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{{short description|Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe by John Seward Johnson II}}
{{short description|Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe by John Seward Johnson II}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox artwork
{{Infobox artwork
| image_file = Forever Marilyn.jpg
| image_file = Forever Marilyn in Palm Springs.jpg
| painting_alignment =
| painting_alignment =
| image_size =
| image_size =
| caption = On display in [[Palm Springs, California]]
| caption = ''Forever Marilyn'' in front of the [[Palm Springs Art Museum]] in 2021
| title = Forever Marilyn
| title = Forever Marilyn
| alt =
| alt =
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| metric_unit =
| metric_unit =
| imperial_unit = ft
| imperial_unit = ft
| city = [[Chicago]], IL (2011–12)<br>[[Palm Springs]], CA (2012–14)<br>[[Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hamilton Township]], NJ (2014–15)<br>[[Bendigo]], Australia (2016)<br>[[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]], CT (2018–)
| city = [[Chicago]], IL (2011–12)<br />[[Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hamilton Township]], NJ (2014–15)<br />[[Bendigo]], Australia (2016)<br />[[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]], CT (2018)<br />[[Palm Springs]], CA (2012–14, 2021–)
| museum =
| museum =
| coordinates =
| coordinates =
| owner = PS Resorts<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cassady |first=Daniel |date=February 28, 2023 |title=26-Foot Marilyn Monroe Statue Still Causing a Stir Among the Palm Springs Elite |url=https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/marilyn-monroe-statue-palm-springs-lawsuit-1234658996/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |work=ARTnews }}</ref>
| owner = The Sculpture Foundation
}}
}}


'''''Forever Marilyn''''' is a giant [[statue]] of [[Marilyn Monroe]] designed by [[John Seward Johnson II|Seward Johnson]]. The statue is a representation of one of the most famous images of Monroe, taken from [[Billy Wilder]]'s film ''[[The Seven Year Itch]]''. Created in 2011, the statue has been displayed in a variety of locations in the United States, as well as in Australia.
'''''Forever Marilyn''''' is a giant [[statue]] of [[Marilyn Monroe]] designed by [[John Seward Johnson II|Seward Johnson]]. The statue is a representation of the image of Monroe taken from [[Billy Wilder]]'s 1955 film ''[[The Seven Year Itch]]''. Created in 2011, the statue has been displayed in a variety of locations in the United States, as well as in Australia.


==Description==
==Design and locations==
The {{convert|26|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} {{convert|34000|lb|kg|adj=on}} sculpture, manufactured of painted [[stainless steel]] and [[aluminium]],<ref name = Map>{{cite web|title=The Retrospective Site Map (See: Icons Revisited Series)|url=http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/userAssets/file/sj-retrospective-map.pdf|website=Groundsforsculpture.org|publisher=Grounds for Sculpture|access-date=9 October 2016}}</ref> is a super-sized tribute to Marilyn Monroe's iconic scene from [[Billy Wilder]]'s 1955 infidelity comedy, ''The Seven-Year Itch'', with the figure capturing the instant a blast of air from a NYC subway grate raises her [[White dress of Marilyn Monroe|white dress]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Seven Year Itch (Trivia)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048605/trivia|website=IMDB.com|access-date=29 August 2016}}</ref>
The {{convert|26|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} {{convert|34000|lb|kg|adj=on}} sculpture, manufactured of painted [[stainless steel]] and [[aluminium]],<ref name = Map>{{cite web|title=The Retrospective Site Map (See: Icons Revisited Series)|url=http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/userAssets/file/sj-retrospective-map.pdf|website=Groundsforsculpture.org|publisher=Grounds for Sculpture|access-date=9 October 2016|archive-date=8 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708031801/http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/userAssets/file/sj-retrospective-map.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a super-sized tribute to Marilyn Monroe's scene from [[Billy Wilder]]'s 1955 infidelity comedy, ''The Seven-Year Itch'', with the figure capturing the instant a blast of air from a NYC subway grate raises her [[White dress of Marilyn Monroe|white dress]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Seven Year Itch (Trivia)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048605/trivia|website=IMDB.com|access-date=29 August 2016}}</ref>


