I Photographed 96-Year-Old Painter Carmen Cicero in his NYC Studio
Buy the book: www.damianibooks.com/en/produ...
Contact me: joshuacharow@gmail.com
To inquire about purchasing a print, please contact: info@westwoodgallery.com
I spent the past two years creating my first photography book titled 'Loft Law. The Last of New York City's Original Artist Lofts' about artists living under the protection of the Loft Law. The law, enacted in 1982, granted protection and rent stabilization to thousands of artists who were living illegally in commercial and manufacturing zoned lofts in neighborhoods like Soho, Tribeca, and the Bowery after the manufacturing industry predominantly left Manhattan. I photographed and interviewed over 75 artists who are still living in these incredible lofts to this day. The photographs explore some of the most unique beautiful, and hidden artist studios across New York City. The book includes writing and personal stories from the incredible group of artists featured in the book.
Carmen Cicero is an abstract expressionist painter whose works are collected by some of New York’s premier museums including the Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum and Whitney Museum of American Art. To see more of his work: www.carmencicero.com/
For Carmen Cicero's Painting Inquiries: junekellygalleryinfo@earthlink.net
Cinematography by Owen Halstad
Edit by Josh Charow
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Пікірлер: 535
Damn, he’s looking great for 96!!
@julie5310
2 ай бұрын
Incredible!!!
@SuperOlds88
2 ай бұрын
No shit, he looks good if he was half his age.
@justrelax129
2 ай бұрын
I work in assisted living and let me tell you… GREAT for 96
@catherinelilyrichardson528
2 ай бұрын
Totally!!! Doing what he loves ❤
@meredithheath5272
2 ай бұрын
You aren't kidding.... 😮
I cannot believe this man is 96. Could've listened a bit longer. With 50+ years living in NY he must have a ton of stories. I enjoyed this.
He’s not 96 years OLD, he’s 96 years YOUNG! Amazing video…thank you Josh! Well done! I paint and a studio like that would be a dream..can’t wait to get your book. Loft Law!
@Mariah.B11
2 ай бұрын
He's gorgeous
Hiking up and down those 5 flights of stairs at 96 - God bless you Carmen.
@grownmangamer942
Ай бұрын
probably a reason hes doing so well at his age.
@thalooti-food51
25 күн бұрын
Have you seen those steep steps? Wow. Walking up and down so many steps is an immediate exercise. When he walks those steps, it makes him vital.
Josh, many thanks for this wonderful glimpse of Carmen and Mary's studio loft. It is a special place that our family has shared so much love and laughter. Carmen is truly amazing, even more so in person.
@joshuacharow
2 ай бұрын
Mary & Carmen are so wonderful. Thanks for taking the time to write these kind words
@bibijet1316
2 ай бұрын
Amazing work, amazing subject 🎨 🖼 🙌
This is the kind of set up I’d love to have to live and work. I’m 60, got my art degree in 1991 and have struggled to do art. But I will never give up. I absolutely love the environment he’s created for himself. He looks amazing for his age…this is what happens when you love what you do.
@brankobelfranin8815
Ай бұрын
I'm 67 and doing the same thing but in Miami
@chrisreynoldsartwork
Ай бұрын
Yes, me also. It's a shame that his work is terrible!
@brankobelfranin8815
Ай бұрын
@@chrisreynoldsartwork Lol what a nice guy
@chrisreynoldsartwork
Ай бұрын
@@brankobelfranin8815 Sure, people can't handle any kind of truth these days...
@thugmonk9837
23 күн бұрын
@@chrisreynoldsartwork I've heard people say the same about Basquiats work so hey 🤷🏾♂️ that's the thing about art it's subjective
What a cool man!!! He’s an inspiration to all of us seniors 🥰
@cumbaja3456
2 ай бұрын
i just semi retired from work. There is another life to live. Besides help out my kids and see the grand kids develop. and yes art is part of that stage in life.
Being an Artist preserves you..I'm convinced.
@higgsmerino3925
Ай бұрын
Eva Hesse is laughing hysterically!
@hanshaveron
Ай бұрын
Well said..Something about an absence of authority of how to live your life mixed with doing what you love ..he seems sharp and young as could be
@joey1317
Ай бұрын
It didn’t preserve Van Gogh or Jackson Pollock…..
@jdmosaics
29 күн бұрын
@@higgsmerino3925sadly nothing could have saved her from brain cancer😢 RIP sweet lady ❤
@mariam2964
27 күн бұрын
That and going up and down five flights of stairs every day
Last of the living NYC abstract expressionists…what a wonderful "glimpse" into his life. I’d certainly watch more.
