“Pink tax”
acrylic on collage of recycled materials on unmounted canvas panel
72”x36”
Currently NFS
A woman is taking a shower by the pool. In front of her is a multitude of pink products for personal care, such as shampoo, deodorant, a razor, a loofah, and a box of tampons representing feminine hygiene products. A pink balloon is also at her feet. She wears a pink bathing suit with a portrait of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol. The artist draws attention to Marilyn's heavily made-up face and hair, which represents the popular ideals of female beauty at that period. Even today, the beauty industry is booming and beauty trends can be a burden for some to follow. In 2022, the global cosmetics market size was valued at USD 262.21 billion. In the background, we see dollar bills flying away like a flock of birds. The tendency for products targeted toward women to cost more than those targeted toward men is known as the "pink tax,” which derives from the observation that many of the affected products are pink. As stated by Alliance for period supplies, personal hygiene supplies are also taxed like luxury goods. These are products that women will need to purchase on a monthly basis. A lack of period supplies means missing work, school or social events. The gender pay gap only aggravates the effect of the pink tax. “For every dollar men earn, women earn 77 cents. Women are under-represented in decision-making roles. Women carry out at least 2.5 times more unpaid work than men. At the current rate, it will take 257 years to close the global gender pay gap”. (UN news)
In the art world, the gender gap is also extremely present. In a Forbes article by Senior Contributor Kim Elsesser, she explains that works by female artists sell for a fraction of the prices received for comparable works by male artists. Between 2008 and 2019, of the $196.6 billion spent at art auctions, work produced by women accounted for only $4 billion, or around 2% of the total sales. Recently Warhol's Shot Sage Blue Marilyn sold for $195, making this portrait of Marilyn Monroe the most expensive work by a U.S. artist ever sold at auction.
Bathing suit: Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe 31 – Pink, 1967 (details)