About Ocean Morisset Photography
Ocean Morisset is a self-taught , award-winning photographer with nearly twenty years of experience specializing in Photojournalism and Documentary photography. A self described "humanitarian-with-a-camera", Ocean also explores Fine Art photography and engages with a wide range of subjects in life, though his passion remain in telling stories with photos, captured candidly. Ocean often uses his iphone to capture fleeting moments, using the stealth of a ninja and a zen-like sensitivity towards his subjects. The iphone allows him to get close, remain stealthy in his approach,and capture intimate moments, that tell the story of the human condition.
Ocean’s choice of subject matter reveals his humanitarianism, as he has a keen eye for the unnoticed and under-appreciated aspects of life, and presents them in a way that the viewer takes hold of the image for their own self-reflection.
Ocean Morisset is a Veteran of the the United States Air Force Reserves having served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1990-91) as a Medic. He has continued this career path in the civilian world taking care of people with HIV/AIDS at various medical institutions throughout New York City.
Ocean’s serious interest in photography began in 2001 when he was given a 35mm camera as a gift. He quickly fell in love with the medium, and the magic of making prints in his tiny darkroom built in a spare bathroom. Ocean’s natural inclination was to share his love of photography with others and so, in the same year, Ocean founded the Fort Greene Photography Organization (FGPO). With flyers placed around the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, he put out a call for people to join a “ Serious Amateur Photography Club”. The notices drew both professional and amateur photographer’s of varying genre’s of photography, and as a collective, FGPO began sharing work at meetings and planning exhibitions across the city. While FGPO is no longer operating as a group, they are proud of the experience of showcasing local photographers work in over fourteen exhibitions in the ten year period of the club’s existence, and solidifying members’ passion and commitment to photography.
Ocean Morisset career highlights include:
2001- Ocean establishes the Fort Greene Photography Organization, a membership organization of photographer amateurs and professionals.
2003- Ocean travels to Havana, Cuba to teach a two week photography and arts workshop to Cuban youth under a grant secured by Cuban-American Photographer Nestor Hernandez.
2004- Ocean travels to Gonaives, Haiti with the humanitarian organization Eritaj Foundation to deliver food aid and medical supplies to survivors of Hurricane Jeanne. While there, he photographs the resilience of the Haitian people with special emphasis placed on the food distribution efforts. The photo essay is called The Aftermath of Hurricane Jeanne and has been exhibited at Musician Wyclef Jean’s launch of his Foundation, Yele Haiti.
2004- Ocean begins documenting the Black Gay community with projects that include Mukuru: Black Gay Elders and Pride in the City, New York’s Black Gay Pride celebrations.
2005- Ocean is accepted to the prestigious Eddie Adams Workshop for Photojournalism with his portfolio of images from The Aftermath of Hurricane Jeanne. At the end of the four day workshop, due to his outstanding performance, Ocean is awarded an assignment with The New York Times and TV Guide Magazine.
2005- Select images from Ocean’s body of work of the Black Male Nude is published in the book, Black No. 5 published by Janssen Publishing, South Africa.
2006- Ocean is commissioned to photograph the subject of Black Male Nudes for a book to be published out of the UK.
2007-08 —The coffee table book Nude Photography, The Art and Craft is published featuring Ocean’s black male nude photography by DK publishing, the largest publishing house in the UK.
2009--Ocean's work is accepted for CurateNYC, a city-wide juried artist competition and is exhibited at Rush Arts Gallery Gallery in Chelsea.
2010- Ocean continues to photograph personal and commercial projects, and enjoys making new discoveries through photography.
2011- For a second year, Ocean's photography is accepted for CurateNYC, an city-wide juried artist competition, and is exhibited at Rush Arts Gallery in Chelsea.
2011--Ocean has his second solo exhibition Diasporan Views at Sister's uptown Cultural Center, NYC
2012--Ocean exhibits his photographs in the historic group photography exhibition, A Choice of Weapons: New Renaissance Artists, a tribute to the legendary photographer/filmmaker Gordon Parks.
2012-- Group Exhibition, Old Harlem, New Harlem, Rios II Gallery, NYC
2012--Group Exhibition, Celebrating Our Sons, Harlem State Building Gallery, NYC
2014--Fotofestiwal, 13th Annual International Photo festival, Lodz, Poland. Curated by Jamel Shabazz/Produced by United Photo Industries (UPI)
2014--Solo Exhibition: Peekskill Through My Eyes, Chamber of Commerce, Peekskill, New York.