==Locations==
The statue was displayed at [[Pioneer Court]] part of the [[Magnificent Mile]] section of [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], before it was moved to the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs, California, in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Forever Marilyn: Palm Springs sets goodbye party|url=http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2014/03/27/forever-marilyn-palm-springs-goodbye-party/6965295|website=The Desert Sun|access-date=29 August 2016}}</ref>
⚫
The statue was displayed at [[Pioneer Court]] part of the [[Magnificent Mile]] section of [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]. In August and September 2011 the statue was vandalized three times, including being splashed with red paint. According to the executive director of the Chicago Public Arts Group, "In our society, we have little room for sexually expressive images{{nbsp}}... The social contract doesn't work, because it is itself laden with political meaning, and provocative meaning and sexual meaning."<ref>Reese, Ronnie. [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-28/news/ct-talk-marilyn-tagged-0928-20110928_1_vandals-red-paint-defaced Vandals splash Monroe statue with red paint]. ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. September 28, 2011. Accessed October 2, 2011.</ref>


It was given a farewell sendoff during the Palm Springs Village Fest on March 27, 2014,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Business News: ''Forever Marilyn'' to Stay in Palm Springs until Mid-November|journal=The Public Record|date=July 30, 2013|volume=37|issue=32|pages=3|issn=0744-205X|oclc=8101482}}</ref> and was then relocated to the 42-acre [[Grounds for Sculpture]] (GFS) in [[Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hamilton, New Jersey]] as part of a 2014 retrospective honoring Seward Johnson.<ref name = Map/><ref>{{cite web|title=Seward Johnson: The Retrospective |url=http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/Exhibitions/Seward-Johnson-The-Retrospective |access-date=9 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005012348/http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/Exhibitions/Seward-Johnson-The-Retrospective |archive-date=5 October 2014 }}</ref> Due to its popularity, the statue remained on display at the GFS until September 2015, after the official end of the retrospective.<ref name = NJ.com>{{cite web|title=Goodbye Norma Jean: ''Forever Marilyn'' sculpture comes down|url=http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/09/goodbye_norma_jean_-_forever_marilyn_is_de-install.html|website=NJ.com|access-date=22 August 2016}}</ref>
It was moved in 2012 to the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs, California.<ref>{{cite web |last=Descant |first=Skip |date=March 27, 2014 |title=Forever Marilyn: Palm Springs sets goodbye party |url=http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2014/03/27/forever-marilyn-palm-springs-goodbye-party/6965295 |access-date=29 August 2016 |website=The Desert Sun}}</ref> It was given a farewell sendoff during the Palm Springs Village Fest on 27 March 2014,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Business News: ''Forever Marilyn'' to Stay in Palm Springs until Mid-November|journal=The Public Record|date=July 30, 2013|volume=37|issue=32|pages=3|issn=0744-205X|oclc=8101482}}</ref> and was then relocated to the [[Grounds for Sculpture]] (GFS) in [[Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hamilton, New Jersey]] as part of a 2014 retrospective honoring Seward Johnson.<ref name = Map/><ref>{{cite web|title=Seward Johnson: The Retrospective |url=http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/Exhibitions/Seward-Johnson-The-Retrospective |access-date=9 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005012348/http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/Exhibitions/Seward-Johnson-The-Retrospective |archive-date=5 October 2014 }}</ref> Due to its popularity, the statue remained on display at the GFS until September 2015, after the official end of the retrospective.<ref name="NJ.com">{{cite news |last=Mancuso |first=Michael |date=29 September 2015 |title=Goodbye Norma Jean: ''Forever Marilyn'' sculpture comes down |url=http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/09/goodbye_norma_jean_-_forever_marilyn_is_de-install.html |access-date=22 August 2016 |website=NJ.com}}</ref>


