Portrait research - Inspirations (Mark Morrisroe)
Mark Morrisroe
as well inspired me for the "half man-half woman" shoot.
I saw his work first, as well in the book "Train your gaze" from Roswell Angier.
Born to a drug-addicted mother in Malden Massachussetts, Morrisroe left home and began hustling under the name Mark Dirt at the age of 15.
His mother was a tenant of Albert DeSalvo, who would become known as "the Boston Strangler", and Mark often told people he was DeSalvo's illegitimate son.
When he was 17 years old, a disgruntled client shot him in the back, leaving him with a bullet lodged next to his spine for the rest of his life.
The experience had a profound influence on his art, which often incorporated images of young prostitutes and X-rays of his injured chest.
His mother was a tenant of Albert DeSalvo, who would become known as "the Boston Strangler", and Mark often told people he was DeSalvo's illegitimate son.
When he was 17 years old, a disgruntled client shot him in the back, leaving him with a bullet lodged next to his spine for the rest of his life.
The experience had a profound influence on his art, which often incorporated images of young prostitutes and X-rays of his injured chest.
While attending, he performed as a drag character of his own creation, Sweet Raspberry, and co-founded a zine called" Dirt Magazine" with his friend Lynelle White, distributing it in Boston nightclubs.
This zine was composed of fake news and gossip about celebrities, bands and other famous people, mostly from Boston.
This zine was composed of fake news and gossip about celebrities, bands and other famous people, mostly from Boston.
His career as a photographer began when he was given a Polaroid Model 195 Land camera.
He experimented with unusual development techniques, receiving generous support of supplies, film, and chemicals from the Polaroid Corporation.
Within his close circle of friends he soon laid claim to the "invention" of what are called "sandwich" prints, enlargements of double negatives of the same subject mounted on top of one another ,which yielded an elaborate pictorial quality, producing a very iconic painterly impression in the final result, which over time he learned to use in an increasingly controlled way.
Early on, the artist recognized the intrinsic value of prints,irrespective of the medium used to produce them,as pictorial objects that he could manipulate, color, paint, and write on at will.
Thus, Morrisroe scrawled comments, biographical notes and dedications on the side of his pictures, which made them very personal pieces of art.
His photographs were mostly portraits, and his subjects included lovers, friends, hustlers, and people who visited his apartment.
He also often incorporated stills from Super 8 films.
Thus, Morrisroe scrawled comments, biographical notes and dedications on the side of his pictures, which made them very personal pieces of art.
His photographs were mostly portraits, and his subjects included lovers, friends, hustlers, and people who visited his apartment.
He also often incorporated stills from Super 8 films.
Morrisroe died on July 24, 1989, aged 30, in Jersey City, New Jersey, from complications of AIDS. His ashes are scattered in McMinnville, Oregon, on the farm of his last boyfriend, Ramsey McPhillips.
His fame has increased steadily since his death.
He is considered a member of the New England School of Photography and his work is found in many important collections including that of the Whitney and MOCA of Los Angeles.
His fame has increased steadily since his death.
He is considered a member of the New England School of Photography and his work is found in many important collections including that of the Whitney and MOCA of Los Angeles.
