Douglas Kirkland’s iconic 1961 portrait of Marilyn – in vertically rotated form – graces the cover of HUNGER (#38), a bi-annual English style magazine. One of several limited editions, Marilyn’s cover has already sold out in many stores … and thus, happy hunting to all you magazine collectors!
The theme of this issue is ‘Reality Vs. Fantasy’, and as you can see, it’s a weighty tome. Françoise Kirkland, the photographer’s widow, is interviewed inside.
“Producer, agent, business manager and devoted partner … Kirkland’s devotion to her life partner made such an impression within the photography community that she garnered her own tagline: ‘everybody needs a Françoise’ … In her own words: ‘You die when the last person says your name.’ She has no intention of letting that happen.
R: So, was it the pictures of Elizabeth Taylor that made him?
FK: Yes. Everybody always thinks it’s Marilyn Monroe. But the pictures of Marilyn Monroe only became famous much later on as part of a story, ‘How do you want to be remembered 25 years from now?’
R: And was that how she wanted to be remembered?
FK: She wanted to be remembered in bed. With the sheets. It was her idea.
R: I didn’t know that! I thought she collaborated with him on the idea.
FK: She didn’t collaborate, she told him what she wanted. She told him, ‘This is what I want: I want Frank Sinatra records, silk sheets, Dom Perignon champagne. I’ll wear nothing under the sheets.’ And the day he showed her the pictures, she was in a dark mood and she cut a few of them, but the horizontal classic — the one where she’s grabbing the pillow — she said, ‘That girl is the kind of girl that a truck driver would like to be in bed with.'”
Marilyn is shown relaxing with the photographer between takes in a new book, Douglas Kirkland: Romance (see above.) The 1961 shoot was for the 25th anniversary edition of LOOK Magazine.
And finally, a pop-up retrospective and book launch is coming to Art + Gallery at Potts Point in Sydney, Australia on May 22. Françoise will be hosting the opening night, and the exhibition continues until May 6.
The Marilyn Report 