Haze Gallery in Berlin, Germany, announced it will represent Xiomaro, a Bergen County, New Jersey, artist known for his National Park photography. His images of Morristown National Historical Park were the subject of a PBS episode and an exhibition at the Morris Museum. The gallery will showcase his work to collectors worldwide.
A former lawyer, Xiomaro turned to photography after overcoming prostate cancer.
His street photography is as documentary as his National Park work, but his candid images of urban life have an abstract and surreal quality that captures Manhattan’s chaos and energy. The unusual results are achieved by photographing the reflective surfaces of store windows, office buildings, vehicles and bus shelters.
“I wanted to document how things feel – not just how they look – for preservation as future history,” Xiomaro says.
The layers of symbols, colors and distortions in his work can be interpreted in many ways. For him, the themes are as abstract as the photographs.
“There are portraits with dreamy images floating above the heads like thought bubbles. It’s as if they are wondering about their place in the world,” he shares.
Xiomaro’s unconventional approach caught the gallery’s attention.
“I was looking for photographers with unique narratives and bold perspectives,” explains Irina Rusinovich, CEO and curator of Haze Gallery.
The gallery, founded in 2019, represents emerging and established international artists in photography, painting and sculpture. It is near Berlin’s prestigious Kurfürstendamm, a shopping boulevard akin to the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Rusinovich is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Purple Haze magazine, a 10-year-old publication focused on art and culture.
Both Xiomaro and Rusinovich have had their careers shaped by health crises. After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, Xiomaro transitioned from a career as an entertainment lawyer representing recording artists. Experimenting with photography eventually led to commissions from the National Park Service. The experience compelled him to adopt the pseudonym Xiomaro (pronounced “SEE-oh-MAH-ro”), which means “ready for battle.”
In 2016, Rusinovich was diagnosed with breast cancer, prompting a move from her native Russia to Berlin for chemotherapy. After her recovery, she remained in Germany and started her gallery and magazine.
Rusinovich believes art “should be accessible to all, regardless of background or prior knowledge. My goal is to demystify art, make it approachable and spark conversations.”
Xiomaro shares her philosophy. His book Street Photography of New York City – Street Haunting in the Big Apple will be published by Fonthill Media this year. In it, he reveals the backstory of his photography and its connection to history, psychology and politics.
More information about the artist is available at www.xiomaro.com.