The Espace Louis Vuitton München, a contemporary art exhibition space, dedicates its newest show to American photographer Gregory Crewdson, showcasing two of his never-before-seen collections: Dream House (2002) and Cathedral of the Pines (2014).

Crewdson has been crafting an account of middle-class America for three decades, capturing eerie snapshots that demonstrate an American dream caving in on itself. The photographs fuse Crewdson’s own autobiographical narratives with portrayals of a disgraced America, void of the once widely sought after dream. Faded lights and desolate streets lend Crewdson’s work a pallid air. As mystifying as they are magnetic, the scenes encountered in Crewdson’s pieces provoke a sense of déjà vu ーa perplexing memory from a non-existent history. 

Crewdson’s works, distilled through a cinematographic lens, mutate into film-like stills. Enigmatic characters wander listlessly through wooden pines, and ranch-style houses stand in as closed movie sets, shadowy reminders of the once coveted American dream. Scenes are elaborately constructed and lighting, whether natural or artificial, amplifies each act. Dreamlike sequences are caught in each photograph, as seemingly familiar situations evolve into sinister ones. 

The assurance and comfort gleaned from Crewdson’s vignettes of daily life in rural America contrast with the rich color and nocturnal essence of his Dream House series. Repressed desires and fears threaten to invade his subjects, and dark energies weigh heavy on the nighttime snapshots. Cathedral of the Pines, Crewdson’s more recent series, possesses an airier ambiance, offering more intimate glimpses into the lives of Crewdson, his partner and collaborator Juliane Hiam, and their children. 

When producing his photographs, Crewdson often relies on actors, sets, props, storyboards, and makeup artists, applying learned techniques from psychological dramas and film noir. Each photo Crewdsen takes develops into a still-life, a portrayal of a specific and frozen moment in time. There is no beginning and no end, no past or present, before or after. In effect, viewers are confronted with an unflinching take on the dark side of the American fantasy, eternally suspended in a digital pigment print. 

The Espace Louis Vuitton München exhibition “Picture Window“ by American photographer Gregory Crewdson will be on view from October 11th, 2024 to February 22nd, 2025.