This is a great deal for art fans in New York City: Andaz 5th Avenue has partnered with Indiewalls on The New York Pictures, a unique collection of photographs featuring work by local emerging artists. The collection of photographs has been placed in suites throughout the hotel. Curated by Liz Dimmit, the collection features the work of nine different artists and can be found at www.indiewalls.com/Andaz.
Best of all: Prints of the photographs are for sale through the site and upon purchase will be shipped directly to the customer by Indiewalls, with proceeds paid to the artist.
“When we first opened the hotel, one general feedback from guests was that some suites don’t carry the same spirit and energy found in our public spaces,” said Cornelia Samara, General Manager of Andaz 5th Avenue. “We soon realized that, when it comes to beautiful art, a little goes a long way and the addition of these photographs have made a tremendous difference in the overall experience of staying in one of our suites.”
Ari Grazi, President of Indiewalls, said that the partnership is a “win-win for local artists, hotel guests, and the general public” by virtue of helping the artists reach a wider audience.
About the Artists
Malcolm Brown
Brown was born in Farmington, CT and lives in Brooklyn. He first pursued a career in strategic design and research consulting where he observed and analyzed how people live, work and play in space. He interpreted his findings into meaningful physical solutions; essentially composing people in space. In 2003, his travels to India and Malaysia served as a turning point in how he observes people creatively in both the built and natural environment.
Lisa Futterman
Futterman returned to the New York area in 2002 after spending eight years in London, England. Her first photography class at the University of Michigan introduced her to the world of documentary projects, cities and the people and structures that make a captivating image. In recent years, New York City has become a major influence on Lisa's work, providing a constant source of inspiration. Many of her images bring a fresh and unique perspective on often-photographed iconic subjects.
Jay Wilson
Wilson resides in Fairfield County, CT, but his primary focus is finding a unique perspective on the people and places that make New York City special. He recently took first place in the professional photography division of the Beaux Arts competition sponsored by the League of Westchester Women’s Clubs, and second place in the Wunderman Global Photography Competition for 2012. He recently closed a solo show at Green Gallery in Bronxville, NY. His work has been featured in numerous publications and he is currently exhibiting at the Fulton Stall through December.
Evan Morris Cohen
Cohen has an ever-growing collection of vintage cameras that he uses to take photos. He also shoots with film, a rarity in today’s scene. Cohen relishes the chance to capture something that we've all seen a million times in a completely different way, an increasing challenge considering almost everyone has a cell phone camera.
Liezl Zwarts
Zwarts was raised in Johannesburg, South Africa and pursued her career in London, Cape Town and presently in New York City. Her art career began as in-house photographer for a lifestyle magazine where she gained experience working in the fast-paced publishing industry. She attributes her artistic vision to her grandmother, a photographer from Namibia whose beautiful landscapes were the catalyst to Zwarts’ passion, specifically in landscape and documentary photography. Light is an integral part of Zwarts’ aesthetic and remains to be the focal point of her projects.
J Ryan Roberts
A little over a decade ago Roberts made the realization that if he were happy with his career than every other aspect of his life would be better. After some intense soul searching, he realized he needed to do whatever it took to gain the skill set to become a top level photographer and that included booking a one-way ticket to New York. Fast-forward 10 years and here he is with a big smile on his face. Roberts likes to think of himself as the guide who helps forge the path and is proud to have been able to achieve goals that once felt like impossible dreams.
Carrie Villines
Los Angeles native Villines received her BA from UCLA and her MFA from Parsons. Her photography has been exhibited internationally, and published in Associated Press, ArtVoices, ARTnews, The Black Book and Graphis, among others. Recent exhibitions include a solo show at Untitled Artprojects in Los Angeles and group shows at Gawker offices in New York, Coup d’oeil Art Consortium in New Orleans, and Devotion Gallery in Brooklyn. She currently lives in Bushwick and her favorite camera is the Holga.
Corinne Schulze
Schulze was raised in the countryside of Kentucky. She received a BA from Tulane University in 2003 for her studies in studio art and philosophy. She received an MFA in Photography from School of Visual Arts in 2011. She has exhibited at such galleries as Southern Exposure Gallery, Rayko Photo Center, SOHO Photo Gallery, Kiernan Gallery, Gia Ricci Contemporary, Upstream Gallery, and Tubac Center for the Arts. Currently she is photographing collections at the American Museum of Natural History. She is drawn to projects that relate to how we perceive the natural environment. At its core, her process involves researching ideas from the natural sciences and transforming them into an artistic dialogue. Taking cues from the philosophical writings of Robert Smithson and studied eye of Karl Blossfeldt, her intention is to create a menagerie of visual projects that capture the essence of an investigative curiosity for the natural world.
Jonathan Lantz
Lantz is an Arkansas-American who studied photography in New Zealand. His photography is often colorful, sometimes off-color. It's his aim to evoke some thought or emotion in the viewer, ideally with them getting lost in a daydream. He currently lives without tattoos in Brooklyn, NY where he works as a freelance photographer.
About the Curator
Liz Dimmitt
Liz Dimmitt is an independent curator and art adviser. After leading Gawker Artists, Gawker Media's online exhibition program and art community, for six years she launched STRAY: Art + Media, which aligns media partners with artists to produce non-traditional marketing, exhibitions and special projects. Liz is also a partner at Etta Place, an art project that showcases works by emerging artists and designers, and a founder of Truck Yeah, a series of festivals celebrating mobile culture. She lives in Brooklyn and holds an MA in Visual Arts Administration from NYU.