The statue was then displayed in 2016 in [[Rosalind Park]] in the Australian city of [[Bendigo]] in connection with the [[Bendigo Art Gallery]]'s Marilyn Monroe exhibition.<ref>[http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3701629/mega-marilyn-unwrapped-video/ "American crew assemble Marilyn sculpture that gallery director Karen Quinlan says will be a conversation-starter"], ''Bendigo Advertiser'', February 2, 2016.</ref>
The statue was displayed in 2016 in [[Rosalind Park]] in the Australian city of [[Bendigo]] in connection with the [[Bendigo Art Gallery]]'s Marilyn Monroe exhibition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kearney |first=Mark |date=2016-02-02 |title=Mega Marilyn unwrapped {{!}} Video |url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3701629/mega-marilyn-unwrapped-video/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |work=Bendigo Advertiser |language=en-AU}}</ref>


In 2018, the statue was displayed at Latham Park in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], as part of a large public art exhibition honoring the works of Seward Johnson. Thirty-six sculptures were placed throughout streets and parks in [[Downtown Stamford]], with ''Forever Marilyn'' being the highlight of the exhibit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stamford-downtown.com/events/timeless-the-works-of-seward-johnson/#.Ws4boC7wYdV|title=Timeless – The Works of Seward Johnson |publisher= Stamford Downtown – This is the place!|website=stamford-downtown.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-11}}</ref> The statue sparked controversy when it was placed in Stamford with complaints arising due to her appearing to flash her underwear at the First Congregational Church in .<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/church-giant-marilyn-monroe-statue_us_5b1ec451e4b09d7a3d75bb1b|title=Church Is Taking Appearance Of Gigantic Marilyn Monroe Statue In Stride|last=Kuruvilla|first=Carol|date=2018-06-11|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2018/06/08/statue-of-marilyn-monroe-famously-exposing-her-rear-upsets-nearby-church/|title=Statue of Marilyn Monroe famously exposing her rear displayed near church|date=2018-06-08|work=New York Post|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newser.com/story/260420/cheeky-artwork-marilyn-statue-outside-church-leaves-some-upset.html|title=Marilyn Monroe Statue Outside Church Gets Tongues Wagging|last=Cromley|first=Janet|date=2018-06-09|work=Newser|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/16279566.The_day_in_pictures___15_photographs_that_made_today_s_news/#gallery0|title=The day in pictures : 15 photographs that made today's news|website=HeraldScotland.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref>
In 2018, the statue was displayed at Latham Park in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], as part of a large public art exhibition honoring the works of Seward Johnson. Thirty-six sculptures were placed throughout streets and parks in [[Downtown Stamford]], with ''Forever Marilyn'' being the highlight of the exhibit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timeless – The Works of Seward Johnson |url=http://stamford-downtown.com/events/timeless-the-works-of-seward-johnson/#.Ws4boC7wYdV |access-date=2018-04-11 |publisher=Stamford Downtown |language=en-US}}</ref> The statue sparked controversy when it was placed in Stamford with complaints arising due to her appearing to flash her underwear at the nearby First Congregational Church.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/church-giant-marilyn-monroe-statue_us_5b1ec451e4b09d7a3d75bb1b|title=Church Is Taking Appearance Of Gigantic Marilyn Monroe Statue In Stride|last=Kuruvilla|first=Carol|date=2018-06-11|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newser.com/story/260420/cheeky-artwork-marilyn-statue-outside-church-leaves-some-upset.html|title=Marilyn Monroe Statue Outside Church Gets Tongues Wagging|last=Cromley|first=Janet|date=2018-06-09|work=Newser|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/16279566.The_day_in_pictures___15_photographs_that_made_today_s_news/#gallery0|title=The day in pictures : 15 photographs that made today's news|website=HeraldScotland.com|date=8 June 2018 |language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref>


