Michael James O’Brien

Miss Guy, NYC. Girlfriend Series. Black and White Portrait Photograph

1992

Men, Women, and Drag, draws inspiration from his diverse roles as a photographer, poet, and activist. His work often intersects with themes of identity, social justice, and cultural ...

Men, Women, and Drag, draws inspiration from his diverse roles as a photographer, poet, and activist. His work often intersects with themes of identity, social justice, and cultural commentary. O’Brien's photographss highlig his ability to capture the human experience with depth and nuance. His involvement in activism, particularly with HIV/AIDS awareness and support, further informs his artistic perspective, making his work both impactful and deeply personal. Michael James O’Brien draws inspiration from his diverse roles as a photographer, poet, and activist. His work often intersects with themes of identity, social justice, and cultural commentary. O'Brien produced a diverse body of photographic work, from still lifes and portraits to art documentation. He still uses film and works in medium and large formats. His themes are not classical, the artist prefers to portray extraordiary beuty, transgender people and still lifes. The artist's images have a sense of discovery and loss; absence and presence. From the Series Girlfriend Printed on Hahnemuhle fine art photo rag paper Dimension for each print is 22 in. H x 17 in. W (The overall size composition of the entire portfolio is: 66 in. H x 51 in. W) Limited Edition of 10 + 2AP All these portraits were made on tri-x BW film with a Pentax 6 x 7 photographed in Natural Light. 1. Lavinia (Girlfriend), NYC, 1992 “I came to Manhattan with just a handbag” - Lavinia Co-op 2. Ebony Jet (Girlfriend), NYC, 1992 “We’re all born naked, everything else is drag” - RuPaul Charles 3. Miss Guy (Girlfriend), NYC, 1992 “You’ve got your mother in a whirl; she’s not sure if you’re a boy or a girl.” - David Bowie, Rebel, Rebel 4. Ming Vauze (Benjamin Liu) NYC, 1992 “Impersonation is the supreme act of creation.” - Yukio Mishima...

The subject, a nude, is shot from the female gaze. As a woman artist Roberta Fineberg enjoys working with life models for both her art and photography. The title of the photograph, Triggered, references both the cable release used to release the shutter of the camera to make the image and the volatility of human moods and emotions. Triggered, 1994 by Roberta Fineberg is 14" x 11" a gelatin silver print in an edition of 5 with 2 artist's proofs. Signed, dated, titled by the artist. Available: 3/5 Provenance: RF Studio *** Artist's Bio: As a visual artist, Roberta Fineberg (RF) focuses on the themes of serendipity, inventiveness, and the development of ideas for her photography, video, installations, works on paper, and painting. Drawn to experimentation, she explores diverse mediums and concepts such as the ephemeral (Butterfly Series), stolen moments (documentary photography), play, timelessness, the enduring, and the significance of matter. RF, living in New York City, began her career as an editorial photographer while studying in Paris. In France she contributed both photography and writing to publications, landing a column (photos and text) with The Saturday Review while exhibiting photographs in public spaces. Roberta Fineberg’s freelance photography appeared in Le Monde, Jeune Afrique, Paris Match, L’Officiel Femme, Ms, Weltwoche, Vanguardia, among others with images licensed through stock agencies. Photographs were selected for cover art at W.W. Norton, St. Martin’s Press, Harcourt, Bookspan, Simon & Schuster, etc. Print Regional Design Annual New York (2003) awarded her for book jacket photography for If Wishes Were Horses. In 1997 Macmillan published City Riders: A Story of Riding and Friendship her first book of black-and-white photographs and a story about three teenage girls in the 1990s who rode horses at the now-defunct Claremont Riding Academy and oldest stable in New York City. In 2023, RF created an interactive installation, works on paper on the female body, in a public space. In July 2022, Fineberg’s Double Helix was included in a Sotheby’s auction in New York City and exhibited in the preview show Contemporary Discoveries. Selected exhibitions include Time Gallery New York (2022), Phyllis Harriman Gallery New York studio shows (2020, 2022), CADAF online art fair (2020), Gallery122 New York pop-up group...

Albert WATSON (*1942, Scotland) Gail Elliot, New York City, 1989 Archival pigment print Image 61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 in.) Sheet 76 x 61 cm (30 x 24 in) Edition of 25 plus 2 artist's pro...