Giant Marilyn Monroe statue returns to Palm Springs after 7 years; sparks backlash for 'forcing upskirting'

A 26-foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe permanently returned to Palm Springs in Florida last month after spending the past seven years in different locations. Sadly, it is not being welcomed by many who are demanding the removal or replacement of the sculpture.

The sculpture by artist Seward Johnson, titled "Forever Marilyn," is based on a scene from the 1955 movie "The Seven Year Itch" in which the Hollywood star is standing over a subway grate wearing the famous white halter dress which blows up when a train passes by. The scene went on to become one of the most iconic moments in movie history, and the still of Monroe's dress fighting the upward draft is one of her most famous pictures.

The giant sculpture was first installed in Palm Springs from 2012 to 2014, and was one of downtown's hottest attractions. Aftab Dada, managing director at the Palm Springs Hilton and the head of PS Resorts, told NPR that this is why he has spent years trying to get the statue back to the desert.

"She makes [the] majority of the people very happy. The photos taken, and being transmitted all over the world, will do nothing but benefit the city of Palm Springs," he said.

Dada also hopes that the statue that has been placed in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum will bring in a few extra visitors in the short term and help the local economy bounce back from the crisis brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, not everyone agrees with Dada, including Louis Grachos, the director of the Palm Springs Art Museum. Grachos is particularly concerned about the fact that the statue's backside will be in front of the entrance of his museum, and will be the first thing visitors see while exiting the building.

During a city council meeting regarding the placement of the statue in November last year, Grachos had said: "The thought of those kids leaving our museum and having the first thing they see is the undergarments and underwear of this enormous Marilyn sculpture would be highly offensive."

However, the council rejected Grachos's objection and decided that the statue will be placed in front of the museum for three years, after which its position might be reconsidered.

Meanwhile, a number of activists are also advocating the removal of the statue, noting that the "sexist" sculpture objectifies the late actress. "She's literally going to be mooning the museum. It's blatantly sexist. It forces people almost to upskirt," said Elizabeth Armstrong, a former director of the Palm Springs Art Museum. Armstrong is also the spokesperson for a Change.org petition which demands the council to reconsider its decision and has already gained more than 40,000 signatures.

"She wanted to be taken seriously as an artist and not just a sexual icon. We join others in asking the City of Palm Springs to venerate-not defile-her memory. We challenge Palm Springs to find more appropriate ways to honor her memory and the true legacy of Marilyn Monroe," the petition states.

There is also the Committee to Relocate Marilyn, led by fashion designer Tina Turk, which cites complex local regulations and city planning as the grounds for the replacement of the statue.