We really enjoyed the Forever Marilyn statue when it was in PS and Roger and Kerry enjoyed it as well. There are plans to bring it back to PS and I was all for it.This article in the Desert Sun made me rethink that. While one could argue it's political correctness gone amuck, there is something to be said for spending the money showcasing local comtemporary artists. It will be interesting to see what happens in the end. We may just be left with these photos of folks enjoying Forever Marilyn.
From The Desert Sun:
"When a 26-foot-tall statue of Marilyn Monroe first came to Palm Springs in 2012 for a two-year stay, some saw a tasteless tourist attraction. They criticized the public art — depicting the blonde actress posing over a blustery New York subway gate — as a magnet for photos of people peeking under Monroe's upturned skirt.
From The Desert Sun:
"When a 26-foot-tall statue of Marilyn Monroe first came to Palm Springs in 2012 for a two-year stay, some saw a tasteless tourist attraction. They criticized the public art — depicting the blonde actress posing over a blustery New York subway gate — as a magnet for photos of people peeking under Monroe's upturned skirt.
Many, however, embraced "Forever Marilyn."
Beloved by locals and tourists alike, it captured Monroe's beauty, they said, and celebrated the city's history as a desert playground for Hollywood elite like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and, of course, Monroe.
The statue became a sort of downtown community gathering point, with the city and partners hosting a "Forever Marilyn" look-alike contest and a "Forever Marilyn" film series. The Knitting Guild of the Desert even stitched leg warmers for the statue.
Now city officials and business leaders are preparing to bring "Forever Marilyn" back to Palm Springs permanently.
But much has changed in the national zeitgeist since her first stay. The #MeToo era has shaken the foundation of Hollywood — and the nation — exposing the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse in the film industry and beyond.
The movement has brought new awareness to the legacies of movie insiders and actors like Monroe, who was open about being sexually abused as a child and hounded by men in Hollywood, and also used sex to advance her career."
The full article here:
https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/2019/10/18/metoo-era-does-marilyn-monroe-statue-belong-palm-springs/3910700002/?utm_source=desertsun-Daily%20Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero