Photographer Matthew David Parker Offers Unique Perspective on Hollywood

The Hollywood landscape is redolent with iconic imagery recognized even by those who have never spent any amount of time within the city limits. Although this is a product of the city’s long and illustrious history as well as its longstanding role in influencing popular culture all over the world, Matthew David Parker asserts there is also a limiting effect caused by the immediate evocation associated with such universal iconography.

As a native of New York whose work as a photographer is influenced by his upbringing in and around the five boroughs, Parker is all too aware of the subtle impact of the kind of iconic imagery that somehow becomes ingrained in a society’s collective unconscious. According to Parker, the deeply ingrained imagery associated with a particular locale has what he refers to as a “smoothing effect" that essentially obfuscates the wonderful depth of character possessed by cities such as New York and Hollywood.

In explaining his thesis, Parker pointed out that the smoothing effect is not without its benefits, as preconceived notions -- despite the negative connotation they carry -- sometimes cause people to focus on all that is positive about a location while ignoring anything even remotely negative. Of course, as Parker also believes, the smoothing effect brings about an unrealistic perspective that, on the whole, does a disservice to some of the most unique locales of the world.

During a recent visit to California that included extended stays in some of the most iconic cities of both Northern and Southern California, Parker continued to experiment with the unique artistic perspective as conveyed through his photography. After extended stays in San Francisco and Hollywood, Parker believes he has discovered an effective method for creating a contrast that reveals a city’s truly unique character without degrading it at the same time.

“Influencing perspective in an attempt to create the ideal level of contrast is akin to walking on a tightrope: The slightest imbalance in this effort leads to a devastating outcome that is almost equally harmful to the performer as well as his or her audience.” explained Parker. “As artists, we have a responsibility to reveal that which is magical without relying on deceptive practices, and it is for this reason that my work has always strived to be so grounded in reality.”

Back in New York, Parker is currently preparing for an exhibition featuring the photographic efforts stemming from his travels throughout California. The renowned photographer believes his upcoming showcase will demonstrate a balanced perspective that effectively cleanses the iconography from the collective unconscious and instead provides an unvarnished view of reality such as it is in iconic cities like Hollywood and New York.