Tony Notarberardino’s Chelsea Hotel Portraits preserve a slice of bygone New York life

In the 1990s, New York’s the Chelsea Hotel was a hub of bonhomie and bohemianism. An eclectic crowd gathered there, drawn both to the artistic environment it cultivated and for its reputation for setting in motion creative collaborations and avant-garde performances.

For photographer Tony Notarberardino, the hotel was a refuge when he arrived in New York City in 1994. Brought up in Melbourne, Australia, by Italian emigrant parents, Notarberardino – who still lives in the same apartment at The Chelsea Hotel today – was fascinated by the clientele. ‘As a photographer, I found the people who congregated at the hotel – and the hotel itself – to be so inspiring and visually striking,’ he says. ‘It was this magical, commingling of people from all walks of life that made life at the hotel so continuously compelling. It became and continues to be my home.’

Tony Notarberardino’s Chelsea Hotel Portraits

The move marked the beginning of a series of portraits. ‘At 4am one night in September 1997, I was inside the Chelsea Hotel elevator, returning home, when a hand adorned with long, painted fingernails blocked it from closing. In walked an aged drag queen carrying more shopping bags than she could manage while holding the hand of a six-year-old boy. After four years of letting these moments pass by, I introduced myself and asked if I could photograph her. Without hesitation, she agreed.’

The resulting, large black and white photographs are the subject of a current exhibition at New York’s ACA Galleries. Notarberardino, who has photographed more than 1,500 subjects, continues to capture portraits daily in his hallway, using his vintage 1960s Toyo-View 810GII camera.

 ‘When I first started the series, I was photographing everyone: from the hotel cleaning staff, El Quijote [restaurant] staff waiters, to celebrities. I wasn’t exactly looking – I was more reacting to the circumstances I was in. There is no one formula that led me to photograph people, but it had to do with their style, uniqueness, and something that just drew my attention. These photographs document a piece of New York counterculture history that has been incredibly important to many artists, musicians, and other creatives.’

'Tony Notarberardino: Chelsea Hotel Portraits, 1994–2010' until 27 April 2024 at
ACA Galleries in New York.

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