Born to a Cuban mother and Puerto Rican father in New York City, and raised in Florida, photographer Joseph Michael Lopez began working as a documentary cinematographer, notably on the critically acclaimed Bruce Weber film, Chop Suey. Lopez’s recent solo work gravitates toward filmic still images, book forms, haptic installation and has been exhibited in New York and Berlin. He studied with photographer Danny Lyon and at Columbia University, where he holds an M.F.A. Lopez’s work has appeared on the cover of the Sunday Review of The New York Times and is a contributor to Agence VU'.
Education
2011 Master of Fine Arts, Columbia University, New York City
Experience
2006 - 2003 Project research assistant and traveling on the field photography assistant with
Mitch Epstein on his American Power project.
2001 - 2006 Freelance assistant with various acclaimed commercial photographers and fine artists:
Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Norman Jean Roy, Matthias Vriens, Melvin Sokolsky, Rankin, Todd Eberle,
Sante D’Orazio, Steven Klein, Kurt Markus, Paul Jasmin, Jim Goldberg, Alex Webb, Jeff Bark,
Brad Harris, Ben Watts, Clang , Alexei Hay, Phillip Toledano, Andreas Serrano.
2000 - 2001 First assistant to fashion photographer Max Vadukul.
1998 - 2000 Works as a Cinematographer, Photography assistant, & assistant to Director, Bruce Weber. Joseph relocates to New York City and begins shooting motion picture film on Bolex RX-5, ARRI SR3 and 435HS alongside prominent cinematographers: Lance Acord and Jim Fealy on Weber’s Chop Suey Club, a documentary film that premieres to critical acclaim.
Solo Exhibitions
2009 What is Real, The Wall Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2008 Above Below, 43 Eighth Avenue Gallery, New York City
Group Exhibitions
2011 The Emerging Landscape: Photographs and Drawings Exploring Natural and Imaginary Phenomena, Society Contemporary, New York City
2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition. Columbia's University School of the Arts, curated by Larissa Harris, Fisher Landau Center, New York
2010 B-SIDES, 6-8 Months Project Space, New York City
2010 First-Year MFA Exhibition, Miriam & Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, New York City
2008 Shot Spot, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, Massachusetts
2005 ASMP Image 05, Thomas Werner Gallery, New York City
2004 ASMP Image 04, Thomas Werner Gallery, New York City
Film Screenings
2001 Chop Suey, a documentary film by Bruce Weber, shown at the Toronto Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival and Film Forum, New York City
Awards
2011 The Lotos Foundation Prize in the Arts and Sciences
2010 Artist Level Runner-Up, JGS Photography Contest, Second Quarter
2005 ASMP Award
2004 Top Photographer, Golden Light Award Grant, Personal Documentary
2004 ASMP Award
Collections
Peter Fetterman
Marshall Sonenshine
The Hirsch Library, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
Publications
“Photo Editor: Véronique Poczobut,” Private n. 40, Spring 2008, Crossing Boundaries