On display from the 11th May, Proud Galleries will present an exhibition featuring rare portraits of Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe. 

The exhibition will feature many of the images of the iconic actress captured by Milton H.Greene, who photographed Marilyn Monroe in more than 50 different settings resulting in an archive of over 3000 images.

As one of the most photographed actresses in the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe is remembered for the ‘dumb blonde’ personality she portrayed on screen, but as these photographs show she was far from dumb and was actually a symbol of empowerment and womanhood as she embraced the camera in a way that no celebrity had dared to do before.

The actress first met Milton H.Greene on on a photoshoot for Look magazine in 1953. Although known for his fashion shoots that appeared in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, Milton turned his attention to celebrity culture and photographed many high-profile personalities of the era including Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn. The pair soon became close, even going on to form a business partnership establishing the company ‘Marilyn Monroe Productions’, giving Marilyn control and ownership of her career.

Milton’s poised  depictions of Marilyn reveal the way in which she was able to create an entirely different character in front of the lens with just a simple glance and will be highlighted in the images on display at the Proud Galleries.

Up Close with Marilyn: Portraits by Milton H.Greene will be on display at the Proud Galleries from the 11th May until the 24th June. For more information visit: https://www.proudonline.co.uk/exhibitions