Alex Prager: Crafting Suspenseful Tableaux of Modern Life
Los Angeles native Alex Prager, born on November 1, 1979, is acclaimed for her innovative fusion of photography and film. She began her career at age fourteen in a Swiss knife shop, later completing her GED. Her interest in photography was sparked by William Eggleston’s exhibit at the Getty Museum, which inspired her to self-learn the medium. Influenced by Hollywood greats like Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch, she employs cinematic techniques in her works. Notable series include 'Polyester,' 'The Big Valley,' and 'Week-End.' Prager's first film, 'Despair,' featured Bryce Dallas Howard, and she has won multiple accolades, including a News and Documentary Emmy.
Key facts
- Alex Prager is a Los Angeles-based artist working in photography and film.
- Born November 1, 1979, in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
- Left school at 14, traveled to Switzerland, worked in a knife shop in Lucerne, earned GED at 16.
- Inspired by William Eggleston's photographs at the Getty Museum.
- Self-taught photographer, uses Nikon N90s camera.
- Work featured in MoMA's New Photography 2010.
- First short film 'Despair' starred Bryce Dallas Howard.
- Included in '25 New Faces of Independent Film' in 2023.
- Major survey 'Silver Lake Drive' traveled to multiple venues.
- Received Foam Paul Huf Award and News and Documentary Emmy Award for 'Touch of Evil'.
Entities
Artists
- Alex Prager
- William Eggleston
- Alfred Hitchcock
- David Lynch
- Douglas Sirk
- Cindy Sherman
- Gregory Crewdson
- Bryce Dallas Howard
- Elizabeth Banks
- August Sander
- Irving Penn
Institutions
- Museum of Modern Art
- Getty Museum
- Corcoran Gallery of Art
- National Gallery of Victoria
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- The Photographers' Gallery
- Museum of Fine Arts Le Locle
- Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam
- Fotografiska
- Paris Opera
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Los Feliz
- Switzerland
- Lucerne
- Washington, D.C.
Sources
- AATONAU —