art + objets d'arts + photography

Michael Alago (New York, USA),
‘Art Dealer’s Hands’ (portrait fo Guy Berube), NYC 2007, Authentic Original Signed Polaroid, 3.5 x 4 inches. 
Gift from the artist.

This is the original Polaroid taken by the artist; it is not a digital reprint.

Asking USD$650.

• Passionate about music, art and literature, photographer Michael Alago is the quintessential New Yorker with an “only in New York” career. From booking bands at the legendary Eighties East Village rock club the Ritz to famously signing metal gods Metallica to shooting some of the hottest roughnecks on the planet, Alago’s story is driven by creativity, instinct and guts. “Brutal Truth,” his provocative new 260-page book is out March 2011 via sexy German publishing house, Bruno Gmünder.

  A former record label A&R executive and talent scout for over twenty years, Alago earned the respect of the industry for his expertise in a wide variety of musical genres. In addition to discovering Metallica he also signed White Zombie, Alan Vega, Johnny Rotten (with his band Public Image, Ltd.), Michael Feinstein and Nina Simone, for whom he executive produced her critically acclaimed final album “A Single Woman.”

  Alago left the music business in 2004 to focus on his parallel lifelong passion–photography–initially picking up a Polaroid camera and embarking on an ongoing series of erotically charged portraits, which he continues to this day. Now equipped with a variety of cameras, and an eye for muscle-bound, tattooed roughnecks, Alago shoots friends, models and bodybuilders in various settings, stages of undress and arousal. Erotically-charged and testosterone-fueled, Alago’s photographs are recognized by fans worldwide.

  Alago’s first photo book, a collection entitled Rough Gods, was published in 2005. Night Blooming Jasmine Will Never Smell The Same, a collaborative book of poems, observations and rants with Life of Agony singer Keith Caputo(now Mina Caputo) was published in 2010. As an independent consultant, Alago most recently teamed up with old friend Cyndi Lauper on her Grammy-nominated album, “Memphis Blues,” on which he served as A&R executive.

  “Brutal Truth” by Michael Alago is available internationally as of March 2011 on Amazon.com.
  http://www.amazon.com/dp/3867870969?ie=UTF8&tag=brungmue-20&linkCode=as2

  In Beautiful Imperfections,Michael’s 2013 release, as with his previous collection, Brutal Truth, it is Alago’s artful juxtapositioning of tough vs tender, nature vs grafitti, beauty vs. beast that continues to make his work instantly recognizeable by (119,000+ Facebook) fans worldwide.