The Last Show
© Franck BohbotTheaters in Los Angeles County, the biggest movie theater market in the United States, have been shuttered since March 16th and don’t appear likely to re-open any time soon. The pandemic has seen this industry struggle through seven months of uncertainty, layoffs, and lost revenue, with no end in sight. Many in Hollywood are saying that the nation’s once-iconic silver screen industry may not survive without government intervention. New York and Los Angeles together make up nearly 30% of the nation’s annual box office sales, representing an enormous loss the longer theatres in these counties stay shut.
This project has seen Franck Bohbot documenting the dramatic unfolding of the present situation as it happened throughout Los Angeles County. From the grandeur to the kitsch, the beauty and the tragedy of Hollywood is showcased as it has never been seen before – shut down. The temporarily closed theaters represent a new architectural typology, no matter their origins or their era. The entire future of the industry hangs in the balance, and it is impacting theaters large and small, Ultra-Modern and Art-Deco, indie and blockbuster alike. In The Last Show the artist immortalizes these places across a range of colors and compositions, showcasing an unprecedented public and private loss.
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