Age of Cinema

INTRODUCTION

The Oscars, first awarded in 1929, commemorate the best of Hollywood cinema and have come to represent the glitz and glamour of the business. From taking inspiration from the cinematography and narrative of films to artists’ capturing behind the scenes action, creatives from all different genres and mediums have paid homage to the silver screen. We look at a selection of works inspired by the magic of motion pictures.

To commemorate the end of another compelling awards season, we look at artwork inspired by film from throughout the ages.

TERRY O'NEILL AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF CINEMA

One of the world’s most revered celebrity photographers of the 1960s, Terry O’Neill was renowned for his photographs of movie stars and directors, as well as also capturing imagery of musicians, sporting heroes, and politicians. Known best for his candid shots from behind the scenes of famous films, O’Neill took iconic photographs of award-winning actors and directors throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s. One of the photographers most recognisable and iconic shots depicts Faye Dunaway the morning after she won an Oscar for Best Actress in the dark comedy Network in 1977. Taken the very next day, O’Neill captured Dunaway with her award, lounging by an empty pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Unbeknown to the couple at the time, the two would marry 6 years later.

Terry O'Neill David Bowie with Elizabeth Taylor, Beverly Hills Lifetime Gelatin Silver Print *available in other mediums & editions

Russell Young Liz Taylor - Atomic Silver Pigment Print

CINEMA AND MASCULINITY: JAMES GEORGOPOULOS

Launching his career as a creative director for film James Georgopoulos is well acquainted with the motion picture industry. His work takes inspiration from iconic entertainment apparatus, with the artist reportedly describing his work as ‘clean, controlled, masculine, powerful’ further noting that he ‘tend[s] to draw machines, metal, finishes, and the mechanics of an object’. Often depicting weapons or vintage filming equipment, Georgopoulos’ work focuses on the hyper-masculine depicting the machinery behind and on-screen.

MARILYN MONROE: A CINEMATIC ICON

Rising to fame in the 1950s as an American actress and consequently becoming a global sex icon, Marilyn Monroe is synonymous with the notion of a Hollywood star. Although tragically having her life cut short after a long battle with mental health issues, Monroe is celebrated internationally and has been the inspiration for hundreds of iconic works of art all over the world. From silkscreen prints to large-scale canvases, Monroe’s short-lived but exceptional career has come to represent the highs and lows of a Hollywood lifestyle and in turn has become the perfect subject with which to explore the effects of cinema.