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Christopher Makos Photography

American, b. 1948

Christopher Makos, born in 1948, is an American photographer and artist. He spent his adolescence in California and as a young adult, moved to Paris, France, to study architecture. After extensive traveling throughout Europe, Makos became the apprentice of Man Ray, a photographer and close friend of Marcel Duchamp. During the great artist's last birthday celebrations in Italy, the master Surrealist Man Ray took a special interest in Makos and shared many practical insights into his working method as a photographer.

In 1977, Makos burst onto the photography scene with his book, White Trash. This raw, beautiful chronicle of the downtown NYC punk scene, interspersed with portraits of Uptown Boldface names, became a turning point for his career as a photographic journalist. Makos became close friends and collaborated extensively with Andy Warhol, whom he showed how to use his first camera. Warhol dubbed Makos the "most modern photographer in America" and his book, Warhol: A Photographic Memoir, details his extensive travels and friendship with the Pop art superstar. Later, Makos introduced Warhol to the work of both Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, connecting the major players of the contemporary art world.

Makos continued to document the New York scene throughout the 1980s using his Interview Magazine "IN" column to present up and coming stars such as Matt Dillon, Christian Slater, Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Ford. Makos then began his long-term love affair with Spain, where he continues to be a regular in Madrid. His portraits of Pedro Almodovar, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Bibi Andersen and Miguel Bose helped identify La Movida. Makos has developed his distinctive photographic style to take legendary photographs of the world’s most famous icons, including portraits of Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Salvador Dalí, John Lennon, Tennessee Williams and Mick Jagger. Makos's work has been in the permanent collections of more than 100 museums and major private collections, including those of Malcolm Forbes, Pedro Almodóvar and Gianni Versace.

Christopher Makos’s photos have been the subject of numerous exhibitions both in galleries and museums throughout the United States, Europe and Japan and have appeared in countless magazines and newspapers worldwide. His work has been published in Interview, Rolling Stone, House & Garden, Connoisseur, New York magazine, Esquire, Genre and People, among many others. The beloved portrait of Warhol wrapped in a flag was featured on the front cover of the Spring 1990 issue of the Smithsonian Studies.

Makos’s projects include a book of his SX 70 Polaroids, with an essay by his friend Calvin Klein. Lady Warhol, published in 2010, presents 120 portraits of Andy in various wigs and make-up guises from the 1981 two-day Makos shoot they conceived as an homage to Man Ray's Rrose Sélavy collaboration.

Christopher Makos has truly become a seminal figure in the contemporary art scene in New York — find a collection of his photography today on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Arton Contemporary)

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Artist: Christopher Makos
Man with Cat
By Christopher Makos
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Christopher Makos, American Photographer b. 1948. Tattooed Man Holding Cat, ca 1970. Signed in red pencil on verso. Size 8.25 x 10 inches. Unframed and unmounted. This example was...
Category

1960s American Modern Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Artist’s Photograph of His Own Work
By Christopher Makos
Located in New York, NY
Artist’s Photograph of His Own Work c. 1980s Signed in pencil, verso Polaroid 3.125 x 3 inches (7.9 x 7.9 cm), image 8 x 7 inches (20.3 x 17.8 cm), sheet This work is offered by ...
Category

1980s Contemporary Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Polaroid

Debbie Harry (Blondie), Andy Warhol & Halston
By Christopher Makos
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Edition of 25. Laser Jet Print. Published by Hedges Projects, Los Angeles. Signed verso by Christopher Makos. All pricing subject to change. Prior to p...
Category

2010s Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Laser

Andy Warhol - Filmmaker, Artist, Publisher, Philosopher
By Christopher Makos
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Four unique Polaroids. The works are all stamped on verso by the artist. All four images are 4.25 x 3.5 in. Provenance: From the Artist, to Collection Calvin Klein, to Private Collec...
Category

1980s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Polaroid

Andy Warhol with Glasses, Silver Gelatin Print by Christopher Makos
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Christopher Makos, American (1948 - ) Title: Andy Warhol with Glasses Year: 1986 (printed 1989) Medium: Gelatin Silver Print, signed, stamped and numbered verso Edition: 15/3...
Category

1980s Contemporary Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Andy Warhol, Photograph by Christopher Makos, circa 1978
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This gelatin silver print was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, and John ...
Category

1970s American Modern Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Christopher Makos, "Four by Four: Statue of Liberty, " Photo Collage, 1986
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This collage of gelatin silver prints was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee William...
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1980s American Modern Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Christopher Makos, "Andy Warhol Snowmobiling, " Gelatin Silver Print, 1983
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This gelatin silver print was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, and John ...
Category

1990s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Andy Warhol in Paris
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Christopher Makos, American (1948 - ) Title: Andy Warhol in Paris Year: 1981 (printed 1989) Medium: Gelatin Silver Print, signed, stamped and numbered verso Edition: 15/3...
Category

1980s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Christopher Makos, "Liza Minelli and John Lennon, " Gelatin Silver Print
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This gelatin silver print was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, and John ...
Category

1970s American Modern Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Christopher Makos, "Andy Warhol in China, " Gelatin Silver Print, 1982
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This gelatin silver print was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, and John ...
Category