In the 80's my Art School Professors lived in lofts like this and would have the classes come for studio visits etc. That's a classic NYC Artist Loft. He's The Man.
Thank You ALL for sharing. Delightful. My Big Regret is that I wasn't part of the NYC Art Scene in the 50s, But I was just a kid then. LOL Someone showed me Grandma Moses when I was 5 and I decided that I would live an extraordinary life and then start painting when I was 70. Well, I just turned 72 and I landed in Santa Fe after an extraordinary life.
@bluewren65
2 ай бұрын
Did you start painting?
@redmoondesignbeth9119
2 ай бұрын
@@bluewren65 Yes ✌😊
@veronicababy7959
2 ай бұрын
Lets go! I just turned 70 and am doing graphic memoir.
@redmoondesignbeth9119
2 ай бұрын
@@veronicababy7959 I like being this age because I have more to say.✌😄
@bluewren65
2 ай бұрын
@@redmoondesignbeth9119 Fantastic. What medium are you working in? What types of subjects?
#GOALS! Carmen looks amazing; he is mentally sharp, and he is still creating art. I don't necessarily need to live up to 96 years old, but if I do, Carmen is an inspiration for how I want to live my life. Cheers! Also, Bravo to @Josh Charow for publishing your book. Thank you and your collaborators for this engaging series of videos.
incredible talent and the vitality he has for being 96 years old is truly amazing !!!
This was beautiful and i am shock on how that 96 yr old man moves and speak without help! ART 🎨❤
Love this series. At 75, Carmen is my hero for a possible future. My father had a coffee shop at Broadway and Bond and I used to deliver coffee to the factories around there. Later, I lived in Manhattan in the 70s and used to know people who lived in those same spaces. Your project brings back memories.
His studio seems like a really cool space to experience.
@joshuacharow
2 ай бұрын
It's otherworldly in there
Still looks good for 96, a sharp creative mind, he gets around independently, he's living the Life, good on him, interesting and Imaginative artwork with bold colors and images, amazing stuff. :-)
Seems to be a relaxed, wise gentleman.
What a wonderful artist. You really captured his charm in his conversation and his energy and talent in your incredible video and photos. ❤
This is one of the coolest things ever! Wow. I WANT this book! I was born and raised in NYC through highschool but have been living in FL for many years now. And hearing this 90s+ year old man share his story was so fascinating and a little reminder of even my days growing up in the 80s in NYC. How dramatically it's changed but how awesome to find sweet little charming spaces that still exist. Thanks for capturing it dude!
Thank you for this wonderful portrait! What a wonderful artist and raconteur.
Doing what you love, and climbing those stairs to the top floor have served Carmen well!!❤ The loft is gorgeous. I lived on 4th Street n Bowery (late 80’s early 90’s)for over 10 yrs. How fortunate to have that space for over 50 yrs What was once a remote, desolate are in NYC, is now extremely pricey real estate. Beautiful content, thank you.
Thank you for sharing this important part of history!!!! Mr. Cicero and his wife are very inspiring!
Fascinating! Carmen is warmly portrayed. Loved his artwork and stories. Thanks
Thanks for doing this. What a good soul you are!
What A treat. THANK YOU.
Looking inside the artist studio loft is incredible! Thank you for the video!
I really enjoyed this interview and meeting Carmen. Thank you
Thank you!
Wowwwwww!!!! And Mr Cicero is quite beautiful. Thank you, this is everything I like!! 🫂 🎨
Thank you.. It was great to meet the painter. Good art and a great personality. Thanks for keeping the art world he is in alive. 💜💛💙❤
@joshuacharow
2 ай бұрын
Thank you for watching and the generous words :)
I was so taken by this video & the other photos from your book I ordered a copy. Looking forward to getting it in April. I surely hope you will continue with videos of the other artists & their lofts you photographed. Such a great connection to when NYC was the true heart of the Art World & even farther back, as the buildings are some of the few examples left of typical architecture from the City in the 19th Century, Thank You!
Beautiful artist, thank you for documenting this!
This is brilliant mate, you told his story perfectly
Bless him! Cherish our elders!
Made me feel so good... thank you 🥰
Wow, what a wonderful life this man has seen and been part of.
Hi Josh, just purchased your book! What an awesome story, documenting this is of absolute great value as it is a truly beautiful piece of New York history!!! 🙏🏻
THIS is priceless. Great work, Josh. Just wow. ❤❤❤ Just ordered your beautiful book. Sending you much good energy toward the project. - k
Wow! That was excellent. His work is wonderful, and so is he. Thank you so much for doing this. I'm getting your book.
