About

I am a Miami-based photographer that explores the themes of death and the vulnerability of life.

Tony Chirinos is a Venezuelan-born documentary-style artist based in Miami. His career spans over forty years, exploring the theme of mortality and fragility. Chirinos is a recipient of fellowships including the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2023), The Green Space Miami Grant (2024), Callanan Excellence in Teaching Award (2019), the South Florida Cultural Consortium (2010), and the William Talbott Hillman Foundation grant (2021) to financially assist in the printing production of his first monograph, "The Precipice." Mr. Chirinos holds a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University (2003). Trained as a Bio-medical photographer in 1985 at Miami Children’s Hospital, he went on to create the Medical Photography department at Baptist Health Systems in 1989. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including participation in the III Bronx Latin American Art Biennial. His photographic series have been featured in Dear Dave, The British Journal of Photography, The Washington Post, Photo Eye, Edge of Humanity Magazine, Slate, Daily Mail, Business Insider, and Fotofilmic, among others. Chirinos was among 100 photographers who participated in Review Santa Fe in 2012, 2018, and 2019. His work is included in the collections of Museum of Fine Arts Houston, University of Colorado at Boulder, Candela Collection, Cuban Heritage Collection, Light Work, Photographic Center Northwest, Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, and Mount Sinai Medical Center, among others. Mr. Chirinos is a professor of photography at Miami Dade College since 2003.

My work has been exhibited and or featured at, A NEW NOTHING, Vol. 3, Editing, sequencing and writing by S*an D. Henry-Smith, Sleeper Studio summer (2021); Atlanta Photography Group, Portfolio (2021); The Print Swap, Foley Gallery, NYC, (2020); “The Qualities of Light” at the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, (2020); Mercer County Community College – The JKC Gallery (2018); NY Art Book Fair, Printed Matter’s at Moma PS1, Conveyor Editions(2018); III Bronx Latin American Art Biennial (2012); Candela Books + Gallery (2012); FLINT magazine (2017); Photo-eye, Photographer’s Showcase (2013); Museé Magazine; The Leroy Neiman Gallery in New York, NY (2002); Hunter College/Time Square Gallery (2002); Centro Colombo Americano in Bogotá, Colombia (1997); Der Greif A Process 2.0 –Krakow Photomonth Festival, Krakow Poland (2016); Self Portrait: Silver Eye at 30, Silver Eye for Photography (2009); Newspace Center for Photography, Oregon (2011); The Center for Fine Art Photography; SRO Photo Gallery at Texas Tech University (2010); UNO St. Claude Gallery (2011); Photo Center NW (2010); The Center for Photography at Woodstock (2010); Martin and Pat Fine Center for the Arts in Miami Florida (2013); Art Miami, South Beach (2006); and Ism-Gallery, Wynwood Art District Downtown Miami Florida (2009) among others.

My project, “Farewell” was feature in Humble Arts Foundation (2017), AINT-BAD no. 14 (2019) and +KGP on Death (2019). I have participated in several portfolio reviews; the New York Times Portfolio review, FOTO Fest, Atlanta Celebrates Photography and Review Santa Fe. My first monograph titled The Precipice was released late 2021 with Gnomic Books. I have been very fortunate that some of my work has been collected by Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona; James Kerney Campus Gallery at Mercer County Community College; Candela Collection - Candela Books + Gallery, Richmond Virginia; Museum of Art and Design at Miami Dade College; CPW – The Center of Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, New York; Light Work, Syracuse, New York; Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, Washington; Enfoco, New York, New York and Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York to name a few.

All these accolades make me humble that people and institutions are interested in my work and what I stand for as a photographer. I hope to continue in making work that challenges my viewers to think critically about the visual world that I attempt to capture.