'It
might be said that twilight is a muddled form of clarity. The warm
glow that suffuses the ' golden hour' in Los Angeles acts to filter
the grim realities, the outright lies, the self-deceptions, which
allow Hollywood, and by extension, America to flourish. 'Twilight'
provides the rose-coloured glasses that make it possible to see out
but not see in.'Philip-Lorca diCorcia
Philip-Lorca diCorcia made the Hollywood
series (also known as The Hustlers) in an area of Santa Monica
Boulevard, Hollywood, frequented by male prostitutes and drug
addicts.
The photographs are a unique mix of
documentary and fantasy. Having set up the scene for each picture,
diCorcia would find a man on the street and offer to pay him to
appear in the photograph. The sitter's name, place of birth and the
amount paid form each title.
The careful staging of light is central
to diCorcia's aesthetic. For the Hollywood series, he put his camera
on a tripod and used artificial and flash lighting to supplement the
Los Angeles evening skies. This creates a twilight effect, with rich
details and heightened colour, which bathes the sitters with a kind
of exotic allure.
