Ethan James Green

Green grew up in Caledonia, Michigan, where he began photographing his friends at the age of 14. In 2007, at age 17, he signed with Ford Models, and he moved to New York City the following year. As a model, he appeared in a prominent campaign for Calvin Klein, and was photographed by David Armstrong, appearing in Armstrong's 2011 book 615 Jefferson Ave. He began working as Armstrong's assistant, and Armstrong became his mentor. ==Career==

Photography Green’s photographic work is rooted in portraiture and is informed by themes of contemporary identity, sexuality, and style. His images are characterized by a direct, intimate approach that foregrounds the presence and individuality of his subjects. After relocating to New York, Green continued photographing his friends and peers, often meeting subjects through nightlife and social media. Green began taking portraits of his Queer, transgender, and nonbinary friends, frequently working in Corlears Hook Park and within various Queer ecosystems in New York City. In 2019, Aperture Foundation published the portraits as the monograph Young New York. Green’s second monograph, Bombshell, was published by Baron in 2024. The body of work, made from 2021 to 2022, subverts the idea of the stereotypical “bombshell,” exploring and reinterpreting the concept by inviting his models to style and pose themselves in ways that embody their personal perspective on femininity, glamor, and sex appeal. As a commercial photographer, Green has shot editorials for Arena Homme +, Dazed, Double Magazine, Foam Magazine, ''Harper's Bazaar, i-D, L’Uomo Vogue, MARFA, le Monde, Perfect, The New Yorker, Time, Vogue, Vogue Italia, W Magazine, and WSJ Magazine''; campaigns for Alexander McQueen, Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Prada, Tom Ford, and Versace; and influential fashion and cultural figures such as Naomi Campbell, Bella Hadid, Kate Moss, Rihanna, RuPaul, and John Waters. In 2025, Green was selected as the photographer for the Pirelli Calendar, an annual publication produced by Pirelli since 1964. His edition, titled Refresh and Reveal, revisited the calendar’s origins and emphasized vulnerability and collaboration, focusing on authenticity in contemporary representations of beauty. ==Exhibitions==

Solo Exhibitions • • • Group Exhibitions • • {{cite web |title=Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams |publisher=Brooklyn Museum |location=New York, NY |date=2021 • {{cite web |title=Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2019: Photographer in Focus |publisher=National Portrait Gallery |location=London, UK |date=2019 • {{cite web |title=Self Service 25th Anniversary |publisher=Dallas Contemporary Museum |location=Dallas, TX |date=2019 ==Publications==

• • • • ==New York Life Gallery==

In 2022, Green transformed his Chinatown studio into an artist-run exhibition space, establishing New York Life Gallery. In addition to exhibitions, the gallery organizes artist-led programs and publishes zines and small-run artist publications. Through this initiative, Green has become recognized not only for his photographic work but also for his contributions as a gallerist and advocate for emerging, mid-career, and overlooked artists. == References ==