Andy Warhol’s iconic Marilyn Monroe portrait has been given a Pop Tart makeover

• A unique pop-up art gallery opening this weekend in London is set to feature a sweet twist on a pop art favourite.
• Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych has been recreated by food artist Nathan Wyburn with nothing but the breakfast item Pop Tarts.
• The twist comes as a survey by Kellogg’s suggests that despite Gen Z’s love of art, many are reluctant to visit art galleries claiming they were “boring.”

Those in London heading to the Pop(T)Art Gallery Experience in Shoreditch this weekend will be in for a super-sweet piece of pop art - created from the breakfast item Pop Tarts.

In a twist to the iconic Marilyn Diptych pop art work created by Andy Warhol in 1962 shortly before her death, food artist Nathan Wyburn has recreated the piece, only using Pop Tarts instead of paints and textiles. 

The choice of medium used to create the piece comes as the Kellogg’s breakfast treat celebrates 60 years of being devoured by those in a rush across the world in 2024. 

As Wyburn explains: “It’s about making art fun, and bringing something unexpected to the table—literally. The idea was to bring something new and playful to the art world. Using Pop Tarts to recreate iconic pieces like Marilyn Monroe’s portrait captures the essence of pop art—turning the ordinary into something extraordinary.”

Wyburn’s Pop Tart portraits come at a time when generational differences in art appreciation are more visible than ever. Kellogg’s conducted a survey of 2,000 Brits that revealed while Millennials (46%) and Gen Z (61%) consider themselves art lovers, older generations like Gen X (29%) and Boomers (31%) are less likely to engage with art in the same way. 

Yet, despite Gen Z’s passion for art, many (31%) admit they rarely visit galleries, citing them as “boring” or “inaccessible.”

“The fact that nearly two in five young people are drawn to unique and interactive art shows there’s a real demand for exhibitions that break from the norm,” Wyburn notes. “This gallery offers something different—where you can touch, taste, and create, all while exploring art in a new way.”

Beyond Marilyn Monroe, Wyburn also took on another iconic subject: Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, often considered the pinnacle of fine art. Interestingly, the same survey revealed that over one in five Brits (22%) deemed the painting overrated, showing a shift in how certain masterpieces are perceived. 

In response, Wyburn gave the Mona Lisa his Pop Tart treatment, playfully challenging the artwork's untouchable status in the pop-up gallery.

The Pop(T)Art Gallery Experience runs from October 25 to October 26 2024 at the unique pop-up at 133 Bethnal Green Road, London. The event is free to attend to the public and is open from 12pm until 8pm across the two days.