Award-winning New York-based photographer Joseph O’Neill, whose work has appeared in U.S. Embassies In Muscat, Oman and Riga, Latvia, will present his work in his new exhibition, BLACK & WHITE & COLOR.

O’Neill states that he uses abstract photographs to disprove the notion that a picture is worth a thousand words, and to prove that a conceptual image can create a powerful emotion. “As photographers, we are taught that for a photograph to have an impact upon the viewer, it must tell a story,” O’Neill said. “The most important aspect of viewing abstract photography is aesthetic, encouraging the viewer to experience a visceral—rather than emotional—feeling.” In this way, O’Neill encourages his viewers to create their own stories rather than having a narrative imposed upon them.

In this exhibition, O’Neill drew inspiration from of minimalism, using simple forms and lines to create his images. “These photographs bring about a heightened sense of drama: intense images communicated by the use of high contrast black and white, grey tones with crisp clean lines of the geometric form, but with a certain amount of realism.”

With this new show, O’Neill is further expanding the language of photography, leveraging digital technology and editing software to set a new precedent for the art form. “These tools give photographic artists a new way to redefine what photography is and what it can be, a new brush that we get to use for the first time,” he said. “I want to tear down the stereotype of what a photograph should be, to open up the art form, moving it into another strata. I want photography to be recognized as a legitimate form of visual art.”

Beyond his affiliation with the Pleiades Gallery, O’Neill has also been affiliated with the Phoenix Gallery for the last several years. His work has also been displayed as part of the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, as well as in international exhibits and several magazines.