Wayne Schoenfeld

Wayne Schoenfeld (born September 12, 1948 in Los Angeles, United States) is an American photographer best known for his coverage of global humanitarian projects, as well as photographs that are living tableaux expressing social commentary.

Photography

Schoenfeld's images are found in art galleries, museums and private collections throughout North America, Asia and Europe. They are part of the permanent collections of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea, of the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and of the Cirque du Soleil. His distinctive artistic approach involves an elaborate creative process, closer in essence to cinema than photography. He has been profiled in television programs on American networks, such as BRAVO! and MBC Network Television, in addition to serving as the subject of several documentaries.

Seven of Schoenfeld’s books have been published: Brittle Glory: The Face of Change, a collection of intimate portraits taken in the Cuban countryside and the Kurdish territories in Southeastern Turkey; Surface Tension, a selection of portraits and impressions of the female form; Through The Eyes Of Man [...], revisionist, operatic interpretations of biblical lore; English and Korean editions of There Are No Answers, If The Questions Aren't Asked; Almost Perfect, Mission To India and Through This World But Once.

Photographed in Vietnam, Almost Perfect chronicles a volunteer American surgical team and their tireless work to help children with disfiguring injuries and congenital conditions. A disturbing visual account, the book — Independent Publisher's Most Outstanding Book of 2004 — documents the dedication and fervor of these volunteers who work tirelessly to provide free reconstructive cleft-palate operations and treatment for children in need worldwide. Oscar winning Don Rogers: In Almost Perfect Wayne Schoenfeld documents a mission of peace, focusing on themes that are heroic and worthwhile.

Published by Great Circle Books in cooperation with American Photo Magazine, Mission To India is the result of a collaboration between Schoenfeld and journalist Rex Weiner. This poignant book is a homage to the heroism and dedication of a Rotaplast volunteer surgical team in Karaikal, India.

To spread joy and happiness was the intention behind Schoenfeld’s Through This World But Once (part of the Eye To I series), a colourful book that shows the passion of a clown from the Clowns Without Borders group and his therapeutic visits to hospitals and clinics in Addis Ababa and Ethiopia. Schoenfeld is also executive producer for the video documentary The Memory Box, a co production with Exeko and AuerFilms.

Business

Trained as a psychologist, in 1973, Schoenfeld was the co-founder and Director of the Los Angeles Guidance and Counseling Service; by 1978 the tax-exempt non-profit LAGCS was one of the largest providers of outpatient mental health services in the state of California.

1979-1995 CEO and Chairman of Air L.A., the first airline in the United States to fly under an international code sharing partnership. In 1994 the airline expanded after a successful NASDAQ public offering.

1996-2002 - CEO and Chairman of Real Image Digital, a motion picture technology partnership with the Sarnoff Research Center. In 2002 RID was sold to Technicolor.

2003-Current - Chairman of the Board of Directors, Great Circle Books. GCB was organized to publish works of social and humanitarian consequence. The funds raised through the sale of books are designated to support a number of charities and humanitarian projects.

Schoenfeld is a successful businessman, an award winning photographer and a publisher. He contributes to humanitarian work around the world, has published two books documenting the work of Rotaplast International, including the Most Outstanding Book of 2004 by the Independent Publisher's Association, Almost Perfect. His work is well known in galleries and museums around the world where the proceeds from his art are donated to children's projects and humanitarian efforts.

Schoenfeld continues to document in photographic images and motion pictures the work of great charitable and volunteer efforts around the world.

Exhibitions

  • May 2009 - Galerie SAS (Montréal) - Icons/Iconoclasts
  • April 2009 - Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (Los Angeles)
  • April 2009 - Complesso del Vittoriano (Rome) – [...] of the Sabine Women
  • March 2009 - Project Blue – Benefit to Help a Life Foundation (Los Angeles) - Through This World But Once
  • February 2009 - All Nighter 2009 – Art Souterrain / Palais des Congrès (Montréal) - Icons/Iconoclasts
  • November 2008 - Society of Art and Technology (SAT) (Montréal) - Through This World But Once
  • September 2008 - 400th Anniversay of Québec - Through This World But Once
  • April 2008 - ONF (Montréal) – Through This World But Once
  • March 2008 - D’Un Œil Différent – Collective exhibition
  • December 2007 - Hollywood Gallery - Icons/Iconoclasts, A&I
  • October 2007 - Cirque du Soleil – Icons/Iconoclasts
  • March 2007 - EYE to I Gallery - Through This World But Once, Los Angeles
  • October 2006 - Los Angeles County Museum of Art - Photographic Arts Council
  • June 2006 - Circus of Life, Los Angeles
  • April 2006 - [...] of the Sabine Women and Vanity, Beverly Hills
  • April 2006 - Gora Gallery - Circus of Life, Montréal
  • December 2005 - Korean National Museum of Contemporary Art Purchases Schoenfeld Images
  • September 2004 - Photo District Gallery - Vanity – The series, New York
  • February 2004 - BGH Gallery - The Miss Liberty Series, Los Angeles

...and others

Bibliography

  • 2007 : Icons/Iconoclasts
  • 2007 : Through This World But Once
  • 2005 : There Are No Answers, If The Questions Aren't Asked
  • 2004 : Mission to India
  • 2003 : Almost Perfect
  • 2002 : Through The Eyes Of Man [...]
  • 2001 : Surface Tension
  • 2001 : Brittle Glory

Sources

fr:Wayne Schoenfeld