Nelson Algren amusing his new friend, Marilyn Monroe

Art Shay - "Nelson Algren amuses a new friend"

    In Nelson Algren’s Chicago: City on the Make, he writes that the city’s heart lies “in the nobodies nobody knows.”  With that said, it is no surprise that the subjects of Algren’s photographer friend Art Shay were often the nobodies that he met underneath the “L” tracks.  Shay’s “Nelson Algren amuses a new friend,” in particular, captures the essence of the nobodies both he and Algren loved as well as the city of Chicago.
    In “Nelson Algren amuses a new friend,” Shay frames his friend with a girl on his arm next to a man who clearly isn’t having as wonderful a day.  Taken in 1949, the black and white lets the people speak for themselves.  Rather than distract the viewer with all of the colors of the neon signs in the background, the focus is drawn toward Algren looking to his new friend.  From there, the focus then shifts toward the man on the ground.  Not exactly the most beautiful group of Chicagoans; but that is what makes the photograph so alive.  What Shay excels at is capturing life as it is while creating his own exciting view to what might actually have been a dull day.  Had the photograph been framed a little more to the right, the picture would lose the extra touch of humanity.
    What is really special about Art Shay’s work is that while he glamorizes Chicagoans so naturally, he is not originally from the city.  Born in the Bronx, he worked for Life as a staff reporter before moving into photojournalism.  In addition to that, there is a great story behind the photograph.  One would first take from the picture that Algren and his new friend might have spent the day walking around having casually met in some diner on the South Side.  Instead, Algren’s new friend was really a prostitute whom he had paid to keep him company for the day.  They never did anything: they only  walked around the city while Shay took pictures of them.  
    The Chicago accent is easily noticeable: any use of deez, dem, and dose will often indicate a fellow Chicagoan.  In the foreword for Shay’s exhibit “Art Shay: Chicago Accent,” David Mamet writes “Art Shay’s writing, and his photos, have the Chicago accent.”  Art Shay knew his subjects, “dose” people who lived on the streets and had more character than any corrupt politician.




Seward Johnson - "Forever Marilyn"

    Marilyn Monroe was born in Los Angeles in 1926.  After modeling for the first few years of her career, she slowly moved into features.  In 1953, she rose to fame after starring in Howard Hawks’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as well as gracing the very first cover of Playboy magazine.  She became a sex symbol after her scene over a subway grate in Billy Wilder’s The Seven Year Itch, cementing herself in the concrete outside of Grauman’s Chinese Theater as a pop culture icon.  The image of Monroe’s dress blowing up above the steaming ground has become so iconic that it has gone up as a 26 foot tall statue in Pioneer Court titled “Forever Marilyn.”  So then, why exactly does Chicago need a giant statue of Marilyn Monroe? 
    Seward Johnson, an 80 year old New Jersey based sculptor, installed the statue in mid July of this year.  It is the third time Johnson has taken residency in Pioneer Court, after his “American Gothic” inspired “God Bless America” statue as well as 2008’s “King Lear.”  With “Forever Marilyn,” Johnson has made a clean cut representation the late movie star, but it is just that.  There is nothing new nor original to the piece.  It is as if someone decided a life-size wax sculpture of Monroe’s dress up in the air wasn’t enough, so they built a 26 foot tall version which towers over tourists.  “Forever Marilyn” is nowhere as detailed as “God Bless America,” nor is it as interesting and creative as the metallic “King Lear.”   Instead, it is just a tourist attraction that is on the way to Navy Pier from the Water Taxi. 
    So why Marilyn Monroe?  Aside from the fact that Some Like It Hot was set in Chicago for the opening scene, she really has no connection to the city or, most importantly, the people of Chicago.  Why her, and not a statue of John Belushi or The Staple Singers?  Paul Zeller, who owns Zeller Realty Group and is in charge of installing public art in Pioneer Court, chose Johnson’s work because he “is committed to providing art to the general public," even if it's controversial.  But there is nothing controversial about “Forever Marilyn.”  Had the sculpture been installed about 60 years ago with an actual purpose, it might be different.  Today though, Johnson’s statue is irrelevant with no connection to the city of Chicago and only creates a larger crowd to navigate through.