Cinematic Silents
The room gets quiet as the curtain parts, the mechanical clicking turns into a hum, the orchestra begins, and a giant screen crackles to life with light and movement. The 1920s were truly cinematic in every sense of the word. The decade between the wars demonstrated a zest for life which could be seen everywhere from the crowds who came to socialize at the Speakeasies with the sounds of Jazz, and the flappers with their bobbed hair and short hemlines who danced the night away.
I was swept away with these early ideas of progress, movement, simultaneity and overlapping images of modern life. The swirling energy, optimistic spirit, and new found leisure time certainly made it look ideal. I created this series of photographs to provide a glimpse into this dynamic time using multiple exposures from silent films of the period that reflect the vitality with overlays of typography from the movie palaces where these films were screened. The allure of silent films for me is how the medium does not give everything away. As the viewer, there is an element of interpreting the emotion, the sounds, the action, and the story on your own. Silent films, like books, tend to become more personal and meaningful when you have to invest a little imagination into them. I enjoyed having the lines blurred with multiple images layered over each other, telling various narratives and ideas. I invite you to experience this era of energy and exuberance and rediscover the roaring 1920s.