'Forever Marilyn': How about Palm Springs rotates art on Museum Way?

Here’s a new idea to throw into the mix – why doesn’t the City of Palm Springs take “forever” off the table for the current location of “Forever Marilyn ” and rotate public art on Museum Way?

After all, “Forever Marilyn” was meant to be provocative – but her forever home need not be at Museum Way.

After a brief stint in Palm Springs from 2012-14 on the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way (the current site of Starbucks) “Forever Marilyn,” the 26-foot-tall sculpture designed by artist Seward Johnson, made her rounds including Stamford, Connecticut and Australia, before returning to Palm Springs in June 2021.

“Forever Marilyn” has arguably become one of the most polarizing topics of local chitchat when discussing downtown Palm Springs.

The statue, which stands on the car-less Museum Way in downtown Palm Springs, has been the subject of protests, nationwide media coverage, a lawsuit, and now, a new petition seeking voter input on whether or not to make Marilyn’s stay at Museum Way permanent.

That suggestion is ghastly to some – why?

One reason – the gigantic statue depicts the actress posing in her iconic white dress from Billy Wilder’s film “The Seven Year Itch” – with the rear side of her dress billowing, save for full-bottom undies, baring all.

This is the image museum patrons see as they exit the Palm Springs Art Museum.

The two loudest voices in the conversation come from respective proponent and opposition groups.

• Proponent: the “Protect Our Marilyn” group vying to make the statue permanent. Affiliated with PS Resorts, which is the group that purchased the statue in 2021 and advocates for the interests of the city’s resorts.

• Opposition: the “Committee to Relocate Marilyn” which advocates for the statue to be moved.

The Palm Springs City Council is set to make a decision during a special meeting Monday, Dec. 4 to consider whether Palm Springs voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that would amend the Downtown Palm Springs Specific Plan to help allow the “Forever Marilyn” sculpture to stay in its current location on Museum Way, the street that has been closed to accommodate the statue – or alternatively adopt the Specific Plan amendment without alteration and without an election.

We propose the city create an amendment to the Specific Plan that ensures Museum Way stays closed to traffic – and that the art rotates.

Creating a downtown, walkable, car-less cultural hub with a world-class museum and a rotation of world-class outdoor art sounds pretty great.

The city has already done the work: detailed plans for a conceptual “Sculpture Park, a destination for art” go back to 2017. Check out the “Downtown Palm Springs Park” project history on the city’s website.

Downtown is vibrant, growing – evolving – and if the only constant is change, why choose one sole piece of art to define a city that has very much outgrown its 1950s Rat Pack-era nostalgic side.

The question is not “yay” or “nay” to Marilyn. Instead, the question should be: What could Museum Way grow into?

Opening Museum Way to the idea of rotating art is in line with the Palm Springs image of being progressive and will provide an opportunity for future Palm Springs residents to create new dialogue with the world through art.

No disrespect to the late “Forever Marilyn” artist Seward Johnson, or to Marilyn Monroe for that matter.

Cultural sensibilities evolve – let’s let Marilyn have her time – but leave the door open for her relocation in the future.

New art deserves a chance downtown, too.

The 10 a.m. special meeting will be held in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. Residents may attend in-person or watch the meeting live online at www.palmspringsca.gov or on Palm Springs Community Television Channel 17.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 'Forever Marilyn': How about Palm Springs rotates art on Museum Way?