Roberto Dutesco

Roberto Dutesco (Romanian: Robert Duțescu; born June 6, 1961) is a Romanian-born Canadian artist, photographer and filmmaker. He travels and works worldwide and resides in his three homes, in Montreal, New York City and São Paulo, Brazil.

Dutesco began his career as a fashion photographer in Montreal, Canada. In 1994, he shifted the focus of his work to long-term personal projects that explore his environmental interests and natural subject. His photographs of the landscapes, wildlife, and horses of Sable Island have been on permanent exhibition since 2006 in Soho, New York City, at two locations (initially at 13 Crosby Street and presently at 64 Grand Street). The gallery was being showcased in New York City's Union Square (200 Park Avenue South) and has now moved to a wonderful 10,000 square foot space in Red Hook, Brooklyn at 160 Imlay Street.

Photography

The Wild Horses of Sable Island

In 1994, Dutesco traveled to Sable Island, a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia. The island is a narrow, crescent-shaped sandbar with a surface area of about 34 square kilometers (13 square miles) and is home to an estimated 400 feral horses.

Before he was allowed to make his journey to the island, the trip required Canadian Coast Guard clearance. His first trip yielded a collection of photographs of the horse sanctuary, which inspired his lifelong project to photograph and film the wild horses. Since then, he has returned to Sable Island six times to document its landscape and wildlife. His intention with this body of work is to heighten awareness for conservation projects.

In the early 1990s, he opened his studio in New York City. He spent the majority of his time traveling for his various projects. In the past 20 years, his work has taken him to over sixty countries where he has met and photographed such prominent personalities as Pierre Trudeau, the 14th Dalai Lama and Mikhail Gorbachev.

The American Sandscape Series

Between 1994 and 2004, Dutesco traveled across the southwestern United States, (California, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado), documenting its “sandscapes.”

The 14th Dalai Lama

In 2003, Dutesco was asked to create an outdoor exhibition to be installed on the streets of downtown Montreal; was inaugurated in Târgu Jiu, Romania, in 1938 and was restored between the years of 1998 and 2000. In July 2005, Dutesco returned to Romania, where he spent 24 continuous hours photographing the sculpture, resulting in a series of graphic black-and-white visual interpretations of the piece. in 2007, which premiered on Bravo TV in Canada in 2008 and was later shown on PBS. It was selected for the Tribeca Film Festival and was the winner of Best International Director of a Documentary at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. His film Time Squared Lord & Taylor, New York, Ethereal Reflections, featuring 26 flowers and 26 poems. (2009) LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, New York, The Wild Horses of Sable Island. (2008) The National Arts Club, New York, premiere of the documentary Chasing Wild Horses. WindWalkers, Global Scribes, Cambodia’s Hope, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Dalai Lama Trust, Susan Finkelstein Charitable Trust, the Canadian Consulate, and the Sable Island Green Horse Society. Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families, CTREE, National Down Syndrome Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation, LongHouse, Urban Zen, LARC School, Montessori School of Manhattan, and the Regina Therapeutic Riding Association.

Conservation Efforts: Beyond photography, Dutesco is committed to conservation. In 2017, he launched IAMWILD, a global platform aimed at transforming business and conservation practices . A portion of proceeds from his art sales supports conservation initiatives. You can visit the site for more information at iamwild.org.