b. 1985, Tallahassee, FL. Currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
BFA, New York University, 2006
Ryan MacFarland is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus in analog photography. Working with natural and found environments as his primary subject matter, MacFarland explores the relationship to his surroundings informed by concepts such as nonlinear science, cosmic intervention and conscious existence. His work has been exhibited in the US and abroad since 2004 and written about or published in Architectural Digest, Art F City, Artinfo, DuJour, Hyperallergic, Purple, OUT, The New York Times, Vogue, W and Whitewall. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
Solo Exhibitions
2015 Pulse Miami Beach, Uprise Art, Miami FL
2014 Secret Wisdom, UA Outpost, New York NY
2012 Tide Study, Charles Bank Gallery, New York NY
2008 Almost, Merge Gallery, New York NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017 Six Years of The Shandaken Project, Phillips, New York NY
Postcards From The Edge, Metro Pictures, New York NY
2016 Anthology: Somewhere Not Here, Crosstown Arts, Memphis TN
Post Hudson, Frontispiece Inc., Coxsackie NY
Selections from Sketchbook, High Court, New York NY
‘Roid Rage, Humble Arts Foundation, Online
2015 Teeth Gnash Tennessee, Invisible-Exports, New York NY
2014 The Shandaken Project Retrospective, 59 E. 4th Street, New York NY
Norwood Annual, Norwood Club, New York NY
Roving Room, Habersham Mills, Habersham GA
2013 The End, Beginnings, Brooklyn NY
2012 HONY MOONE XII, 210 Varet Street, Brooklyn NY
Escape Route, Fashion District BID Public Art Installation, Port Authority, New York NY
RETROspect, Charles Bank Gallery, New York NY
2009 Dead, Terri and Donna, Miami FL
2008 Untitled, The American Standard Gallery, Miami FL
Fingerpaint, former Dia:Chelsea, New York NY
2007 Collect All 13: Senior Thesis Exhibition One, Tisch School of the Arts, New York NY
2006 tinyvices, Spencer Brownstone Gallery, New York NY
tinyvices, Priebe Gallery, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
2005 Final, H.I.S.A., Paros, Greece
Flash Forward, Lennox Contemporary, Toronto, Canada
Flash Forward, Redux Gallery, New York NY
Common Grounds, Barney Building, New York NY
2004 Feast, Parsons School of Design, New York NY
Misanthropy, Kimmel Center, New York NY
Artist Residencies
2016 Frontispiece, Coxsackie NY
2014 Chandelier Creative Artist Retreat, Montauk NY
2012 The Shandaken Project, Shandaken NY
Commissions
2017 Memorial - Polaroid film, packaging, cameras and adhesive
The Ace Hotel NY - Site specific installation
2013 Bent Pine - Unique Fujifilm Instant Prints, Edition of 60 + 5 APs
The Shandaken Project - Fundraising edition
Press
Brydson, Nicole. “Obsessed With Nature, Ryan James MacFarland Among First Artists at Upstate Shandaken Project” Brooklyn the Borough (www.brooklyntheborough.com) 10 Jan 2013. Online.
Chun, Tze. “A Guide To Buying Art Online” Harper’s Bazaar (www.harpersbazaar.com) 15 May 2014. Online.
Confort, Caitlin. “Nature Through Ryan James MacFarland’s Lens” Art Zealous (www.artzealous.com) 18 October 2016. Online.
Donohue, Katy. “13 Things Not To Miss On The Last Day of Pulse Miami Beach” Whitewall Magazine. (www.whitewallmag.com) 5 December 2015. Online.
Cotter, Holland. “10 Galleries to Visit on the Lower East Side: DON’T MISS” The New York Times (www.nytimes.com) 16 April 2015. Online.
Frost, Peter. “Catching Up With Ryan James MacFarland” Out Magazine (www.outmagazine.com) 5 July 2012. Online.
Harper, David. “Favorite Foto Friday” On Pictures/Artinfo.com (www.artinfo.com) 6 July 2012. Online.
Johnson, Paddy. “Great Strides Made Yet Still Needed at Pulse: Highlights” Art F City. (www.artfcity.com) 5 December 2015. Online.
Martin, J.M. “New Horizons in Road Trip Photography” Hyperallegic. (www.hyperallergic.com) 16 September 2016. Online.
Modern Art Obsession. “Ryan James MacFarland, a Young Photographer Worth
Checking Out” MAO (www.modernartobsession.com) 19 Aug 2008. Online.
Nazif, Perwana. “Ryan James MacFarland” Coeval Magazine (www.coeval-magazine.com) 22 March 2016. Online.
Purple DIARY. “Ryan James MacFarland’s Exhibition: TIDE STUDY at the Charles Bank Gallery, New York” Purple Magazine (www.purple.fr) 12 July 2012. Online.
Refinery29. “How Art World Insiders Started Their Must-See Collections” Refinery29 (www.refinery29.com) 25 March 2014. Online.
Roberts, Rebecca. “New Moons: Ryan James MacFarland at Charles Bank Gallery” On Pictures/Artinfo.com (www.artinfo.com) 10 July 2012. Online.
Roberts, Rebecca. “Scroll Contributor | Rebecca Roberts’ Summer Show Roundup” Paddle8 Blog (www.paddle8.com/blog) 27 July 2012. Online.
Uprise Art. “Brooklyn Based Photographer Ryan James MacFarland Shows Us The World Through a Lens of His Own” Uprise Art Blog (www.blog.upriseart.com) 6 Nov 2013. Online.
Uprise Art. “Uplift/Seclusion Seduction” Uprise Art Blog (www.blog.upriseart.com) 15 March 2014. Online.
Wagner, Vincent. “Featured Photographer: Ryan James MacFarland” This Very Instant (www.thisveryinstant.com) 22 January 2015. Online.
Publications
TVI01 – Adulthood, TVI, 2015
Teeth Gnash Tennessee, Invisible-Exports, 2015
The Unhappiest Readymade, Packet, 2014
Theme Index Vol. 2, Tumblr, 2013
Photographs 2008-2010, self-published, 2010
Untitled (Cloud Cover), self-published, 2009
Almost, Merge Gallery, 2008
MMVII, New York University, 2007
Twentysomethings, self-published, 2005
Flash Forward, The Magenta Foundation, 2005
Commercial Clients
DuJour, Dusen Dusen, Elle Danmark, Filter, GREI, Line Journal, Microsoft, The New York Times, Nylon, Spin, ThreeASFOUR, Vogue, Ursidae, Whitewall and W