Silencio: The Paris bar designed by David Lynch
David Lynch’s artistic vision was so distinctive that critics had to coin a new word for it: Lynchian.
That’s often how a director enters the ranks of the true greats. First, they refine a style until it becomes unmistakably their own, which Lynch did and then some. His work is not only instantly recognisable, but it’s also endlessly studied and discussed. Even people who have barely seen his films can spot Lynch’s touch, thanks to his rich visual tones, stark black-and-white dream sequences, and sweeping, uncanny landscapes.
But it’s not just about him anymore. As soon as Lynch found major success, others rushed to imitate him, which is why the term ‘Lynchian’ became necessary as his influence spread everywhere. Today, you can see traces of his style across music, fashion and film, and even in interior design. Sleazy yet romantic bars often try to recreate the iconic Red Room from Twin Peaks, covering their walls in velvet curtains and laying down checkerboard floors.
However, if you want a truly authentic Lynchian atmosphere straight from the source, you have to go to Paris and head to Montmartre. Search “David Lynch bar” online, and you’ll likely find plenty of places that borrow a little from his aesthetic, or listings for Lynch-themed cabaret nights. But there is one officially sanctioned spot: Silencio in Paris, a club that was actually designed by the man himself.
Silencio stands out as quite a mysterious side quest. It’s not like Lynch was a friend, nor did he even have many ties to France. If anything, he was as American as they come, as his artistry was endlessly shaped by his youth spent in random middle-America towns, influenced by distinctly American suburbia, but if there is one space that pops up time and time again in his world, it’s a bar.
From the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks to the scene in Blue Velvet where Dorothy Vallance croons in a low-lit lounge, so many of Lynch’s most fever-dream-like moments happen in the setting of a bar, or often, a bar is the ultimate spot for strangeness, wherein the director portrayed how otherworldly a watering hole can be.
The most obvious example of that comes in Mulholland Drive and the scene at Silencio. The weird performance they’re witnessing is one of his most surreal moments, and then in 2001, he seemed keen to bring it to life when a bar with the same name, designed by Lynch himself, opened up in Paris.
The question of ‘why Paris?’ remains a mystery, but it’s one we simply have to put aside, and instead focus on the decor because the bar and club couldn’t be more evocative of his work. From the stark matte black exterior and flashing neon sign, to the red-lit details by the bar, the director was in charge of every single detail, be it the furnishing or the lighting. Naturally, it was in the latter that he took the most interest, opening a space that is lit exactly like some of his finest movie scenes.
Including bars, dancefloors and even a cinema, it’s just as much of a maze as the Black Lodge is, but instead of finding your evil doppelgängers there, you might find someone to kiss, or maybe a celebrity or two.
