Marilyn Monroe 1954

This is a photograph of Marilyn Monroe by Philippe Halsman. I wonder what it was like for him to try to capture such an icon? Look at her hair, the way it kind of explodes from her head. It’s like Halsman was trying to capture her wildness, her energy. You know? It makes me think about how the material aspects of the photograph -- the contrast of the light and shadow -- shape our experience of Marilyn and contribute to the emotional resonance of the work. When I see her face, the way it's almost tilted upwards, I think he was in conversation with other artists. He was inspired and inspiring at the same time. Artists are in this ongoing conversation, and they take inspiration from each other, right? It’s this embodied expression of a moment, of an idea, that embraces all kinds of interpretations.