#vincent cianni

[joeinct]

Brooklyn, Photo by Vincent Cianni, 1998

[allthatlives]

NYC ACT UP March, Vincent Cianni (1992)

[cosmicanger]

VINCENT CIANNI

Marsha P. Johnson & Sylvia Rivera marching, NYC Gay Pride.

Silver print, the image measuring 311.1x215.9 mm; 12 1/4x8 1/2 inches, the sheet slightly larger, with Cianni's signature, title, dates, and edition notation AP, in pencil, on verso. 1987; printed later.

[otoso]

ph Vincent Cianni Gays in the Military

[photos-with-vale]

Photographer Researcher Post 5

The book "We Skate Hardcore: Vincent Cianni Photographs from Brooklyn's Southside" is a collection of photographs taken by Vincent Cianni in the 1990s, documenting the skateboarding culture in Brooklyn's Southside. The book features black-and-white photographs of skaters in action, as well as portraits of individuals involved in the skateboarding scene. The photographs are raw and unpolished, capturing the energy and intensity of the skateboarding culture. They show skaters performing tricks and stunts, as well as hanging out and socializing with each other. The portraits are equally revealing, providing a glimpse into the lives and personalities of the individuals involved in the skateboarding scene. Overall, "We Skate Hardcore" is a powerful and evocative book that captures the spirit and energy of the skateboarding culture in Brooklyn's Southside during the 1990s. It is a must-read for anyone interested in skateboarding, photography, or urban culture. I found it to be a fascinating and inspiring work. The photographs are incredibly well-done, and they provide a unique glimpse into a subculture that is often overlooked or misunderstood. I was particularly surprised by the way the photographs capture the sense of community and camaraderie among the skaters. It's clear that skateboarding is not just a hobby or a sport, but a way of life for many of the individuals featured in the book. The book also made me think about the importance of preserving and documenting cultural history. The skateboarding culture in Brooklyn's Southside during the 1990s was a unique and important moment in time, and it's fortunate that Vincent Cianni was there to capture it on film. The book serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving our cultural heritage, and of the power of photography to capture and convey the essence of a particular time and place. Overall, I highly recommend "We Skate Hardcore" to anyone interested in skateboarding, photography, or urban culture. It's a powerful and inspiring book that provides a unique glimpse into a fascinating subculture.

[tomsphotos]

i am...

Theme Project Proposal:

I wanted to capture a series of portraits of various people. After reading up on Vincent Cianni, known for his documentary photography, I was inspired by the way he portrayed his subjects to tell a story. Each and every person captured had their own story to tell that defined them. In my project, I want to capture different people from different backgrounds, age groups, life experience, to get a sense of a deeper meaning behind what we can truly see. 

To me, portrait photography is captivating and unique because of the message it conveys. Like the phrase “a picture is a thousand words,” I want to capture the essence of a human being. Identity plays a huge part in how people view them. I do want to ask questions about themselves so that people can look at the photo, read, and then look at the photo again to understand the subject. 

It might be challenging to go up to someone and ask to take their picture. Most people might not feel comfortable to want their photo taken by a stranger. My best opton is to ask family and friends to participate because there is a lot to tell there. Though I will incorporate some strangers too. I will mostly take my photos in any environment of where we are. I think it is important to capture a person in the moment because it says more than a fixed image. 

This series of projects can hopefully put into perspective how different we all are and display our identities. We judge one another by the way we dress, talk, look, etc. and we don’t take the time to see these people from a different perspective. It can get emotional because I do want these subjects to talk about themselves and what makes them who they are. Some people come from harsh backgrounds and might recollect about what they have experienced. Though, I never want anyone to share something they are not comfortable with.

[calixtebeohourou]

Research Assignment 4#: 

Vincent Cianni

Vincent Cianni was born in 1952 and is a documentary photographer who explores community, memory, and social justice issues using various media. Vincent Cianni moved to the Southside of the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, in 1993. As soon as he arrived, he was captivated by the vibrant character of the neighborhood, enjoying its sounds, smells, sights, and sounds. He began photographing the children and teenagers he saw every day on the streets of Williamsburg. Particularly, Cianni was drawn to Latino boys who enjoyed inline skating and built amateur skate parks. Cianni photographed this same group of boys for nine years as they grew into young men. As they began careers and families, he photographed them skating, hanging out with friends and family, asking neighborhood girls for dates, and more.

