Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre Photography

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Loew's Kings Theater, New York

In the early 20th century, following the development of the entertainment industry,
hundreds of auditoriums were built everywhere in North America.
Major entertainment firms and movie studios commissioned specialized architects
to build grandiose and extravagant theaters.

From the 60's, TV, multiplexes and urban crisis made them becoming obsolete.

During the following decades, when they were not modernized or transformed into adult cinemas,
they closed one after the other and many of them were simply demolished.

Those which remain forgotten, escaping from this fate, were converted to varied purposes.

Now, many are reused as churches, retail, flea markets, bingo halls, discos,
supermarkets or warehouses. Some others just sit abandoned.

This work, started in 2005, is currently in progress.