Marilyn (Vanilla Sugar), 2022

In my ongoing exploration of this image through a series which is now over 20 pieces, I again use as basis an early still of Marilyn from the late 1940s when she was still a bit player, verging on starlet. Her hair had been peroxided and the frizz straightened out - but she wasn’t quite yet the ‘iconic’ vision we are familiar with today, which was refined over the next few years. Pop, trash and gothic touches thrown in, this one is a tribute more to contemporary Rockabilly culture than anything to do with Marilyn Monroe’s life per se. She becomes a cipher for the reinvented 1950s aesthetics of greasers, drapes and milk bar cowboys on steroids. Sweet and also a bit salty, Marilyn filtered through my love of all things sugary with a a little rough tough street style thrown in makes for a nice rendezvous.