take on different meanings when viewed through changing palettes and perspectives. Each portrait presents a distinct interpretation of the same subject, creating subtle shifts in mood, personality and emotional tone. Together, the works move beyond simple likeness to examine the relationship between identity and image—how an individual becomes an icon, and how that icon continues to evolve through memory, media and artistic reinterpretation. Created in acrylic on paper, the series combines expressive brushwork with vibrant colour contrasts, celebrating both the visual impact of Pop Art and the timeless fascination surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s legacy.
Illustrative interior visualisations showing how the artwork may appear within a residential or gallery setting. Scale and surroundings are indicative only.
About this artwork
Background to the work, materials and process, series context and collector notes.
The four-part portrait series "Marilyn" reinterprets the enduring image of Marilyn Monroe, exploring how a familiar face can carry different emotional weight through varied palettes. Each panel offers a distinct mood, creating subtle shifts in personality across the iconic subject. Andrew Bowers considers the interplay of identity and image, tracing how an individual transforms into an icon and how that persona evolves through cultural memory.
The artwork originated from an interest in Marilyn Monroe's enduring presence in popular imagery, particularly within Hollywood, California, USA. This four-panel series reflects on the continuous reinterpretation of her image in media and artistic contexts. Andrew Bowers is exploring the relationship between identity and the portrayal of an icon, allowing the subject to take on different meanings depending on the viewing perspective. Each portrait contributes to an understanding of how an individual becomes an icon and sustains that legacy.
The series is created using layered acrylic on fine art paper, allowing for both expressive brushwork and vibrant colour contrasts. The panels are then mounted to Dibond, providing a rigid and stable support. Andrew Bowers approaches the surface with an aim to simplify forms while retaining a sensory quality, building texture through the application of paint. The visual impact draws from a contemporary approach to portraiture.
This four-part series, "Marilyn", was created in 2025 using acrylic on 240gsm fine art paper. Each panel is mounted to Dibond, ensuring stability and a smooth display surface. The combined piece measures 52.0 × 69.0 cm. It is presented within a black floating frame, which provides a considered border to the artwork.
The atmosphere of "Marilyn" shifts across its four panels through considered changes in palette. Each segment uses high-contrast colour combinations, allowing the emotional tone to vary from panel to panel. The non-naturalistic colours contribute to a sense of abstraction, focusing attention on the interplay between hues and form. This approach opens space for a re-reading of mood and emotional nuance within the familiar subject.
The "Marilyn" series extends Andrew Bowers' wider practice into portraiture, applying principles of observation and structural exploration to the human form. While moving beyond landscape, the work continues an ongoing enquiry into the relationship between identity and its representation. This series investigates how memory and cultural context shape our perception of a subject, reflecting themes of enduring forms and layered experience. It represents a subtle division within Andrew Bowers' studio works, yet remains consistent with his considered approach to visual language.
The "Marilyn" series would sit well in a contemporary living space, perhaps in a quiet study or an area with soft, indirect lighting that allows the varying colours to express their full character. The work would complement interiors with a restrained palette, or alternatively, those with a confident use of colour. Its structural quality would draw attention on a minimalist wall, providing a focal point.
To live with "Marilyn" is to engage with a dynamic interplay of identity and cultural memory, where the familiar shifts with each viewing. Andrew Bowers' four-panel series rewards sustained looking, revealing new emotional subtleties depending on the light and the observer's attention. The considered variations in colour and expression offer a quiet yet constant shift in presence. This work would make a compelling addition for a collector drawn to contemporary portraiture and conceptual depth.