Dianora Niccolini
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Dianora Niccolini (born October 1936, Florence, Italy) is a fine art photographer who is widely considered to be the female pioneer in the photography of the male nude.
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[edit] Biography
Dianora Niccolini was born in Florence, Italy to an American mother and a father from an old Florentine family. Dianora lived in Italy throughout the second world war until the age of nine when her mother moved the family to the United States.
When Dianora was 18, she left home to live in New York City and study art. Originally, Dianora studied ballet, but when she met Weegee, her passion turned to photography. Wanting to make it as a successful photographer, Dianora took any photo opportunity she could, taking headshots for friends and then taking a position as a medical photographer in a hospital. It was in this position as a medical photographer that Dinaora learned to appreciate the beauty of the human nude.
In 1973, Dianora began to create bodies of work which resulted in exhibits. She held her first photographic exhibit in 1974 - a serious study of the female nude. While excited by her first show, Dianora's true gift was photographing the male nude but until then, this was a style relegated to homosexual men and was still considered taboo.
Finally, in 1975, the Third Eye gallery in New York took a chance on this female photographer and the first ever exhibit of fine art male nudes was shown. It was an in-depth study of the male nude and featured one of Dianora's favorite subjects, an African-American bodybuilder. Fortunately, the exhibit was attended by New York Times art critic Gene Thornton, and on December 7, 1975, Dianora received a rave review for her work.
In 1979, Dianora took leadership of the Professional Women Photographers(PWP).She was president from 1979 until 1984. Under her guidance, PWP became recognized as the professional organization for women photographers.
In early 2005, Dianora began to embark on a new adventure - working with Mega Muscle Productions. The relationship has introduced Dianora to a new generation of fine art lovers and has allowed Dianora to continue on with her being a pioneer in the fine art world.
Dianora Niccolini has been published in countless magazines and books and has had multiple gallery showings. She has taught photography at the New York Institute of Technology and the New York Institute of Photography. Her influence can be seen in the work of photographers such as Herb Ritts, Robert Mapplethorpe and many other photographers who followed her.
[edit] Books
- Women of Vision, Dianora Niccolini, Unicorn publishing. 1982
- Men in Focus, Dianora Niccolini, Morgan & Morgan. 1983
- Big Fun with Billy, D. Leddick, Dianora Niccolini, Universe/Rizzoli.2001
[edit] One-Woman Exhibitions
- 209 Photo Gallery, NYC,NY. DOUBLE EXPOSURE 1974
- Third Eye Gallery, NYC, NY. "THE FEMALE NUDE" 1974
- Top of the Stairs Gallery, NYC, NY. "THE FEMALE NUDE" 1974
- Third Eye Gallery. NYC, NY. "THE MALE NUDE" 1975
- Third Eye Gallery, NYC, NY. "THE MONA LISA SERIES" 1976
- Third Eye Gallery, NYC, NY. "POP PHOTART" 1977
- Y Arts Council, Phil., PA. "POP PHOTART" 1978
- Floating Foundation of Photography, NYC, "MONSTER SERIES" 1979
- Steve Bush Gallery, NYC. "THE MALE NUDE" 1981
- West Broadway Gallery, NYC. "PHOTO ALTERATIONS" 1981
- Photographics Unltd. Gallery. NYC." IN LOVING MEMORY" 1981
- The Camera Club, NYC. "EMERGENCY" 1981
- West Broadway Gallery, NYC. "MEN WATCHING" 1982
- Overseas Press Club, NYC. "MEN IN FOCUS" 1983
- Impulse Gallery, Provincetown, Ma. "MEN IN FOCUS" 1983
- Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, NYC. "THE MALE NUDE" 1998
- Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, NYC. "BILLY" 2001
[edit] Magazines
- APHRA, VOL.6, NO.1 WINTER. 1974-1975
- PHOTOGRAPHIC APPLICATIONS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Jan. 1975
- FUNCTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY. June 1978
- AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER, "The Undressed Man", Vicki Goldberg. 5/26/79
- POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY'S "HOW TO" MAGAZINE. 1979
- POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY, April 1978
- FUNCTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY (Contributing Editor- "At Large") 1980
- NEW YORK PHOTO DISTRICT NEWS (Contributing Editor- Reviews) 1980
- FV-FOTOGRAFIA de GLAMOUR, Portfolio, (Spanish magazine).1995/ 1-2Ano 8/ #78
- FOTO PRO, Portfolio, (Italian Magazine) Aug. 1992
- BLUE MAGAZINE.Portfolio.Australia. Feb. 1999
