In July of 2011, Chicago unveiled Seward Johnson's 26 foot tall Marilyn Monroe statue. "Forever Marilyn," made of aluminum and stainless steel, recreates the famous scene in Seven Year Itch where Monroe coyly holds down her skirt against the disrobing forces of a street vent. Critics of Seven Year Itch complained that the clip revealed too much bare leg. Although the movie is a "dusty" classic, that one image of Monroe ranks with "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" as an icon of American culture. The allure, if not the power, of the image emanates from the act of concealment. This tension between revelation and concealment is the essence of the aesthetic experience. As Heidegger discussed in The Origin of the Work of Art, the disrobing of an object reveals its Truth. But, art is not concerned with Truth in the same way science studies the objects of the world. The concealment of an object hides the Truth and opens a dialog with the audience as to the possibilies of meaning that may emerge from what is not seen. Heidegger used "Old Woman's Shoes" by Vincent Van Gogh, As an example of the tension between revelation and concealment. What is revealed in the painting is a pair of old and worn shoes. Yet, much remains concealed. In other words, the depiction of the shoes raises many questions about what is not depicted: Who is the owner? What are they used for? What are they made of? Are they a a source of comfort in life of the owner? Are the shoes a source of pain and sorrow?  |
| Van Gogh (1885) |
The Heidegger flashback is necessary to raise my own critique of Forever Marilyn. Transforming the still shot of Norma Jean into a three dimensional and larger than life statue undermined the power of the image; the statue reveals what had been concealed. In the image, Monroe holds down her skirt. Now, while shopping the Magnificent Mile, you can walk right under her skirt.
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