18.) Russell Phillips — Genevieve Kerr

Russell Phillips is an Architecture photographer known for his photos of interior views of movie theaters from the 1920’s and 1930’s. In this series of photographs, Phillips documents the uniqueness of each theater and the audience it entertained. Movie theaters in this time period were places the public could go to be transported into worlds of fantasy and excitement. These places were scattered throughout American cities, and regarded with equal stature to houses of worship.

Phillips also considers the roll of color in these structures. The colors of the interiors reflect an age of optimism, and they contribute to the overall attractiveness of the place. According to psychology, the color of a place has a great impact on the mood of a person going into that place. Movie theaters of this time were colored in a way to be attractive and uplifting, again, as a vehicle to a place of wonder and imagination. Vending machines, candy counters, and posters all contribute as well to the inviting atmosphere of the movie theater. Phillips’s photographs document this colorful era of entertainment.