MADONNA: Homage to Marilyn Monroe in ‘The Last Sitting’

V MAGAZINE Madonna by Steven Klein. B. ÅKERLUND, Winter 2021, www.imageamplified.com, Image Amplified6

Steven Klein works with the one and only Madonna and V Magazine to deliver an homage to the glamor and tragedy of Marilyn Monroe inspired by Bert Stern’s ‘‘The Last Sitting,’’ the photoshoot Marilyn sat for just before her tragic death.

“This photo essay was inspired by a shoot that Marilyn Monroe did with photographer Bert Stern titled “The Last Sitting.” They shot at the Bel Air hotel in 1962, before she passed away. What was supposed to be a three-hour sitting, turned into a three-day whirlwind, working night and day. Drinking, laughing, shooting photos, editing, sleeping, and then taking more photos–a private affair between two artists which rarely happens anymore. We were not interested in recreating the images exactly but more importantly, we wanted to explore the relationship between photographer and subject. Both the friendship and the artistic process, and how art can imitate life and vice versa. When I sent Madonna the photos she was really taken by the incandescent fragility of Marilyn at that moment in her life. We decided to find a hotel suite and try to capture the liaison between a star and the camera, the mystery, and magic of this creative collaboration. We hope we have done justice to the great work of Bert Stern and Marilyn Monroe.” -Steven Klein

Madonna has recently released her new concert film Madame X which shows her as fearless and powerful as ever. B. Åkerlund has also been enlisted to bring style the star with pieces from Bucherer Fine Jewellery, Giambattista Valli Couture, Carolina Amato, Agent Provocateur, Christian Louboutin, The Paper Bag Princess + more.

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Additional Credits:

Makeup Kali Kennedy (Forward Artists) / Hair Andy Lecompte (The Wall Group) / Manicure Naomi Yasuda (Management + Artists) / Location: The St. Regis New York / Set design Jack Flanagan (The Wall Group) / Executive Producer Travis Kiewel (That One Production) / Production Manager Anna Inglis (That One Production) / Lighting Director David Devlin / Digital technician Chris McCoy / Photo Assistants Timothy Shin, Dean Dodos, Hayden Worsfold, Alex Morgan / Stylist assistants Erik Ziemba, Elanur Erdoǧan, Mario Solares, Zack Gaffen / Tailor Shirlee Idzakovich / Hair assistant Daniel Garofali / Set design assistant Heather Thomas, Todd Knopke, Oscar Romero / Production assistant Sean Colgan, Ryan Keenan, Toogii Khurmast

WENDY CARLOS: Transgender Composer and Electronic Music Pioneer

WENDY CARLOS: Transgender Composer and Electronic Music Pioneer