Celebrating Marilyn in Finland

A new exhibition, Marilyn: A Woman Behind Her Roles, has opened at the Vapriikki Museum in Tampere, Finland. Showcasing the collection of Ted Stampfer, it’s a unique opportunity to see a wide range of Marilyn-owned items and memorabilia, and will be on display until December. Additionally, Risto Pitkänen’s collection of MM postcards will be displayed at the Postcard Museum from June 19-August 26. And Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch and The Misfits will be screened at the Niagara Arthouse Cinema this summer.

Fans follow Marilyn’s handprints at Vapriikki

‘Unmissable Marilyn’ In Rome

More than 300 items of Marilyn’s personal property, including costumes, letters, and her David di Donatello award for The Prince and the Showgirl, are featured in ‘Unmissable Marilyn’, an exhibition curated with the guidance of collector Ted Stampfer, at the Palazzo Degli Esami in Rome until July 30. More details here.

Going Dutch With Marilyn

With collector Ted Stampfer’s latest exhibition, Happy Birthday Marilyn, opening in Amsterdam on October 1, an accompanying catalogue (in Dutch) will be made available from online bookstores worldwide. Mr Stampfer previously compiled a catalogue for The Private Marilyn, a 2013 exhibition in Switzerland.

Also coming from the Netherlands in October is Marilyn and Audrey: The Battle, a children’s book by Hanneke Groenteman, about two girls studying MM and Audrey Hepburn for a school project – and as they dig into the stars’ lives the girls learn about friendship, love and jealousy.

Marilyn Exhibit in Liechtenstein

Ted Stampfer’s extensive collection of Marilyn memorabilia is the focus of a new exhibition, ‘Marilyn – the Strength Behind the Legendary Monroe’, opening tomorrow (March 25) at the National Museum of Liechtenstein, reports ArtLyst.

“Presented are more than 400 selected pieces from the private collection of Ted Stampfer, the world’s largest collection of Marilyn Monroe originals of its kind. Through his willingness to present his collection in exhibitions, the art collector and expert wants not only to remember the actress, who was intellectually underestimated during her lifetime and reduced by filmmakers and media to her visual appeal, but also to make exhibit attendees aware of the clever and ambitious businesswoman. Most of the pieces originate from her estate, of which the items were stored after Marilyn Monroe’s death in August 1962, until 1999, until large portions of it were put up for auction with auction at Christie’s and Julien’s. The exhibition is rounded out by individual pieces from other international collectors.”

Marilyn: An Icon in Frankfurt

“Private possessions of Marilyn Monroe go on show in Germany this week, most of them collected by a man who was not even born when the Hollywood sex icon committed suicide in 1962.

Among the 300 items never placed on public display before are the actress and singer’s last phone book and her 1961 desk diary, the Museum of Icons in Frankfurt said Monday.

The museum, which normally exhibits Christian Orthodox paintings only, is making a tongue-in-cheek comment on the way that stars themselves, or images of them, are hailed nowadays as ‘icons.’

‘Paintings of her have a similar function to Orthodox icons for the devout,’ said co-curator Snejanka Bauer.

Ted Stampfer, who lives in Mannheim, Germany, lent most of the items for the show. The collection includes Monroe’s hair curlers and clothing including a cream satin morning coat and handmade shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo.

The show, which runs from December 15 to February 28, also includes Andy Warhol portraits of Monroe, her film scripts, letters, bills and even some items of her make-up kit.”

Monsters and Critics