Diamond Dust adds astonishing sparkle to iconic images of Marilyn Monroe

Teaming up with Twentieth Century Fox, Claridge was granted access to the film studio's coveted archives to reveal new images of Marilyn, and his subsequent silkscreen works have formed The Diamond Dust Collection – a celebration of one of the most iconic film stars of all time. The six interpretations were drawn from Marilyn’s most famous movies: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and I Just Want to be Wonderful as well as a prestigious and rare collection of photography stills, test shots and outtakes from her less familiar films like Sounds Dreamy to Me and How to Marry a Millionaire, both of which are definitely worth a watch.

Marilyn has been immortalised in artistic practice for more than fifty years, but the handful of rare images Claridge has chosen from the Fox's extensive archive, have never before been translated into fine art.

Claridge’s series represents Marilyn in symbolic black and white, enveloped in what has now become his trademark ‘diamond dust’ as a nod to the glamour and opulence of Hollywood. Simon has used the glittering diamond dust on each image to ensure the works portray something of the aura of the Hollywood legend and the luminescence of her being under the spotlight.

This is certainly fitting and appropriate to Monroe. The starlet had so many guises, was open yet guarded, and was known to so many but understood by so few. In short, she was many different things to many different people. This is where the beauty of The Diamond Dust Collection by Simon Claridge lies; he has surrendered control of the artistic finish and allowed Marilyn to truly shine.

Via Simon Claridge's website & Castle Galleries