Tilda Swinton

The first book by Tilda Swinton highlights her incredible transformations and iconic roles, tracing Swinton’s singular presence through collaborations with filmmakers and fashion figures.

Taking as a starting point the artistic collaborations that helped shape her career, from early projects with Derek Jarman and Joanna Hogg, to projects with Luca Guadagnino and Jim Jarmusch, to more recent films with Bong Joon Ho and Pedro Almodóvar, this book presents Swinton’s work across cinema, fashion, and art. Swinton pushes the boundaries of the sometimes-limited role of the actor, inviting readers on a journey that celebrates co-creation, the symbiosis between director and actor, and the influence of various art forms, including fashion collaborations with Olivier Saillard, Jerry Stafford, and photographers like Tim Walker.

Film stills and previously unpublished photography from a selection of short and feature-length films in which Swinton plays a role include Suspiria, Orlando, Caravaggio, Edward II, Wittgenstein, Only Lovers Left Alive, The Limits of Control, I Am Love, A Bigger Splash, Snowpiercer, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Okja, Eternal Daughter, The Human Voice, The Room Next Door, and many more, printed on four textured papers and acetate sheets. The book dedicates a section to the work of Derek Jarman, who was pivotal to Swinton’s artistic development, and Joanna Hogg, a childhood friend with whom she has recently collaborated. Texts include essays by Olivia Laing and Rajendra Roy, messages exchanged with Jim Jarmusch, and conversations between Swinton and Hogg, Jerry Stafford, Luca Guadagnino, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Tim Walker, and Pedro Almodóvar.

Olivia Laing is a British writer, novelist, and cultural critic. Rajendra Roy is chief curator of Film at MoMA. Jerry Stafford is a creative director and stylist. Olivier Saillard is a fashion historian and curator. Joanna Hogg, Luca Guadagnino, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Jim Jarmusch, and Pedro Almodóvar are directors.