Uncover how Marilyn Monroe, far from being a passive star, fiercely controlled her public image, even destroying negatives she disliked, as revealed by her last living photographer, Lawrence Schiller, and a new exhibition.
This article explores Marilyn Monroe's often-downplayed role as an active architect of her own image, challenging the myth of a 'messy' star shaped by others. Lawrence Schiller, her last living photographer, recounts how Monroe meticulously cut up negatives she disliked after a 1962 nude swimming pool shoot, demonstrating her keen control. The piece highlights her intelligence, wit, and 'subtext' that photographers like Schiller had to understand. A new National Portrait Gallery exhibition reinforces this view, portraying Monroe as having 'creative agency' outside the studio system. Her famous pool shoot, which she orchestrated, is presented as an attempt to reclaim her narrative and compete with Elizabeth Taylor, despite her personal struggles with health, addiction, and a recent divorce. Monroe's active role in 'writing the script' during photo sessions, as noted by photographer Douglas Kirkland, underscores her command over the still camera. The article poignantly contrasts her public vitality with her private turmoil, culminating in her tragic death just two months after these events, leaving behind a legacy of a star who fought tenaciously for self-definition.
