David Lynch Photography Show Opens in Los Angeles

Pace Gallery is presenting "David Lynch: LA," an exhibition of the filmmaker's photographic work at its Los Angeles location from September 19 to October 24. This marks the first time Lynch's photography has been shown in his home city since his death in 2025. The exhibition brings together five distinct photographic series created by Lynch between 1979 and 2008, including "Figures and Smoke," his portraits of Los Angeles, nude works, the "Couch Series," and "Kits." These series are presented together for the first time, highlighting Lynch's photographic practice as a significant element of his artistic output, existing alongside his renowned contributions to painting and film.

The exhibition frames Lynch's photography through the lens of the myth and atmosphere of Los Angeles, a city he called home for over fifty years. Lynch first arrived in Los Angeles in 1972, drawn to its creative potential and establishing it as the center of his artistic endeavors. The show aims to explore how his photographic images engage with the city's archetypes and its defining qualities, treating them as atmospheric, psychological, and deeply felt rather than purely physical attributes. This sensibility is rooted in his earlier experiences, including his five-year study of painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. The urban decay and unsettling mood of Philadelphia in the 1960s significantly influenced the mystery, tension, and psychological intensity that became hallmarks of his artistic style.

Lynch's connection to Los Angeles deepened when he became a fellow at the American Film Institute in 1972. He was provided with studio space in the historic stables at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, where he lived and worked for the subsequent five years. During this period, he created his seminal film "Eraserhead" (1977). Despite achieving international acclaim for his filmmaking, Lynch consistently maintained his studio practice, developing his work as a director and visual artist in parallel. The exhibition at Pace Gallery underscores how these two creative avenues informed and enriched each other throughout his career, with photography serving as a crucial, often overlooked, component of his broader artistic vision. The presentation of these five series together offers a comprehensive look at this aspect of his oeuvre, situated within the context of his lifelong relationship with Los Angeles.