Yorgos Lanthimos Unveils First Photography Exhibit in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA — Renowned filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos is set to showcase his first-ever photography exhibition, titled “Yorgos Lanthimos: Photographs,” at the Mack + Webber 939 gallery from March 29 to May 18. The exhibition highlights Lanthimos’s evolution into fine art photography, complementing his acclaimed filmmaking career.

Known for his unique visual storytelling and exploration of the macabre, Lanthimos has quickly garnered critical acclaim, especially following the success of his 2023 film “Poor Things,” which featured Emma Stone and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Directing. As he diversifies his artistic expression, Lanthimos reflects on his journey into photography during a recent interview.

“Photography is something I’ve been taking all the more seriously the last few years and want to concentrate more on, especially now that I need to take a break from filming,” Lanthimos told W. “There’s a similar excitement and nervousness about showing people your work for the first time on a large scale, whether that is the big screen of a cinema or a large handprint on a wall.”

The exhibition features images from two of his recent works: “i shall sing these songs beautifully,” shot during the filming of “Kinds of Kindness” in New Orleans, and “Dear God, the Parthenon Is Still Broken,” taken while shooting in Budapest. While many images allude to his film characters, they extend beyond typical behind-the-scenes photographs to offer a broader glimpse of the Lanthimos universe.

“In the beginning, it was more about grabbing some memories or having pictures of a particular moment of the film,” said Lanthimos, reflecting on the evolution of his photography. “But lately, I’ve had the need for my pictures to be something other than the film. A totally different perspective.”

His artistic exploration extends to a series of black-and-white portraits of Stone, captured in his native Athens. Stone remarked about their collaborative work: “A few years ago, Yorgos became interested in film photography. He began developing his own prints, and he taught me.”

Lanthimos elaborated on his photography technique, mentioning the hands-on approach he took to learn the craft. “He pretty much learned how to develop film by watching YouTube videos,” Stone humorously added, to which Lanthimos clarified that he received brief expert guidance from a master printer.

The director expressed deep admiration for a particular portrait of actress Hunter Schafer, which will be featured in the exhibit. “It’s hard to explain why it resonates with me, but during that fraction of time, something special appears,” he said. “Hunter has been photographed thousands of times, but this portrait seems both simple and strong, capturing her between characters.”

The exhibition promises to offer a unique narrative that intertwines with Lanthimos’s films while showcasing his growth as a photographer. With his fascination for capturing layered realities, this event marks a significant milestone in Lanthimos’s artistic journey, revealing another facet of his creative genius.