Né à New York en 1971, Ethan Levitas parcourt dans son œuvre les questions de l’appartenance, de l’individualité, de l'identité. "In Advance of a Broken Arm" est le second chapitre de son travail sur l'identité américaine et les possibilités de la photographie, après "Untitled/This Is Just to Say", long voyage dans les rames du métro new-yorkais, que Levitas définit comme "métaphore du social, du collectif".
Levitas a vécu et enseigné au Japon : en 1999, il y met en place un programme novateur mêlant art et éducation à destination des lycéens japonais. En 2002, ce programme aboutit à la publication d'un manuel scolaire fondé sur l'écriture photographique, "Outside and In : Conversations about Identity", et utilisé comme support éducatif pour l'étude des civilisations étrangères.
Les photographies d'Ethan Levitas sont abritées dans les collections publiques et privées du monde entier, et furent exposées à la National Portrait Gallery de Londres, aux Rencontres d'Arles Photographie, à la New York Public Library ou encore au Center Photography de Woodstock. Ethan Levitas a été primé par le Aaron Siskind Fellowship, le NYFA Fellowship, le Kitteredge Fellowship, et a bénéficié du soutien de la Japan Foundation ainsi que de la Japan United States Friendship Commission pour des projets à long terme. Il a été finaliste en 2006 du prix Duke Center for Documentary Studies / Honickman et a été nominé pour le prix Découverte des Rencontres d'Arles Photographie 2008. Il a été finaliste en 2009 du prix bi- annuel décerné par la Fondation Henri Cartier Bresson.
Ethan Levitas est un photographe autodidacte, diplômé en sciences politiques de l'Université de Cornell (Etats-Unis). Il est portraitiste pour le "New Yorker".
Prix
2008
• Nominé au Prix Découverte, Les Rencontres d’Arles Photographie
2006
• Artist Fellowship, The Aaron Siskind Foundation
• Finalist, Honickman Prize in Photography, Duke Center for Documentary Studies
2002
• Artist Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts
• Artist Project Grant, Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP)
2000
• Artist Project Grant, Japan-US Friendship Commission
• Artist Project Grant, Japan Foundation CGP
1999
• Artist Fellowship, Kittredge Fund/Harvard University
• Artist Project Grant, Japan-US Friendship Commission
• Artist Project Grant, Japan Foundation CGP
• Artist Project Grant, Japan Local Government Center / CLAIR
Expositions
2011
• "Art Paris", Grand Palais, Paris, France
• Madrid Foto International Contemporary 2011, Madrid, Espagne
2010
• "In Advance of a Broken Arm", Polka Galerie, Paris, France
2008
• "Untitled/This Is Just To Say", Polka Galerie, Paris, France
• The New York Public Library, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
• Les Rencontres d’Arles Photographie, Arles, France
• The Lowery, Manchester, Royaume-Uni
2007
• National Portrait Gallery, London, Royaume-Uni
• Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn, NY, Etats-Unis
• New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
• The AIPAD Photography Show, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
2006
• Mill Theatre, Dublin, Irlande
• Lucie Awards Exhibition, Prague, République Tchèque
• Palm Springs Photo Festival, Palm Springs, CA, Etats-Unis
• The AIPAD Photography Show New York, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
• Photo LA, Los Angeles, CA, Etats-Unis
2005
• Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, NY, Etats-Unis
2004
• International Center of Photography, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
• Tokyo School for the Arts, Tokyo, Japon
2003
• Consulate General of Japan at Nippon Club, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
1999
• Performance Space 122 (PS122), New York, NY, Etats-Unis
• Public High Schools Exhibition Series (Traveling), Nagano, Japon
1998
• University of Connecticut Art Gallery, Hartford, CT, Etats-Unis
• Tempe Arts Center, Phoenix, AZ, Etats-Unis
-- COLLECTIONS PUBLIQUES --
• The New York Public Library, New York, NY, , Etats-Unis
• The Jewish Museum, New York, NY, Etats-Unis
• Howard Stein Collection /Joy of Giving Something Foundation, NY, Etats-Unis
• Briar Art Trust, Adelaide, Australie
Livres
"Horizons", Ed. Ivory Press, 2008
Catalogue des Rencontres d’Arles 2008, ed. Actes Sud
'Eminent Domain : Contemporary Photography and the City", Ed. New York Public Library, 2008
"Outside and In : Conversations about Identity", Ed. Kirihara Shoten Publishers, 2002
"National Portrait Prize", Ed. National Portrait Gallery, Londres, 2007
-- PUBLICATIONS / "The New Yorker" --
2009
• “A Passage to India : Rudresh Mahanthappa Chooses a Heritage,” with Gary Giddins, "The New Yorker", 3/2/09
•. “Into the Woods,” with Sasha Frere-Jones, "The New Yorker", 1/12/09
2008
• “Winged Victories : The Soaring Ambition of Santiago Calatrava,” with Rebecca Mead, "The New Yorker", 9/1/08
• “Bilal,” "The New Yorker", 6/2/08
• “A Man of Taste : Grant Achatz,” with D.T. Max, "The New Yorker", 5/12/08
• “Buying It : A Takashi Murakami Retrospective,” with Peter Schjeldahl, "The New Yorker", 4/14/08
• “Gunpowder Plots : Cai Guo-Qiang at the Guggenheim,” with Peter Schjeldahl, "The New Yorker", 2/25/08
2007
• “Wonder Woman : Chan Marshall’s Transformation,” with Sasha Frere-Jones, "The New Yorker", 12/10/07
• “Savage Beauty,” with Sasha Frere-Jones, "The New Yorker", 10/29/07
• “Carol Bove”, "The New Yorker", 10/22/07
• “Lay It As It Plays,” with John Lahr, "The New Yorker", 10/22/07
