‘I believe in fairies. Although I can’t prove they exist, nobody has ever managed to prove to me that theydon’t’. [1

]A leading figure of British Pop art, Peter Blake draws inspiration from various sources, including theBritish Victorian age and his outsider view of American popular culture, particularly the cult of celebrity. As early as 1955, Blake began working with images of screen icons, including Marilyn Monroe, who continues to populate in his paintings. In ‘Mary Lin Munroe Fabulous Texan MM’ (2019), Blake paints a close–up portrait of the actress. She is illuminated from the front as if by a paparazzi flashbulb, caught in a moment of surprise that offers a rare naïve view of the icon. Blake has given the actress a ‘chinoiserie’ tattoo, with Willow Pattern bluebird and a red Koi, a symbol of love and lasting relationships, which he combines with American references: two Stars & Stripes flags on a vintage pin and one featuring Andy Warhol’s iconic screen–printed ‘Marilyn’. While other Pop artists frequently used images of women in their work, they often did so with an ironic or overtly sexualised bent. In Blake’s piece, we find a refreshing breath of innocence that brings to mind both his childlike belief in fairies and the hubris of fame.
[1] Peter Blake, in conversation with Andrew Lambirth, The Independent on Sunday, 2 December 1997