“Forever Marilyn,” or Forever Exploitation?

When sculptor Seward Johnson’s 26-foot-tall tribute to Marilyn Monroe came under public scrutiny after last month’s unveiling in Pioneer Court in Chicago, he knew there would be a blow-up of one sort or another. Forever Marilyn recreates on a grand scale the iconic scene from the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch when Monroe’s character, known only as “The Girl,” stands over a subway grate and allows her skirt to be blown up around her, titillating the “itchy” married man beside her. Forever Marilyn titillates a new generation while claiming to celebrate the blonde bombshell’s life and career. But does this sculpture extend the Hollywood legend or just repeat the same exploitation that contributed to Monroe’s tragic death? Please come over to Picture This at Big Think to read more of "Forever Marilyn, or Forever Exploitation?"

[Image: Seward Johnson. Forever Marilyn.]