I Like these photos they are all mainly black and white compared to the other photos. And in each one of them, he's following a story of this group of friends doing fun activities together. Each photo is telling a story with its visuals without really using words. It was also very nice of Ciannin to spend time with the kids and learn about their interests and likes. It helps and builds a connection which is lovely to see.

Source

VINCENT CIANNI – PHOTOGRAPHY

Visual AIDS | Vincent Cianni

[hollow-mugen-blog]

Photographer Appreciation/Research Post 3

Photographer/Artist Spotlight:

Vincent Cianni

Vincent Cianni is a graduate from the University of Penn State University, Maryland Institute’s College of Art, and also SUNY New Paltz. Vincent Cianni today currently resides in New York City, and he also is a teacher and professor at The New School for Design in NYC. Vincent Cianni’s work consists of taking photographs along the topics relating to Community, Memory, and also social justice issues. He tries to convey his message through various platforms and mediums such as images, text, and audio. We students of Fresno State University were also given the opportunity to have the experience of meeting and speaking with Vincent Cianni.

One of Vincent Cianni's famous works is his book called: ‘We Skate Hardcore.’ The book ‘We Skate Hardcore’ was a book that documented the underground skating scene in the year of 1993, that year was also the year that Cianni recently moved to NYC. He in particular moved into the neighborhood on the Southside of Williamburg in Brooklyn, NY. This work originally started by Cianni simply taking in his new surroundings in his new residence, and in particular he was nearby a skatepark where he saw the same group of children and teenagers skating and practicing everyday. An important detail that shouldn’t be left out is that he documented this same group of people for atleast 9 years, and in that decade he saw this group become proficient in their art, and also saw this group physically grow up and experience the changes of  their area with them together. Eventually these children and teenagers grew to become their own persons and either continued to seek their profession they were so determined to accomplished or move onto a new craft.

I thought that “We Skate Hardcore” was a fantastic read. Because not only does it document Cianni’s time in NYC, it also gives a realistic approach to the environment that Cianni was surrounded with. The work itself didn’t feel forced, and it also documented real time events happening around the group he was documenting, such as new areas being rebuild for newer buildings, areas that the children and teens skated in becoming renovated and the possibility of having to relocate. The skating scene also has other artists that documented their experience with their growth or others growth with the sport, and I feel Cianni’s work might have been an inspiration or had an impact on the genre. The style of the book is similar to trends that are still present today such as particular shots of the skaters in action from certain angles like rolling or from below in the air, the color palette as well is also into consideration, as the book contained images that were grayscale or browned due to the old camera equipment at the time. This style is overall still being used today, albeit more so modernized or trying to mimic the now retro photography and videography.

Vincent Cianni | Parsons School of Design, www.newschool.edu/parsons/faculty/vincent-cianni/. Accessed 18 May 2023.

Cianni, Vincent. “Bio.” VINCENT CIANNI, vincentcianni.com/home/about. Accessed 18 May 2023.

[celest3al]

Vincent Cianni - Photographer Research Post

Vincent Cianni is a photographer who has a bachelor’s in fine arts at New York College at New Paltz. His most popular work being We Skate Hardcore which focused on the skating community of people. His work is primarily documentarian work focusing on communities like skaters mentioned before and even the representation of the LGBTQ+ in the military. This project regarding the LGBTQ+ community discusses the discrimination of this community in the military. With many interviews and statements being connected to the photos to tell these people’s stories.

His presentation discussed his projects, and brought us into his life and why he decided to make the projects he did. His whole work ethic is based around making something in which he has some sort of connection to. That way there is much more of an emotional connection to each of the photos instead of getting “the best” ones. It was interesting to learn about his perspective on photography, and how he created a organization for those who had an interest in Photography, but not the money to support it.

