The Farmani Gallery is excited to present the latest photographic series by one of the 2004 IPA Photographer’s of the Year, Jesse Diamond.

The series entitled Drive focuses on imagery taken during the late night and documents the driver becoming the passenger to his own stream of consciousness. Lit by street lamps and traffic lights, the night filled with moist landscapes and drizzled car windows; the viewer is gently led on a path to realize the journey is truly the destination.

Diamond’s photographs are documentary images. Of this series Drive, Diamond says, “it was developed during those long drives home when the inevitable moods of reflection and contemplation set in. The photographs are my reflection of those feelings.”

The Farmani Gallery is proud to feature Diamond’s series Drive, in its debut exhibition and the first New York show for Mr. Diamond. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 14, from 6-9PM and coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Farmani Gallery in New York and the New York Photo Festival. The exhibit runs through June 12, 2009. Hossein Farmani states, “We are very proud to feature such a fantastic selection of Jesse’s imagery. We have loved what he has shown for us in Los Angeles and are very excited to exhibit him at our New York gallery, especially during a very special time for us as we celebrate our one-year anniversary. Jesse’s work is a highlighting example of the quality of work we try to present.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jesse attended Cal Arts where he formally trained as a musician and studied visual arts as a secondary course. After his first trip to Africa in 1994, he decided to concentrate entirely on photography. His works ranged from Sony Records to the Harper Collins publication, “A Day in the Life of the U.S. Armed Forces,” part of the highly successful “Day in the Life” book series. That assignment led his photographs to a featured role on NBC’s Dateline and subsequently, his first solo show.

The Farmani Gallery was established in 2003 and has offices in Los Angeles and New York. Its mission is to discover and cultivate emerging artists among the contemporary photography genre. The Farmani Gallery is the brainchild of the Farmani Group, whom among its many charities, businesses and organizations has created The Lucie Awards, The Lucie Foundation, The International Photography Awards, Px3-Prix De La Photographie Paris and the International Design Awards.