Jeff Dunas
Jeff Dunas is a highly respected photographer, publisher, and curator, whose career spans several decades and a variety of photographic genres. In the 1970s and early 1980s, while based in Paris, Dunas built a reputation as an editorial photographer, working for major U.S. and European magazines. During this period, he also created an extensive body of street photography, capturing the dynamic and diverse scenes of life in Europe and the United States.
In the mid-1980s, Dunas shifted his focus toward publishing, becoming the founder and editor of Collectors Photography and Camera & Darkroom magazines. This period marked a turning point in his career as he moved away from editorial work to concentrate on fine art photography. He began producing photography books, organizing exhibitions, and curating monographs that highlighted his evolving artistic vision. His work during this time expanded into the realms of documentary photography and celebrity portraiture, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and innovative photographer.
Dunas has exhibited extensively throughout his career, with 60 solo exhibitions to his name, including 12 museum shows. He has participated in nearly 40 group exhibitions across prestigious galleries and institutional spaces around the world. His work is included in prominent collections such as the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Getty Museum, the George Eastman House, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, among others.
As a fine art photographer, Dunas realized early on the limitations of the traditional gallery model, where photographers could expect only occasional exhibitions and limited opportunities for print sales. He recognized the transformative potential of the internet to connect collectors directly with artists, thus reshaping the photographer-gallery-collector dynamic. In this evolving landscape, Dunas observed that collectors were no longer reliant solely on galleries to discover and acquire works. Instead, they began to reach out to photographers directly, placing photographers in the new role of negotiating sales and managing transactions.
Despite this shift, Dunas maintains that galleries continue to play a crucial role in the art world, acting as liaisons between artists and collectors. He envisions a system where collectors can access the print archives of photographers through galleries, enhancing the relationship between artist, gallery, and collector while preserving the integrity of the traditional gallery system. His innovative approach seeks to blend the accessibility of the internet with the professional networks and expertise of galleries.
Throughout his career, Dunas has remained hands-on with his work, continuing to personally print his images. His dedication to the craft of photography, both as an artist and a publisher, has left a lasting impact on the field.
Highway 61 to Honeyboy, One Picture Book, Nazraeli Press, 2024
Working America with Jeff Dunas, Steve McCurry & James Natchewey (Toyota / Saatchi), 2006
Up Close & Personal, Merrell, 2003
Jeff Dunas Eros Fotografia, Milano. Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso 2003
American Pictures, Aperture / Konemann 2002
State of the Blues, Aperture 1998
Disappearing America, Brescia. Edizioni del Museo 1995.
Voyeur, Melrose / Love Me Tender, 1983
Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle! (Melrose / Filipacchi), 1982
Captured Women, (Filipacchi / Melrose / Swann / Patrick Stephens / Blume / Fleet (French, American, German, English UK, Spain, Japan), 1981
Laura . Brescia: Edizioni del Museo, 1993. Museum Catalogue.
Indians and Mountain Men . Brescia: Edizioni del Museo, 1992. Italian and English text. Museum Catalogue.
Jeff Dunas: Blue Series & Duotones. Brescia: Edizioni del Museo, 1991.
Jeff Dunas. Cologne: Taschen Verlag, 1989. German, French and English text.