[davidblakephotoblog]

Vincent Cianni Artist Post

            Vincent Cianni is a documentary photographer that mainly specializes in “Social justice issues”. Currently living in New York city, he teaches at Parsons,The New School of Design. Over the years, he has had his art put up in numerous collections, both public and private. This Includes “George Eastman House, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum of the City of New York, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Kinsey Institute for Sexual Research, and Bibliotecque National de France”.

            Like stated above, Vincent Cianni’s work focuses on and documents social justice issues. He focuses on things that the average person might choose to ignore, neglect, and reject, including poverty, economic statuses, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity. One of his works that he greatly discussed in detail in the lecture was “Gays in the Military”, explaining that many of the people photographed did not want their faces shown for the sake of privacy and their own protection.

            One of Vincent Cianni’s most famous projects is “We Skate Hardcore”. This project mainly focuses on a group of teenagers that live in poverty, but seemingly exist to live for skating. The photographs Vincent took depict these teenagers’ everyday lives, either it be them skating in an abandoned lot that they personally took the time to set up their own skatepark with what they could find or going with them down the street in an average every day. This project then proceeds after a nine-year interval, when these teens finally grew up, showing how they changed.

            The themes discussed in the presentation was mainly about what he did over the years, and how he helps the community. He also discusses in what schools are good to go to for an aspiring photographer and what internships would be the best to get started in this field of work. Vincent also discusses in his own past in teaching, and what he has done for people.

            In my own opinion in Vincent’s work, I think I respect him for what he has done, and I enjoy his work, but it is something that I would personally would not do. I am a very introverted person when it comes to dealing with public problems as I feel that the more that I put myself out there when it comes to social issues, the less of a peaceful life I would be able to lead. I personally am more of a nature person and enjoy looking at abnormal architecture that people put their own creative process into building.

            I think how Vincent’s work has inspired me is it shows me that if I want to find something interesting, I am going to have to meet people and go to more public events. While people enjoy talking to me and I don’t mind meeting new people, I have a low tolerance when it comes to how much energy I have for exploring and talking to people. There are many things that I want to see in the world and would love to travel to gain more experiences.

[vivianaq]

Artist Research Post: Vincent Cianni

For this artist research blog post, I will be talking about Vincent Cianni. Vincent Cianni is a documentary photographer whose work focuses on social issues within the community and the overall human condition. On his website, it is mentioned on his biography that Cianni graduated from Penn State University, the Maryland Institute College of Art, and SUNY New Paltz. He is also an educator at Parsons The New School of Design, NYC. Cianni has worked on a lot of projects that were exhibited and published such as the Gays in the Military, HIV/AIDS, Old Forge, We Skate Hardcore, Landscapes of Desire, and Berlin.

I will be focusing on one of Cianni’s projects titled Gays in the Military. This project sheds light on the gay and lesbian members and veterans experience in the military. As a result of homophobia in the military, many gays and lesbians lost their careers and were prohibited from receiving their honorable discharge benefits. Cianni approached this project with respect and dignity when interviewing and photographing the people. You can tell from the way Cianni was able to capture them in their natural way that exudes different emotions in every photograph such as somber, melancholy, relief, nostalgia, pain, regret, and plenty of others.

My photography class had the opportunity to learn more about Vincent Cianni when we had him as a guest artist. The main thing I got out of his presentation is that his genuine interest in the human condition is what makes him a great documentary photographer. Cianni spoke about the ways to approach the people you want to photograph, and he mentioned that having a personal connection as well as telling the people why you want to do the project is the best way to approach the people. Most important of all, being yourself and having respect towards the people you want to photograph shows that you are not sensationalizing them rather you are interested in their stories and how they are impacted by the social injustices. Another theme that was discussed in his presentation was about taking risks. Cianni describes himself as a risk taker and that is how passionate he was in uncovering the truth and sharing the stories of the voiceless through powerful visuals and text.

Overall, Vincent Cianni’s work and presentation inspired me to approach my artmaking in ways that will allow me to share stories that need to be shared to the world and to work on things that matter to me.

