Joël Meyerowitz

Born in 1938 in the Bronx (NY) to Jewish immigrant parents, Joel Meyerowitz studied art and anatomical drawing at Ohio State University. He ventured into photography in 1962 after witnessing Robert Frank in action during an advertising shoot.

Immersing himself in the rhythm of New York, with a jazz-like tempo, he quickly rose to prominence as one of the foremost representatives of street photography, capturing black and white images with his Leica. By 1970, he was teaching photography at Cooper Union.

Unbiased about the challenges of photography and in sync with the artistic and social movements of his time, he swiftly embraced color photography, mastering the art.

His work transitioned from anecdotal street scenes to the pictorial simplicity found in the landscapes of Cape Cod, where he captured the mere vibration of light.

A significant observer of his era, Meyerowitz's commitment to the historical and documentary dimensions of photography took him from the roads of America to the ruins of the World Trade Center, which he photographed for nine months on behalf of the Museum of the City of New York.

Joel Meyerowitz divides his time between New York and Tuscany (Italy). Yet, he remains true to his essence, oscillating between witnessing and contemplation, from advocating for the preservation of wild areas in New York parks to recreating the still lifes of Giorgio Morandi.

SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• CAPE LIGHT; Joel Meyerowitz; Aperture; 1978; USA.

• AFTERMATH: WORLD TRADE CENTER ARCHIVE; Joel Meyerowitz; Phaidon Press; 2006; USA.

• WHERE I FIND MYSELF: A LIFETIME RETROSPECTIVE; Joel Meyerowitz; Laurence King Publishing; 2018; USA.

• SEEING THINGS: A KID'S GUIDE TO LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHS; Joel Meyerowitz; Aperture; 2016; USA.

• JOEL MEYEROWITZ: MORANDI'S OBJECTS; Joel Meyerowitz; Damiani; 2016; Italy.