Here's why this was significant:
* Mass Production: Silkscreen printing was a method used for mass production, particularly in advertising. Warhol embraced this, reflecting the way Monroe's image was endlessly reproduced in popular culture.
* Mechanical Repetition: The process created identical copies, emphasizing the repetitive nature of fame and the mass consumption of celebrity.
* Color Variations: Warhol played with different color palettes on his silkscreen prints, highlighting the artificiality and constructed nature of celebrity.
The use of silkscreen printing made Warhol's work both accessible and controversial. It challenged the traditional art world and its emphasis on originality, while simultaneously exploring themes of fame, consumerism, and the dehumanizing effects of mass media.