Maria Lobensteijn

The painting is the center of a threepiece depicting the story of Marilyn Monroe's career, the downfall of the studio system and Marilyn's love/hate relationship with the Fox Studio.

Its an expression of my frustration towards the way Marilyn is usually portrayed, as a beauty icon, instead of a creative phenomenon. Forced by her slave contract, she had to work for every movie the studio deemed profitable. The run down Niagara poster refers to her work with director Henry Hathaway, who, contrary to most other people, believed in her talent and intelligence. Her fear of never escaping MM led to an emotional crisis while finishing the Misfits. She was found by Hathaway at the back of the studio complex and poored her heart out. I used this moment to show what it must have felt like; being left out in the cold by her star status, the studio and Hollywood in general (hence the cut-off hollywood sign). 

After starting her own production company she said: 'The danger was that I would start to think this is what I am, and what every woman is'. The previous versions of Marilyn are seen in the rest of the painting: faceless girls made up by studio execs. She became obsessed in a healthy way with the idea of 'becoming' a complete woman, who defines herself instead of being defined by others.