Loved this photo shoot Josh. What a story, what an inspiration, what a life . Thanks
Nearing 37 I wish I was as young as this artist! Will have to buy the book, I would love a loft space like this, with all that art storage :) wonderfully shot and love the stories and how this video was edited together 🥰🥰🥰
Wonderful segment! Just loved it,thank you for it!
Thank you for doing this!!! Mr. Cicero is a cool dude. Looking good at 96😮
Fabulous, thank you for sharing this story with. Love the vibe
Amazing stuff here, inspiration of the day!
@joshuacharow
2 ай бұрын
Thank you so much Luis!
You take me to places with your photograps that I never want to leave. Your book is nr:1on my wishing list. Warm grettings from Northern Sweden❣
Amazing. You are so smart to film him. You should do more. Lot's to learn here about art which is life...
Thank you for your work and for creating an important document of our times! I will buy your book, that's for sure! Cheers from Berlin
FAB photos! 👏👏👏 What an amazingly vibrant and upbeat man, fantastic to see into his world. Thank you (from Ireland!)
Great great video! Of a greater artist! Thank you ❤ and fabulous photographs!
Love this, great work, great man. Superbly done.
Love the background jazz music, too
Hell yeah !!! Finally inspired thought. Thank you Josh, you made my day.
Looking forward to receiving my copy! thank you for documenting these artists.
Great video Josh! I really enjoyed what Carmine had to say. Thanks for posting it!
I love the effort you put into your videos. The quality of everything from composition, editing and audio mixing far surpass your subscriber count. Best of luck with the channel!
Fantastic work 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Absolutely beautiful man!!!! Love the studio!
We need more videos like this.
What a lovely couple and they are radiating so much joy of life - very inspiring life 🎶🖤🎵
Great job Josh! And thanks for your personal comments at the end.
Fabulous!!!!! I love seeing such aliveness at any age. What a truly beautiful man/artist. You can tell when someone is living their souls truth.
My dream life!!!! What a lucky and talented painter. Thank you for this!
From one artist to another, you go DUDE!!, Show them what you got BABY!! What a great life!!
AWESOME! Thanks for showing.
Beautiful and inspiring! I look forward to more!
What a handsome young man!!!!! Great attitude and good hearted! ❤💜🧡
I like this guy. A diamond in the rough.
Wonderful and inspiring video! Being an artist myself watching portraits of older artists that have never stopped to follow their passion is so exciting to me. I believe its the key of „staying young“. I hope life means it well with me and this is me in 50 something years. The photos look great as well! Beautiful project.
Amazing video! Carmen thank you for sharing your talent.
Thank you for your videos, I find them so inspirational.
He’s looking great both here and in the book!
Absolutely wonderful! Thank you.
Sooooo happy youre doing this!!!❤
This is so well made and I love Carmen’s story so much, new subscriber and fan here! ✨
Josh, your idea to document these artist spaces Is fantastic. I will buy your book. I am in the age group to have lived in an old loft like the ones you visited. I see that most of the artists are the original inhabitants. Carmen Cicero is a tribute to art keeping one young in spirit. Thank you for sharing your work.
lovely piece Josh....thank you
So glad I found your video. THANKS
This is amazing, thank you for sharing!
Great job.Historical footage
Absolutely awesome! Keep going!
Brilliant. Thank you.
Thank you for documenting the life of us artists.
Inspiring, thank you for doing this!
What a great docu- thank you!
Wonderful! Glad to see NY hasn't lost all the lofts and wonderful artists!
Awesome work, Josh. And a fantastic artist and story of both the person as well as The Bowery. My good friend Håvard Homstvedt lived right there post RISD and Yale painting and it always felt like his work was enriched in that environment. Maybe angels live in the plaster or something. Anyways, thank you for your work. Just bought your book and can’t wait to swim in your photos!!❤❤❤❤
Great work. Thank you. Great inspiration.
Great video. Love seeing these artists and how they pursued their Art throughout their lives. Bravo!
WOW! Kudos to Josh and Carmen for inspiring living & working.
Beautiful story, great photos.
What energy he has for 97, unreal.
Brilliant video thank you so much for keeping our history alive
So fantastic...thank you for your great work Joshua.
Thank you Josh for your fantastic work! I loved Carmen Cicero’ s studio loft, his works and Maria, his wife!
Wonderful reportage and portrait of this man
Man this guy is a National Treasure! He is also very sprite for 96. Its hard to believe he's that old. He moves about like if he's half that age. God bless him. I could listen to him talk for days. He is a mount of wisdom and knowledge for sure...
Fantastique! Merci beaucoup! I love your work Mister Charow. thank you very much!
Thanks for that video. I love these kind of snapshots of peoples / artists lives. And to live for over 50 years in the same loft is amazing. Need to get a hold of that book, it sounds amazing.