I'm linking up at Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo.
August 2014 - Washington DC
Spotted in the Adams Morgan neighbourhood on the HOHO tour, Connecticut Ave NW & Calvert St NW, on the Salon Roi, a posh hair salon.
Roi Barnard, a former fashion model and the owner of the salon, said the blank, muddy gray wall used to stare bleakly at him as he drove to work. Something had to be done, and for Mr. Barnard, Marilyn Monroe was the logical choice.
"Marilyn was like my alter ego," Mr. Barnard said, seated in a salon chair and surrounded by portraits of Monroe, including one by Andy Warhol. "I never thought she was funny. When I would go to the movies, my friends would sit and laugh at Marilyn, and I would sit and cry."
For almost five years, Mr. Barnard talked about putting Monroe on the salon wall. Finally, in 1980, Charles Stinson, Mr. Barnard's business partner, commissioned a portrait artist, John Bailey, to paint Monroe's face on the wall for Mr. Barnard's 40th birthday.
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You certainly do see that from a long way off!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn deserves a better venue and a larger space.
ReplyDeletehmmm, not sure I really get why Marilyn was an obvious choice. I find it a little creepy, to be honest. I hope Mr Barnard and his customers are happy with it, though.
ReplyDelete1980?! Mr. Barnard chose one of our most iconic stars. That he cried when he saw her movies tells me he was sensitive to her underlying sadness. Thanks for contributing to this week's Monday Mural.
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