Chicago’s Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture is hosting a special event featuring renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins and his longtime collaborator and wife, James Deakins, also known as ‘Team Deakins.’
The event will launch the Roger Deakins Photography Exhibition, which presents a unique collection of still images captured by Deakins over the course of his career. The exhibition explores the same interplay of light and shadow that defines Deakins’ iconic visual storytelling, seen in films like Shawshank Redemption, No Country for Old Men, Fargo, and The Man Who Wasn’t There.
The exhibition features a curated selection of 41 portraits and landscapes from Deakins’ personal archives, spanning from 1971 to the present. These works are drawn from his first photography monograph, BYWAYS (published by Damiani Books in 2021), along with several previously unreleased images.
To celebrate the opening, ‘Team Deakins’ will participate in film screenings, discussions, and book signings from October 17-20, 2024. The exhibition will take place at the Athenaeum Center’s Paradiso Gallery, located at 2936 N. Southport Avenue, and will be open to the public until April 30, 2025.
‘Team Deakins’ in Chicago
Film and photography fans alike are invited to join Roger and James Deakins at the Athenaeum Center for a rare series of public events launching the Roger Deakins Photography Exhibition:
Thursday, October 17, 7-9:30pm
Film Screening & Conversation: The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)
Film screening preceded by a conversation between ‘Team Deakins’ and New York Times columnist and the host of the Athenaeum Center’s Film & Culture Series, Ross Douthat.
The Man Who Wasn’t There, directed by the Coen Brothers, is a neo-noir tale set in 1949 California, following the quiet, unassuming barber Ed Crane, who becomes entangled in a web of deceit and murder. Ed, played by Billy Bob Thornton, sees an opportunity to change his mundane life when he becomes involved in a blackmail scheme, but his plans spiral out of control as he grapples with the consequences of his actions. With its atmospheric cinematography, sharp dialogue, and unexpected twists, the film explores themes of identity, fate, and the consequences of ambition in a world where reality is as elusive as the shadows it casts. Tickets: 15.00 ($12.00 for students) now available.
Friday, October 18, 7-9pm
Public Exhibition Opening
Complimentary admission but advance tickets are required. Space is limited; please visit here to register.
Sunday, October 20, 2-5pm
Film Screening & Conversation: 30th Anniversary of Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Film screening preceded by a conversation between ‘Team Deakins’ and Richard Roeper, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and ABC-7.
Shawshank Redemption, based on a story by Stephen King,tells the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover. Over the course of his lengthy imprisonment, Dufresne forges allies within the prison, in particular “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman) and Brooks Hatlen (James Whitmore). His background in accounting as a bank employee leads to his being chosen to assist corrupt Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) and many of the prison guards with their financial needs and earns him privileges that enable him to make plans for a life outside Shawshank’s concrete walls. Perhaps Deakins’ most widely known film, this year marking its 30th Anniversary, Shawshank frequently appears on lists of the best movies ever made. Tickets: 15.00 ($12.00 for students).
VIP Meet & Greet Experiences
In advance of each film screening – Thursday, October 17 from 4:30-6:30pm, and Sunday, October 20, from 11:30am-1:30pm – will be the opportunity for a separately ticketed, unique VIP experience including a meet & greet with Roger and James Deakins, a signed copy of the BYWAYS hardback edition, and ticket for that day’s screening & conversation. Tickets: $75.00 for each date.
To purchase individual tickets for the two film screenings and the VIP BYWAYS book signing experience, or for more information on the Roger Deakins Photography Exhibition and its public opening event Oct. 18, please visit www.athenaeumcenter.org/special-events/roger-deakins.
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