Christopher Makos American, b. 1948
Works
Overview
Blonde, 2006
Christopher Makos, born 1948 in Massachusetts, is a contemporary photographer and artist. Makos is known for his bold photojournalism and innovative ‘insider’ perspective. Makos grew up in California and moved to Paris to study architecture as a young person. He traveled all through Europe and worked as an apprentice to the legendary Man Ray. Capturing the rise of the contemporary art scene of New York City, Makos became a seminal figure throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In 1977, Makos released his book, WHITE TRASH, which became an overnight success as a raw, beautiful chronicle of the downtown NYC punk scene, interspersed with portraits of Uptown Boldface names. The release marked a turning point for his career as a photographic journalist. Makos became close friends and collaborated extensively with Andy Warhol, whom he showed how to use his first camera. Makos introduced Warhol to the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Makos continuously documented the New York scene throughout the 1980’s, using his Interview Magazine "IN" column to present up and coming stars such as Matt Dillon, Christian Slater, Robert Downey JR. and Tom Ford. Makos would regularly visit Madrid, where his portraits of Pedro Almodovar, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Bibi Andersen and Miguel Bose helped identify La Movida. Other iconic portraits by Makos include those of Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Salvador Dali, John Lennon, Tennessee Williams and Mick Jagger. The photographs have been the subject of numerous exhibitions both in galleries and museums, countless magazines and newspapers throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. His photographs have been published in Interview, Rolling Stone, House & Garden, Connoisseur, New York Magazine, Esquire, Genre and People, among many others. Christopher Makos has become an influential figure in the New York art scene, where he continues to live and work today.