This concise and well presented exhibition highlights Marilyn Monroe in a new light.
“A sex symbol becomes a thing. I just hate being a thing” so said Marilyn Monroe and while her name conjures up many different words and images – it is mainly the comedic blonde bombshell many will remember her for being. However, this enlightening exhibition highlights her strength, her morals and her fight to be heard in every aspect of her life.
Featuring a wide range of personal belongings from clothing and make up to personal photographs, Marilyn – the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to get to understand a bit more about Marilyn Monroe aka Norma Jean on a more personal level than simply a superstar.
Arranged chronologically (although it takes a couple of minutes to figure out where to start), this is a very concise and well displayed exhibition that features enough information about her life without becoming overwhelming, taking us through the sadness of her childhood (although there were still moments of brief joy for her) all the way through to the tragic unexpectedness of her death. Surrounded by her quotes and having her image screened throughout, it feels suitably intimate, with the attention to detail (the stars on the floor with the names of her films on them are a nice touch)spot on. The design of the exhibition feels very much in keeping with the era that Marilyn grew up in.
While of course her famous films are referred to (by the time of her death she had appeared in 31 – including brief appearances in early films), including props such as a table lamp from How to Marry a Millionaire and a chair used in Bus Stop for example, this is an exhibition framed around her personality and life.
Fascinatingly on display is a love letter from Arthur Miller and the trunk she used for her honeymoon with Joe Di Maggio (who she was apparently set to re-marry shortly before she died), capturing her relationships with the men in her life – but as she admitted ‘I have too many fantasies to be a housewife’ – which given the era she was expected to be but she challenged this in so many ways and was certainly ahead of her time in many ways. You really get a sense of her strength.
There are also several films for visitors to sit down and watch – one in relation to the conspiracies surrounding her death (which sadly still has so many questions left unanswered despite the ruling that it was a probable suicide) as well as an overview of her life (although I was confused why this film came in at the end – but this could be down to the layout of the venue).
All the key aspects of her life are effectively highlighted – but it is actually the end that packs a powerful punch in which you see the personal possessions that she was amassing for her home, highlighting that at the end of the day what she most wanted was a home of her own but sadly she didn’t get a chance to enjoy it.
This is a really profound and thoughtful exhibition that shows Marilyn Monroe the person not simply the actress, capturing the fact that there was more to her than meets the eye. Highly recommended.
Marilyn – The Exhibition continues to be on public display until the 1st June.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️