Photograph, poet, film director and emblematic character of the Factory

Gerard Malanga was born in 1943 and raised in the Bronx, New York, the only child of Italian immigrant parents. At twenty years old, he meets Andy Warhol who soon becomes his mentor. Together they work on Warhol's silkscreen prints and realize some films and 'Screens tests' (short films). Malanga becomes then the archetype of the Warholian superstar. His main activities are poetry and photography, he takes the opportunity of the most famous New York artists visiting at The Factory, Warhol's studio, to shoot them and create unforgettable clichés. He is and remains one of the closest associate of Warhol during the Factory years. After his association with Warhol and following his departure from the Factory in the 70's, Gérard Malanga still photographs people from artistic, musical and literary backgrounds.

His work
"... his work that covers over forty years offers a complete panorama of the underground history, but also of the 'mondaine' society, of the new york scene..." (connaissance des arts 2006 - traduction CG).

A series of thirty-four of his portraits of poets and writers who have appeared in Chelsea magazine over the years were recently acquired by the Beinecke Library-Yale University. In 2001, an entire wall was given over to his work in the exhibition, The Pop Years, at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. In 2003, Malanga produced for Sub Rosa, The Cloud Doctrine, a double CD of selected rare music tapes by the legendary poet/composer, Angus MacLise. He
Gerard Malanga is the author of a dozen books of poetry. He still continues his research in poetry and lives with his cats in Brooklyn, New York.
More info about Gerard Malanga >>

Recently...
"It's the end of the afternoon. I arrive at Sandrine Mons' gallery... she asks me if I want to meet the artist of the famous photographs she is exhibiting, Gerard Malanga in person. Surprised, I see him leaned against a car bonnet, a glass in his hands, in the middle of a regular crowd, used to hip exhibitions, that does not take care of him. This man that had a determinant influence on Andy Wahrol, that has lived the epic years of the Factory, artistic place of the pop-art scene, that has been side by side with and has taken photographs of Mick Jagger, Patti Smith, Lou Reed and the musicians of Velvet Underground, William Burroughs, Charles Bukowski, John Cage, Robert Mapplethorpe, this poet and film maker that is one of the biggest witness of this avant-gardist and premonitory period, is there almost isolated and ignored by these art lovers that we only see the day of an art preview..." (traduction CG)... read the complete story (text in French) >>

Newest interview:
http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/8186/1/gerard-malangas-beautiful-soul

(Source: text and pictures - Sandrine Mons - Galerie Sandrine Mons)