Design and Architecture
Catherine Opie's "The Modernist" sets fire to iconic LA homes
You may have seen LA photographer Catherine Opie’s photos of the LA freeways empty of cars, or of Elizabeth Taylor’s belongings, or of her own naked body, carved and tattooed. Now she has made a 22-minute film called “ The Modernist .”
By Frances Anderton • • 1 min readYou may have seen LA photographer Catherine Opie’s photos of the LA freeways empty of cars, or of Elizabeth Taylor’s belongings, or of her own naked body, carved and tattooed.
The Modernist.” It tells the story in 800 black and white still photographs of a transgender artist who loves mid-century-modern LA houses so much, he’s driven to destroy them.
The film pays homage to Chris Marker’s experimental science fiction featurette “La Jetée,” as well as being a valentine of sorts to The Los Angeles Times, the late architectural photographer Julius Shulman, along with a utopian and dystopian LA. It manages to be both shocking and funny.
A still from Catherine Opie’s “The Modernist,” screening at Regen Projects, Los Angeles.
