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John Malkovich is art — and also a nude John Lennon

John Malkovich is art — and also a nude John Lennon

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1999's Being John Malkovich, according to writer Charlie Kaufman, started out "as a story about a man who falls in love with someone who is not his wife." The most iconic part, however, is probably the tiny door hidden behind the file cabinet on the 7 1/2 floor, which leads you inside the mind of John Malkovich for 15 minutes. The movie uses this absurd concept as a way to explore identity and general human emotion — but it also made sure to find out what would happen if Malkovich entered his own mind.

Ladies and gentlemen, that world now exists. It resides in Chicago.

Malkovich and photographer Sandro Miller has recreated dozens of famous photographs where the main subject is replaced, appropriately enough, with John Malkovich. So now you can see Malkovich as Che Guevara, Muhammad Ali, Andy Warhol, naked John Lennon, Albert Einstein, and on multiple occasions Marilyn Monroe — and more. There's over 30 photographs in all, which you can see for yousrelf on Edelman Gallery's website (somewhat NSFW).

malkovich twins 2

Based on Diane Arbus' 1967 photograph "Identical Twins"

According to Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze, while working on the film, "[Malkovich] said: either the movie's a bomb and it's got not only my name above the title but my name in the title, so I'm fucked that way; or it does well and I'm just forever associated with this character." It was the latter.

"Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich" is on display at Chicago's Catherine Edelman gallery from November 7th through January 31st, 2015.