It was great fun seeing this statue when it was temporarily in PS. Kerry and Roger were in PS at the same time so we all enjoyed it. I'm glad it's coming back but I do understand the concerns about placement.
A pink-clad crowd of protesters gathered Friday at the Palm Springs site designated for a 26-foot-tall statue of Marilyn Monroe — an installation approved earlier this month over objections to its placement as well as its content.
Under the ruling of a Riverside County judge, “Forever Marilyn” will be set up in the middle of a street leading to the Palm Springs Museum of Art.
The statue by Seward Johnson depicts the famous scene from the movie “The Seven-Year Itch” in which Monroe stands on a sidewalk grate with the updraft lifting her skirt.
The Committee to Relocate Marilyn, which organized Friday’s protest, has focused its criticism on the midstreet location, which it says blocks “important sight lines” and goes against the objective of integrating the museum into downtown Palm Springs.
A separate online petition brings up the nature of the depiction, calling it misogynist, hypersexualized and disrespectful of Monroe.
The museum also opposes the installation, saying the location would suggest to the general public that the statue is part of the museum’s collection. “We feel that it does not represent our values as a fine arts organization nor is it appropriate for the community,” communications director Scott Slaven told the Hollywood Reporter.
The statue was purchased for $1 million by a consortium of resort owners and others in the tourism business. They won city approval for its placement on Museum Way for at least three years.
Seward Johnson, who died last year, is known for his oversize sculptures, including several based on the famous photograph of a sailor kissing a woman on V-J Day.
