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Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Christopher
Makos grew up in California before moving to Paris
to study architecture and later, to work as an apprentice
with Man Ray. Since the early '70's he has worked at developing
a style of boldly graphic photojournalism. His photographs
have been the subject of numerous exhibitions both in galleries
and museums throughout the United States, Europe and Japan
and have appeared in countless magazines and newspapers world-wide.
He has been a seminal figure in the contemporary art scene
in New york. He is responsible for introducing the work of
Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring to Andy Warhol.
Makos has produced four books. The first, White Trash,
published by Stonehill Publishing Company, documents the pre-punk
club scene in New York City. His most recent book, Warhol:
A Photographic Memoir, published by New American Library,
chronicles his close friendship and extensive travels with
Andy Warhol. Henry Geldzahler, the former curator of contemporary
art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, writes
in the introduction to the book: "It is a great asset
in Chris Makos' photographs that they reveal new and unfamiliar
faces of the legendary pop figure Andy Warhol." Warhol
by Makos features 150 black and white photographs of Andy
taken around the globe. From Beijing and Barcelona to Aspen
and Dusseldorf, Makos' photographs capture the world of Warhol
in fashion, travel, shopping, photography and art. Makos'
relationship with Warhol was unique: they were not only close
friends for over ten years, but often collaborated together,
most notably on the book, Exposures, which Makos art-directed.
 It
was Warhol who called Makos "The most modern photographer
in America." Makos' photographs have been published in
Interview, Rolling Stone, House and Garden, Connoisseur,
New York Magazine, Esquire, Genre and People, among
others. His portrait of Warhol wrapped in a flag was featured
on the front cover of the Spring 1990 issue of the Smithsonian
Studies, the academic journal of the Smithsonian Institute.
His photographs of Warhol, Keith Haring, Tennessee Williams
and others have been auctioned regularly at Sotheby's.
Though internationally famous as a photographer, for the
past few years Makos has also directed his energies to creating
paintings and original silkscreens. From portrait commissions
on canvas to eye paintings, Makos has created silkscreen and
serigraph portfolios. His Man Ray portfolio is a tribute
to Makos' first mentor and was published in honor of the artist's
100th birthday. The portfolio consists of two prints, one
a portrait of Man Ray, the other a portrait of his passport.
Makos' Icons portfolio is a collection of silkscreen portraits
of Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Salvador Dali, John Lennon
and Mick Jagger.
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