Gary Beeber Artist’s Statement
As an artist, I originally took photographs as source material for my paintings (photo-realistic watercolors), but eventually abandoned painting altogether for photography.
I have photographed subjects as diverse as architectural details in Italy, Dachau Concentration Camp, the ritual sacrifice of sheep in Morocco, graveyards in New Orleans and transgender/nightlife personalities in NYC.
I’ve always been interested in art history and particularly came to admire the work of Edward Hopper, Eugene Atget, and Diane Arbus. Aside from taking pictures, I also produced and directed award-winning documentary films about people living on the fringe of society. From 2011-2014 I produced Gotham Burlesque, an off-Broadway burlesque/variety show. According to Time Out New York, Gotham Burlesque was one of the top nightlife shows in NYC.
How does one go from photography to documentary films to producing a burlesque show and then back to photography? I believe that each phase organically lead to the next. I feel that producing the films and the show made me look at photography differently. It made the work more theatrical and cinematic.
MONA SERIES
NYC transgender/nightlife personality Mona Marlowe is far along in the process of transformation. Like her idol Marilyn Monroe, she is very complex, striking and vulnerable. When photographing her in her single occupancy room located in Manhattan’s Theater District, it became evident how her entire existence is shaped by her need to express the woman she had always felt she was born to be. Great financial sacrifices and physical pain were and are being made to change genders. The photos were taken over several months.
I am also including Mona’s friends in this ongoing series. Early Ross and Miss Vee, like Mona are NYC nightlife personalities, but unlike Mona (who is now a woman 24/7) they are like a blank canvas and use elaborate makeup and costumes to transform themselves.
OFF BROADWAY SHOWS:
“GOTHAM BURLESQUE” Triad Theater, NYC, Producer, 2011-2014
DOCUMENTARY FILMS:
“DIRTY MARTINI AND THE NEW BURLESQUE”
“Best Documentary Feature” Coney Island Film Festival, 2010
Official Selection, Moisture Festival, in conjunction with The Seattle International Film Festival, 2010
Official Selection, USA Film Festival, Dallas, Texas, 2010
Toronto Burlesque Festival, 2010
Atlanta BurlesqueFestival, 2010
Broadcast on Danish Television, 2012, Danish Broadcasting Corporation
“BALLY-MASTER”
“Best Biographical Short Film” FirstGlance Film Festival, Philadelphia, 2008
“Best Documentary Short” Coney Island Film Festival, 2007
“Grand Jury Award in Documentary” DC Independent Film Festival, 2008
“First Prize” Brainwash Movie Festival, Oakland, CA, 2008
Boston Underground Film Festival, 2009
Twin Cities Arts Festival, 2009
Tulsa United Film Festival, 2008
CMJ Film Festival, 2008
West County Film Festival, 2008
B-Movie Festival, 2008
LA SHORTS FEST, 2008
Thin Line Film Fest, 2008
Artists on Film-Pollock-Krasner House, 2008
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
Coney Island Film Society, 2008
Emerging Filmmakers Series, 2008
NewFilmmakers (NYC), 2008
Festival de Cannes, Short Film Corner, 2008
Ybor Festival of the Moving Image, 2008
da Vinci Film Festival, 2008
On Location: Memphis, 2008
Backseat Film Festival, 2008
Charlotte Film Festival, 2007
“MESSENGER”
“Best Documentary Short” Staten Island Festival, 2007
“Best Documentary Short” Coney Island Film Festival, 2006
Living Arts of Tulsa, “Bike on Film” 2009
Muskegon Film Festival, 2009
Shoot Me Film Festival, 2008 The Hague/NL, 2008
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Artists Make Movies, Pollock Krasner House, 2008
Magic Lantern International Movie Festival, 2008
Northampton Independent Film Festival, 2007
Big Bang Film Festival, Philadelphia, 2007
Directors Chair Festival, 2007
Artists Make Movies, Pollock Krasner House, 2007
Bicycle Film Festival, Chicago, 2007
