Building a Photographic Career on Difficult Subjects

Decades ago, Tony Chirinos transitioned from working as a medical photographer to making personal work about mortality, fragility, and the cultural elements that influence how we experience them. Sometimes brutal and always beautiful, Tony's images have helped him build a successful career as an artist. After years of being widely featured and internationally exhibited, he published his first monograph with Gnomic Books, and in 2023, received a coveted Guggenheim fellowship. In an intimate conversation with Humble Arts Foundation co-founder Jon Feinstein and PCNW faculty and board member Anna Ream, Tony will discuss developing his dynamic bodies of work from idea to publication and exhibition, and how mentorship – as a mentor and mentee – can be an unparalleled path to artistic growth and success.

This event is held in conjunction with the opening reception of The Precipice, a solo exhibition of Tony’s work at The Seattle Light Room.

Image credit: Tony Chirinos

Host or Publisher Photographic Center Northwest