Artwork Description

Title: Hello! Marilyn Monroe
Artist: Ma Ye
Date: 2017
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 120 x 100 cm (47.24 x 39.37 in)

1. Artwork Identification
In Hello! Marilyn Monroe, Ma Ye presents a striking pop-inspired reinterpretation of the iconic star, executed in oil with meticulous precision. The portrait is constructed from painted impressions of Chinese currency coins, forming the facial and hair contours of Monroe against a vivid magenta background. This layered visual language simultaneously evokes glamour, commodification, and cultural transformation.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Ma Ye’s work reflects the lineage of Pop Art, echoing Andy Warhol’s fascination with celebrity and repetition. However, this piece localizes that tradition by integrating elements of Chinese material culture—namely the recurring 1-jiao coin motif—suggesting a critique of consumerism, value, and iconography. The hyper-stylized palette and tight formal composition embody a fusion of kitsch and critique.

3. Historical Context
Painted in 2017, the piece responds to ongoing dialogues within contemporary Chinese art regarding the Western canon, mass media, and the commercialization of both identity and culture. By choosing Monroe, Ma Ye anchors the work in global celebrity mythology, while the use of national currency engages in a uniquely Chinese reinterpretation of that myth, positioning it within the context of economic reform and cultural globalization.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition, with strong color retention and no visible surface abrasions, cracking, or damage. The canvas is clean and professionally stretched, suitable for immediate exhibition.

6. Artistic Significance
Hello! Marilyn Monroe is a sophisticated act of visual layering—both materially and symbolically. It reflects Ma Ye’s interest in the interplay between cultural identity and capitalist aesthetics. By replacing flesh and tone with the iconography of economic value, the artist prompts viewers to reconsider the costs and constructs of fame. This work holds particular resonance within global contemporary art as a witty, incisive, and sharply rendered commentary on celebrity, commodification, and cultural hybridity.