Michael J Berkowitz
New York, United States
1952, Brooklyn, New York, USA NYC based painter/sculptor/performance
artist/and now photographer. Have travelled in some 90 countries in
search of adventure and inspiration for my work.
Ive been taking photos almost all my life I took my first lessons with Alfred Eisenstadt, a family friend, when I was 15 -- however until fairly recently, it was painting, sculpting and performance pieces that spoke to me as an artist.
My work had always revolved around religious themes, and I have had a fair amount of renown in that field. (The work I did immediately prior to photography is in the permanent collection of The Jewish Museum, The Yeshiva University Museum and The Hebrew Union College, in addition to many other museums.) About 4 years ago, I picked up a book by Taschen, entitled, "Early Erotic Photography," nude photographs from the 1800's. I was so taken by the images that I purchased a large format camera, built a set in my studio, hired a model and took some photos. I was so pleased with the results, and the reaction of others to the images was so swift and strongly positive, I became hooked on photography. It felt as if I was doing exactly what I was meant to do. I have never looked back. In 2005, my first book of photographs, Erotic Flashback was published internationally by Goliath Books. I am currently working on a second book.
At first, my sole intention was to enjoy myself simply by creating a beautiful image. Once I had a handful of photos, I created a website. Within a few months, women from all over the world were discovering my site and offering to pose for me, without pay -- in exchange for prints. Women came from as far as Iceland and Italy to work with me.
Seeing how powerful the models desire to expose and exhibit themselves made the process more complex and compelling. Time and again, the women expressed gratitude for the opportunity and explained how liberating and empowering it felt to pose nude.
Recently, Ive been combining some of my experience and skills from my days in sculpture and performance with my photography. Ive begun creating elaborate costumes and jewelry for each model. Most of the models love the dress-up aspect of my work. It connects with their early experience and helps them feel comfortable in exposing themselves. I want to push this aspect of my work even further.
Throughout my entire career as an artist, I have always asserted that it is always through our bodies that we experience the world; and that experience profoundly shapes how we perceive and process our experience. Eroticism is one our most powerful and profound visceral experiences and certainly deserves a serious investigation in fine art. It is this aspect of erotic art which I am pursuing.
My models come from all walks of life, range in age from 18 to 50, and are all shapes and sizes. They are students, housewives, business women, archeologists, psychologists, teachers, composers, artists, even two physicists. They all share a desire to explore their sexual identity, look at that image face to face, and in turn show it to the world.
Ive been taking photos almost all my life I took my first lessons with Alfred Eisenstadt, a family friend, when I was 15 -- however until fairly recently, it was painting, sculpting and performance pieces that spoke to me as an artist.
My work had always revolved around religious themes, and I have had a fair amount of renown in that field. (The work I did immediately prior to photography is in the permanent collection of The Jewish Museum, The Yeshiva University Museum and The Hebrew Union College, in addition to many other museums.) About 4 years ago, I picked up a book by Taschen, entitled, "Early Erotic Photography," nude photographs from the 1800's. I was so taken by the images that I purchased a large format camera, built a set in my studio, hired a model and took some photos. I was so pleased with the results, and the reaction of others to the images was so swift and strongly positive, I became hooked on photography. It felt as if I was doing exactly what I was meant to do. I have never looked back. In 2005, my first book of photographs, Erotic Flashback was published internationally by Goliath Books. I am currently working on a second book.
At first, my sole intention was to enjoy myself simply by creating a beautiful image. Once I had a handful of photos, I created a website. Within a few months, women from all over the world were discovering my site and offering to pose for me, without pay -- in exchange for prints. Women came from as far as Iceland and Italy to work with me.
Seeing how powerful the models desire to expose and exhibit themselves made the process more complex and compelling. Time and again, the women expressed gratitude for the opportunity and explained how liberating and empowering it felt to pose nude.
Recently, Ive been combining some of my experience and skills from my days in sculpture and performance with my photography. Ive begun creating elaborate costumes and jewelry for each model. Most of the models love the dress-up aspect of my work. It connects with their early experience and helps them feel comfortable in exposing themselves. I want to push this aspect of my work even further.
Throughout my entire career as an artist, I have always asserted that it is always through our bodies that we experience the world; and that experience profoundly shapes how we perceive and process our experience. Eroticism is one our most powerful and profound visceral experiences and certainly deserves a serious investigation in fine art. It is this aspect of erotic art which I am pursuing.
My models come from all walks of life, range in age from 18 to 50, and are all shapes and sizes. They are students, housewives, business women, archeologists, psychologists, teachers, composers, artists, even two physicists. They all share a desire to explore their sexual identity, look at that image face to face, and in turn show it to the world.
Education:
Awards2001 Second place award, New York Camera Club Annual Competition, juried by Andres Serrano
2002Winner PHOTO magazine (French) Annual International Competition
Group Exhibitions
2006 Daniel Cooney Fine Art, Benefit Auction for the Camera Club of NY
2006 Orbit gallery, Edgewater, NJ, Erotic show
2006 The Kinsey Institute, The Erotic Art Show, juried exhibition. Two photos acquired for the permanent collection, Traveling exhibition
2006 Projekt 30, The Sex Show, online juried exhibition
2006 Karyn Mannix Gallery, East Hampton, NY, Love and Passion art show
2006 Art @ Large, NY, NY, Tiny Fine Art Show
2005 Art @ Large, NY, NY group exhibition, Juried by Grady T. Turner
2004 Eleven East Ashland Gallery, Phoenix, AZ, For Adults Only
2003Art @ Large, NY, NY, group exhibition, Juried by Grady T. Turner
20042002 Leslie-Lohman Gallery, NY, NY, group exhibition
2002 Echo Gallery, Chicago, IL, Muse
2002 Texas Womans University, Denton, TX, Regarding Beauty
2002 Camera Club of NY, Annual Awards Exhibition, Juried by Andres Serrano
2002 Illuminance, 2002, Lubbock, Texas, Juried by Judy Dater
2001 Eleven East Ashland Gallery, Phoenix, AZ, For Adults Only
2001 Soho Photo Gallery, NY, NY, Group Exhibition
Solo Exhibitions
2005 Enderlin Gallery, Roxbury, NY
2002 Soho Photo Gallery, NY, NY, Solo Exhibition
Publications
2002 PHOTO magazine(French) January/February issue, winners of Annual International Competition
2005 "Erotic Flashback" Photographs by Michael Berkowitz, Goliath Books
2005Playboy Magazine, August issue, book review, "Erotic Flashback"
2006 Jade Magazine, October Issue, feature article
Events:
Duchess, II
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat, II
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat, III
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat, IV
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat, V
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat Diptych
Photography, 14 H x 22 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat Diptych, II
Photography, 14 H x 22 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
The Black Hat Diptych, III
Photography, 14 H x 22 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Pearls
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Pearls, II
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 22 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 22 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 22 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
Photography, 14 H x 11 W x 0.5 in
Michael J Berkowitz
United States
...A SUIVRE...
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento