​Dreaming Marilyns

I decided to dedicate a project to exploring Marilyn Monroe's intricate relationship with photography, considering that her image has been one of the most extensively reproduced in pop culture.

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My approach involved taking portraits of women transformed into the likeness of Marilyn Monroe, immersed in contemplative dreams about the iconic figure. Rather than seeking exact physical resemblances, I sought models who shared two key attributes: a passion for the pop-culture icon and a profound understanding of her vulnerability.

 

In order to capture that raw vulnerability, beyond the glamorous facade, I guided my subjects to close their eyes, relax, and immerse themselves in thoughts of Marilyn's fragility. Through this meditative process, accompanied by the gentle strains of classical music, they shed their surroundings and embodied the vulnerable essence of Marilyn Monroe before my lens.

 

The shared visual element of closed eyes establishes a connection among these women and imparts an ethereal quality to the series, evoking the mystical and intangible aspects of the actress.

 

Marilyn Monroe, even to her close circle of friends, remained an enigma. In an effort to blur the line between dreams and reality and reflect her evidently tormented soul, I deliberately introduced a soft blur to these images. Just like the real Marilyn, the DREAMING MARILYNS seem to slip away the closer you attempt to grasp them, echoing the elusive nature of Marilyn’s persona.