John Malkovich Diptych

Chicago photographer Victor Skrebneski is celebrated for his stylish, evocative portraits and his refined interpretations of fashion. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and attended the Illinois Institute of Technology. In 1952 he established a studio in Chicago and embarked on a long successful career, becoming internationally known and locally revered for his photographs illumined with elegance and élan.

The portraits by Mr. Skrebneski engage both the visage and the persona of the glamorous and notable, as witnessed in the John Malkovich Diptych. By selecting a diptych, meaning two parts, Skrebneski has referenced earlier artistic practice, but has modernized his approach. In this example, he has fused together two negatives onto one composite photograph. In doing so, he presents a narrative of the sitter’s personality, and thus two points of view. As a longtime resident of Chicago, Skrebneski and his photographs have become synonymous with the city, defining the artistry and imagination for which it is prized.

The subject of the photograph, John Malkovich, was born in Christopher, Illinois in 1953. Along with Joan Allen and Gary Sinise, Malkovich was a charter member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Thereafter, he became a major international film and stage star, and more recently, a distinguished producer and director.