1980s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, Silver Gelatin Print by Christopher Makos
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Christopher Makos, American (1948 - ) Title: Andy Warhol and Keith Haring Year: 1983 Medium: Gelatin Silver Print Photograph, signed, stamped and numbered verso Edition: ...
Category

1980s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Christopher Makos, "Andy Warhol in Rowboat, France, " Silver Gelatin Print, 1981
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This gelatin silver print was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, and John ...
Category

1980s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Los Angeles Boy
By Christopher Makos
Located in New York, NY
Los Angeles Boy 1985 Signed, titled, and dated, verso Gelatin silver print 20 x 16 inches, sheet 15 x 10.5 inches, image Contact gallery for price. This work is offered by Clamp...
Category

1980s Contemporary Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Lady Warhol
By Christopher Makos
Located in New York, NY
Lady Warhol, 1981/2011 Gelatin silver print Size: 60 x 45 inches Edition of 3
Category

1980s Modern Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

ABS, Silver Gelatin

Mick Jagger (Queen of LA)
By Christopher Makos
Located in New York, NY
Mick Jagger, 1977/2011 Gelatin silver print Size: 60 x 45 inches (152 x 114 cm) Edition: 3
Category

1970s American Realist Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

My Favorite Portrait of Andy Warhol
By Christopher Makos
Located in New York, NY
My Favorite Portrait of Andy, 1986/2001 Gelatin silver print 60 x 48" (152 x 123 cm) Edition of 3 Christopher Makos was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and grew up in California ...
Category

1980s American Realist Christopher Makos Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

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Andy Warhol In Drag (vintage Warhol announcement)
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Christopher Makos Andy Warhol from Altered Image series (exhibition announcement) Brilliantly rendered, frameable announcement card published in 1989 to announce two New York exhibitions: 'Painting & Sculpture by Andy Warhol / Photographs of Andy Warhol by Christopher Makos and Everything by Makos.' Image is an offset rendering from Makos' famed 'Altered Image Series, Andy Warhol (1981).' Offset lithograph on wove paper Height 6.75 in.; Width 5.25 in. (6.75 x 10.5 inches open) "Andy Warhol enjoyed dressing for parties in drag, sometimes in dresses of his own design. He admired 'the boys who spend their lives trying to be complete girls,' so in 1981 he and a photographic assistant, Christopher Makos, agreed to collaborate on a session portraying Warhol in drag. In many ways, they modeled the series on Man Ray's 1920s work with the French artist Marcel Duchamp, in which the two artists created a female alter ego name Rrose Sélavy for Duchamp. Warhol and Makos made a number of pictures, both black-and-white prints and color Polaroids, of their first attempt. For the second round of pictures, they hired a theater makeup person. This stage professional better understood the challenge of transforming a man's face into that of a woman. After the makeup, Warhol tried on curled, straight, long, short, dark, and blonde wigs. Here he appears in a conventionally masculine white shirt and plaid tie...
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Chris Makos LAS VEGAS, 1998, color Iris print Limited Edition
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Las Vegas, Joker, Deck of Playing Cards and Dice Color Iris Print from edition of 75 prnted by Muse X Los Angeles California Christopher Makos, American photographer and artist, apprenticed with photographer Man Ray in Paris and collaborated with Andy Warhol, whom he showed how to use his first camera. He introduced Warhol to the work of both Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Makos' work has been in the permanent collections of more than 100 museums and major private collections, including those of Malcolm Forbes, Pedro Almodóvar, and Gianni Versace. His photographs of Warhol, Haring, Tennessee Williams and others have been auctioned regularly at Sotheby's. Warhol called Makos the "most modern photographer in America". Chris Makos...
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Original Christopher Makos Photograph of Andy Warhol and Liza Minelli
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This original and captivating silver gelatin print by famed photographer Christopher Makos portrays Liza Minelli and Andy Warhol rubbing noses. Taken circ...
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1980s Pop Art Christopher Makos Photography

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Christopher Makos, "Andy Warhol and Dali, " Gelatin Silver Print, 1978
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
This gelatin silver print was created by American photographer Christopher Makos. Makos is well known for his relationships with icons like Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, and John ...
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Christopher Makos, "Andy Warhol and O'Keeffe, " Gelatin Silver Print, 1983
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
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Andy Warhol and John Lennon
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Christopher Makos, American (1948 - ) Title: Andy Warhol and John Lennon Year: 1978 (printed 1989) Medium: Gelatin Silver Print, signed, stamped, and numbered verso Editi...
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Andy Warhol and Liza Minelli
By Christopher Makos
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Christopher Makos, American (1948 - ) Title: Andy Warhol and Liza Minelli Year: 1978 (printed 1989) Medium: Gelatin Silver Print, signed, stamp...
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Christopher Makos photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Christopher Makos photography available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Christopher Makos in silver gelatin print, film, photographic film and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Pop Art style. Not every interior allows for large Christopher Makos photography, so small editions measuring 4 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Nicholas Taylor, Eve Arnold, and Seek One. Christopher Makos photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $915 and tops out at $36,000, while the average work can sell for $4,000.

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