On this episode of the Better to Podcast, I sit down with Amy Gaskin. Back in 2020 an idea came to her about going to Marilyn Monroe's grave and even though we were supposed to be masking she found fresh lipstick kisses. This lead her on an incredible journey of how the idol had come to be something more personal than a Movie Icon.
When I was notified of the opportunity to do this interview I jumped at is as it was a way to celebrate Marilyn's 100th Birthday and did into someone that was near and dear to my heart when I was younger. I hope you enjoy it.
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Amy Stanford Gaskin is a photographer and journalist based in Los Angeles. Extraordinary access is a hallmark of her images, which she earns by spending time with the people she photographs. She strives to capture intimacy and truth in her art.
Her new book Marilyn Forever! Marilyn Monroe—A Symbol of Hope documents and illustrates the personal reasons people are inspired by Marilyn Monroe for reasons far beyond her stardom. During the early days of the pandemic, she happened upon Marilyn’s crypt, where she was surprised to find wet lipstick marks decorating her resting place while the majority of the world was standing six feet apart. She began to interview and photograph visitors at her grave. Many shared stories of how memories of Marilyn’s remarkable attributes and actions helped them through the toughest of times. Perhaps the most surprising discovery was that many identify with the trauma of her abuse, adoption and foster care, while others consider her a civil rights icon for the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. Marilyn’s memory lives on in surprising ways through countless people around the world who are connected and inspired by her enduring legacy.
National Geographic, The Washington Post, STERN Magazine, The Guardian, Associated Press, BloodHorse, CBS, ABC, Los Angeles Times, and others have featured her work.
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