Podcast Summary: All Of It – Tony Notarberardino’s Chelsea Hotel Portraits (March 12, 2024, WNYC)

Overview

This episode of "All Of It" (hosted by Koosha Navadar, in for Alison Stewart) focuses on photographer Tony Notarberardino and his latest solo exhibition: large-format black and white portraits of the people drawn to New York’s storied Chelsea Hotel. The conversation dives into Tony’s process, the unique community of the Chelsea, and the anthropological significance of documenting an era and a cast of characters emblematic of New York’s downtown creative scene.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Genesis of the Chelsea Hotel Portraits

• Tony's Arrival at the Chelsea (1994)
  • Moved in after time in Paris and London.
  • Immediately taken by the hotel’s "cast of characters."
  • Started shooting portraits around 1996, using an 8x10 camera set up in his apartment hallway.
  • The project was both a compulsion and a reaction to his environment.
• Choosing Subjects
  • Many people declined to be photographed ("almost a project of people who wouldn’t" [04:28]), but most were receptive.
  • Tony preferred not to show previous work to subjects to preserve authenticity—avoiding pre-conceived notions in their expressions.

Capturing Reality and Authenticity

• Tony’s Aim:
  • Sought "some reality... some essence of what they did with their life" [05:26].
  • The portraits focus on people first and foremost, less so on “celebrity.”
  • Subjects ranged from local legends to "vagabonds, activists, and hotel staff—plus a few pop culture icons" [01:16].

Artistic Process and Vision

• Shooting in Black and White
  • Black and white was always Tony’s preference, inspired by his studies in Melbourne and love of historical photography.
  • Offers a distinctive and arresting look, "adds a whole different value to the picture" [09:59].
• Shooting Environment
  • Isolated subjects against a plain wall to "make it about the people and more about the people than the actual hotel" [11:00].

The Exhibition’s Timing and Context

• Why Now?
  • Years in the making; finding exhibition space in NYC is tough.
  • The Chelsea Hotel recently reopened after a decade-long closure for construction, making it an ideal moment. "It’s kind of perfect timing" [05:53].

Stories Behind Key Portraits and Notable Subjects

• Ricky Labrizzi

  • A friend/artist who championed Tony’s work to the ACA gallery; appears in the show holding his grandson [07:26].

• Documenting Generations

  • Spanning decades, some subjects have children and grandchildren now—highlighting the longevity of the project [07:33].

• Notable Sitters

  • Didi Ramone and Arthur C. Clarke: Marks of project’s unexpected significance and historical documentation [07:49].
  • Stormé DeLarverie (legendary LGBTQ activist): "It took me probably 10 years to photograph her and to get her confidence in order to get the picture I wanted." [16:26]
  • Rose Wood (Performance artist, self-proclaimed "transgender terrorist"): Nude, deconstructed Queen Victoria performance piece, shot after late-night shows. "To me, I wanted to portray because it was so powerful and such an important part of Rose’s transition and journey." [17:29]
  • Grace Jones: Captured at 4:45am while she was playing a nurse in Abel Ferrara’s documentary filming at the hotel. "When she agreed to come and do the portrait... it kind of captures the authenticity of the project because this is how I photographed the people as I found them in whatever thing they were doing at the hotel at the time." [20:39]

The Chelsea as a Community and Microcosm

• A Cross-Section of Life
  • The project is "not so much about celebrity" but about a "cross-section of people" reflecting the hotel’s microcosm of New York creativity and oddity [14:45].
• Long-Term Residents
  • Varied relationships; some isolation, some tight-knit bonds.
  • Gaining trust was essential for authentic portraits.

Audience and Callers

• Callers
  • Express nostalgia, personal connections to Tony's work, and inquire about iconic former residents like Brendan Behan and Abdullah Ibrahim.
  • A former model (Amanda) reconnects with Tony, underscoring the enduring bonds his work helped foster [18:38].
• Community Response
  • Tony describes the exhibition opening as a "great turnout" and expresses gratitude for continued friendships and creative exchange [19:46].

Exhibition Experience and Takeaway

• Physical Scale and Presence
  • Many prints are life-size—designed for a direct, immersive engagement with viewers [23:01].
• Intention
  • To deliver "really stark portraiture... direct and honest," and to serve as both artistic achievement and "documentation of the end of an era of New York and the Chelsea Hotel as we knew it then" [23:01–23:31].

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On photographing the non-famous:
  "To me, it was always about like cross section of people, not so much about celebrity because... there’s so much more to [the Chelsea] than what people often talk about."
  — Tony Notarberardino (14:45)

• On authenticity:
  "I wanted to isolate the people. I’d seen some books about the hotel where they would be photographed in the hallways... but for this project, I really wanted to make it about the people."
  — Tony Notarberardino (11:00)

• On trust and patience:
  "The only way this project could really come about was... living it and living there. The portrait of Stormy... it took me probably 10 years to photograph her."
  — Tony Notarberardino (16:26)

• On his process and medium:
  "With the process, 8x10, it’s a large format camera, so we don’t shoot that many sheets of film… I would always have in mind the kind of image I’d like."
  — Tony Notarberardino (08:54)

• On the show’s significance:
  "Just hope people just appreciate it and enjoy it, I guess. And take away what is a documentation of the end of an era of New York and the Chelsea Hotel as we knew it then."
  — Tony Notarberardino (23:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:11] Tony’s origin at Chelsea Hotel and taking up photography project
• [04:28] The process of requesting and photographing residents
• [05:53] Why the exhibit is taking place now
• [07:26] Stories behind Ricky Labrizzi’s portrait and generational documentation
• [09:59] The choice and meaning of black and white photography
• [11:00] Intentional isolation of subjects for focus
• [14:45] The importance of non-celebrity figures
• [16:26] Building trust with long-term residents (e.g. Stormé DeLarverie)
• [17:29] Photo story of Rose Wood, transgender performance artist
• [20:39] Photo story of Grace Jones and shooting context
• [23:01] Tony’s hopes for viewer engagement and the exhibition’s aims

Tone and Language

• Warm, conversational, and reflective—Tony is personable, nostalgic, and grateful, and the host is genuinely curious and appreciative of the Chelsea Hotel's lore and the artistry of the work.

Takeaway

Tony Notarberardino’s "Chelsea Hotel Portraits" exhibition is not only a striking artistic achievement but also a vital social document—a loving, unvarnished chronicle of the creative, eccentric, sometimes infamous, always fascinating inhabitants of one of New York’s most storied addresses. Through patience, community, and his signature black-and-white style, Tony offers a powerful window into a vanishing slice of New York life.