Daniel Cooney Fine Art presents the work of the photographer Jason Byron Gavannbased in Boston. The exhibition Here lies the heart… is composed of 25 black and white and color images created between 1980 and 2006 in Boston, Provincetown and Paris.
For more than five decades, Gavann has documented queer life in Boston and around the world. While a student at UMass Boston in the 1970s, a professor suggested he “photograph what was most familiar to him,” Gavann says: “A light went on in my head and I thought: I'm going to photograph my friends. » The artist's journey to find inspiration in his friendships continues today.
Growing up just outside of Boston, Gavann found refuge as a teenager in the city's Park Square. The neighborhood was a hub for young runaways, drag queens and sex workers. The formative environment influenced his photography as he developed a compassionate eye and longed for true connection. He learned to look for compelling people, radiating authenticity, capable of creating portraits that celebrate life.
A contemporary of “Boston School” artists, Gavann created intimate portraits of Jack Pierson, Mark Morrisroe, Pat Hearn, Sharon Niesp and Tabboo! among others. The portraits will be included in the exhibition because Gavann's influence on the group is significant, even if not well documented. Pierson says of Gavann: “Jason’s spirit is a gift to us all. I don't know anyone who makes artistic work and life lived more beautiful.
Gavann's portraits were recently included in Madonna's “Celebration Tour” to honor artists who have died from AIDS. He has exhibited his work nationally and internationally in group and solo presentations. This year it was featured in Interview Magazine by curator Jackson Davidow.
Jason Byron Gavann : Here lies the heart…
Until December 21, 2024
Daniel Cooney Fine Art
508 West 26 Street, Suite 9C
New York, NY 10001
www.danielcooneyfineart.com
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