Shooting the Lynchian landscapes of Los Angeles
- Text by Dominique Sisley
- Photography by Gianluca Galtrucco

Los Angeles is a strange, sprawling place. Packed full of micro-villages and movie sets, the city is unlike anywhere else on the planet. It’s where movies get made, and dreams get shattered. It’s where otherworldly artifice collides with harsh reality. It’s also where people – from all over the world, and from all different cultures – come to make a life for themselves.
“LA is an accumulation of microcosmos,” summarises Gianluca Galtrucco. The Italian photographer has been shooting the city’s surreal, Lynchian landscapes for several years now, compiling the results in his latest book, For Your Consideration: Los Angeles as a Cinematic Mirage.
Galtrucco’s images – aptly described in the book’s synopsis as “dream tableaux” – sway between the comedic and dramatic. Huge planes smash into dilapidated film sets, astronauts wander through rivers, and masked men lurk on deserted beaches. Some of the shots are staged, while others are natural (Galtrucco claims that 60 per cent fall into the latter camp).
“I am always scouting and searching for abandoned locations, ghost towns, depleted buildings,” the photographer explains. “I truly enjoy that post-apocalyptic environment. California and Nevada are magical for that. I love that sensation of being in a parallel world, where you can’t get any reception on your phone.”







You might like

Largest-Ever Display of UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Opens at Tate Modern
Grief Made Visible — Comprising hundreds of panels made by lovers, friends and chosen family, the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt returns in full for the first time since 1994 – a testament to grief, friendship and the ongoing fight against HIV stigma.
Written by: Ella Glossop

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong tells ICE to “fuck off” in LA protest video
Saviors — The singer shared the post on Sunday, featuring the band’s recently released song ‘Fuck Off’ as its soundtrack.
Written by: Isaac Muk

In Medellín’s alleys and side streets, football’s founding spirit shines
Street Spirit — Granted two weeks of unfettered access, photographer Tom Ringsby captures the warmth and DIY essence of the Colombian city’s grassroots street football scene.
Written by: Isaac Muk

A new book explores Tupac’s revolutionary politics and activism
Words For My Comrades — Penned by Dean Van Nguyen, the cultural history encompasses interviews with those who knew the rapper well, while exploring his parents’ anti-capitalist influence.
Written by: Isaac Muk

On Alexander Skarsgård’s trousers, The Rehearsal, and the importance of weirdos
Freaks and Finances — In the May edition of our monthly culture newsletter, columnist Emma Garland reflects on the Swedish actor’s Cannes look, Nathan Fielder’s wild ambition, and Jafaican.
Written by: Emma Garland

We are all Mia Khalifa
How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.
Written by: Alya Mooro