Bio Español

Ari Espay es fotógrafo documental independiente chileno con base en New York, USA y Santiago, Chile. Los últimos 10 años produjo y enseñó en los talleres de fotografía de National Geographic en Nueva York, San Francisco y Santa Lucia junto a grandes fotógrafos como Joe McNally, Ira Block, Bob Sacha, David Alan Harvey de la agencia Magnum y Ed Kashi de la agencia VII.

Como fotógrafo independiente se ha dedicado a recorrer el mundo haciendo trabajos documentales y sociales, campañas comerciales y ensayos editoriales para distintos clientes en Estados Unidos y Sudamérica.

Ha producido más de 30 portadas y sus trabajos han sido publicados en reconocidos medios internacionales como, Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, The New York Times, InLan, Vogue Latin America, Gatopardo, QuePasa, Caras, Cosas, ED entre otros.

Entre sus clientes comerciales cabe destacar Maybelline, DW Drums, Kohana Rum, Australis Cruise Line, Ferouch, Newman, Monarch, Corpbanca, Pzena Financial Group, The Imprint Group, etc.

Dentro de sus multiples exposiciones destacan las más recientes “A Glimse of South East Asia” en el Museo de Cento, Italia 2018, “Mingalarbar Myanmar” en Roma y Bologna, Italia, 2016 y “Faces of EB” en New York, 2015.

En el año 2012 fue nombrado Director Artístico de los proyectos internacionales de la Galeria64 y además es fundador de la organización sin fines de lucro llamada Statement Arts, la cual se dedica a hacer talleres de fotografía a jóvenes fotógrafos de escasos recursos alrededor del mundo.

Ha publicado 3 libros, como fotógrafo “Colors of San Miguel de Allende” y como editor “2020Unmasked”, el cual obtuvo numerosos premios internacionales por Libro Documental y Autopublicacion.

Habla 3 idiomas y le gusta pasar el tiempo en las montañas.

Bio English

Award-winning photographer, Ari Espay, splits his time between New York City and Santiago, Chile. Ari has shot documentary pieces, campaigns and editorial essays for magazines in the US and all over South America including; Architectural Digest, Vogue Latin America, Que Pasa, and ED. He has worked for Maybelline, Gillette, Corpbanca, Ferouch, New Man, Kohana Rum, Amazon/AWS, Australis Cruise to name a few and has shot portraits for Presidents, internationally known actors, Emmy Award winning directors, Broadway performers, politicians and high profile business people.

With numerous gallery exhibitions, Ari’s recent show, “A Glimpse of Southeast Asia” was featured at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, a museum in Cento, Italy (2018 – 2019). Other exhibitions include; 2026 “Rostros, El Mar De Cultura” Valencia Photo Festival, Spain. 2025 “FACES / VISAGES” , Art-Icon Collective Exhibition Arles, France. 2024 “Corporeality” Art-Icon Collective Exhibition - Paris, 2024 “Moments in Time” Art on the Avenue - New York City, New York, 2021 Art on the Avenue - New York City, New York “Art on the Avenue” (New York City 2021), “Mingalabar Myanmar”(Rome and Bologna, Italy - 2016) and “The Faces of EB” in New York City (2015). In 2012, he was named as Artistic Director of International Projects for Galeria64, the only gallery in Chile exhibiting photography exclusively.

Ari has won Chile’s prestigious Fondart Grant, was a 2026 Finalist Lucie Foundation On The Block Street Photography, a 2026 Selected Winner American Photography AI-AP 42, a 2024 Portraiture Bronze Winner Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3, Short Listed “EB” State of the World Project Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3, Street Photography Honorable Mention Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3 and 4 Portraiture Honorable Mention Prix de la Photographie Paris PX3, a 2024 IPA International Photo Award, Honorable Mention, a 2024 CHOSEN Winner 40 American Photography AI-AP. In 2023 was an American Photography 39 Winner, a 2023 IPA International Photo Award, Honorable Mention in Deeper Perspectives, a 2023 IPA International Photo Award, Honorable Mention in Portraiture, a 2023 BIFA Budapest International Foto Award Silver winner in Editorial Photo Essay, a 2022 American Photography 37 Chosen Winner, and was awarded an Honorable Mention in IPA/International Photography Awards 2021 for Editorial/Press Contemporary Issues. He was a finalist in National Geographic’s Photography Competition, “Luces de America” and in 2018 he was a ‘CHOSEN Winner’ in Latin American AI-AP.

He has published 2 books. As a photographer, his work can be seen in "Colors of San Miguel de Allende" and he was the photo editor for “2020 Unmasked” book which won 2 Honorable Mentions at the IPA/International Photography Awards for Documentary and Self-published book.

For 10 years, he taught photography workshops for National Geographic and their legendary photographers including, Joe McNally, Bob Sacha, Ira Block, VII's agency Ed Kashi and Magnum's David Alan Harvey. He has worked and traveled in more than 40 countries.

Ari speaks 3 languages and enjoys spending time in the mountains.