David Lynch on His Favorite Photographs

By Paul HoldengräberFebruary 12, 2013

David Lynch on His Favorite Photographs

Photo of David Lynch by Nadav Kander


FOR 15 YEARS, Paris Photo has been the increasingly prestigious centerpiece of The Month of Photography celebrated in Paris every November. In its most recent run, the organizers conceived the idea of inviting an eminent artist to select 99 photographs from among over 1000 images in the fair that fills the Grand Palais with the world’s top photography dealers and publishers. From these picks a book would be compiled and published by Steidl:  Paris Photo vu par… (Paris Photo Seen By…)


Kicking off what will become an annual rite, David Lynch brought his eccentric vision to the task of choosing pictures that add up to a startling and unpredictable portfolio, beautifully printed. It is appropriate that a film and TV director would break ground for such a project, not only because still photography and motion pictures share a common lineage but because Paris Photo will launch its Los Angeles edition in April on the lot of Paramount Studios (http://losangeles.parisphoto.com/).


The video below captures highlights from an on-stage conversation Lynch had with Paul Holdengräber (head of Live at the New York Public Library) as part of the Platform seminar series at Paris Photo — in which he reveals how certain photographs seduced him and resulted in Paris Photo vu par David Lynch.



CREDITS: 
Michael Kurcfeld, Segment Producer
Agathe Moulonguet, Paris Photo Production Coordinator


Music: Van Dyke Parks

LARB Contributor

Paul Holdengräber is the Director of "LIVE from the NYPL" at The New York Public Library. 

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