"I have always viewed the world through the lens of a camera, seeking to encapsulate its essence in a single frame. My journey in photography spans 42 years, during which I've documented the places I've been and the people I've encountered. Each image serves as a fragment of my memory, constantly evolving and shifting over time.

My engagement with photography is a dialogue with memory itself. Whether capturing moments of joy or sorrow, each photograph becomes a tangible imprint of experience. Through the medium of film, I explore the alchemy of chemistry and light, transforming raw materials into evocative images. The final print is the culmination of this process, a testament to the journey from capture to creation.

In addition to capturing moments, I am compelled to interpret them. Before and after the shutter clicks, I grapple with the significance of what I see. Visual memoir, to me, is not just about the image itself, but the narrative it conveys. It's about the stories that unfold when we pause to truly see a photograph."

Tony Chirinos is a Venezuelan-born documentary-style artist based in Miami. His career spans over forty years, exploring the theme of death and the vulnerability of life. Chirinos is a recipient of fellowships including the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2023), the South Florida Cultural Consortium (2010), and the Callanan Excellence in Teaching Award (2019). He was also awarded the William Talbott Hillman Foundation grant (2021) to financially assist in the printing production of his first monograph, "The Precipice." Mr. Chirinos holds a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University. Trained as a Bio-medical photographer in 1985 at Miami Children’s Hospital, he went on to create the Medical Photography department at Baptist Health Systems in 1989. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including participation in the III Bronx Latin American Art Biennial. His photographic series have been featured in The Washington Post, Photo Eye, Edge of Humanity Magazine, Slate, Daily Mail, Business Insider, and Fotofilmic, among others. Chirinos was among 100 photographers who participated in Review Santa Fe in 2012, 2018, and 2019. His work is included in the collections of Museum of Fine Arts Houston, University of Colorado at Boulder, Candela Collection, Cuban Heritage Collection, Light Work, Photographic Center Northwest, Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, and Mount Sinai Medical Center, among others. Mr. Chirinos is a professor of photography at Miami Dade College. Center, among others. Mr. Chirinos is a professor of photography at Miami Dade College. 

If you would like to see more of Chirinos' work, please visit his website.