The National Portrait Gallery’s Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait, supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, marks the centenary of Monroe’s birth with a thoughtful examination of her image, artistry, and enduring cultural presence. The exhibition traces Monroe’s evolving public image through major photographic collaborations and works by artists including Eve Arnold, Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol, Pauline Boty, and Richard Hamilton. Among its highlights are six images from George Barris’s 1962 Santa Monica beach shoot, the final portraits taken of Monroe during her lifetime. The exhibition considers how Monroe engaged actively with photographers and publicity, shaping her image with care at a time when she was navigating intense public scrutiny. By presenting familiar images alongside more intimate and complex material, the show invites audiences to look beyond myth and celebrity toward Monroe’s agency, vulnerability, and lasting influence on visual culture. Read the article here.
‘It was poignant, knowing that these were the last images she did’: The Intimate Final Photos of Marilyn Monroe
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