Meet Harrison Hurwitz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Harrison Hurwitz.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
A friend of a friend met me at a party, and when he learned I was a photographer he surprised me by saying “I bet you would like to photograph my dad”. I asked him why he thought that, and he said “Because he’s mafia”. Although I was definitely curious, I was sure his father wasn’t actually mafia but probably looked the part. I felt I needed a good “character” image for my portfolio at the time, so we went ahead and scheduled a shoot.

When Steve showed up for his session, he definitely looked mafia and had a cigar with him. He was in his 70’s and his suit were exactly what I would have expected. As we began photographing, Steve was quite chatty and very congenial. At one point he said something about being a “wise guy”, so I asked him what exactly that meant. At that moment, all the congeniality stopped, the smile left his face, and he said sternly “We’re not going there.” Suddenly, I realized that this guy really was mafia!

We continued the session, and he was friendly again for the remainder. Once finished, Steve asked me to join him for lunch. By now I am thinking that I really don’t want to become friends or hang out with this guy, so I politely decline. With a big smile on his face, he grabs my wrist and squeezes so hard I thought my wrist was broken, as he was saying “we’re going to lunch, aren’t we?” “Yes, we certainly are.”, I said back. He insisted on paying for the nice lunch we had, and that was the last I saw of Steve, but he left quite an impression. Fortunately for me, he liked his photos.

Please tell us about your art.
Before I was a photographer, I was a psychologist. People fascinate me, and being primarily a people photographer, I am aware that many people have a certain smile or aspect of their personality they are comfortable sharing in photos. Everyone was teased about their looks as a child, and that damage never leaves us entirely, no matter how we end up looking as adults. I must move people past those insecurities and stock expressions, and that is why a shoot can never be successful for me in 10-15 minutes. There has to be more depth than that. When somebody tells me “you really captured her/him”, I am flattered, but I also realize I only captured one part of a complex human being. So, what I hope people will see in my images is the complexity and fragility of being human.

What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
The cost of basic necessities has gone up a lot in recent years, and that is tough on artists. In Phoenix, apartment rents have gone up around 20% in 2 years, and all the new apartments built are called “luxury” and priced accordingly.

Greater Phoenix has several spaces where art can be shown and purchased. However, I am not sure how targeted their marketing is, and the valley is generally not a place people come to buy art. So, there is room for improvement. I also think that many galleries here need to be more discerning about the level of craft they are showing. Having tourists and locals see mediocre work will keep us from being viewed as a respected center for art.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work can be seen online at hurwitzphotography.com, although I want to have another exhibition of my work at a gallery. People can be supportive by recommending me to others who want high quality, in depth photos of themselves, or by telling interior designers about the “desert romance” series on my website. 

Contact Info:

• Website: hurwitzphotography.com
• Phone: 602-505-8904
• Email: harrison@hurwitzphotography.com

Image Credit:
©Harrison Hurwitz 2018

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