Guy Hepner Gallery

Russell Young Marilyn Portrait California (Beverly Lavender + Black) For Sale

Russell Young
Russell Young - Marilyn Portrait California (Beverly Lavender + Black), 2014, Enamel and diamond dust screenprint on linen

Marilyn Portrait California (Beverly Lavender + Black), 2014

Enamel and diamond dust screenprint on linen

27 x 20 1/2 in; 68.6 x 52.1 cm

About this work

Russell Young’s diamond-dusted Marilyn portraits capture the magnetic duality that has defined Marilyn Monroe’s legacy for generations. Using archival images of Monroe at her most radiant and most vulnerable, Young transforms her familiar visage into something newly intense and emotionally layered. The diamond dust coating shimmers like the flash of paparazzi bulbs, reinforcing the glamour that made Monroe an icon, while simultaneously underscoring the illusion and fragility behind her public persona. Up close, the glittering surface reveals subtle tension in her expression—moments of longing, introspection, or exhaustion that puncture the myth of perpetual perfection. Young’s portraits invite viewers to reconsider Marilyn not as a distant Hollywood symbol, but as a profoundly human figure shaped by the pressures of fame, desire, and expectation. Through scale, texture, and a careful balance of beauty and melancholy, these works celebrate Monroe’s enduring radiance while honoring the complexity that made her story one of the most compelling in popular culture.

Price on Application

Auction History

Russell Young - AUDREY HEPBURN, "IN MY LIFE, WHY DO I SMILE AT PEOPLE WHO I'D MUCH RATHER KICK IN THE EYE?"

AUDREY HEPBURN, "IN MY LIFE, WHY DO I SMILE AT PEOPLE WHO I'D MUCH RATHER KICK IN THE EYE?" · Russell Young · Sotheby's · 2020-03 · $8,750

Russell Young - Marilyn portrait (gold)

Marilyn portrait (gold) · Russell Young · Dorotheum · 2023-11 · $30,628

Russell Young - Jackie O

Jackie O · Russell Young · Artsy Auction · 2022-06 · $8,125

Russell Young - Marilyn Portrait

Marilyn Portrait · Russell Young · Sotheby's · 2021-09 · $0

Russell Young - Marilyn Portrait (Blue, Rosé and Pink)

Marilyn Portrait (Blue, Rosé and Pink) · Russell Young · Sotheby's · 2021-03 · $7,495

More from this series

More series by Russell Young

About the Icons Series

Russell Young's Icons series stands as a defining body of work in contemporary pop art, celebrating the cultural figures who shaped modern fame and legend. Through screenprinting and mixed media techniques, Young reimagines portraits of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Jim Morrison, and Brigitte Bardot—subjects that have captivated the world across decades. Each work captures the duality of celebrity: the glamour and the tragedy beneath the surface.

Young's approach to these legendary figures demonstrates his mastery of color, repetition, and composition, transforming iconic photographs into vibrant contemporary statements. The series explores themes of immortality, cultural obsession, and the human cost of fame. Works like Marilyn Glamour—available in multiple colorways including striking pink and black-and-white editions—showcase the artist's ability to recontextualize familiar imagery with fresh aesthetic power.

The Icons series remains highly collectable, representing a significant moment in pop art's evolution and commanding strong market interest among serious collectors. Enquire for current availability and acquisition of these sought-after works.

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Marilyn Portrait California (Beverly Lavender + Black)

About Russell Young

Russell Young is a British artist known for his bold screenprinted paintings of cultural icons — Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Diana, and others — overlaid with dripping enamel and glitter. Working in the tradition of Pop Art, Young investigates celebrity, image, and the gap between icon and reality. His work is represented by Guy Hepner in New York.

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