LA SHORTS Film Festival, 2007
Action On International Film & Video Festival, 2007
da Vinci Days Festival, 2007
Nickel Independent Film Festival, 2007
Bicycle Film Festival, NYC, 2007
Indie Can Film Festival, 2007
Ybor Festival of the Moving Image, 2007
BEFILM Underground Film Festival, 2007
Longbaugh Film Festival, 2007
Garden State Film Festival, 2007
Memphis International Film Festival, 2007
DC Independent Film Festival, 2007
24fps Short Video & Film Festival, 2006
Charlotte Film Festival, 2006
GARY BEEBER / RESUME
EXHIBITIONS, 2016:
HOW I IDENTIFY MYSELF, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
RE-COLLECTIONS, Alumni Exhibition, Hiestand Galleries, Miami University
DUDES, BROS & GENTLEMEN: The Man Show, 1650 GALLERY. Los Angeles, California
POSITIVE/NEGATIVE: 31st National Juried Art Exhibition, Slocumb Galleries. Johnson City TN
Online exhibition of selections from MONA Series in PHOSMAG.COM, Italy
NEWSPACE NOW, 2016 Member’s Salon: NEWSPACE Center for Photography, Portland, OR
JURIED EXHIBITIONS, 2015:
THE PLURAL T, Davis Orton Gallery, Hudson, NY
CAPTURED 2015, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
OPEN CALL, 1, Peter Miller Fine Art Photography Gallery, Providence, RI
ART BIOLOGIC, Limner Gallery, Hudson, NY
HONORABLE MENTION: ARTIST MEMBER’S SHOW, Guild Hall Museum of East Hampton, NY
HONORABLE MENTION: THE FIGURE, National Juried Show, East End Arts Council, Riverhead, NY
NEWSPACE NOW, NEWSPACE Center for Photography, Portland, OR
JURIED EXHIBITIONS, 2014:
BEST PHOTOGRAPH: ARTIST MEMBER’S SHOW Guild Hall Museum of East Hampton, NY
PHOTOWORK 14, National Juried Photography Show, Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
2ND PLACE: THE CREATIVE PROCESS, National Juried Show, East End Arts Council, Riverhead, NY
UNLEASHED, Women’s Caucus for Art, Annex @ Core Gallery, Denver, CO
9th NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION, AXIS GALLERY, Sacramento, CA
NEWSPACE NOW, NEWSPACE Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2014 PUNCH JURIED EXHIBITION, Punch Gallery, Seattle, WA
GROUP EXHIBITION, 2014:
IN THE NARRATIVE TRADITION,Peter Marcelle Project, Southampton NY
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
BEAUTY IS IN THE DETAILS, Dodds & Eder, Sag Harbor, NY, 2015
ONLINE EXHIBITION, Houston Center for Photography, 2015
LONELY RIDE, CONEY ISLAND, Coney Island Museum, 2006
HAPPY RIDE, CONEY ISLAND, Coney Island Museum, 2005
HAPPY RIDE, PICTURES FROM CONEY ISLAND, Suffolk Community College, Riverhead, NY, 2004
DETAILS OF SIGHT, Egizio’s Project, NYC, 2002
Photographs from the Jewish Cemeteries of the Saints, Center of Jewish History, NYC, 2002
DACHAU, Photographs of the Concentration Camp ALP Galleries, NYC, 2002
IMMORTAL REFLECTION Photographs by Gary Beeber Generous Miracles Gallery, NYC, 2001
GARY BEEBER, PHOTOGRAPHSGallery Merz, Sag Harbor, 2001
PHOTOGRAPHIC VISIONS OF ITALY Gallery Eclectic, Southampton, NY, 2000
TIME PASSAGES Generous Miracles Gallery, NYC, 1998
GARY BEEBER, PHOTOGRAPHS, Lyceum Gallery, Suffolk Community College, Riverhead, NY, 1997
Gayle Willson Gallery, Southampton, NY, 1995
ART FAIRS:
ART BASEL MIAMI, 2010, ART MIAMI, 2006, DiVA/NYC, 2005, ART LA, 2005, PHOTO LA, 2005
THE NEW ANGELES CONTEMPORARYy ART FAIR, 2005
PHOTO NEW YORK, 2004, SCOPE ART FAIR, NYC, 2004, AAF CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR, 2004
POOL THE UNDERGROUND ART FAIR, 2004
SHANGHAI SPRING ART SALON, 2003, URBAN INTERIORS, LONDON, 2003
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS:
Goldman Sachs, NYC
Pfizer Pharmaceutical, NYC
Chase Bank, NYC
Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, NYC
Latham & Watkins, NYC
Sagamore Hotel, Miami Beach
EatonForm, Dayton, OH
Linklaters, New York City
Southampton Hospital, Southampton, NY
View and purchase Gary Beeber’s Exclusively Represented Limited Edition Works here
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