About the Artist
Photo artist/conceptual artist Jean Ferro challenges
the art of 20th century masters and her own creativity. Ferro transports
her medium into new dimensions, taking the original concept and delving
even deeper into her own creative unconscious, to produce something
fresh, spontaneous, iconic...and most important...artwork that elevates
the soul.
Ferro's standards are her own. Her body of self-portrait work began
in 1974 and is based on a singular intuitive visual intelligence,
sometimes emotional, delightfully playful, or thought provoking social
commentary. "Lots of people write about their lives...I visualize
my life and transform it into film."
For Los Angeles Center for Digital Art in February 2009, Ferro's alter
ego piece, ducks-in-a-row #1 series is a large scale reproduction
(44" x 44") of
the 2002, SX70 Polaroid Series produced for Focus On Aids Charitable
auction.
Jean Ferro began her career in the visual arts in Hollywood in mid1970s,
shooting personalities while building a classic library of self-portraits.
Following the guidance of mentors, Don Peterson and Antonin Kratochvil,
Jean learned all aspects of the camera as well as photojournalism
and fine art. Throughout the '80s, Ferro's fine-art self-portraits
(1974-present) received international recognition from magazines such
as ZOOM magazine (1985 - 8 pgs., 1988 - 6 pgs.) and French Photo,
along with US national TV magazine shows for CBS and ABC TV networks.
The 1989 Women In Photography New Photographers Lecture Series presented
"Jean Ferro's Eye To Eye, the Art of Self-Portraiture.
"In 1990, Ferro's "Statue of Liberty" project marked
her transition from fifteen years of traditional photography into
"Photo Art," mixing various mediums. A 1992/93 City of Los
Angeles Cultural Affairs award enabled Ferro to create "Through
Our Own Eyes, Self Portraits by People Without Homes," a compelling
30-minute photo/video documentary of Los Angeles' homeless community.
In 1996, “Global Liberty,” her photo-based mixed media
work using international newspapers from 42 countries, was exhibited
at the Bridge Gallery, Los Angeles City Hall.
Fine art photographer Edmund Teske was quoted as saying, "...Your
show Jean Ferro!--is the essence of Walt Whitman and Edward Steichen's
great show 'Family of Man.'" Her portfolios include: Film, Music
and Artist portraits, 1975-present including David Bowie, Ringo Starr,
Reba MacEntire, Arianna Huffington, Larry Gelbart, Eric Etebari, Tony
Berlant, artists, Rene Petropolis and many others; "Hollywood"
1974-Present, Los Angeles 1974-present, El Centro 1974-1981, Valentino
Pl. 1981-1990, Rossmore Ave. 1990-2003, Studios, “Paris Street
Series” 1974; “Satin Slips” (including “The
Green Slip”) 1975-1988; “Italian Series” (including
“Bomarzo” and “Olympic Stadium”), 1983; “American
Flag”1980-present, including “Memorial Day Forever Sad
the Heart”; “Trees” 1980-present; “Bucks County,
PA,” 1960-present.
See full list of artists/personalities
Ferro has been commissioned by Paramount Studios, Southern California
Regional Rail Authority, Capitol Records and DreamWorks, SKG. Editorial
clients include Los Angeles Magazine, Southern Calif. Edison, Pacific
Bell and others. Ferro's work is a growing body of images that shoot
straight from the heart. Her journalistic style of movement and spontaneity
is evident in the book "Los Angeles, City of Dreams by Tower
Publishing 1999.
April of 2000, Jean accepted the temporary position of President of
Women In Photography International the non-profit online resource
center for women photographers worldwide. Her role was to revive the
organization, originally founded in 1981, with the goal of promoting
the visibility of women photographers and their work.
See
full list of ducks-in-a-row
series Polaroid images
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