On 25 September 2019 Palm Springs mayor Robert Moon announced the statue's return to Palm Springs as a permanent fixture.<ref>https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2019/09/25/forever-marilyn-monroe-statue-return-palm-springs/2445990001/</ref> On 3 February 2021 it was announced that the statue – long stored in a dismantled state in New Jersey – would be erected on Museum Way just east of the [[Palm Springs Art Museum]] with an unveiling date of 18 April 2021. According to the announcement, ''Forever Marilyn'' is set to remain in Palm Springs for up to three years: in two years time the statue's local economic impact is scheduled to be reviewed and its future decided.<ref>https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2021/02/03/forever-marilyn-sculpture-nears-return-to-downtown-palm-springs/</ref><ref>https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2021/03/01/forever-marilyn-statue-return-palm-springs-april-18/6879286002/</ref> As of June 2021 litigation seeking to block the erection of ''Forever Marilyn'' has continued in the California courts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rode |first1=Erin |title=Court denies latest effort to block ''Forever Marilyn'' installation |url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/palm-springs/2021/06/01/court-denies-latest-effort-block-forever-marilyn-palm-springs/7497296002/ |work=Desert Sun |publisher=USA Today Network |date=June 1, 2021}}</ref>
In September 2019, Palm Springs mayor Robert Moon announced the statue's return to Palm Springs as a permanent fixture after being stored in a dismantled state in New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Makinen |first1=Julie |last2=Daniels |first2=Melissa |last3=Metz |first3=Sam |date=September 25, 2019 |title='Forever Marilyn' statue to return to Palm Springs |url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2019/09/25/forever-marilyn-monroe-statue-return-palm-springs/2445990001/ |url-status=live |work=Desert Sun}}</ref> On 3 February 2021, it was announced that the statue would be erected on Museum Way just east of the [[Palm Springs Art Museum]] with an unveiling date of 18 April 2021. According to the announcement, ''Forever Marilyn'' is set to remain in Palm Springs for up to three years: in two years time the statue's local economic impact is scheduled to be reviewed and its future decided.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Martinez |first=Taylor |date=4 February 2021 |title='Forever Marilyn' Sculpture Nears Return to Downtown Palm Springs |url=https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2021/02/03/forever-marilyn-sculpture-nears-return-to-downtown-palm-springs/ |work=NBC Palm Springs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rode |first=Erin |date=March 20, 2021 |title='Forever Marilyn' unveiling pushed back to April 18 |url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2021/03/01/forever-marilyn-statue-return-palm-springs-april-18/6879286002/ |work=Desert Sun}}</ref> Litigation seeking to block the erection of ''Forever Marilyn'' was filled in the California courts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rode |first1=Erin |title=Court denies latest effort to block ''Forever Marilyn'' installation |url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/palm-springs/2021/06/01/court-denies-latest-effort-block-forever-marilyn-palm-springs/7497296002/ |work=Desert Sun |publisher=USA Today Network |date=June 1, 2021}}</ref> The statue was unveiled on 20 June 2021,<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2021-06-25 |title=Marilyn Monroe statue returns to Palm Springs, to cheers and jeers |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/entertainment/2021/06/25/marilyn-monroe-statue-returns-to-palm-springs-to-cheers-and-jeers/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |work=Free Malaysia Today |language=en |agency=Reuters}}</ref> with the [[Riverside County Superior Court]] dismissing four of the Committee to Relocate Marilyn's purported causes of action on 18 July 2021, with the committee's remaining two purported causes being dismissed by the Riverside County Superior Court on 9 September 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cutchin |first=James B. |date=September 16, 2021 |title=Palm Springs' 'Forever Marilyn' statue case dismissed by court, opponents plan appeal |url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2021/09/15/forever-marilyn-statue-case-dismissed-opponents-plan-appeal/8349256002/ |url-status=live |work=Desert Sun}}</ref>


⚫
In 2021, the statue was debated on the TV programme [[Good Morning Britain (2014 TV programme)|''Good Morning Britain'']]. The statue was defended from accusations of misogyny by Monroe impersonator [[Suzie Kennedy]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Griffin|first=Louise|date=2021-05-26|title=Marilyn Monroe impersonator hits back at claims statue 'encourages upskirting'|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/26/marilyn-monroe-impersonator-defends-statue-against-upskirting-claims-14646747/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Metro|language=en}}</ref>
==Reception==
[[File:Grounds for Sculpture 2.JPG|thumb|A version of [[Grounds For Sculpture]].]]


