BIOGRAPHY

Philippine born Cicero deGuzman Jr. lives in Kingston NY, and has worked as an art director and photographer. deGuzman’s career in art direction shows a long roster of corporate clientele, and was largely focused in editorial publishing for titles like Harper’s Bazaar, Men’s Vogue, and Jane Magazines. As a commercial photographer, deGuzman takes a documentary approach to capturing behind the scenes stories in the fashion and motorsport industries, including projects with Helmut Lang, Nicholas K, K/ller Collection, Yamaha Motors Europe, and Harley-Davidson. deGuzman has exhibited his documentary motorcycle photography in the U.S., Canada, England, Brazil, and Switzerland.

deGuzman’s current photographic study began in 2020. The figurative artworks employ mis-focus, mis-exposure, and movement to heavily abstract and minimize form. deGuzman considers this series to be in it’s early stages, and along with continuing to make new work and involving himself in  critique groups at Center for Photography Woodstock, he hopes to explore conversations and perspectives regarding his intent, process, subject matter, and viewer experience.

ARTIST STATEMENT

These photographs began as a reaction to over two decades as an art director for publishing houses including Conde Nast, Hearst, and Time Inc. The experience of conceiving, constructing, and continually manipulating precise images of beauty slowly lead to this personal study. In this current work, I utilize motion, chance decisions, and technically imperfect photographic exposures to stimulate an unpredictability of composition and form, resulting in imagery that is spontaneous, impressionistic, or at times completely abstracted. 

Throughout the work, I experience my creative process with little control, learning to welcome each discovery with acceptance and gratitude for the moment revealed. As the work begins to move past the reactionary, I hope to see it conceptually evolve and figuratively minimize, as the beginnings of more personal themes related to intent, exposure, perception, trust, lack, loneliness, time, and impermanence begin to arise.