14 DAY TRIAL // If you’re in Chicago from November 7, 2014 to January 15, 2015, it would be a good idea if you stopped by the Catherine Edelman Gallery to see the most impressive and visually arresting exhibition centered on actor John Malkovich.
It is called simply “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich,” and it was put together by Sandro Miller, who is a world-famous advertising photographer and also a good friend of the star’s. After coming up with the idea for this project, they worked together on it to make it happen.
And boy is it a sight to behold!
Bringing well-known portraits back to life with Malkovich’s help
The idea for the project was to have the actor recreate some of the most famous and appreciated portraits of recent years. There is no mention anywhere of how long it took to do this, but judging on the exquisite makeup, we assume that it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.
One that particularly stands out in this respect is the recreation of Jack Nicholson’s Joker portrait; he played the famous Batman villain in Tim Burton’s 1989 film.
Malkovich’s Joker is strangely alike Nicholson’s but also more eerie, spookier – if you can imagine such a thing is possible in the first place.
Other famous works recreated include Albert Watson’s iconic “Alfred Hitchcock With Goose” (1973), Arthur Sasse’s “Albert Einstein Sticking Out His Tongue” (1951) and Bert Stern’s “Marilyn in Pink Roses.”
This portrait with Marilyn was her last as well, so it has a cult status that means that whoever recreates it is bound to be heavily criticized (just ask Lindsay Lohan, she knows best the kind of fire she came under when she did it). Malkovich is the exception, because he’s getting nothing but praise for it.
You will also recognize him as Che Guevara, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, Jesus Christ, Salvador Dali, Al Capone, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ernest Hemingway, Bette Davis and Three Horses. Many photos are included in the gallery below, but you can find plenty more at the official Catherine Edelman Gallery website.
John Malkovich is a modern genius
Miller is friends with Malkovich, so he’s bound to think and speak highly of him, but in this particular case, he is not exaggerating one bit. Though he’s used to expressing himself through motion and speech in film and theater, Malkovich manages to bring emotion and real feeling to still photographs as well – and that’s no small feat.
He doesn’t just pose, he actually becomes the character he’s supposed to be.
“John is the most brilliant, prolific person I know,” Miller says. “His genius is unparalleled. I can suggest a mood or an idea and within moments, he literally morphs into the character right in front of my eyes. He is so trusting of my work and our process… I’m truly blessed to have him as my friend and collaborator.”
