Marilyn Monroe, idole iconique
The Cinémathèque française in Paris is presenting an exhibition dedicated to Marilyn Monroe to mark the centenary of her birth. The show explores her evolution from actress to a globally reproduced image, featuring portraits by renowned photographers and examining her enduring cultural presence.
The exhibition matters because it analyzes Monroe's transition from a film star into a pervasive visual icon, situating her within the history of technical image reproduction. It highlights how her likeness, amplified by figures like Andy Warhol, transcends cinema to become a symbol of an era defined by the mass circulation of images, fulfilling Walter Benjamin's concept of the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction.