Images Sandr o Miller/ Catherine Edelman Gallery/ www.edelmangallery.com
By Pedro Lazaro

When he was 16 years old, Sandro Miller saw the work of photographer Irving Penn.
He was so impressed by the images that he instantly knew he wanted to be a photographer. Mostly self-taught, Miller relied on books published by many of the great artists of his time which were canonized in photographic history. Through their pictures,
He learned the art of composition, lighting and portraiture.
More than 30 years later, with clients ranging from Forbes, GQ and Esquire, to American Express, Coca-Cola and BMW, Miller has secured his place as one of the
top advertising photographers in the world.

His success in the world of commercial photography allows him to continue his personal projects which have included working in Cuba, photographing American blues musicians, several dance troupes, and extended endeavors with actor John Malkovich, his longtime friend and collaborator. Sandro first met Malkovich in the late 1990s while working on an assignment for Steppenwolf Theater. More than 16 years later, Miller and
Malkovich are still collaborating. Their latest project is “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich”.

In 2013, Miller decided to do a project honoring the men and women whose photographs helped shape his career. After selecting 35 images to emulate, Miller contacted Malkovich, who instantly agreed to participate.
“John is the most brilliant, prolific person I know,” said Miller about the actor. “His genius is unparalleled. I can suggest a mood or idea and within moments, he
literally morphs into the character right in front of my eyes. He is so trusting of my work and of our process…I’m truly blessed to have him as my friend and collaborator.”

The “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich ” project honors photographs that have impacted Miller. Pieces include Irving Penn’s photograph of Truman Capote in a corner; Bert Stern’s photographs of Marilyn Monroe; Dorothea Lange’s image of a migrant mother; Robert Mapplethorpe’s self-portrait with a gun; Annie Leibowitz’s iconic image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono; Richard Avedon’s beekeeper, among many others.

John Malkovich is considered to be one of the greatest American
actors of the 21st century. In “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich” he demonstrates his chameleon-like proclivity, morphing into Albert Einstein, Che Guevara, John Lennon and Andy
Warhol. Through this immense skill and Miller’s amazing photographic eye, the “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich” exhibition pays respect to photographic history through the genius of a photographer and his muse.

Freedom, the currency of the new era. Freedom to be, to express, to feel, not only for ourselves, but for the rest of the universe. Freedom because we no longer want to be captives of bureaucracies or social standards, because we have been raised to create our own paths rather than to follow that of the ones who have led the way and brought us here. In a world where time and money have become abstract ideals because we rather be led by our spiritual beliefs and the cleanliness of our minds and souls, Antuan’s art becomes not a mean of decoration, but a revelation. It is rare to find an artist who has such a deep understanding of the diverse areas of human nature and its capacity to store information and energy that can either create, destroy, or give birth to new frequencies. The emergence of his art is a call to new generations to get on board with his revolution of knowledge. This is where the true greatness of the legacy he is creating lays: in the necessity to create not for his personal growth, but to create an aura of scientific and quantic waves that liberate against destruction, encouraging viewers to believe in the power inside us to align what is wrong and what is impure. Antuan’s art expresses the ideals of development in a form so concise, that it becomes too complex to be understood by a mind not ready to accept the openness crucial to become empowered: alignment. Alignment of the planets, held together in perfect harmony by universal energy.

Alignment of the soul, so that our minds know no limit as to what we can achieve. Alignment of our surroundings, so that we can convey our message in such a manner that can be understood by those around us.

Antuan has most certainly dug so deep into the innermost core of spirituality and connection between the mind and the universe, that it would be impossible not to recognize him as an enigmatic sorcerer of his craft. With his art, Antuan demonstrates that one is perfectly capable of predicting the changes needed in a civilization, which is not given by aesthetics, but by a deeper knowledge of interaction of the senses in admiring a fine piece. Antuan creates pieces that transport one to different spaces in time by basing himself in nature, the universe, the foundations of human nature.

Such things which can be found by looking within the behavior of classic civilizations where there was no speak of currency, but of trade, which inevitably led to growth, to prosperity, and to the discovery of technologies which would revolutionize human behavior forever. Such things which just to come back to the core of our spirit to again find growth. To conceive art as an expression of the artist himself would be to ignore the true energy behind his ideals. To speak to Antuan and to interpret his art, one must be ready to be lead through portals that lead to new dimensions in which art is conceived as a calling, as a desperate cry for social awareness. In his creative nature, Antuan expresses things that cannot be seen if only looked at with the eyes. A deep understanding of Antuan implies a creative outburst of the soul that seeks healing. Antuan exceeds the paradigms of being an artist, for his work proves him to be above engineers, physicists, philosophers, transforming him into a professor of the fine craft of didactical expression. What is most remarkable of Antuan’s expression is his capacity to embrace individualism as a necessity so that we can become the best version of ourselves. Yet, he acknowledges that in accepting and embracing the existence of other individuals, we become more prosperous and create bonds that will transcend far beyond our earthly existence.

In essence, to speak of Antuan is to speak of a leader of change. He is a master in revolutionizing modern history by opening multidimensional experiences in pieces that should be placed at the core of not only spaces, but of our minds. They tell us to never distract ourselves from the principles crucial to our development and the responsibility we must take upon ourselves if we are bound to save the human race from the destruction of values currently amongst us. Antuan demonstrates a strong need to invest all of our power in creating harmony. It would be impossible to speak of Antuan without recognizing the necessary part he is playing in creating history, in leading a movement of economic empowerment through the most admirable of qualities: artistic expression.

My idol was Duane Hanson. He was a Florida sculptor who produced sculptures of people so life-like that they fooled the eye. When his security guard sculpture was on display at Russeck Gallery in New York, thousands of people, myself included, went up to him and asked him where the restrooms were. It was truly uncanny.

I love when people see my paintings at Foxx Galerie in Zurich and say to one another, “nice photo.” Then Claudine Bandi, the owner, corrects them and tells them it is an oil painting. Their look of incredulity is such a pleasure to watch. Many people stare at the paintings for a very long time. I also enjoy evoking the feelings of nostalgia amongst the viewers. Recently at Monarch Gallery in La Jolla, I overheard a family looking at my Monopoly painting.

One (person) said, “I was always the dog,” another said, “I was the iron.” At Atlas Galleries in Chicago, I heard a patron exclaim, “Wow! Look at the Kid Cowboy. I had exactly that book when I was a little boy. And the edges of the book were frayed just like it is in the painting.”

How hard is it to build a name in the industry?

One of the biggest challenges an artist faces is getting his work in front of the public. These days, artists pay large amounts to get their works on gallery walls. I have been so fortunate to have been “found” by Ron Hoy, the owner of Hoypoloi Gallery in Orlando’s Downtown Disney. The great thing about Hoypoloi Gallery – and its sister gallery, Pop Gallery, also in Downtown Disney, is that more than half a million people walk by the door each week. They are introducing my artwork to a myriad of collectors, and I am so grateful for it. During Labor Day weekend, I painted live at the Pop Gallery and there was a line around the corner to get postcards signed and remarques done. What a great scene that was!

What type of people collect your work?

Photorealism is a genre or art which can be appreciated and loved by the novice as well as the refined collector. I am hoping that the art form, along with the nostalgia that my paintings evoke, draws interest from a wide group of collectors and potential collectors who happen to be walking by a gallery that sells my works.

What would be a success for you?

I would love for more and more people to become devotees of photo realism. One of my great successes is being awarded a position as a gallery artist at Art Gone Wild Gallery on Duval Street in Key West. Each day, thousands of people get off the cruise ships and walk up Duval Street. Most of those people have never been exposed to photo realism. D. Arthur Wilson, the owner of the gallery, explains to these people what my art is all about, and it is amazing how many pieces of mine they sell every week. I love D. Arthur and his wife Lisa, and I love Key West and Duval Street.

What about seasoned art collectors? Are they interested in your work?

This is where I have to express my sincere appreciation to Howard Russeck, the owner of Russeck Gallery on Worth Avenue and of Russeck Gallery in Soho in Manhattan. These two galleries are filled with original oil paintings by Picasso, Joan Miro, Alexxander Calder, Wassily Kandinsky and the like, and now they also have original Doug Bloodworth paintings. I know that I certainly do not belong in a gallery of this caliber but I am thankful to Howard Russeck and Sloane Russeck that they have decided to showcase my paintings, and of course I am thankful that they have sold so many of my paintings to renowned clients.

How have you decided on subject matter?

My father was in the military and we moved around a lot. I was born on a United States military base in the Philippines and also spent time in Hawaii as a child. As such, I spent a lot of time watching kids’ television and reading comic books. As an adult, I love depicting these nostalgic images in my paintings. It seems to resonate with viewers as well. Recently, I was visiting the Celebrity Gallery in Maui, Hawaii, which showcases my paintings, and I overheard a couple talking about the painting with the Superman comic, the potato chips and the soft drink. The husband said, “Wow, that’s me as a kid!” And the wife bought the piece for him!

How did you learn to do what you do?

I studied fine arts in college and earned a degree in Commercial Arts. I started with caricatures, which to this day I enjoy. Then I was fortunate to be introduced to Marv Gunderson, the late world famous billboard artist. I worked under Marv for several years, painting outdoor billboards half the size of an Olympic pool. Most of the billboards were for Marlboro cigarettes, although we painted other billboards as well for McDonalds, Budweiser and others. Each billboard took a whole team of us about two weeks to complete.

However, after three months or so of being in view, the billboards were whitewashed to make space for a new ad for a new client. I was dismayed to see our hard work disappear. I then painted two 30 foot by 200 foot murals at Tampa’s Tropicana Field, a project which took six months to complete and inspired me to focus solely on painting fine art pieces. I derive so much pleasure from the enjoyment others get from seeing my work.

What role does Miami play in your career?

Miami has a special place in my heart for two reasons. The first is that my first five paintings were initially shown at Art Basel in 2011. A famous collector from Mexico City bought three of the paintings and a collector from Palm Beach bought the other two. This made me realize how important December in Miami can be for an artist’s career. The second reason is because of the great support I have received from Oliver Nicolis, the owner of Effusion Gallery on South Beach. The great thing about Effusion Gallery is that, being right next door to the Versace Mansion, and with my paintings right in the front window, there are literally thousands of people who see my artwork every day. I give sincere thanks to Oliver: he has believed in me from day one, and I am grateful for it.

Recently, Lil Wayne came into Effusion Gallery and bought my New York Times painting. I was honored that Lil Wayne would like one of my pieces enough to buy it. This is an opportunity that I would have never received without Oliver.

What advice would you give aspiring artists? Stay holed up! I spend 10 hours a day in my studio in Lady Lake, working on perfecting the craft. A photo realist painting in the size I create them – 4 feet by 5 feet – can take me over two months to complete. But it is a labor of love.

Sacha unveils a series of superheroes with a little twist. 20 prints, and a selection of costumes made for the collection were exhibited at the ”School Gallery Olivier Castaing” 322 Rue Saint Martin in Paris. What if Superman was born in the sixteenth century? And what if the Hulk was a Duke? How might Van Eyck have portrayed Snow White? Sacha’s discovery of these characters, which goes back to childhood, gave birth to a desire to re-appropriate them, to take them back to a time forming the cornerstone of modern western art. Sacha wants to confront these icons of American culture with contemporary painters of the Flemish school.

