"Yo Sef" JOSEPH A RAFFERTY III
Photographer + Visual Artist + Disabled Veteran
Hometown San Francisco, California
Works the American South, North Carolina, United States
EDUCATION
2024–26 the University of Cornell, AAP Program, Image Text, MFA candidate, Ithaca, New York
2020–21 the International Center of Photography, Creative Practices Program, New York, NY
2018–20 the Center For Documentary Studies at Duke University, Open Education, Durham, NC
2019 North Carolina Museum of Art, Peter Marín & Mexican Modernist Painting Workshop, Selected, Raleigh, NC
2009 North Carolina State University College of Design, Graduate Work, Raleigh, NC
1999–2002 Art Center College of Design, Dean’s List, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography, Pasadena, CA
1996–99 San Diego City College, Dean’s List, San Diego, CA
1995–99 United States Navy, Honorable Discharge + Navy College Fund, Disabled Veteran, Naval Special Warfare Center, Coronado Island, CA
FELLOWSHIP
2024-26 Department of Veterans Affairs, Veteran Readiness and Employment, Image Text MFA Program, the University of Cornell, Ithaca, New York
2022 The Photobook: An Overview of Traditional Publishing, Limited Editions & The Artist’s Book, Sponsored Fellowship, La Luz Workshop, Oaxaca, México
2020–21 Arnold & Augusta Newman Foundation, ICP Director’s Fellowship, the International Center of Photography, New York, NY
ARTIST IN RESIDENCY
2024 The Soil Factory, Ithaca, NY
2023 The Fruit, Durham, NC
2022 Barton College School of Visual Performing & Communication Arts, Wilson, NC
2019 Artspace, Big Ink Large Scale Woodblock Printing, Raleigh, NC
2022 Contemporary Art Museum, Love is All Heart Break, Until it Isn't, Raleigh, North Carolina
2022 Barton Art Galleries, Inaugural Solo Exhibition, Artists and Americans, Wilson, North Carolina
2022 The Fruit, Inaugural Solo Exhibition, Man's Search For Meaning, Durham, North Carolina
2020 URBAN Unveils the City and its Secrets - Vol. 06, L O S T: A Photographic Journey, Trieste, Italy
VISITING TEACHING ARTIST
2024 Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources, Surrealism For First Graders, Wake Forest, NC
COLLECTIONS
2023 Lenny Allen, Private Collection, Cigarette Pencil self-portrait (2021), Durham, NC
2022 the International Center of Photography, Library Collection, Man's Search For Meaning, New York, NY
2022 Susan kae Grant, Private Collection, Man's Search For Meaning, Dallas, TX
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Homage to Pierre Molinier (2021), Durham, NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Illogical Note: 94939.7.7.4.3.7 (2020), Durham, NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Salty Air and Wonder Bread, Potrero Hill, Mom’s Work. 1981. (2020), NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Thanksgiving Weekend. Twilight Zone Marathon. 1988. (2020), Durham, NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, 34.1234885. -118.7478516. 1993. (2020), Durham, NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Zeitgeist. “What’s your name?” he asked me at the urinal. 1997. (2020), NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Caught Using Vacuum Suction – Weldon Rd. 1985. (2020), Durham, NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Illogical Note: 94939.7.7.4.3.7 (2020), Durham, NC
2022 Timothy Walter, Private Collection, Granny’s Pool. Playing Harry Houdini with Jut. 1991. (2020), Durham, NC
2020 Allen Thomas Jr, Private Collection, Visigoth nude self-portrait (2020), Wilson, NC
2019 Allen Thomas Jr, Private Collection, Nude Telephone self-portrait (2004), Wilson, NC
2019 Allen Thomas Jr, Private Collection, Untitled (2000), Wilson, NC
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION
2024 The Fruit, HUMP Film Festival, Reading Gay Erotica to U.S. Senator Jesse Helms (self-portrait), Durham, NC
2023 The Fruit, Imaging Self Care (self-portrait), Durham, NC
2022–23 Contemporary Art Museum, Love is All Heart Break... Until it Isn't, Raleigh, NC
2022 Barton Art Galleries, Artists and Americans, Wilson, NC
2022 The Fruit, Man's Search For Meaning, Durham, NC
