Gogy: Barber by Day, Artist by Night

Gogy Esparza, who mostly goes by Gogy (pronounced “joe-gee”), has found more than a few ways to express his creativity since moving from Worcester, MA to New York in 2005 to study design at NYU. Following his introduction to downtown New York’s creative culture, the 23-year-old co-launched a T-shirt line, produced a book of photography and multiple solo exhibitions, and became a master barber.

The New York based artist has employed his skills as a barber at a number of different shops, but when he’s not cutting hair, he’s working on his art. Gogy’s first photography solo show appeared at La Esquina in Soho and his second at Le Baron de Paris in Tokyo. He also self-produced a book of photograpy called LIGHTTIME in 2010. And did all of this before hitting his mid-twenties.

Many of his photos are portraits, and more than a few feature faces that you’d recognize, like Rick Ross and Drake being just two of his better known subjects. But in LIGHTTIME you’ll see that in addition to people, Gogy is inspired by cities and, as the title suggests, light. He has also branched out into video projects, like his latest “atmospheric multi-media experience,” “El-Vacio”, a collaboration with creative collective Nikolai Rose largely composed of photographs taken on Gogy’s cell phone.

Gogy is definitely an artist to keep an eye on. If he’s accomplished this much already, there’s no telling where he’ll be at the ripe old age of, say, 25. You can check out his work on his website and find LIGHTTIME in a few different book stores in New York, Paris and London.