[simplymalai]

Artist Research Blog #6- Vincent Cianni

Vincent Cianni, born in 1952, is a documentary photographer who looks to capture the traditional black-and-white photos that expose the shift in communities of POC. Vincent Cianni graduated college with a degree in social politics and used this narrative to begin capturing high school dropout students. In 1993 Vincent documented a social justice project in New York City where he documented homelessness and racial/social injustices. In 1986 he began another photo project where he captured the effects of HIV on individuals closest to him. Vincent explains that his late partner had suffered from AIDS, so many of his photographs during this time were intimate and personal.

Following in 1990, Vincent began to capture the aftermath of the Battle of Berlin. Around 1992, Vincent moved to Brooklyn, and in 1994 he photographed Puertorican livelihood through his various subjects. Vincent explains how he became close with many of his subjects, and through personal relationships, he was allowed to capture more intimate photos. A documentation reflective story was created by photographing the livelihood of those around him.

Vincent Cianni created several projects, "Gays in the Military," which recorded LGBTQ+ military service members lacking identity, secrets, shame, and invisibility. As well as "Old Forge," which documented a coal-mining town in Pennslyvania and Italian immigrants. In addition, his project " We Skate Hardcore" documented the neighborhood of Brooklyn and the POC community within it. Through completing these multiple projects, Vincent Cianni came up with the Newburg Community Photo Project NCPP, which allows his work to be represented and connected through members of his community.

All in all, I am very fond of the work created by Vincent Cianni! At first glance, I thought his book "We Skate Hardcore," I thought he would be photographing skateboard life. After viewing his work, I realized how connected he was to his subjects, and his images projected much more than skater life. Although some photos were created through a black-and-white value, Vincent Cianni's work finds a way to evoke a source of intimate emotions in those photographed. I enjoyed knowing that Vincent used his skill of photography to not only photograph the lifestyle of others and document the racial injustices of POC living in NY.

[josegallardo003]

Artist Research Blog #6

The two photographs displayed were taken by American photographer Vincent Cianni. Both of these images originate from Cianni’s book titled We Skate Hardcore, which captures the urban life of Latino skaters living in New York. The first image showcased to the left depicts a man kneeling on the ground as he holds a dog on an empty street filled with graffiti. The second image on the right is of a man’s back where he has two dogs holding onto him. What makes both of these photos similar to each other is the techniques that he is utilizing in order to make all his photos appear as if they belong together. One of these techniques is showcased by the lack of color being used in order to maintain a consistent black-and-white theme. Vincent Cianni was born in 1952 and graduated from Pennsylvania State University. Ten years later he began his M. F. A. as a photographer and experienced homelessness in his mid-twenties. As a photographer, Cianni has photographed a variety of subjects that range from the lives of homeless people to gay people in the military. One of the purposes that Cianni’s work was to serve as a form of activism toward bigger issues in the country. He would address controversial topics in the hopes of creating positive change, one of these topics for example was gun violence. After having conducted research on Vincent Cianni and participating in his guest artist lecture, I have learned of his distinct characteristics as a photographer and the positive change that photography can provide to people and larger issues in society. By utilizing photography as a means to create change, not only are you capturing sensitive topics but you are also bringing light to the subject matter with the hopes of being able to have a meaningful impact. With this in mind and the ethics that go into photography, I will remember to highlight the importance of portraying sensitive topics in my work in the future.

[joseseveriano]

Vincent Cianni

Vincent Cianni is a 71 year old photographer who now teaches at Parsons The New School of Design, NYC. Vincent Cianni is someone who truly admires what he does. This can be shown in his project and one of my favorites “We Skate Hardcore” where he followed a group of latinos for 8 years and as they went from boys to men. I think that just the concept of that is crazy and is something that can only be pulled off with dedication and ambition. Vincent Cianni as a mechanical photographer uses a lot of monochromatic pictures to shape the theme and vibe of his projects. His projects have a bigger story than meets the eye an example of this is with the same project “We Skate Hard” to a regular person it is just people skating but if you look at the story he isn’t only following people skate he is following people grow up and try to change their life for the better. In the video preview Mio one of the people he followed throughout the years said that he didn’t skate just for fun he skated to make sure he got out of trouble because it is something he would get in a lot, and I relate to that alot so I understand the story he is giving and seeing it transfer to pictures throughout 9 years is truly something that is amazing. I enjoyed every part of that project and hope to make something like that in the future. Vincent Cianni has given me a lot of inspiration of how connected I'm supposed to be with the people and projects I hope to interact with in the future. Although I never used roller skates I have skateboarded which adds more of a connection with the project because the hobby wasn't only the same but their lifestyle was also relatable along with their dreams. Vincent Cianni is a great photographer who really grasps the story and emotions of his projects, I hope to be able to tell my stories the same way he was able to.

