In his first London solo exhibition, showing at the Oblong Gallery this month, photographer Matt Jones reveals the Chateau Marmont hotel in all its classic decadence...
In his first London solo exhibition, showing at at the Oblong Gallery this month, photographer Matt Jones reveals the Chateau Marmont hotel in all its classic decadence. Located on Sunset Boulevard, the Chateau opened in 1929 and has hosted a noteworthy list of Hollywood stars and legends. Well known for its low-key glamour and discretion, it was a popular haven for those desiring anonymity.
In the past guests could check in under false names and retreat to their suites or throw parties and trash their rooms without being disturbed. James Dean climbed in through the bungalow windows during rehearsals of Rebel Without a Cause; Jim Morrison hurt his back while attempting to swing off the roof into his room via a drainpipe; and Elizabeth Taylor brought actor Montgomery Clift to the Chateau for a month of recuperation after a near-fatal car crash.
In Jones’s picture, Gisele Flashing the Chateau Marmont, the diminutive Brazilian reveals herself in the middle of a shoot at the hotel, while a larger-than-life model looms on a billboard advertisement in the background. Sandwiched between two glamorous women, and covered in lush green shrubbery, the Chateau is a Los Angeles icon.
You can see Matt Jones’s photography at the Oblong Gallery until May 30. Miniscule opens at the Oblong Gallery next month
