Flack is one of the few prominent female Photorealists. Her work combines the technical precision of Photorealism with a more personal and symbolic approach. Marilyn (Vanitas) explores themes of celebrity, mortality, and the fleeting nature of beauty, using the photographic image as a starting point for a more complex composition.
Born: May 30, 1931, New York City, USA
Nationality: American
Style: Photorealism, Still Life
Influences: Baroque still life painting, photography, feminism
Major Exhibitions: "Marilyn (Vanitas)" (1977), "Queen" (1976), "Wheel of Fortune" (1977-78)
Quote: "I'm interested in the power of images and their ability to tell stories."
This painting is a complex still life filled with symbolic objects, including a photograph of Marilyn Monroe, fruit, candles, jewelry, and makeup. Flack often uses a vanitas theme, referencing the transience of life and beauty.
