‘Marilyn Monroe, Black’ – A signed, limited edition 16 colour silkscreen print with diamond dust and high gloss glaze, by the Godfather of Pop Art Sir Peter Blake.

Amongst all of the Marilyn prints produced by Blake ‘Marilyn Monroe, Black’ is one of the most powerful. Unusually for a composition inspired by his pop art period, black is the colour that dominates; the only relief from what would otherwise be an entirely monochromatic piece is a violet band underneath the triple images of the actress. This silkscreen print is based on a 1990 original of the same name (photographs and enamel paint on wood) that Blake created for a series: In Homage to Marilyn Monroe. In producing this silkscreen, Blake took the opportunity to lighten the band of colour (which is a dark purple in the early work) and add diamond dust to Marilyn's jewellery.

Blake's interest in Hollywood stars stems from the regular trips he would take to the cinema with his mother as a little boy. Blake positions himself in the role of admiring fan, as emphasized in his early Pop paintings. In these, photos of film or pop stars were glued onto hardwood panels, brightly decorated in primary colours to resemble fragments of doors and walls. This technique resembled posters stuck on the bedroom walls of teenagers across the globe. A central theme throughout Blake's career has been that of the relationship between celebrity icon and passionate fan, each needing the other for sustenance.