Farewell beloved Marilyn! See you in Palm Springs.

Palm Springs receives the iconic statue upon the 50th anniversary of the star’s death.

Amidst the eclectic assortment of public art pieces, there was a place even for Marilyn Monroe’s statue in the Windy City. Yes, it was a rather controversial piece, even subjected to acts of vandalism, but it also attracted plenty of tourists and added to the liveliness of the Magnificent Mile. Of course it cannot be compared to the Bean or the Crown Fountain, which are now Chicago landmarks, but there was no visitor passing by without taking a picture of them and their love ones under her notorious blowing skirt.

Entitled “Forever Marilyn”, the sculpture was created by artist J. Seward Johnson inspired by the star’s most famous pose in the famed 1955 film “The Seven Year Itch” in which a drafty New York subway grate blows the actress’s skirt well above her knees.

The 34,000-pound statue which according to the Los Angeles Times will cost around $40,000 to transport will take a significant spot at the corner of Palm Canyon and Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs, where it will stay until June 2013.

Palm Springs was not the only city claiming the 26-foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe; several other world touristic hotspots like Tokyo, Madrid and a number of cities in Brazil manifested interest in hosting Johnson’s iconic piece. Yet California’s Palm Springs seemed a much more appropriate place for the statue’s relocation, as it’s the Hollywood stars’ favorite adventure playground.  Moreover, this year will be a very important one for honoring the Hollywood legend’s memory as August marks the 50^th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death.

Here’s a video of the giant statue in Chicago, before being dismantled and shipped to California:

 

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