Born in Paris in 1942, Marie-Claire MONTANARI came to New-York in 1968 to work at the United Nations.
She began studying photography seriously in 1973, taking workshops with Harold FEINSTEIN, master printing with George TICE and lighting with Philip HALSMAN.
She then became a student of Lisette MODEL who followed her work for many years.
After taking artistic pictures of herself in the nude she decided to offer her services to normal women. So for the past 18 years women have come to her to be photographed in the nude and the final result is a surprise gift for their fiancé, husband etc…
In addition to her nudes, her work includes studies in Black & White of the streets of New York, particularly of her Broadway downtown neighborhood, the antique furniture center and Wave Hill, the internationally known botanical garden in the Bronx.
Later projects include digital prints in color of a whole series she photographed in France in 1993 and 1994. They are abstract images of fishing boats and yachts. These were taken in the South of France in Hyeres, during a rehabilitation following an invasive back surgery.
Her first book THE NUDE YOU was published in 2013, a second monograph NYC 70's is in the works.
Marie-Claire left us on June 23rd 2015.
Her photographs remain.
BIOGRAPHY
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
CALDERWOOD GALLERY (PHILADELPHIA)
“NYC 70’s” (2016)
CALDERWOOD GALLERY (PHILADELPHIA)
“Photographs” (2015)
PIE GALLERY (NEW YORK)
“New York Photographs” (2014)
PIOLA GALLERY (NEW YORK)
“Reflections” (2011)
GALLAGHER’S ART & FASHION GALLERY (NEW YORK)
“Nudes and Street Scenes” (2005)
LA CHAMBRE CLAIRE (PARIS)
“Nude, Nature & Objects” (1997)
AEROPORTS DE PARIS (PARIS)
“Vision Intime de New York” (1995)
NEIKRUG PHOTOGRAPHICA (NEW YORK)
“Intimate Impressions” (1991)
SILVER IMAGE GALLERY (SEATTLE, WA)
“The Nude You ; Celebration of the Female Form” (1990)
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, LA MAISON FRANCAISE (NEW YORK)
“New York ; Nues et Rues” (1986)
GALERIE REGINE LUSSAN (PARIS)
“New York ; Nues et Rues” (1986)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
THE ARSENAL GALLERY IN CENTRAL PARK (NEW YORK)
“Two photographers at Wave Hill” (1996)
SILVER IMAGE GALLERY (SEATTLE, WA)
“The Nude – Classic and Erotic” (1990)
CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY (WOOODSTOCK, NY)
19th & 20th Century Photographs” (1990 and following years)
NIKON HOUSE (NEW YORK, NY)
“Women Photographers; New York/Tokyo. Our Illusions & Reality” (1990)
NEIKRUG PHOTOGRAPHICA (NEW YORK)
“Rated X” (1983 to 1996)
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE DE PARIS, Paris
AEROPORTS DE PARIS, Paris
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART, Santa Barbara
CREDIT SUISSE, New York
BOOKS
NYC 70’S (2017)
THE NUDE YOU (2013)
PRESS
Apogee, New York 2016
L’Oeil de la Photographie, France 2016
L’Oeil de la Photographie, France 2014
Apogee, New York 2013
La Lettre de la Photographie, France 2010
City Plus Magazine, Turkey 2004
Promenade Magazine, USA 2003
Times South Florida Magazine, USA 2003
New York Post, USA 2001
Clarin Magazine, Buenos Aires 2000
Nytt Life Magazine, Iceland 1998
Vogue Magazine, USA 1997
Brutus magazine, Tokyo 1990
Northwest Photo Network, USA 1990
Collectors Photography, USA 1987
New Woman Magazine, USA 1987
New York Daily News, USA 1987
PhotoArt Magazine, Hong Kong 1986
Savvy Magazine, USA 1986
American Photographer, USA 1986