Bright Screams: Miles Aldridge's Psychedelic Dream World - in Pictures

Spectators, be careful. These acid-soaked mise en scenes have the glamorous quality of film noir but often contain sinister undercurrents.

11 PHOTOS

1. Miles Aldridge became famous in the mid-90s for his breathtaking, highly stylized photographs that referenced film noir, art history and pop culture. Miles Aldridge: High-Gloss will run until March 19 at the Fahey Klein Gallery in Los Angeles. After Cattelan documented Aldridge's absurdist series with artist Maurizio Cattelan filmed in one night at La Monnaie de Paris. All photos: Miles Aldridge/Courtesy Fahey Klein Gallery, Los Angeles.

2. The images are glamorous but explore society's idealized notions of marital happiness, where ominous undercurrents swirl beneath the flawless surface.

3. Aldridge is well known as a photographer who creates elaborate film noir-quality mise-en-scenes done in bright acid hues.

4. The brightly colored fantasy worlds he creates are living fragmented narratives that defy expectations.

5. As Aldridge says, “In my work, there is always a push between high and low art.”

6. Aldridge is a contemporary artist with a unique ability to make viewers doubt themselves. With a keen eye for social absurdities, elevating them to thought-provoking art, Aldridge emphasizes the deep truth in his hyperrealities.

7. A recurring theme in Aldridge's work is the false promise of luxury. Psychedelic interiors are furnished with the trappings of mid-century country comforts: gleaming kitchen appliances, candy-colored telephones, and well-groomed pets speak of success.

8. A longtime interest in art history, his highly stylized work draws inspiration from depictions of the female nude in art, as well as pulp fiction and pin-ups.

9. The interiors created by Aldridge are reminiscent of intimate drama in a stuffy home environment. They are full of visual tension, carefully crafted to transform the everyday…and upend the familiar.

10. Aldridge believes that "fiction and theatricality can be more truthful than documenting reality."

11. Aldridge has been prolific for over 25 years, and today he remains one of the few photographers who still shoot primarily on film. His creative output includes large-scale C-type prints, Polaroid images, screenprints, photogravures, and drawings.