Michael Cohen began enjoying photography at age 13, learning about light, composition and film, and developing and printing his work. By age 16, Cohen was exhibiting his work in Florida with the Sarasota Art Association. He later studied fine arts at University of Florida, and currently lives in Riverdale, NY.
Cohen, now 45, has broadened the scope of his work, which
includes scenics, silhouettes, landscapes, and interesting things found
in his everyday environment. He
finds subject matter commuting to Manhattan, traveling
on vacation, or just standing on his terrace. He
identifies “light, shadows, reflections” as his essential themes.
Cohen has received first-prize recognition in several
juried shows, and exhibits both in solo as well as in group shows with
the Riverdale Art Association. His
website, www.thebassguy.com, features
his photography as well as his musical projects. Michael is also a bassist
and producer for 8-piece blues and soul band, Hard Bargain, currently completing
their second CD.
Artist’s Statement
Since a young teenager, I’ve noticed things I wished
to share with others, through my vision and my camera lens.
Some of those images include things light does
when no one is looking, creating shadows, filtering through objects
and, one of my favorites, reflecting off surfaces or water.
My work isn’t always serial in nature, and includes
people, places and visions I’ve noticed around my own day-to-day environment,
as well as when I’ve traveled. The
work includes macro, travel/landscape, light and shadow, reflection and
occasionally people.
The concept of “capturing” an image is closest
to my creative philosophy. I
tend not to shoot multi-roll studies of something, preferring instead
to freeze the moment and then move on to another subject. My
main focus is the specific choice of subject matter and composition.
Until recently, all my work was shot on film, small
format (35MM). Over the last
two years, however, I have discovered and embraced the digital realm. I
continue to shoot things I notice, and welcome assignment work.
Typically, I exhibit 16x20” prints from film and
digital files, framed at 20x24.” I
recently won First Place in two local juried shows in New York, and had
two exhibits this fall – one, a public display in a Manhattan bank; the
other in a gallery in Riverdale. Much
of my recent work can be seen online at www.thebassguy.com/cohen.