Lost Theatri
Photography project
Photography project
Lost Theatri” explores some disused cinemas and theatres in London, which are no longer in use. The ancient Rome 'theatrum' was conceived as a space where culture and entertainment could be shared among audiences. Theatres were built in all the major cities of the Empire and they represented the centres where local communities could gather.
Nowadays, with the dominance of the West End entertainment and the big cinema chains, the idea of a local place for culture is almost lost. In my approach for this photo shoot I decided that I wanted to give these cinemas and theatres a sort of dignity. From this, the choice of low angles, with the buildings almost towering over the camera, and the dramatic black and white. Dignity but also frailty.
During my research and, later, when I went out for the photo shoot, I discovered that some of the cinemas and theatres had already been demolished and used for other buildings such as supermarkets and hotels. Therefore my project is also aimed at documenting pieces of history which might disappear very soon.