The city council voted in 2023 to amend the Palm Springs Specific Plan to keep the statue in its current location by vacating a small portion of [[public right of way]] to create a parcel for the statue.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jadulang |first=Tiani |date=2023-12-05 |title=Palm Springs Amends City Plan For 'Forever Marilyn' Statue |url=https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2023/12/04/palm-springs-amends-city-plan-for-forever-marilyn-statue/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |work=NBC Palm Springs |language=en-US}}</ref> The mayor announced in July 2024 that the statue would be moved out of the Museum Way view corridor to [[Downtown Park (Palm Springs, California)|Downtown Park]] under an agreement which would avoid future litigation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pogrebin |first=Robin |date=2024-08-02 |title=Icon or Eyesore? Palm Springs to Move Divisive Marilyn Monroe Statue |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/arts/design/marilyn-monroe-statue-palm-springs.html |access-date=2024-08-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Marilyn Monroe Statue In Palm Springs: New Spot Announced |url=https://patch.com/california/palmdesert/amp/31857853/marilyn-monroe-statue-in-palm-springs-new-spot-announced |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=Palm Desert, CA Patch |language=en |agency=City News Service}}</ref>
⚫
In August and September 2011 the statue was vandalized three times, most recently being splashed with red paint. According to the executive director of the Chicago Public Arts Group, "In our society, we have little room for sexually expressive images{{nbsp}}... The social contract doesn't work, because it is itself laden with political meaning, and provocative meaning and sexual meaning."<ref>Reese, Ronnie. [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-28/news/ct-talk-marilyn-tagged-0928-20110928_1_vandals-red-paint-defaced Vandals splash Monroe statue with red paint]. ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. September 28, 2011. Accessed October 2, 2011.</ref>


==Replica ==
The public, however, remains [[enthusiasm|enthusiastic]]: "''Forever Marilyn'' journeyed back to Hamilton in April 2014, arriving at the Grounds for Sculpture on a truck as two dozen people cheered and took pictures. During the cross-country journey, people snapped photos of the sculpture in parking lots and along highways and posted them on social media."<ref name = NJ.com/>


The {{convert|8.18|meter||adj=mid|-tall|order=flip}} stainless steel statue was taller than the original. It had been put on display at a Chinese business center in 2013 to highlight the business's international relations.<ref name=chinadaily>{{cite web|title=China's tallest Marilyn Monroe statue dumped|url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-06/21/content_17605933_3.htm|website=chinadaily.com| date=21 June 2014 |access-date=24 April 2023}}</ref> In June 2014, the eight ton statue was photographed in a local Guigang, China garbage dump.<ref name="nbcnews">{{cite web |date=19 June 2014 |title=A 26-Foot Marilyn Monroe Sculpture Meets Its End in a Chinese Dump |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weird-news/dumped-giant-marilyn-monroe-thrown-out-trash-n135341 |access-date=24 April 2023 |website=NBC News}}</ref> This statue is featured twice in the 2017 Chinese drama film, ''[[Angels Wear White]]''. It is shown both at the start of the film on full display and as part of the films poignant commentary, at the end of the film, in the process of being discarded in pieces and hauled away.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ng |first=Natalie |date=2018-06-13 |title=Review: Angels Wear White |url=https://www.filmedinether.com/reviews/review-angels-wear-white/ |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=Filmed in Ether |language=en-AU}}</ref>
At least one full size [[counterfeit]] is known to have been created and displayed, as a discarded sculpture was photographed in a dump after being displayed outside a business center in Guigang, China.<ref name=hyperallergic>{{cite web|title=A 26-Foot Marilyn Monroe Sculpture Meets Its End in a Chinese Dump|url=http://hyperallergic.com/133629/an-8-foot-marilyn-monroe-sculpture-meets-its-end-in-a-chinese-dump/|website=Hyperallergic.com|access-date=29 August 2016}}</ref>


==See also==
⚫
In 2021, the statue was debated on the tv programme [[Good Morning Britain (2014 TV programme)|''Good Morning Britain'']]. The statue was defended from accusations of misogyny by Monroe impersonator Suzie Kennedy.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Griffin|first=Louise|date=2021-05-26|title=Marilyn Monroe impersonator hits back at claims statue 'encourages upskirting'|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/26/marilyn-monroe-impersonator-defends-statue-against-upskirting-claims-14646747/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Metro|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Statue of Shakira]], colossal statue of an entertainer in Colombia


==References==
==References==
Line 58: Line 60:


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.sewardjohnson.com The Work of Seward Johnson]
* [https://www.sewardjohnson.com The Work of Seward Johnson]