- BLUE MAGAZINE. Portfolio. Australia. Dec. 2005
[edit] Group Exhibitions
- International Photo optical Show - Wash., D.C., 1974
- International Photo Optical Show - Chicago, 1974
- The Interchurch Center, -Women Photographers of NY- NYC.1974
- Women's Interart Center, -A Summer exhibit of photos- NYC.1974
- The Camera Club of New York, Women Photographers of NY, NYC.1975
- South Street Seaport Museum, Women Photographers of NY, NYC.1975
- Donnell Library, Women photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
- Manufacturers Hanover Trust, Women photographers of NY, NYC.1975
- Union Carbide Building, Women Photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
- Fashion Institute of Technology, Breadth of Vision, NYC. 1975
- Neikrug Gallery, There is No Female Camera, NYC. 1975
- The Third Eye Gallery, New York Eyes, NYC. 1976
- The Italian Consulate, Italian American Artists, NYC. 1976
- ICP, First Annual Spring Show, NYC. 1976
- ICP, Women Photograph Men, NYC. 1976
- The Third Eye Gallery, Influx, NYC. 1976
- The Third Eye Gallery, Who's Who in Photography, NYC. 1976
- Witkin Gallery, Photography Auction to Refloat the Floating Foundation of Photography, NYC. 1976
- Women's Interart Center Sectional Images, NYC. 1977
- Union Carbide Building, Volunteer Service Photographers, NYC. 1977
- Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1977
- Images Gallery, Group Show, NYC. 1977
- Marcuse Pfeiffer Gallery, The Male Nude, NYC. 1978
- The French Embassy, Volunteer Service Photographers, NYC. 1978
- The Floating Foundation of Photography, Foods and other Pleasures, NYC. 1979
- Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1979
- Fotoforum, International Group Exhibition, Czechoslovakia, 1980
- Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1980
- Pratt University, Photofusion,NYC. 1981
- MIT Creative Photography Gallery, Group Show, Massachusetts. 1981
- 80 Centre Street, Generations, Views by Women Artists, NYC. 1982
- Foto Gallery, Male Nudes, S. Wales, UK.1983
- Silver Image Gallery, The Nude, Seattle, Wa.. 1990
- Gallery Stendhal, True Love and Other Stories. NYC. 1991
- Jacob Javitz Federal Building, Visual Individualists United,NYC. 1992
- The Museum Of Fine Arts, The Allan Chasanoff Photographic Collection, Houston, Texas. 1994
- The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, The Body, Montreal, Canada. 1997
- The Curcio Spector Gallery, The Male Nude, NYC.1997
- Neikrug gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1993
- Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery,Male Nude (mini retrospective),NYC.1997
- Trevi Flash Art Museum, First International Biennial, Trevi, Italy. 1998
- Culturgest Museum of Fine Art, The Nude, Portugal. 1999
- The Fraser Gallery, Wash., D.C. "PHOTOGRAPHY ONLY", 2002
- Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, Classic Beauty, 2006
[edit] Permanent Collections
- The International Center of Photography (ICP), NYC.,NY.
- Erie Art Center, PA.
- The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Wash., DC.
- The Alternative Museum, NYC, NY.
- The Museum of Fine Arts, ( The Allan Chasanoff Photographic Collection), Houston, Texas.
- The Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, NYC, NY.
[edit] Anthologies
- HISTORY OF THE NUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Arthur Goldsmith.Ridge press. 1975
- WOMEN PHOTOGRAPH MEN, D.Hayes. Wm. Morrow.1977
- WOMEN SEE MEN, McGraw Hill.1977
- NEW AMERICAN NUDES, Morgan and Morgan. 1981
- THE MALE NUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Vermont Crossroads Press. 1981
- WOMEN OF VISION, Morgan and Morgan. 1982
- DAS AKTFOTO - Munchner Stadtmuseum. 1985
- FRAUEN SEHEN MANNER, Peter Weiermair. 1985
- FULLY EXPOSED : THE MALE NUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Emmanuel Cooper. 1990
- THE BODY, Wm. Ewing. 1994
- TRADITION AND THE UNPREDICTABLE. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. 1994
- MALE NUDES BY WOMEN, P. Weiermair. 1995
- EROS, Stewart Tabori and Chang. 1996
- KOBE AID FUND WORLD PHOTO. Eikoh Hosoe.1996
- THE MALE NUDE, David Leddick, Taschen. 1998
- 1st INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART.Trevi Art Museum. 1998
- HOMME, Michelle Olley, Carlton . 1999
- ADONIS, Michelle Olley, Carlton. 1999
- NAKED MEN TOO, David Leddick, Rizzoli/Universe. 2000
- EXPOSED, Phil Braham, Thunder Otilde's Mouth Press. 2000
- NAKED MEN NOW, David Leddick, Rizzoli/Universe. 2001
- BLACK BEAUTY, Janssen Publishers, 2001
- WOMEN BY WOMEN, Prestel Publishers.2003
- MALE BODIES, Emmanuel Cooper,Prestel Publishers. 2004
- LIKE SAND FROM ORCHIDS' LIPS,TCB Cafe Publishing & Media.2006
