BAYSIDE, NY.- Garage Art Center announced the opening of a solo exhibition by acclaimed artist Tony Gonzalez. The exhibition, titled "Little Red," is on view from June 1st, 2024, to June 30th, 2024, showcasing a captivating series of photographs inspired by the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood."
Tony Gonzalez, a prominent figure in the art world, currently resides in New York City. He received his BFA from the Cooper Union School of Art and his MFA from Yale University. With over 30 years of experience teaching photography at prestigious institutions such as The Cooper Union, Pratt Institute, and New York University, Gonzalez has made a significant impact on the field. Since 2002, he has been a full-time faculty member at Queens College, CUNY, where he serves as a Tenured Professor and Chair of the Art Department.
The "Little Red" exhibition features a series of photographs that delve into the theme of "Little Red Riding Hood." Gonzalez's work presents mysterious figures reminiscent of the fairy tale, playing both figurative and abstract roles within urban and natural settings. These images create familiar yet enigmatic symbolic concepts that draw viewers into the scenes, encouraging exploration of the narrative.
Gonzalez explains, "I first began to consider the subject of Little Red when I photographed my model wearing a red cloak on an abandoned street in a suburban New Jersey town one Halloween. I became intrigued by the possibility of exploring the storytelling capacity of photography with the idea of a modern-day fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. However, I was more interested in capturing certain aspects of the story rather than producing literal illustrations of the talethereby eliminating certain details of the basket or the wolf."
The red cloak is a powerful visual symbol, immediately associated with the fairy tale and captivating in its own right. By placing Little Red in various environments, both natural and built, Gonzalez explores themes of identity, journey, and the interplay between reality and imagination.
There will be an artist talk on June 22nd, providing more behind-the-scenes stories about the exhibition.
Tony Gonzalez is an artist currently living in New York City. He received his BFA from the Cooper Union School of Art and his MFA from Yale University. In addition to working as a fine art photographer, Gonzalez has taught photography for over 30 years including at The Cooper Union, Pratt Institute and New York University.
Since 2002, Gonzalez has been teaching full-time at Queens College, CUNY and is currently a Tenured Professor and Chair of the Art Department. Gonzalez is a contributing author for The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes, Second Edition and Third Edition by Christopher James, A Step-by-Step Manual Highlighting Artists and Their Creative Practice by Christina Z. Anderson and is featured most recently in the Alternative Process Photography for the Contemporary Photographer: A Beginner's Guide 1st Edition by Morgan Post. In 2016, NAIADS was featured in the Arezzo & Fotografia Biennial for photography in Arezzo, Italy.