A must-see exhibition this winter is 90 Years Marilyn, Reflecting on a Female Icon. The exhibition celebrates the birthday of Marilyn Monroe who would have turned 90 this year. Until February 5, 2017 the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam showcases the life and the legacy of this remarkable lady with heirlooms and personal artifacts from her last home in Brentwood California. For decades, most of her belongings have been safeguarded by her heirs until they were auctioned by Christie’s in New York in 1999. Fervent Monroe collector Ted Stampfer acquired the majority of the objects, and those are the objects you will see at this exhibition.
The dress
The private objects like her wardrobe, accessories, and personal documents are combined with photos, and movie fragments, creating an intimate and unique peek into her life. In total there are 250 personal objects that disclose how contrasting her private life was from her celebrity life. Pièce de résistance at the exhibition is The Dress, the legendary white dress from the movie The Seven Year Itch. The dress was designed in 1955 by William Travilla and is regarded as an icon of film history. The image of Monroe in the white dress standing above a subway grating blowing the dress up has been described as one of the iconic images of the 20th century.
Pioneer of women’s rights
The exhibition fee includes a free audio tour (in English or Dutch). You get to hear testimonials, background information and soundbites, making the unique pieces come to life. The exhibition takes you through her life like walking in a biography. From her early years as Norma Jeane to her stardom years. You learn that she e.g. negotiated her own first contract with 20th Century Fox in 1946, which was unprecedented at that time. She refused marriage to her agent Johnny Hyde because she wanted to stay independent. Marilyn started her own production company that produced movies like Bus stop, and Some Like it Hot. And in 1955 she uses her influence to empower Ella Fitzgerald’s career as an African American performer by demanding bookings at the famous club Mocambo. Marilynis therefore seen as a pioneer of women’s rights in the fifties and forerunner of overturning female working rights.
More information: nieuwekerk.nl
Open daily 11-17 hrs
Tickets: € 16
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