2015--Solo Exhibition: Peekskill Through My Eyes, Dylan's Wine Cellar, Peekskill, New York.
June 2015--Peekskill Arts Alliance OPEN STUDIOS, Truck Stop Gallery. Peekskill, N.Y.
December 15--Group Exhibit, "In the Spiritual Moment II", SIA Gallery, Peekskill, N.Y.
Feb. 2016--Solo Exhibition, "Metro", Beale Street Barbershop, Peekskill, N.Y.
May 2016--Solo Exhibition, Peekskill: The Way I see It, TheFlatz Gallery, Peekskill, N.Y.
Nov 2016--Ocean teaches a Teen Photography Workshop through New Era Creatve Space, Peekskill, NY.
April 2017---Curator, Group Exhibit, Word on The Street, Peekskill, NY
April 2017--Ocean Teaches an Adult Photography Workshop through the FieldLibrary. Peekskill, NY
June 2017--Peekskill Open Studios
Oct 2017--Ocean teaches a Teen Photography Workshop through New Era Creative Space. Peekskill, NY.
Oct/Nov 2017--Solo Exhibition, Underground Love, The Field Gallery, Peekskill, NY.
2017--Group Exhibition, Transplanted II, Hudson River Healthcare Gallery
2018--Group Exhibition, Black History Month, Hudssin River HealthCare Gallery
2018--Solo Exhibition, Dad Duty, BeanRunner Cafe, Peekskill, NY
2018--In_Question, Group Exhibition, Peekskill, New York
2019---Group Exhibition, Humanity, Mahopac Library Art Gallery, Mahopac, NY
2019--Group exhibition, We Are Family, Blue Door Gallery, Yonkers, New York
2019--Group Exhibition, Modern Families, ArtsWestchester Gallery, White Plains, NY
2019--Group Exhibition, Traditional & Experimental Photography, X Gallery, Harlem, NYC
2019--Group Exhibition, BIG ART show, Ford Piano Gallery, Peekskill, NY
2019--Group Exhibition, Inaugural Juried Show, Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art (HVMOCA), Peekskill, NY
March 2020--Solo Exhibition, No Justice, No Peace, Croton Library Ottinger Gallery, Croton-on Hudson, NY
July 2020-Photography Installation, Peekskill Rises Up Against Racial injustice (BLM), Worker's Comp Building, Peekskill, NY
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In July of 2011, Ocean Morisset was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a blood cancer which spread to his bone marrow. Since then, he has been documenting his own intimate journey with, and through cancer in a series of self-portraits, revealing personal moments while receiving chemotherapy and private moments inside his own thoughts and feelings at home. Ocean’s decision to turn the camera onto himself in such a revealing way was not a difficult one as he was intent sharing his personal struggle for the benefit of those who want to learn and even heal. He also recognizes that when most people get a disease, or any type of affliction, the tendency is to isolate and withdraw from society. Ocean was determined to show another way of dealing with this particular life challenge.
Ocean Morisset has exhibited internationally, and has been published in two international photography books; Nude Photography, The Art and Craft by Pascal Baetens, published out of the UK, and Black No. 5 by Juergen Janssen, published out of South Africa. In May of 2011, Ocean self-published his first book of photography titled Musings.
Awards
2018 Recipient of the inaugural Larry Salley Photography Award, awarded by ArtsWestchester
2018 Recipient of the inaugural Mel Tapley Award, awarded by NAACP, Peekskill Chapter
2020 Recipient, Peekskill Art Grant
Professional affiliations:
Board Member, Peekskill Arts Alliance, 2014-2019
Artist Member, Arts Westchester, 2017-
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To HIRE OR COMMISSION Ocean Morisset for an assignment, simply drop an email with details from the CONTACT link (at the top of the page), and you will receive a reply within 24 hours.
QUALITIES you're hiring Ocean for:
--Professionalism
--Commitment to ethical standards
--Persistence and drive to "get the perfect shot" and tell your story through compelling imagery.
--Combination of technique and vision to get the results you want
--Respect for all people
Photography/Services available for:
--Events
--Celebrations
--Bereavement
--Magazine
--Newspaper
--Independent/Art Projects/Gallery Exhibitions/Festivals
and MORE! Just inquire within!
Ocean currently resides in Peekskill, New York.
Tele# (917) 535-3309
Email: oceanmorisset11@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ocean.morisset
Instagram: @oceanstide
THANK YOU!