[tomsphotos]

Vincent Cianni: We Skate Hardcore

Artist Research 2/8

Vincent Cianni is known for his documentary photography that explores different discussions of social justice, community, and a recollection of memories. He has an MFA in Photography from SUNY New Paltz and teaches in NYC at Parsons, the New School for Design. He published his first book, We Skate Hardcore, in 2004 where he photographed his neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. In this series of photographs, Cianni captures life at McCarren Park where he was drawn by the neighborhood's culture and its people living there. In his exploration, we are drawn to his perspective through handwritten notes and text that provides context to that specific photograph and what it entails. 

Anthony, McCarren Park

Cianni captured portraits of people at McCarren Park. These weren't ordinary photographs. These people told stories of their life all through the imagery. In this specific photo, Anthony was a nineteen year old boy. He displayed tattoos on his arm and a scar that stretched down along the center of his stomach that he got from a knife fight. Hidden behind the pride and masculinity of Anthony lays his innocence that was stripped away from the life he lived within his neighborhood.

There is more to this image than a crooked photo of three guys in an abandoned factory. Vincent and his group of friends enjoyed skating. They were always moving place to place to find a suitable skating place since the city never cared to build a skate park in Brooklyn. Him and his friends built their own rails to skate on. To them, it was more than just skating, it was a way for the youth within the community to come together and stay off the streets where drugs and violence was high. The handwritten note adds a characteristic to the photograph because we can understand more so the social injustice these youth faced when they simply wanted to have fun and skate.

This series of photographs ends displaying a range of imagery of everyone growing up and going their own separate ways. We see the progression of this friend group and their lives changing that contrast their lives within the neighborhood. Richie and his wife Pamela [photographed here] handwrite their unconditional love for one another surrounding the image with words. Growing up captures change. Sometimes you have to allow for change to happen because there is more to you than the neighborhood you grew up in. But never forget where you came from and the memories, community, and happiness you have created along the way.

My Synopsis:

I really enjoyed this series of photographs by Vincent Cianni. There was so much storytelling in the life he lived in Brooklyn and all the memories he has created. It felt like I was reading a diary of one's life and got to learn more about the person as I flipped the page. This inspired me to look at my life differently and what I take photographs of. We tend to stress about capturing the perfect picture when it's the people and the community around us that we are truly looking for. I want to explore more about my own neighborhood and community for this next project to highlight the different aspects of myself.

[brianramosart]

Vincent Cianni

Mr. Cianni is an awesome photographer since he connects with his subjects on a personal level. This allows him to photograph the social life of people he knows and cares about. 

Mr. Cianni's approach is one in particular good because he does not go in to take photographs like a wildlife photographer. He presents issues that need change and move people's perspectives for things he advocates. Bringing in community projects where he lives is one of his key elements to his craft. 

Mr. Cianni uses a 35 mm camera and likes to do journalism, documentary, and street photos. Some of his big accomplishments are graduating from Penn. State University. How he is a big risk taker because he left his own job to pursue the unknown by going to the Berlin wall. Someone who can leave a comfortable lifestyle is like he was a better version of Chris McCandless. His use of monochrome photography in “We Skate Hardcore” tells a compelling story of how the Brooklyn southside was once a thriving community. The way of his process of articulating a group of photos into a story book. Mr. Cianni is always finding new ways to help out the community with some of his recent works like Black Lives Matter and covid awareness.

From my own perspective Mr. Cianni is a good role model for Photography if I plan on doing the same type of work. Making a decision of saving the person rather than taking the best photograph. Some things I could do to elevate my work from learning from Mr. Cianni is to connect with my subjects and add to the picture that the audience doesn't know.