The collection demonstrates the use of 17th century techniques counterpointing light and shadow to illustrate nobility and fragility of the super powerful of all times. It also invites you to celebrate the heroes of your childhood. These characters have become icons to reveal their humanity: tired of having to save the world without respite, promised to a destiny of endless immortality, forever trapped in their character. The superheroes often live their lives cloaked in anonymity. These portraits give them a chance to “fix” their narcissism denied. By the temporal disturbance they produce, these images allow us to discover, under the patina of time, an unexpected melancholy of those who are to be invincible.

As science fiction meets history of art, time meets an inexhaustible desire for mythology which is within each of us. Sacha Goldberger recently presented his amazing Super Flemish collection in the Grand Palais in Paris marking his body of work as high art. Iconic Science Fiction Characters and ruffled Cosplayers wearing Renaissance garb were displayed in an area were Velazquez painting and an exhibit of Jean Paul Gaultier will soon be shown.

Goldberger is not only a superlative artist he also rocks the advertising world. Discover Goldberger’s artistry in books like: Mamika: My Mighty Little Grandmother and The Little Book Of I Love You.

We are afraid of the nude form. We censor the softest parts of ourselves in movies. We see a storm of controversy at the sight of a woman breastfeeding. There are two main reasons we avoid nudity.

One is the legacy of religious shame. The other is because it can feel too vulnerable. That vulnerability is what Senén Llanos, the Puerto Rican painter and photographer, encourages us to love with his camera.

Llanos’ choice of canvas is remarkable. He draws us into the skin. A look at his artwork will introduce you to an array of people whose bodies are covered only in the bright swirls of paint. You can see every hair and goose bump on their bodies. According to Llanos, what makes us human is an “explosion of color and textures”. This explosion combines with the exposure of each subject to paint a picture that contradicts fear. Instead of fear, we celebrate the body.

In his most recent collection, The Bathtub Experience, Llanos combined paint with elements by immersing his models into bathtubs. The comic book-like streaks of paint in their body melt into the water to create a pool of color around them. This collection was presented at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in Puerto Rico, where guests could watch him work as he painted a model for the bathtub of the presidential suite. When Llanos creates, he not only is inspired but inspires as well. Llanos writes a blog where he gives us a glimpse into the processes of his work. In his blog, one can read about Elena Laurenti, the model who felt liberated when she accepted her body as Llanos photographed her. One can also read his reflections on the controversy his photography causes. Nudity is clearly still a taboo idea in our culture. That taboo was taken a step further when he published photographs of his wife pregnant and then breastfeeding. The viewers, who argued such images should be private, certainly were missing Llanos’ point. Llanos accepts human flaws vulnerability, sensuality, and desire fearlessly. He encourages us not to shy away from these things but to appreciate that which makes us human.

In his most recent collection, The Bathtub Experience, Llanos combined paint with elements by immersing his models into bathtubs. The comic book-like streaks of paint in their body melt into the water to create a pool of color around them. This collection was presented at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in Puerto Rico, where guests could watch him work as he painted a model for the bathtub of the presidential suite. When Llanos creates, he not only is inspired but inspires as well. Llanos writes a blog where he gives us a glimpse into the processes of his work.

In his blog, one can read about Elena Laurenti, the model who felt liberated when she accepted her body as Llanos photographed her. One can also read his reflections on the controversy his photography causes. Nudity is clearly still a taboo idea in our culture. That taboo was taken a step further when he published photographs of his wife pregnant and then breastfeeding. The viewers, who argued such images should be private, certainly were missing Llanos’ point. Llanos accepts human flaws vulnerability, sensuality, and desire fearlessly. He encourages us not to shy away from these things but to appreciate that which makes us human.

Llanos earned the top prize for the New York Dancer Photography Contest in 2011. He is also the creator of a clothing line named Gotham Skin, which features leggings that have the images of famous landmarks like Grand Central Station on them. Prints of his work from The Pretty Martian Women and The Bathtub Experience collections are available for sale on his website. The Bathtub Experience is also available for viewing by a private appointment in a gallery in Miramar, Puerto Rico. Just like his art, Senén Llanos’ artistic future looks colorful.