The BFI & National Portrait Gallery will exhibit Marilyn Monroe’s portfolio for her 100th birthday
Two exhibitions will celebrate the centenary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth by recapturing the life and times of the misunderstood actress through both film and pictures. The British Film Institute (BFI) and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) will host two shows chronicling the career of the icon for a new generation who perhaps only know her through photographic references.
BFI’s Lead Programmer, Kim Sheehan said, “Marilyn Monroe was quite possibly the biggest star cinema ever saw and will ever see. She was the original triple threat and deserves much credit for crafting her own image and stardom.”
BFI: What To Expect
The BFI will screen some of Monroe’s most celebrated movies over a two month period including a re-release of The Misfits. Other titles include:
- Ladies of the Chorus (1948)
- All About Eve (1950)
- Clash by Night (1952)
- Monkey Business (1952)
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
- River of No Return (1954)
- The Seven Year Itch (1955)
- The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)
- Some Like It Hot (1959)
- Let’s Make Love (1960)
- The Misfits (1961)
- Something’s Got to Give (1962, unfinished)
Sheehan, who is also head curator of Marilyn Monroe: Self-Made Star said: “In so many ways, she was a woman ahead of her time.” She cotninued, “This season showcases the many qualities that made Monroe a singular and enduring force in cinema history. There is no better place to experience them than communally on the big screen.”
The National Portrait Gallery
The NPG will exhibit photographs of the Hollywood star alongside her personal items including books and clothing to “enrich” the experience for visitors.
The exhibition will include works from several notable artists, including Rosalyn Drexler, James Gill, Audrey Flack, Pauline Boty, Marlene Dumas, and Andy Warhol. To complement this, photographs by Sam Shaw, Inge Morath, George Barris, Philippe Halsman, Eve Arnold, Bernard of Hollywood, Richard Avedon, André de Dienes, Milton Greene, Alfred Eisenstaedt, and Cecil Beaton will be on display.
Buy Tickets
BFI tickets are set to go on sale to Patrons on 5 May, members on 6 May, and to the general public on 8 May. The National Portrait Gallery tickets are on sale now from £25 with free access to members.
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