Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol
Ahead of the opening of Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery next week, attention once again turns to one of the most enduring cultural figures of the twentieth century. Few artists explored the relationship between celebrity, image and modern mythology more profoundly than Andy Warhol, whose Marilyn Monroe prints remain among the defining works of post-war contemporary art.
Created in the years following Monroe’s death in 1962, Warhol’s portraits transformed the Hollywood actress into something beyond celebrity: an icon repeatedly reproduced, consumed and reimagined through colour, repetition and mass media. Today, the Marilyn works continue to occupy a singular position within contemporary collecting, recognised equally for their art historical significance and their lasting cultural resonance.
Warhol first began producing Marilyn Monroe works shortly after the actress’s death, using a publicity still from the 1953 film Niagara. Through silkscreen printing, he repeated Monroe’s image across vivid colour fields, simultaneously glamourising and destabilising the familiar portrait. The works captured the contradictions that fascinated Warhol throughout his career: fame and anonymity, beauty and artifice, permanence and impermanence.
At Andipa, we are currently highlighting a selection of Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe prints ahead of the exhibition opening. These works represent one of the most recognisable intersections between contemporary art and twentieth-century cultural history, while also demonstrating Warhol’s exceptional understanding of colour, composition and visual repetition.
Major Exhibitions Opening in June
The renewed focus on Marilyn Monroe arrives during one of the busiest and most significant periods in the international art calendar. June marks the beginning of the global summer exhibition season, with major institutions, museums and fairs opening across London, Europe and beyond. In London, Tate Modern presents Frida: The Making of an Icon, a major exhibition exploring the life, image and legacy of Frida Kahlo. Bringing together paintings, photography and archival material, the exhibition examines how Kahlo became one of the most influential artistic and cultural figures of the modern era.
Elsewhere in the capital, the Hayward Gallery opens a major exhibition dedicated to Anish Kapoor. Renowned for his monumental sculptures and immersive installations, Kapoor’s work continues to challenge ideas surrounding materiality, perception and space. His practice occupies a unique position within contemporary art, balancing architectural scale with deeply philosophical concerns around void, reflection and sensory experience.
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition also returns this June, maintaining its position as one of the defining fixtures of the British art world calendar. First established in 1769, the exhibition remains one of the largest open-submission exhibitions in the world, bringing together established artists, emerging practitioners and collectors within the historic galleries of Burlington House.
Art Basel and the International Art Market
Internationally, attention increasingly turns towards Switzerland as Art Basel opens its doors on 28 June. Widely regarded as the leading fair within the global art market, Art Basel continues to serve as both a commercial and cultural centre point for the contemporary art world.
The fair brings together many of the world’s most important galleries, collectors, curators and institutions, shaping conversations around collecting, museum acquisitions and emerging market trends. Alongside the fair itself, Basel’s museums and foundations present an exceptional programme of exhibitions throughout June, reinforcing the city’s significance as an international destination for contemporary art.
Together, these exhibitions reflect the breadth of this year’s international programme — from the cultural mythology of Marilyn Monroe through Warhol’s Pop lens, to Frida Kahlo’s enduring influence on modern visual culture and Anish Kapoor’s large-scale sculptural environments. Across museums, galleries and fairs, June marks the beginning of a significant season for contemporary and modern art.
As institutions prepare to welcome visitors throughout the month ahead, Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe portraits remain a timely reminder of art’s ability to transform familiar images into enduring cultural symbols — works that continue to define both an era and the evolving language of contemporary art.