{{Marilyn Monroe}}
{{Marilyn Monroe}}
{{John Seward Johnson II|state=expanded}}
{{John Seward Johnson II|state=expanded}}
{{Public art in Chicago}}
{{Public art in Chicago}}
{{Public art in Palm Springs, California}}


[[Category:2011 sculptures]]
[[Category:2011 sculptures]]
[[Category:Colossal statues in Australia]]
[[Category:Colossal statues in Australia]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Marilyn Monroe]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Marilyn Monroe]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in California]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in Palm Springs, California]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in Chicago]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in Chicago]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in New Jersey]]

Revision as of 02:17, 28 August 2024

Forever Marilyn
Forever Marilyn in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum in 2021
ArtistSeward Johnson
Year2011
TypePainted steel and aluminum
Dimensions7.9 m (26 ft)
LocationChicago, IL (2011–12)
Hamilton Township, NJ (2014–15)
Bendigo, Australia (2016)
Stamford, CT (2018)
Palm Springs, CA (2012–14, 2021–)
OwnerPS Resorts[1]

Forever Marilyn is a giant statue of Marilyn Monroe designed by Seward Johnson. The statue is a representation of the image of Monroe taken from Billy Wilder's 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. Created in 2011, the statue has been displayed in a variety of locations in the United States, as well as in Australia.

Description

The 26-foot-tall (7.9 m) 34,000-pound (15,000 kg) sculpture, manufactured of painted stainless steel and aluminium,[2] is a super-sized tribute to Marilyn Monroe's scene from Billy Wilder's 1955 infidelity comedy, The Seven-Year Itch, with the figure capturing the instant a blast of air from a NYC subway grate raises her white dress.[3]

Locations

The statue was displayed at Pioneer Court part of the Magnificent Mile section of Chicago, Illinois. In August and September 2011 the statue was vandalized three times, including being splashed with red paint. According to the executive director of the Chicago Public Arts Group, "In our society, we have little room for sexually expressive images ... The social contract doesn't work, because it is itself laden with political meaning, and provocative meaning and sexual meaning."[4]

It was moved in 2012 to the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs, California.[5] It was given a farewell sendoff during the Palm Springs Village Fest on 27 March 2014,[6] and was then relocated to the Grounds for Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton, New Jersey as part of a 2014 retrospective honoring Seward Johnson.[2][7] Due to its popularity, the statue remained on display at the GFS until September 2015, after the official end of the retrospective.[8]

The statue was displayed in 2016 in Rosalind Park in the Australian city of Bendigo in connection with the Bendigo Art Gallery's Marilyn Monroe exhibition.[9]

In 2018, the statue was displayed at Latham Park in Stamford, Connecticut, as part of a large public art exhibition honoring the works of Seward Johnson. Thirty-six sculptures were placed throughout streets and parks in Downtown Stamford, with Forever Marilyn being the highlight of the exhibit.[10] The statue sparked controversy when it was placed in Stamford with complaints arising due to her appearing to flash her underwear at the nearby First Congregational Church.[11][12][13]

In September 2019, Palm Springs mayor Robert Moon announced the statue's return to Palm Springs as a permanent fixture after being stored in a dismantled state in New Jersey.[14] On 3 February 2021, it was announced that the statue would be erected on Museum Way just east of the Palm Springs Art Museum with an unveiling date of 18 April 2021. According to the announcement, Forever Marilyn is set to remain in Palm Springs for up to three years: in two years time the statue's local economic impact is scheduled to be reviewed and its future decided.[15][16] Litigation seeking to block the erection of Forever Marilyn was filled in the California courts.[17] The statue was unveiled on 20 June 2021,[18] with the Riverside County Superior Court dismissing four of the Committee to Relocate Marilyn's purported causes of action on 18 July 2021, with the committee's remaining two purported causes being dismissed by the Riverside County Superior Court on 9 September 2021.[19]

In 2021, the statue was debated on the TV programme Good Morning Britain. The statue was defended from accusations of misogyny by Monroe impersonator Suzie Kennedy.[20]

