Ted VanCleave’s new photographic series “The Hollywood Sign: New Perspectives” presents the famous Hollywood Sign from unique perspectives not available to the public.
The Hollywood Sign is closed to the public for safety and security reasons, but VanCleave obtained permission to shoot the sign up close and personal.
VanCleave states: “No other symbol exemplifies movies, television and music more than the Hollywood Sign. It’s a powerful international icon that personifies and celebrates all things Hollywood to the world at large.”
VanCleave’s series, The Hollywood Sign: New Perspectives, features 16 images of the Sign as it has never been seen before. “With this series I felt it was important to show the Sign from new perspectives. I’m presenting new points of view so you can get a sense of how rugged the terrain is, and how steep the mountainside is. You get to the see how the sign is firmly planted into the almost cliff-like wall of rocks and the sparse plant life surrounding it. Since most people only view the sign from miles away, whether in person or in photographs, I wanted to give them the sense of being there with me on the mountain, embracing the poetic grace of the Sign. Standing on top of Mount Lee, overlooking the sprawling Los Angeles basin, it’s hard not to feel a sense of wonderment and history that embodies the Sign.”
All of the images were shot recently except the dramatic image of Mount Lee on fire (HS #402). “The image of Mount Lee on fire was taken on March 30th, 2007 when more than 200 firefighters, multiple engine crews and fire fighting helicopters battled the 150 acre blaze on Mt Lee in Hollywood, CA. In front of the billowing smoke, in the middle of the photo, that little white speck is actually a very large fire suppression helicopter. Fortunately the Sign was not damaged in the fire.”
About the Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood Sign is monumental in size. Each letter stands 45 feet tall, as tall as a four-story building. Originally built as a marketing tool for a real estate development called Hollywoodland, it was erected in 1923. By the early 1970’s the Sign had fallen into disrepair. In 1978, Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner held a gala at his mansion, where he and eight other donors, including rock musician Alice Cooper, pledged nearly $28,000 each to fund a replacement.
About Ted VanCleave
Artworks by Ted VanCleave can be found in collections in the USA and internationally and have been acquired by the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation as part of their permanent collection. His interviews on CNN among others have received a worldwide audience. His art has been exhibited alongside works by Gerhard Richter, Lucio Fonatana and Alexander Calder. In 2008 VanCleave co-founded ImageRights.com to help protect the copyrights of photographers globally. Ted lives in Miami and travels frequently to Los Angeles.[Official Website]