2019 Durham Art Guild, Golden Belt Gallery, L O S T: A Photographic Journey, Durham, NC
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Emerging Vision: Biennial Student Show, Kodak. Sheet Holder. Large Format Film Made In 1973 (2024) + Work For Trade. Room. House Built 1823. Spencer, NY. Host (2024), Denver, CO
2023 The Fruit, ODDVILLE!!! The Land of Imaginary Beasts, Sex Positive - Love Focused (2023), Durham, NC
2022 Durham Art Guild, Members' Showcase Exhibit, Opposite of Positive (self-portrait), Durham, NC
2021 Los Angeles Center for Photography, The Creative Portrait 6th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Opposite of Positive (self-portrait), Los Angeles , CA
2021 Durham Art Guild, 67th Annual Juried Exhibition, Visigoth (nude self-portrait), Durham, NC
2021 the International Center of Photography, That Was The Year That Was, MOMENT by MOMENT (self-portraits), NY, NY
2020 Museo del Territorio di Commòns, Trieste Photo Fringe, L O S T: A Photographic Journey, Trieste, Italy
2020 Durham Art Guild, 66th Annual Juried Exhibition, Jamella F. Dallis and Civil Disobedience: An Homage to Stacey Kirby, Durham, NC
2020 Praxis Gallery Photographic Arts Center, The Still Life, Age 6. Looking For Library Book, Santa Barbara (1982), Minneapolis, MN
2020 Durham Art Guild, Swing Into Spring, Metamorphosis of North Carolina, Durham, NC
2020 Visual Art Exchange, 40th Annual Gala, Untitled, Raleigh, NC
2019 North Carolina Museum of Art, Peter Marín’s Frida Kahlo’s Ofrenda, Earth Falling (painting), Raleigh, NC
2019 Atlanta Photography Group, The Director’s Cut, War of the Worlds, Atlanta, GA
2019 Duke University Rubenstein Arts Center, The Art of Mental Health, Battle at Mud Creek (self-portrait), Durham, NC
2019 OddVille! Festival Of The Awesomely Strange, War of the Worlds, The Fruit, Durham, NC
2019 The Carrack Museum of Modern Art, Community Show: Rupture, Rapture, Revolution, Unmarked Grave of Ms. Zora Neale Hurston, Durham, NC
2019 The Mothership, Art Party, unmarked grave of Ms. Zora Neale Hurston, Durham, NC
2019 Durham Art Guild, 65th Annual Juried Exhibition, Trailer Park Resident + Mexican Cowboy (from project “Next Seven Exits”), Durham, NC
2019 United Arts Council, Battle at Mud Creek (self-portrait), Raleigh, NC
2019 The Mothership, Art Party, Gender Dysphoria + Next Seven Exits, Durham, NC
2019 Durham Art Guild, Members' Showcase Exhibit, Children’s Story Book, Durham, NC
2019 Visual Art Exchange, SCOPE ‘19: LANDSCAPES OF THE SOUTH, Metamorphosis of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC
2019 Visual Art Exchange, 39th Annual Gala, Untitled, Raleigh, NC
2019 The Carrack Museum of Modern Art, Community Show, Love Thy Self, Durham, NC
2018 CLiCK! Photography Festival, Cosmic Consciousness, Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill, NC
2018 Through This Lens Gallery, Redwood. Shrouded in Fog. (2003) (from exhibition Man’s Search For Meaning), Durham, NC
2018 The SE Center for Photography, Napa, CA, Greenville, SC
2018 Visual Art Exchange, 38th Annual Gala, Age 6. Looking For Library Book, Santa Barbara (1982) (from Man’s Search For Meaning), Raleigh, NC
2017 CLiCK! Photography Festival, Day After Black Friday, Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill, NC
2017 Contemporary Art Museum, Exposure Time, Untitled, Raleigh, NC
2016 Contemporary Art Museum, CAMstellation, Television Head, Raleigh, NC
2016 Contemporary Art Museum, Exposure Time, Untitled, Raleigh, NC
2015 Contemporary Art Museum, Exposure Time, Untitled, Raleigh, NC
2014 Contemporary Art Museum, Exposure Time, Untitled, Raleigh, NC
BOOK FAIRS
Polycopies, Envelope (Image Text MFA cohort publication), Paris, France - 2024
North Carolina Museum of Art, End Paper Art Book Fair, Lyrical Lullabies: Contemporary Reimagined Poems, Raleigh, NC - 2023
North Carolina Museum of Art, End Paper Art Book Fair, Artists and Americans, Raleigh, NC - 2023
the International Center of Photography, Photobook Fest, Man's Search For Meaning, NY, NY - 2022
