Frida/Marilyn: Parallel Lives is an exhibition of art and photography, on display until October 5 at the Ancient Oratory of San Filippo Neri in Turin, Italy.
“Seemingly distant, yet united by some similarities in life. Both portrayed by the greatest photographers of the time, both dreamed of motherhood, but health problems never fulfilled their dream. Lovers of powerful men and deeply in love, both died young and in the prime of their lives.
Strong and fragile at the same time, becoming an icon and ideal of beauty (Marilyn), and of a politically engaged woman (Frida). The exhibition aims to raise awareness of the different ways of being a woman in an era that still sees discrimination against women.
A story told through approximately 80 photographs, divided between Frida and Marilyn, from images of them as children to their last moments in life, in an alternation of public and private images.”
The parallels between Marilyn and the Mexican artist are fairly thin, although in some cases the contrast can be intriguing. Previous exhibitions have paired Marilyn with figures as disparate as Coco Chanel or Bob Dylan. Both Marilyn and Frida became visual icons, transforming themselves into works of art. Frida spent time in America, while Marilyn visited Mexico in the last year of her life. And of course, neither would live to grow old (Frida died in 1954, aged 47; and Marilyn at 36, in 1962.)
The exhibition places photographs alongside quotations from each woman. Unfortunately, the ‘Monroeism’ shown above – which loosely translates as ‘Never cry for a man, it ruins your makeup’ – cannot be traced to any reputable source, and is probably an internet fabrication.
But worse still, the exhibition also features a post-autopsy image of Marilyn, as Scott Fortner reports on his Marilyn Monroe Collection blog. The photo was first published in Anthony Summers’ Goddess (1985), attracting widespread outrage.
So for Italian fans planning to see this exhibition, please be warned that it may be upsetting – and you can let the curators know via Instagram.
And finally, the Italian journalist Chiara Pasqualetti Johnson has written illustrated biographies of both women, with an English-language edition of Marilyn: Diva, Woman, Goddess due for publication in September. However, it seems like this book may have some fact-checking issues as well, as the blurb claims that Marilyn ‘won the heart’ of John F. Kennedy, which is almost certainly false.
Meanwhile, a sample page attributes Marilyn’s 1952 potato sack shoot to Earl Thiesen, whereas the photographer was actually Gene Kornman. This is a common mistake (Marilyn did a similar shoot with Thiesen in 1951), but the author goes on to say Marilyn wore an Ohio potato sack, although further study proves those were Idaho potatoes!
The Marilyn Report 