The city council voted in 2023 to amend the Palm Springs Specific Plan to keep the statue in its current location by vacating a small portion of public right of way to create a parcel for the statue.[21] The mayor announced in July 2024 that the statue would be moved out of the Museum Way view corridor to Downtown Park under an agreement which would avoid future litigation.[22][23]

Replica

The 26.8-foot-tall (8.18 m) stainless steel statue was taller than the original. It had been put on display at a Chinese business center in 2013 to highlight the business's international relations.[24] In June 2014, the eight ton statue was photographed in a local Guigang, China garbage dump.[25] This statue is featured twice in the 2017 Chinese drama film, Angels Wear White. It is shown both at the start of the film on full display and as part of the films poignant commentary, at the end of the film, in the process of being discarded in pieces and hauled away.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cassady, Daniel (28 February 2023). "26-Foot Marilyn Monroe Statue Still Causing a Stir Among the Palm Springs Elite". ARTnews. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b "The Retrospective Site Map (See: Icons Revisited Series)" (PDF). Groundsforsculpture.org. Grounds for Sculpture. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ "The Seven Year Itch (Trivia)". IMDB.com. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  4. ^ Reese, Ronnie. Vandals splash Monroe statue with red paint. Chicago Tribune. September 28, 2011. Accessed October 2, 2011.
  5. ^ Descant, Skip (27 March 2014). "Forever Marilyn: Palm Springs sets goodbye party". The Desert Sun. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Business News: Forever Marilyn to Stay in Palm Springs until Mid-November". The Public Record. 37 (32): 3. 30 July 2013. ISSN 0744-205X. OCLC 8101482.
  7. ^ "Seward Johnson: The Retrospective". Archived from the original on 5 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Mancuso, Michael (29 September 2015). "Goodbye Norma Jean: Forever Marilyn sculpture comes down". NJ.com. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  9. ^ Kearney, Mark (2 February 2016). "Mega Marilyn unwrapped | Video". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Timeless – The Works of Seward Johnson". Stamford Downtown. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  11. ^ Kuruvilla, Carol (11 June 2018). "Church Is Taking Appearance Of Gigantic Marilyn Monroe Statue In Stride". Huffington Post. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  12. ^ Cromley, Janet (9 June 2018). "Marilyn Monroe Statue Outside Church Gets Tongues Wagging". Newser. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  13. ^ "The day in pictures : 15 photographs that made today's news". HeraldScotland.com. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  14. ^ Makinen, Julie; Daniels, Melissa; Metz, Sam (25 September 2019). "'Forever Marilyn' statue to return to Palm Springs". Desert Sun.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Martinez, Taylor (4 February 2021). "'Forever Marilyn' Sculpture Nears Return to Downtown Palm Springs". NBC Palm Springs.
  16. ^ Rode, Erin (20 March 2021). "'Forever Marilyn' unveiling pushed back to April 18". Desert Sun.
  17. ^ Rode, Erin (1 June 2021). "Court denies latest effort to block Forever Marilyn installation". Desert Sun. USA Today Network.
  18. ^ "Marilyn Monroe statue returns to Palm Springs, to cheers and jeers". Free Malaysia Today. Reuters. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  19. ^ Cutchin, James B. (16 September 2021). "Palm Springs' 'Forever Marilyn' statue case dismissed by court, opponents plan appeal". Desert Sun.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ Griffin, Louise (26 May 2021). "Marilyn Monroe impersonator hits back at claims statue 'encourages upskirting'". Metro. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  21. ^ Jadulang, Tiani (5 December 2023). "Palm Springs Amends City Plan For 'Forever Marilyn' Statue". NBC Palm Springs. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  22. ^ Pogrebin, Robin (2 August 2024). "Icon or Eyesore? Palm Springs to Move Divisive Marilyn Monroe Statue". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Marilyn Monroe Statue In Palm Springs: New Spot Announced". Palm Desert, CA Patch. City News Service. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  24. ^ "China's tallest Marilyn Monroe statue dumped". chinadaily.com. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  25. ^ "A 26-Foot Marilyn Monroe Sculpture Meets Its End in a Chinese Dump". NBC News. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  26. ^ Ng, Natalie (13 June 2018). "Review: Angels Wear White". Filmed in Ether. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
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