NYC RIP

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In 1980, Miron Zownir emigrated to the USA, living in New York, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh over the next fifteen years. In New York, a city known for its vibrant and permissive atmosphere, Zownir's unique approach earned him recognition as the TEUTONIC PHENOMENOGRAPHER (Village Voice). His moody, expressionistic black-and-white photographs provide a penetrating insight into the inner-city subcultures that have since vanished with the 90s boom. He captured the raw energy of gay parties just before the AIDS crisis, the desperate protests of artists and performers, the bleakness of the Bowery, and the shadowy lives of sex workers and drug addicts. His iconic images of the "Sex Piers," a dilapidated area along the Hudson River that served as a hub for the gay community, have become legendary. Zownir is regarded as one of the most uncompromising contemporary photographers, with some critics suggesting he continues the legacy of Diane Arbus and Weegee. However, Zownir prefers to reference Kafka's "The Castle" to express his artistic intent: “If one has the strength to look at the things incessantly… one sees much. But if one lessens the effort… it all immediately vanishes into darkness.”