The grand music halls and theatres of the 1920s gave way to the era of the moving image, prompting the acquisition, conversion of lavish cinemas across the US – many of which became enduring cultural landmarks. From the rise of television in the 1950s to today’s streaming platforms and smartphone screens, media consumption has become individualised. As a result, many of these once-grand movie theatres have been abandoned, repurposed or left suspended as hybrid ruins. Photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre have documented these early 20th-century relics and the haunting beauty of their decline
Exhibited at Kyotogrophie 2026 in Japan until 17 May