Ronald Corbin, 24 Hour Coffee, 1990, Printed 1994, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Ralph M. Parsons Fund
The Noir Effect
November 23, 2014–March 1, 2015
This is a past exhibition
This exhibition was on view at the Skirball
November 23, 2014–March 1, 2015
Following up where the exhibition Light & Noir: Exiles and Émigrés in Hollywood, 1933–1950 left off, The Noir Effect traced the influence of noir into more recent times, exploring how the genre has continued to impact American popular culture, art, and media.
Through a diverse display of original work, the exhibition examined how key noir elements—stark lighting and shadows, moody characters, “hard-boiled” language, and fragmented narratives—have infiltrated contemporary film and television, graphic novels, children’s books, fashion advertising, video games, and fine art. The artists featured were Cindy Sherman, Ed Ruscha, Bill Armstrong, Helen K. Garber, Ronald Corbin, Daido Moriyama, David Lynch, Karina Nimmerfall, Jane O'Neal, Alex Prager, and ROUSE & JONES.
Visitors entered even deeper into the world of noir through interactive gallery activities by writing their own noir stories, donning the accessories of a femme fatale or private detective, and playing noir-inspired games such as Noir Escape and Third Eye Crime.
Organized by the Skirball Cultural Center and co-presented with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Image Gallery
Ed Ruscha, Question?, 1989
Courtesy of the artist
Ed Ruscha, The End, 1991
Courtesy of the artist
Bill Armstrong, Untitled (Film Noir #1401), 2011
Bill Armstrong, Untitled (Film Noir #1433), 2012
Ronald Corbin, 24 Hour Coffee, 1990
Printed 1994
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Ralph M. Parsons Fund
Ronald Corbin, The Last Telephone Booth, 1993
Printed 1994
Helen K. Garber, Santa Monica Pier Fog
© 2002
Jane O’Neal, Red Shoe, 1981
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of John Feidler