Artist Bio and Exhibitions
NOTICE - A one-Man Exhibition entitled, "Celts and Copts: Monasticism in Egypt, Ireland, and Ethiopia" was hung at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, from October 17 through December 9, 2011. The university has now acquired nineteen of the images for its permanent collection and exhibition.
Michael McClellan was born in the state of Kentucky in the USA. He graduated from the University of Louisville, with a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science, from Syracuse University with an M.A. in Communications Photography and International Relations, and completed post-graduate studies in International Communications at Indiana University’s Ernie Pyle School of Journalism.
McClellan has lived and worked in Yemen, Egypt, Russia, Kosovo, Germany, Ireland, Iraq, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. McClellan authored one book, “Monasticism in Egypt: Images and Words of the Desert Fathers,” published by the American University in Cairo Press, with second and third editions published for Kindle/Nook eReaders and in paperback. His photos from this monastery project have been published extensively in North American media and video productions.
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
• 1981, Syracuse University: One-man show on three-year documentary of a Russian Orthodox Monastery in upstate New York.
• 1990, Cairo, Egypt: Nile Exhibition of Photography, sponsored by the Photography Salon of Egypt. Group show.
• 1991, Alexandria, Egypt: "Egypt Through Egyptian and American Eyes," sponsored by the American Cultural Center in Alexandria. Group show.
• 1991, Cairo, Egypt: "Nile Exhibition of Photography," sponsored by the Photography Salon of Egypt. Group show.
• 1991, Cairo, Egypt: "Harmonies: Studies in Nature and the Spirit," a one-man show sponsored by the Sony Gallery at the American University in Cairo.
• 1991, Alexandria, Egypt: "Harmonies: Studies in Nature and the Spirit," a one-man show sponsored by the American Cultural Center in Alexandria, Egypt.
• 1991, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York: "Egypt: the Land, the People, the Spirit," a one-man show of nature and religious subjects at S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
• 1992, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.: "A Still, Small Voice: Sixteen Centuries of Egyptian Monasticism," a one-man show about Coptic Monasteries. The exhibit was sponsored by the Egyptian Embassy in Washington and the Washington National Cathedral and was opened by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the Egyptian Ambassador, and the Dean of the Cathedral.
• 2002, Galeria e Arteve e Kosovës (“Kosova Art Gallery”), Pristina, Kosovo: "Gjon Mili Annual Photography Exhibition," a group exhibition of photographs by photographers resident in Kosovo and Albania.
• 2004, Galeria e Arteve e Kosovës (“Kosova Art Gallery”), Pristina, Kosovo: "Visual Impressions," a one-man show of photographs centered primarily on religious themes from Kosovo, Turkey, Egypt, and Germany.
• 2008, Airfield Gallery, Dublin, Ireland: "No Pixels - Ireland on Film," organized by the Analog Photography Users' Group of Ireland. Group show in which three of my photographs from Ireland were exhibited.
• 2011, Red Wall Gallery, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan: "Celts, Copts, and Abyssinians," a one-man show of photos of monks and monasteries in Ireland, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
McClellan has lived and worked in Yemen, Egypt, Russia, Kosovo, Germany, Ireland, Iraq, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. McClellan authored one book, “Monasticism in Egypt: Images and Words of the Desert Fathers,” published by the American University in Cairo Press, with second and third editions published for Kindle/Nook eReaders and in paperback. His photos from this monastery project have been published extensively in North American media and video productions.
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
• 1981, Syracuse University: One-man show on three-year documentary of a Russian Orthodox Monastery in upstate New York.
• 1990, Cairo, Egypt: Nile Exhibition of Photography, sponsored by the Photography Salon of Egypt. Group show.
• 1991, Alexandria, Egypt: "Egypt Through Egyptian and American Eyes," sponsored by the American Cultural Center in Alexandria. Group show.
• 1991, Cairo, Egypt: "Nile Exhibition of Photography," sponsored by the Photography Salon of Egypt. Group show.
• 1991, Cairo, Egypt: "Harmonies: Studies in Nature and the Spirit," a one-man show sponsored by the Sony Gallery at the American University in Cairo.
• 1991, Alexandria, Egypt: "Harmonies: Studies in Nature and the Spirit," a one-man show sponsored by the American Cultural Center in Alexandria, Egypt.
• 1991, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York: "Egypt: the Land, the People, the Spirit," a one-man show of nature and religious subjects at S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
• 1992, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.: "A Still, Small Voice: Sixteen Centuries of Egyptian Monasticism," a one-man show about Coptic Monasteries. The exhibit was sponsored by the Egyptian Embassy in Washington and the Washington National Cathedral and was opened by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the Egyptian Ambassador, and the Dean of the Cathedral.
• 2002, Galeria e Arteve e Kosovës (“Kosova Art Gallery”), Pristina, Kosovo: "Gjon Mili Annual Photography Exhibition," a group exhibition of photographs by photographers resident in Kosovo and Albania.
• 2004, Galeria e Arteve e Kosovës (“Kosova Art Gallery”), Pristina, Kosovo: "Visual Impressions," a one-man show of photographs centered primarily on religious themes from Kosovo, Turkey, Egypt, and Germany.
• 2008, Airfield Gallery, Dublin, Ireland: "No Pixels - Ireland on Film," organized by the Analog Photography Users' Group of Ireland. Group show in which three of my photographs from Ireland were exhibited.
• 2011, Red Wall Gallery, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan: "Celts, Copts, and Abyssinians," a one-man show of photos of monks and monasteries in Ireland, Egypt, and Ethiopia.