As the grandson of a golden-era Hollywood songwriter, acclaimed photographer Jim McHugh is heir to a particular experience and vision of Los Angeles that's all romance, noir, silhouetted buildings, and casual luxury. With his knack for photographing buildings in the intimate style of a portraitist, and in such a way as to erase all traces of intervening history, McHugh's photographs capture the ghost of what was — and might be again — LA's promise of beauty and the sunny, shadowy, glittering character of America in its vintage red-carpet regalia.
– Shana Nys Dambrot Flavor Pill- New York • December, 2009
"The Ravenswood" / L.A. penthouse residence of May West
from the early 1930s
Sunday, Dec. 20th -7:30pm / 8pm - 88.5 KCSN Los Angeles
Tune in to Molly Barnes PBS Radio Broadcast "ART NEWS" featuring photographer Jim McHugh and his current NY Exhibition "Let's Get Lost," Architecture and the Silver Screen.
This is a photograph of mine published by Los Angeles Magazine last year. An interesting sidebar - the Ravenswood was actually built by Paramount Pictures to house visiting actors, writers, directors etc. It's well known that Mae West lived there, but apparently Eva Gardiner, Clark Gable and many other celebrities did as well. My wife Johnna and I lived in the Ravenswood in the mid-1980s. The Ravenswood is certainly one of the most familiar and iconic examples of Los Angeles Cinematic Architecture. I keep returning to photograph it. This is another print from my files done a few years ago on Polaroid T-55. MOODisima!
These photographs will be represented at the L.A. Art Show in January by Timothy Yarger Fine Art. All the works chosen will be from "Let's Get Lost." It's exciting going through these Los Angeles pictures. When sometimes I think "That It!" The city will always give up yet another hidden surprise!