Printed Matter, Virtual Art Book Fair, The Concern A Magazine Issue 03 - ShaCarol Stewart + Thomas Sayre - 2021
PRESS
L’ Oeil De La Photographie - Weekend Portfolio - Man's Search For Meaning - 2022
GELATIN Magazine Issue 05 - Featured Artist, WORLD AROUND - 2021
PÔSTAL Magazine, Postcard Box, Healing is the Earth (self-portrait) - 2021
All About Photo Magazine, Photo Article, WORLD AROUND - 2021
The Concern: A Magazine, Issue 03 - ShaCarol Stewart + Thomas Sayre - 2021
SHOTS Magazine No. 149, Open Theme, William Paul Thomas - 2020
All About Photo Magazine, Rising Photographer - 2020
GELATIN Magazine, Issue 02 - Featured Artist, Jamella F. Dallis - 2020
L’ Oeil De La Photographie - Featured Artist - L O S T: A Photographic Journey - 2020
NSEW Magazine - Issue 02 - Featured Artist (cover, interview, eight page spread) - 2019
GRANTS & HONORS
United Arts Council, Artist Support Grant, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States - 2021
United Arts Council, Artist Support Grant, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States - 2020
URBAN Photo Awards + Exhibition, Finalist - L O S T: A Photographic Journey, Trieste, Italy, 2020
AWARDS
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 39, Chosen - Preacher Teacher + Trailer Park Resident (images from NEXT SEVEN EXITS) - 2023
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, Official Selection, Book, Self Published - Man's Search For Meaning - 2022
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 38, Chosen - Age 6. Looking For Library Book in Santa Barbara. (1982) (image from Man's Search For Meaning) - 2022
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 37, Chosen - Untitled from WORLD AROUND - 2021
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 36, Chosen - Untitled from L O S T: A Photographic Journey - 2020
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, Honorable Mention, Analog/Film - L O S T: A Photographic Journey - 2020
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, Honorable Mention, Editorial (cover) - NSEW Magazine: Issue 2 - 2020
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, Honorable Mention, Editorial (contemporary photography) - NSEW Magazine: Issue 2 - 2020
DURHAM ART GUILD: SWING INTO SPRING - Featured Artist - 2019
CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM RALEIGH - EXPOSURE TIME - Featured Artist - 2017
COMMUNICATION ARTS ADVERTISING & DESGN ANNUAL - Fresh - 2006
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS – First Place - Nude Telephone (self-portrait) - 2004 (formally titled Calling Cindy Sherman)
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS – Third Place - Bourgouse Fatcat - 2004
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL – Judge’s Choice (Esteemed Juror Kathy Ryan of NYT Magazine) - 2004
ASMP NY – Judge’s Choice - 2003
ASMP LA – Judge’s Choice - 2003
PDN ANNUAL – Emerging Artist - 2002
GRAPHIS ANNUAL – Emerging Artist - 2002
APPLIED ARTS & ILLUSTRATIONS ANNUAL – Emerging Artist - 2002
CMYK – Emerging Artist - 2000
Art Center College of Design – Student Gallery - 2000
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017–2020 CAM/now Advisory Board Member, Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, NC
2018 Creative Director, Charis Art Therapy Summer Camp, Wake Forest, NC
2017 Principle Photographer, Historic Unveiling: Opening, Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum, Wilson, NC
2013–17 Principle Photographer, Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, NC
2016 Principle Photographer, Historic Unveiling: Ann & Jim Goodnight Museum Park, NCMA, Raleigh, NC
2014 Principle Photographer, Autism Awareness Carnival, Franklin, NC
2002–12 Principle Photographer, Joseph Rafferty Editorial Photography, Pasadena, CA
2003–04 Outer Circle Board Member, Art Center College of Design Alumni Periodical, Pasadena, CA
CLIENTS - PUBLICATIONS
NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE I L'ŒIL DE LA PHOTOGRAPIE I GQ GERMANY I ESQUIRE I GRAPHIS
MEMBERSHIP
L’ Oeil De La Photographie, Paris, France — Association of Registrars & Collections Specialists, Chicago, Il
