Forever Marilyn
Encyclopedia
Forever Marilyn is a giant statue
of Marilyn Monroe
designed by Seward Johnson
. The statue is a representative of one of the most famous images of Monroe, taken from 1955 film The Seven Year Itch
. Inaugurated in July 2011, the statue currently stands in Chicago
where it will remain until spring 2012.
is blown up by a vent from a subway grate. It has been described as one of the iconic images of the 20th century and Johnson's sculpture is an homage to that scene.
The painted bronze statue is 26 foot (8 meter) tall and stands on a platform built to represent the subway grate. It was built in New Jersey
before being transported to its current home of Pioneer Court
, part of the Magnificent Mile
section of Michigan Avenue
, Chicago.
The site featured numerous statues over years and this is Johnson's third. Between December 2008 and February 2010 Johnson's 25-foot-tall God Bless America stood there. It was inspired by Grant Wood
's famous painting American Gothic
which is on display in the Art Institute of Chicago
. Before that, Johnson's 20-foot-tall King Lear
statue stood there.
, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times
, questioned the relevance of the statue to Chicago given that the film was not filmed or set in the city. He went on to criticise those taking photographs:
In August and September 2011 the statue was vandalised three times, most recently being splashed with red paint. This was because the statue, according to the executive director of the Chicago Public Arts Group, is "laden with political meaning, and provocative meaning and sexual meaning".
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
designed by Seward Johnson
John Seward Johnson II
John Seward Johnson II also known as J. Seward Johnson, Jr. and Seward Johnson is an American artist known for his trompe l'oeil painted bronze statues, and a grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I ....
. The statue is a representative of one of the most famous images of Monroe, taken from 1955 film The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American film based on a three-act play with the same name by George Axelrod. The film was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, and starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, reprising his Broadway role...
. Inaugurated in July 2011, the statue currently stands in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
where it will remain until spring 2012.
Design and location
In Marilyn Monroe's famous scene in The Seven Year Itch, her white dressWhite dress of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe wore a white dress in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, directed by Billy Wilder. The dress was created by costume designer William Travilla and was worn in one of the best-known scenes in the movie...
is blown up by a vent from a subway grate. It has been described as one of the iconic images of the 20th century and Johnson's sculpture is an homage to that scene.
The painted bronze statue is 26 foot (8 meter) tall and stands on a platform built to represent the subway grate. It was built in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
before being transported to its current home of Pioneer Court
Pioneer Court
Pioneer Court is a plaza located near the junction of the Chicago River and Upper Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Magnificent Mile. It is believed to be the site of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable's original residence and trading post. In 1965, the plaza was built on the former site of his homestead as...
, part of the Magnificent Mile
Magnificent Mile
The Magnificent Mile, sometimes referred to as The Mag Mile, is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, that runs along a portion of Michigan Avenue extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street in the Near North Side community area. The district is located adjacent to downtown; it is also one block...
section of Michigan Avenue
Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Michigan Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago which runs at 100 east south of the Chicago River and at 132 East north of the river from 12628 south to 950 north in the Chicago street address system...
, Chicago.
The site featured numerous statues over years and this is Johnson's third. Between December 2008 and February 2010 Johnson's 25-foot-tall God Bless America stood there. It was inspired by Grant Wood
Grant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
's famous painting American Gothic
American Gothic
American Gothic is a painting by Grant Wood, in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood's inspiration came from a cottage designed in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive upper window and a decision to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that...
which is on display in the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
. Before that, Johnson's 20-foot-tall King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
statue stood there.
Reception
The statue quickly became a popular photo opportunity for tourists, much to the disdain of local critics. Richard RoeperRichard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper is an American columnist and film critic for The Chicago Sun-Times and now a co-host on The Roe Conn Show on WLS-AM...
, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, questioned the relevance of the statue to Chicago given that the film was not filmed or set in the city. He went on to criticise those taking photographs:
In August and September 2011 the statue was vandalised three times, most recently being splashed with red paint. This was because the statue, according to the executive director of the Chicago Public Arts Group, is "laden with political meaning, and provocative meaning and sexual meaning".