Hirornart Gallery Tokyo is pleased to announce the opening of "Tales of Possession", Michael Macioce's debut solo-show in Japan. He is known as a photographer for New York City downtown music and art scene, leading to over 50 album covers so that you may recognize his photography from some images. The show will feature a great collection of his photography, includes vintage prints and unseen works.
Macioce acquired BFA in Photography, School of Visual Arts in 1990. Studied with photographers Pete Turner and Bob Adelman. Since the '80s, his exhibition was held in various galleries and art festivals. Most recently, he exhibited at the Jewish Museum for Art and History in Paris France April -July 2010, which travels to Berlin 2011, and at the 2010 New York Photo Festival, curated by Lou Reed (Vocal and song writer of Velvet Underground, Husband of Laurie Anderson, experimental performing artist.) At this event, Macicoce is selected as a featured photographer as part of Lou Reed's "Hidden Books Hidden Stories" and also he gave a lecture with his 56 slides.
Not only as a photographer career, Macioce teaches Photography. He taught Black and White printing etc., at schools: Parsons School of Design, School of Visual Arts, Suffolk Community College, New School for Social Research and so on. Currently he teaches Photography at the Educational Alliance Art School. His photography are published in 6 books; variety magazines from Spin, Rolling Stone Magazine, The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Chicago Tribune etc.; Music Industry such as Rykodisc, Capital Records, Xenophile, Atlantic Records, Knitting factory, Touch and Go, Electra Records, Sony, Tzadik, etc.
Artist Statement on "Tales of Possession"
I like to think of these photographs as stories. They are my stories buff like when cleaners imagine their own story for the image. These photographs are also about passion for the mysteries of life and I hope asks the question "Is there more than just the real?"
1. Dartmoor Pony
2. Church
3. The Way to Salvation
4. Possessed
5. Heaven
6. Furrows
7. Occult Amsterdam
8. Last Catacomb
9. Soldier
10. Music for Children
11. Hammer
12. Breather
13. Dream
14. White Angel
About the Artist
Michael Macioce combines fine art and documentary photography of the downtown music and art scene in New York City, leading to over 50 album covers and culminating with the book LIGHT & DARK.
In the '80s Michael began to document the downtown NY art scene. Photographing the poets (Alan Ginsberg), painters (Nancy Spero), writers (Dennis Cooper), composers (John Zorn), and hipster Punk bands of the time (Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth), he had access to the fringe movements of the era. This work was published in mainstream publications (NY Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Village Voice, Rolling Stone) as well as the avant-garde magazines of the time (Option, Forced Exposure, Chemical Imbalance).
In his early years, Macioce worked as a master printer and assistant for photographic book productions. These books were illustrated by photographs to represent a political opinion, particularly Freedom of Speech. "The Bill of Rights for all Americans" with Ira Glasser of The American Civil Liberties Union is an example. Macioce also worked with photographers Bob Adelman and John Loengard.
In 1995 Michael began photographing the Lubavitcher Jewish Community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn for the exhibition "Jewish Ritual" at Merkin Concert Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC in January, 1996. This was part of musician/composer John Zorn's Radical Jewish Culture Festival. Later, these photographs were also selected for a Jews of Brooklyn Photo Exhibit, and published in the book "Jews of Brooklyn" (New England Press, 2001). Most recently this work has been combined with photographs from his Musician and Lower East Side series and was exhibited in Paris in April - July 2010, titled "Radical Jewish Culture" at The Jewish Museum for Art and History (Musee d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaisme, Paris). In March 2011, the Radical Jewish Culture Exhibit will move to The Judishes Museum, Berlin.
Since 2001, Michael Macioce has been documenting NYC civic construction. While working for heavy construction firms and city agencies he brought a second camera to shoot black & white from his point of view. This project continues today. And is 'titled "Rebuild New York". In 2002 a new political/cultural music project began with "Vietnam Songbook", documenting the protest songwriters from the 1960's as they return to protest the Iraq invasion. This work was done in conjunction with the Alan Lomax Archive and the photographs have been donated to the Smithsonian Institution. www.vietnamsongbook.org
Most recently Michael Macioce has been working on a new book, documenting the NYC music scene from the '80s through the '905. It is scheduled for release with Yeti Pubs in 2011. His debut solo-show in Japan will be held in January 2011 at Hiromart Gallery, Tokyo.
Artist Statement
It is not enough to make pretty pictures. It is rarely enough to be informative. Documentary photography should be fine art and fine art photography should bear a message. All of us grow up listening to music. Many of us take great inspiration from music. I have been photographing musicians and artists since I was 14 years old. I would stare at record covers as listened to the music and became driven. My fine art photography is designed for use in CD packaging. My photographs of musicians tell the story of my times, the zeitgeist. I have never traveled for from this approach and my creative style now infuses my commercial work as well. It is important for the artist to remain as passionate in their mature life as they were idealistic in their youth. I see my life in the arts is to enlighten. To deliver ones message in a beautiful and inspiring way.
