BE@RBRICK - Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe #2' 100% & 400%

This collectible toy by BE@RBRICK is a Andy Warhol 'Marilyn Monroe' 100/400% set released in 2021 by MediCom. This set features Warhol's iconic Marilyn Monroe screenprint in a pink/blue colourway. Both figures are made of PVC Plastic and each measures 7cm & 28cm tall.

From the tip of its ear to its toes, the figure is glossed with a pattern that mirrors the large 25-image print of Warhol’s iconic piece. The late pop artist used a unique silk-screening method to create the original painting, where each image was painted with subtle differences.

This particular BE@RBRICK embodies various sections of the work, rendered in a rich pink palette. In contrast to the original painting, this pattern is placed over a sculptural toy, offering an interesting dimension and perspective on the famed motif. Warhol created the piece in the month of August in ‘62, just a few weeks after Monroe’s passing; the portrait is based on a single photograph from the 1953 film Niagara.

The first BE@RBRICK was birthed by MediCom Toy in Japan in 2001, and no one could have anticipated the subsequent impact it would have on popular culture.

The bear-like figure has attracted an impressive array of star-studded collabs, which bridges streetwear, fashion and art in a colourful flurry of desirable collectibles, and it has moved into art galleries as well as the homes of A-list celebrities.

BE@RBRICKS are collectable figures comprised of nine parts — a head, torso, hips, arms, hands, and legs with joints that can move, which come in a range of materials and sizes. The figures are sold in series with two drops a year, with the series in turn consisting of four types (basic, standard, artist and secret.)

The standard category can be further sub-divided into different recurring themes, and each BE@RBRICK series and theme also has its own level of rarity. Adding to this the fact that the standard figures are sold in blind boxes, collecting a whole set becomes really tricky.