What is Postmodernism?
This is the term to describe the economic/cultural state or the condition of society following the period of modernism. Post modernism emerged in the 1960's following the invention of new media technology, new found freedoms (hedonism, sexual, drugs, the contraceptive pill etc) and the emergence of youth and popular culture.
Post modernism had a heavy influence on art, with many artists using these new developments and freedoms and reflecting them in their work. A main feature of post modern art is paradox - introduced by Manet, often contradicting the more traditional fine art of the past. It was also an almost critique of the past art world with artists such as Warhol (Pop art) and Piero Manzoni (Artist's Shit) producing explicitly mocking other art work. Postmodernist art also blurred the distinction between high and low culture art, producing a 'popular culture' which made art available to the masses.
'Marilyn Diptych' - Andy Warhol 1962
The term diptych usually refers to religious paintings that form an altar for the purpose of worship and admiration. So in terms of the image title, this is not coincidence. Following the tragic suicide of Marilyn Monroe in 1962, Warhol became inspired to produce a series of portraits of her using a still from the film 'Niagara'. This particular image is presented in two halves; on the left, marilyn's face is repeated, bright, glamorous and block coloured. This could possibly symbolise the effect of the film industry and how it has removed all her individuality and uniqueness, making her become part of mass culture and a fantasy as opposed to an actual person.
On the right, there is a significant contrast; the screen prints of Marilyn's face are in black and white and unlike the other half, each repeat is different from the next; may be blurred, faded or even hardly visible. The images seem to present reality as they appear to look more like actual photographs. This could symbolise the reality behind the icon and represents Marilyn's life with all it's imperfections which are masked by the mass media (the left half of the image) ,possibly being the reason for her tragic death (reflected in the barely visible prints). To conclude, I see this painting as a narrative from life, to symbol and to death.
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