Local & Community
`Forever Marilyn’ Sculpture Nears Return To Downtown Palm Springs
An enormous sculpture depicting Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress-flying pose from the 1955 romantic comedy “The Seven Year Itch” is expected to return to Palm Springs at the end of next month, tourism officials confirmed Wednesday.
PS Resorts, a nonprofit tourism organization, finalized a deal this week with Seward Johnson Atelier to purchase the 26-foot-tall sculpture dubbed “Forever Marilyn” for $1 million, plus installation costs, according to Aftab Dada, the organization’s chairman.
Dada said a final installation date is tentatively set for March 28, which could change given the availability of the installation crew. The Desert Sun was the first to report the impending return of “Forever Marilyn,” which will make its way from storage in New Jersey, where it resides in “hundreds of pieces,” to its new home in Palm Springs, Dada said.
It will be installed on city-owned land on Museum Way, west of Belardo Road and east of Museum Drive, just east of the Palm Springs Art Museum.
The Palm Springs City Council approved a location agreement with PS Resorts last December. The agreement includes a term of up to three years, and requires periodic updates back to the council.
Dada said he would like to see the statue remain at the Museum Way location permanently. After two years, the statue’s local economic impact will be measured by an outside firm, he said.
The 17-ton statue crafted of steel and aluminum was first unveiled in Chicago in 2011 before moving to the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs in 2012, where it was on display for about two years.
The statue’s looming return has drawn the ire of some residents, both for its possible infringement of views of the surrounding natural landscape, and on allegations that the statue is sexist and inappropriate, the Desert Sun reported.
Dada countered that the statue is an economic powerhouse that brought the city millions of dollars of free publicity during its first rendezvous in Palm Springs. Dada said “Forever Marilyn” helped jumpstart the local economy during the Great Recession, and he hopes the statue can work that same magic again amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“She really put Palm Springs on the worldwide map,” he said. “She is definitely a huge draw and an unbelievable magnets to tourists.”
City Manager David Ready previously said the statue was a “tourism phenomenon” during its first appearance in the city.
“Forever Marilyn” was designed by artist Seward Johnson, who died last March.
The humongous sculpture recreates the moment in “The Seven Year Itch” where Monroe’s white dress surges up toward her waist as she stands on a windy Manhattan subway grate.
“Marilyn has come to represent beauty, and the white dress blowing up around her is a type of teasing sensuality,” Johnson once said. “There is something about her pose, the exuberance for life without inhibition, it expresses an uninhibited sense of our own vibrancy.”
By: NBC Palm Springs
February 3, 2021
Latest Instagram Posts
New findings reveal what led to the death of Jackie, the beloved bald eagle from Big Bear Valley. A necropsy confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu) as the primary cause of her decline. The infection caused a severe stomach ulcer, internal bleeding, anemia and a secondary bacterial infection. Testing also detected rat poison in Jackie’s liver, but officials say it was not identified as the primary cause of her death. Tests were negative for West Nile virus, and lead levels were within acceptable limits. Jackie’s mate, Shadow, remains in Big Bear Valley. Officials say there is no evidence that Shadow or the eaglets are sick. Jackie’s story captured hearts across the country and brought attention to bald eagle conservation. #JackieTheEagle #BigBear #BaldEagles #WildlifeConservation #BirdFlu #NBCPalmSprings
As discussion around flock cameras continues to spark greater conversations about surveillance and security, the Palm Springs Police Department is expected to provide an update on their flock camera program at tonight’s city council meeting. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs as we bring the latest details on this discussion #flockcameras #palmsprings #citycouncil #coachellavalley #760
A potent cold front will finally bring widespread fall-like temperatures to much of the central and eastern US.
Republican Rep. Mike Collins and Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff clashed over Jeffrey Epstein during a debate in Georgia. Collins challenged Ossoff over campaign donations from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, who has acknowledged meeting Jeffrey Epstein, while Ossoff countered accusing Collins of voting against releasing Epstein-related records, and helping to "cover up" evidence.
A man and his nephew captured the moment a huge whale slammed into the side of their boat while they were fishing off the coast of Long Island, New York.
Winnie the Pooh turns 100. The popular bear's legacy lives on not only in books but as toys and collectibles too.
🎶 60 ARRESTS, BUT NO $48K FINE? Head Trip Music Festival is over, but the aftermath is making headlines. Indio police made 60 arrests during the two-day festival, nearly half for drug possession. Meanwhile, the city is waiving a potential $48,000 fine after Swedish House Mafia played past the midnight curfew — citing weather disruptions that forced Saturday’s festival to shut down early. #Indio #HeadTripFestival #SwedishHouseMafia #CoachellaValley #BreakingNews
🙏 Prayers pouring in from around the world for Pope Leo XIV. The 71-year-old pontiff is recovering after surgery revealed lung cancer. Doctors say the growth was detected at an early stage — highlighting why early detection can make all the difference. ❤️ #PopeLeoXIV #LungCancer #EarlyDetection #YourHealthToday
🚨 Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is speaking out after California lawmakers decided to destroy ballots from the 2025 special election, ending his investigation into possible ballot miscount. What do you think the decision means for election transparency, accountability, and the ongoing questions surrounding election integrity? Let us know in the comments. #ChadBianco #RiversideCounty #CaliforniaPolitics #electionnews
Should Palm Springs residents elect their mayor directly? The city is asking residents to weigh in on whether to change its current system, where the mayor rotates annually among the five City Council members. Community meetings are scheduled for Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at ALO Palm Canyon and Monday at Palm Springs High School. Residents can also complete an online survey in English or Spanish. Share your input before next Monday at EngagePalmSprings.com. #PalmSprings #PalmSpringsNews #CoachellaValley #LocalGovernment #CityCouncil CommunityInput NBCPalmSprings