Photography: Yossi Milo Gallery Highlights Pieter Hugo

When you think of Africa and its people you have to think of Pieter Hugo. The South African photographer has traveled the continent chronicling the intricacies of its beautiful people. Using Cape Town as his base, his works are etched into the memory of many. His haunting photographs of the "Ghosts of Rwanda" and his concept of human circus with "The Hyena and other Men" leave us breathless with unforgettable images. Yossi Milo Gallery continues its excellence by inviting back Hugo for his second show starting later this month. The winner of the 2008 "Discovery Award" does not disappoint.

Trekking to Nigeria for the second time, Hugo takes us deep inside the world of "Nollywood." Say what? That's right, Nigeria has the third largest film industry in the world and pumps out over 1,000 movies a year. Unknown to the rest of the world, these films go to the heart of everyday issues in Africa with a richness envoking the stories of their lives. With his magical camera, Hugo captures the actors in these films with a starkness that is haunting. When I first saw the photographs without knowing about Nollywood, I assumed he was photographing the eccentrics among all of us. Some made me uneasy and restless since I have such a love for Africa. Knowing their background as actors made me relax and celebrate the art of this remarkable photographer one more time.

Pieter Hugo's photos are Africa, and as such, he has become the photographer of record on the lives of Africans. We can all name the photographers who bring memorable shots of wildlife but Hugo is the first to emerge as a genius in capturing the heart and spirit of the African people. For that we all owe him a huge debt of thanks.

Yossi Milo Gallery opens its second Pieter Hugo show on February 25 and it will close on April 8. The gallery is located at 525 West 25th in New York City. Do yourself a favor and head down to Chelsea and see a remarkable man's extraordinary talent on full display.

 

Photography: The Real Sex In The City

Ever since I can remember New York City has always been a destination not only for theater and culture, but also for romance, illicit sex and fulfilling kinky fantasies. The thriving metropolis offers an anonymity that allows people from all over the world to act out, often in public. At the end of World II, a sailor sweeps a strange woman into his arms and passionately kisses her in the name of victory. Visitors from small town America come to seek out the darker side of the city to explore forbidden pleasures. "The City That Never Sleeps," as composers Kander and Ebb memorably wrote, has always has had it all when it comes to sexuality.

Opening this week is a marvelous new show of a collection of photographers exploring "Sexy and the City" at Yossi Milo Gallery. The collective has captured that liberating side of New York where sexuality is celebrated, explored and, yes, sometimes hidden. This is the city for fetishes and fantasies to come true. Doesn't make any difference if you are homosexual, straight, bisexual or transgendered, there is a welcoming place for you in the bright city lights or the dark hidden rooms. You can find it all in one room on the walls of Yossi Milo's Gallery until August 28th.

Among the photographers in this exhibit are Diane Arbus, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Nan Godin and many others stars of the photography world. Two of my favorites would be the Alvin Baltrop photograph of an audacious couple making out in public. Is it two men? A man and a woman? Two women? In the end, it really doesn't make any difference. It is just New York.

The other one would be the Frank Paulin photograph of the young woman posing for a man with an amateur camera while a small crowd gathers - a gathering which arguably most likely will be the largest audience that our model ever attracts. And she is savoring every moment of it.

So head down to Yossi Milo Gallery at 525 West 25th Street in New York. Treat yourself to some of the finest photographers ever sharing their version of a "Sexy New York." You won't want to miss it