There was a time when I would discover new music, art, books, movies, or photography that I liked and ask myself, “What would Sofia Coppola think?”
My well-documented obsession with her began after I saw and loved The Virgin Suicides, grew even deeper after Lost in Translation, and then teetered on the edge of pure madness after I listened to the Lost in Translation soundtrack on repeat. As any good obsessive would do, I retraced her steps, minus the acting part, and learned as much as I could about her.
I watched the first film that she wrote and directed, a 14 minute short called Lick the Star about a group of teenage girls obsessed with Flowers in the Attic. I was like, OMG, I was obsessed with Flowers in the Attic TOO! The more I discovered about her and the things that she liked, the more “me too”s I racked up. At some point it became impossible for me to remember if I liked something before I knew that she did or because I knew that she liked it.
Sofia is a mood maker. And when I saw these photographs by Johnny Miller, I thought the same thing about him.
What’s interesting about the work of mood makers is the effect that your own state of mind has on your experience of their creations. Take a look at Johnny’s 850 Park Avenue series. When I look at these, I feel a sense of renewed energy and hope. The bare walls and empty floors feel like crisp blank canvases for what’s to come. But if you’d shown me the gutted-out photographs in December 2005, my interpretation would have been the polar opposite of what it is today.
Just in case you’ve always wondered, Sofia Coppola is at the top of my “if you could invite anyone to a dinner party…” list. My other guests would be Amy Sherman Palladino, Elizabeth Gilbert, Charlie Kaufman, Stefan Sagmeister, and Todd Selby. Also can we go out for dinner instead? My apartment is small and I don’t cook. I knew you’d understand. Anyway, I’m pretty sure that when I tell Sofia that I think Johnny Miller is amazing, she’ll say, “Me too!”
I could talk about Sofia forever.