Sebastian Piras is New York based photographer and filmmaker. His main photographic subject matter has been portraiture. "Artists Exposed", published in 1996, is a partial collection of captivating portraits of known and unknown artists and players in the international arts scene, including Andy Warhol and Roy Liechtenstein. David Ross, former Director of the Whitney Museum, wrote the introduction for the book, heralding Piras' photos as:" ...probing and extraordinarily beautiful portraits of artists...that ultimately produces winners at both ends of the camera." A new artists portraits book consisting of some 120 artists portraits, A Pocketful of Contemporary Artists Portraits. The book which contains images were taken from 1986 till 2006 was released in late 2008 , Piras' photographs have been published, exhibited and collected worldwide. Piras has directed and filmed several documentaries, including " Taylor Mead Unleashed", which also featured the late Allen Ginsberg and Quentin Crisp, and has done extensive work both in tv broadcasting and on feature films as a photographer, director and producer. He is currently photographing and co-producing a video profile onarchitect Richard Meier and has just wrapped postproduction on a short he has written and directed titled "Art Depot"
2006-2010
Director/Producer: Short Art Depot, 12 min, starring Travis Fitzimmons and Laine Rettmer
Solo Show: Art-projects Galleria Alghero, Italy.
Solo Show : Galleria Miralli Viterbo, Italy
Solo Show: PROJECTS , show at Fondazione Giov_Ana Piras , Asti , Italy (together with Andres Serrano, Zheng Huan, Gregory Crewdsen)- Catalogue
Photographer/Prod MGR : Martha Stewart Martha opening title sequence and spots
Photographer for :Patricia Documentary shot in Northeast Brazil.
Photographer/ Prod MGR Feature film : Golden Age.
Photographer for the following films:
If I Didnt Care, Age of Redemption, Boy who Cried, Old Love,,
Director of Visual Content Production at Ncyclomedia: Producing video content and video display solutions for clients such as, among others: Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, PVH, Onassis Foundation.
Co-producer/Photographer: Documentary on architect Richard Meyer (Dir: Robert Jason)
Producer/DP: 6 videos for LOreal USA, shot in New York, London and Montreal.
Producer/Prod. MGR: seasons 2 thru 7 The Apprentice. NBC/Mark Burnett
Solo Show: South Carolina Presbiterian College Arts gallery
Producer/Prod MGR: NFL on CBS and NFL on NBC: visual content and graphics for pre game and games, broadcasts
Images, Australia publishes A Pocketful of Contemporary Artists Portraits. 220 pages, pocketbook. Worldwide distribution
2004/05
Exhibition Group Show " Artists Faces " at Wurth Museum Kunzelsau , Germany
Photographed DVD cover for Michel Gondry "The Work of Director"
Director of Photography for "Sophie Matisse, Artist" a directed by Christine Lombard
Video composition on Christos' The Gates NYC with music by Chieko Mori .
Coordinated Main Opening Title sequence for : The Restaurant(NBC); The Apprentice I-II-III-IV (NBC); The CUT (CBS-05).
2000-2002
D.P.-Cameraman: Short Video Andres Serrano at Paula Cooper.
Digital Video-Still Photography, Multimedia project: The Square. Adapted from a short novel by French writer Marguerite Duras
Video: Martin Scorsese and the 25th anniversary of the release of Mean Streets. NYC
D.P.-Cameraman: short documentary on Robert Wilsons installation of the Giorgio Armani exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum, New York City. Music by Michael Galasso.
Director-Cameraman: for NYUs Theatre production of Looking for Shakespeare At the Provincetown Playhouse, NY.
Co-Producer: Our Stories, 4 short cartoons written and created by 5th and 6th grade students at Halsey JHS. Lead animator Candy Kugel of Buzz Works NYC.
Project Developer: Developed program with various NY Arts organizations to teach film and photography in NY public schools.
Director of Visual Programs: The Knowledge Project. NYC.
Production Manager: Title opening sequence for NBC-Marc Burnett Prod. The Apprentice. Scott Duncan Director /Cameraman:
Unit Production Manager: The Game for CBS/NFL Films. Scott Duncan Director/Cameraman.
Production Coordinator, 1st Unit Production : Title opening sequence, NBCs reality show The Restaurant. Production Assistant field Producer Kara Doherty
Production : The Blues, Concert series for PBS Executive producer Martin Scorsese
Production Manager. Pre and Post Prod: Industrial film for Dark Horse Comics Educational Dept.
Group Show : 5+ 5 gallery, Brooklyn , NY
Group Show/benefit : Robert Wilsons Watermill Center, Watermill, NY
Group Show : Revelations at Greeley Square Gallery, NYC
Group Show : "Summertime" at Rice Gallery, NYC1999
Group Show : Beauty from Within at Sephora, New York City (with also Herb Ritts, Mary Ellen Mark)
Group Show : Sex, Death, Religion at Gershwins Gallery New York City
1999
Producer/Supervisor: Partnership 2000 for National Children Creative Workshop. an film/video introduction program to Junior High School students.
Director-Creator: My Neighborhood a childrens documentary showcased at the UN Building 2000 Children Exhibition.
Director/Cameraman: documentary on the National Children Creative Writing Campaign Looking for Shakespeare at the Provincetown Playhouse NYC.
Photographer: Portraits of cast of Robert Wilson of DDDIII theater production at Lincoln Center, NY
1998
Solo Show
Artcore Gallery Toronto, Canada Warhols NY.
Galleria Comunale, Nuoro, Italy
Photographer/Videographer: Traveled to Brazil, Switzerland and India as a photographer (video and stills for the art exhibit Art for the World . Client: WHO (United Nations) . Documented in photographs and digital video the exhibition, the artists and the hosting cities.
Director/Producer: feature video-profile of Taylor Mead Unleashed starring Allen Ginsberg and Quentin Crisp, for Anthology Film Archives, NYC.
Director: short film Portrance . A collaboration with Martha Grahams Co. Dancer Donlin Foreman.
1996
Ilisso publishes the book Artists Exposed a collection of Sebastiano Piras artists portraits introduction by David Ross-Director of the Whitney Museum.
Group Show : Aging with Grace
Group Show : Small Scales at Joseph Helman Gallery, NYC
Solo Show : Fotouhi Art Gallery. East Hampton NY
Solo Show : Space Untitled Gallery, New York
Solo Show : Exma Art Center, Cagliari , Italy
Group Show : Collection in Context at Thread Waxing Space, New York City
(Also included in the Catalogue are works by Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and Cindy Sherman.)
1995
Works shown at the 7th Reg. Armory, New York City Blum Hellman Gallery Booth
Group Show : Robert Morris Gallery, New York City
Solo Show : Stolen Moments at Blum Helman Gallery, New York City
Group Show : Rice Gallery, New York City
1994 and earlier
Solo Show : Soho Photo Gallery Recent Photographs, New York City
Photographed editorial assignments, also video and theater assignments. Works published in: Der Spiegel, Conde Naste Per Lui, National Gallery Washington, American Cinematographer, LEtichetta, Outweek, LOfficiel, GreekDrama Company, Harper Collins Publishers, Art in America, Rock Fever. Artists portraits published in several artists catalogues.
Still Photographer Feature Film for Tougher than Leather
© 2011 Sebastian Piras. Website by Visual Productions NYC.
© 2010 Sebastian Piras. Website by Visual Productions NYC.