• “Family Drama : On Domestic Dysfunction,” with Hilton Als, "The New Yorker", 10/1/07
• “Sweetheart Sorrow : Past/Perfect, #3”, "The New Yorker", 6/11/07
2006
• “Full Bore”, with Sasha Frere-Jones, "The New Yorker", 8/7/06
Ethan Levitas Because of this photograph. Incident Report N° 1, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of this photograph. Incident Report N° 2, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°3, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will soon detain me. Because of this photograph. Incident Report N° 5, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will soon say this photograph cannot be; Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°16, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will soon deem me a threat to national security, because of this photgraph. Incident Report N°21, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will soon stop me for questioning, because of this photograph. Incident Report N°29, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will not say a word; Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°32, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph outside of the police station where I will soon be detained, because of this photograph. Incident Report N°37, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will soon destroy my next photograph, because of this photograph. Incident Report N°40, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will not say a word, because of this photograph. Incident Report N°41, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will soon prohibit my next photograph, because of this photograph. Incident Report N°47, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who will not say a word, because of this photograph. Incident Report N°76, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°93, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who i will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°94, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to kow; Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°99, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to know; Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°102, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to kow; Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°107, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°111, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°116, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°121, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officers who I will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°129, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°139, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Photograph of the officer who I will not permit to know; because of this photograph. Incident Report N°145, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of this photograph. Incident Report N°151, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of that photograph, nothing further to report. Incident Report N° 154, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of that photograph, nothing further to report. Incident Report N° 156, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of that photograph, nothing further to report. Incident Report N° 161, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of that photograph, nothing further to report. Incident Report N° 164, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Because of that photograph, nothing further to report. Incident Report N° 166, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Incident Report N°223, In Advance of a Broken Arm, New York City, 2009-2010
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #49, New York, 2007
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #91, New York, 2006
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #64, New York, 2005
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #15, New York, 2004
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #19, New York, 2006
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #77, New York, 2007
Ethan Levitas Triptyque: Untitled/This is just to say, #75 / #49 / #91, Edition spéciale, New-York, 2008
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #80, New York, 2007
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #23
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #63, New York, 2005
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #84, New York, 2005
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #99, New York
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #32,New York, 2005
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #44, New York
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #57, New York, 2005
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #43, New York, 2006
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #75, New York, 2006
Ethan Levitas Untitled/This is just to say, #27, New York, 2006
Ethan Levitas Maiko Study #4, New York City / Kyoto, 2007
Ethan Levitas Maiko Study #7, New York City / Kyoto, 2007
Ethan Levitas Maiko Study #15, New York City / Kyoto, 2007
Ethan Levitas Geiko Study #1, New York City / Kyoto, Geiko Study #1, 2007
Ethan Levitas Geiko Study #3, New York City / Kyoto, 2007
Ethan Levitas Geiko Study #6, New York City / Kyoto, 2007
Ethan Levitas Geiko Study #12, New York City / Kyoto, 2007
Ethan Levitas Geiko Study #16, New York City / Kyoto, 2007