biography
A native of Brazil, André Cypriano was born in 1964 and educated in São Paulo with a university degree in business administration. Concerned with environmental issues, he contributed time and effort as the administrator of "Salva Mar" Save the Sea - a Brazilian organization dedicated to save the whales in North Brazil.
In 1990, one year after relocating to the U.S., André began to study photography in San Francisco. He has since completed several projects which have been exhibited in over 200 galleries and museums in South America, North America, Asia and Europe.
André has been a recipient of the first place award in San Francisco City College's Photography Department of Scholarship, the World Image Award Competition promoted by Photo District News in N.Y., New Works Awards - promoted by En Foco in N.Y., Mother Jones International Fund for Documentary Photography, Bolsa Vitae de Artes in São Paulo, Caracas Think Tank in Venezuela, as well as All Roads Photography Program from NGS. His work is part of museums and private collections like MAM-SP, Pinacoteca de SP, MASP Coleção Pirelli, Coleção FNAC de Fotografia, Museo Del Barrio in N.Y., Library of Congress in Washington, D.C..
As part of a long term project, Cypriano began to document traditional lifestyles and practices of lesser known societies in remote corners of the world with a slant toward the unique and unusual. Thus far, he has photographed the people of Nias, an island off the northwest coast of Sumatra (Nias - Jumping Stones), the dogs of Bali (Spiritual Quest), the infamous penitentiary of Candido Mendes, in Rio de Janeiro (The Devil's Caldron – book published by Cosac Naify), the largest shantytown in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro (Rocinha – book published by SENAC), the most important shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro. The shantytowns of Caracas (The Culture of the Informal Cities – book published by CaracasThinkTank), the culture of resistance of the african-Brazilian slavery descendants (Quilombolas – book published by AORI Produções Culturais), as well as the universe of capoeira (Capoeira – book published by AORI Produções Culturais). His ongoing projects have been used in educational workshops.
Currently, André Cypriano lives in New York and Rio, and continues to be involved in social and cultural projects.
Books
- O Caldeirão do Diabo (The Devi's Caldron) - photography and text by André Cypriano, published by Cosac & Naify Edições, 2001. ISBN 85-7503-053-1[4]
- Rocinha - photography and text by André Cypriano, published by Editora SENAC, 2005. ISBN 85-7359-431-4[5]
- Quilombolas: Tradição e Cultura da Resistência - photography by André Cypriano, text by Rafael Sanzio dos Anjos, published by AORI, 2006. ISBN 978-85-999-5301-3[6]
- Capoeira: Luta, Dança e Jogo da Liberdade - photography by André Cypriano, text by Rodrigo de Almeida and Letícia Pimenta, published by AORI, 2009. ISBN 978-85-99953-04-4[9]
Catalogues
- 2015 - Rocks of Imagination, Galeria Paralelo
- 2012 - Two Decades, Frederico Seve Gallery
- 2011 - Afro-Colombianos, Galeria Portfolio
- 2011 - FotoRio 2011, Centro Cultural Correios
- 2010 - Capoeira: Luta, Dança e Jogo da Liberdade, Caixa Cultural
- 2008 - Rocinha, Museu de Arte de São Paulo Coleção Pirelli
- 2007 - Sutil Violento, Itau Cultural
- 2002 - Favelas Upgrading - 8. Mostra Internazionale D'Architettura, Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
- 2002 - Rocinha, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo
- 2001 - Transfigurações - O Rio no Olhar Contemporâneo, Centro Cultural Light
Awards
- 2017 - Library of Congress Photography Division Award in Washington, D.C. - USA
- 2007 - Coleção Pirelli/MASP de Fotografia - São Paulo, SP - Brazil
- 2007 - Clube da Fotografia do MAM - São Paulo, SP - Brazil
- 2005 - National Geographic, All Roads Photography Program - Washington, D.C. - USA
- 2003 - Caracas Case Project, Federal Cultural Foundation of Germany and Caracas Think Tank - Caracas, CCS - Venezuela
- 2002 - Bolsa Vitae de Artes - São Paulo, SP - Brazil
- 1999 - Mother Jones International Fund for Documentary Photography - San Francisco, CA - USA
- 1998 - En Foco, New Works Award - New York, NY - USA
- 1996 - Lifetouch, Portrait Excellence Award - Burlingame, CA - USA
- 1992 - PDN, World Image Awards - New York, NY - USA
- 1992 - San Francisco City College, Photography Department of Scholarship - San Francisco, CA - USA