PETER KOVAL

Peter Koval’s arts career began at the San Francisco Art Institute where he graduated with a fine arts degree.  While there, Koval studied photography, painting, and performance with with notable artists such as Linda Connor, Jock Sturges. Kathy Acker, George Kuchar, Lynn Hershman Leeson and Henry Wessel, Jr.. During this period, his exhibitions in numerous galleries gained him national recognition. 

Following his role as Art Director for several high profile music and Internet magazines in San Francisco and after redesigning a publication called The Net founded by TED Talks curator Chris Anderson, Koval established his own award-winning design firm specializing in brand identity and publication design. Shortly afterwards he was commissioned to art direct the 38th Annual Grammy Awards.  It was the first year that the Grammy’s were simulcast on the internet, thanks in part to entrepreneur Chris Andrews.

In the mid to late 1990’s Peter moved to New York City to further pursue his photographic passion.

For the last two decades, his iconic images have appeared in international magazines and commercial advertisements, including Harper's Bazaar, Vogue China, Elle, Cosmopolitan, L.A. Confidential, Ocean Drive, Nestle and Gotland Vodka.

His work has also allowed him the opportunity to work with fashion supermodels like Milla Jovovich, Eve Salvail, Joan Smalls, Erin Heatherton and Iman, as well as cultural celebrities like Krysten Ritter, Paris Hilton, Thalia, Yue-Sai Kan, Sun Ho, and Carolina Herrera Baez.  

He has also worked with celebrity musicians including Black Eyed Peas singer Apl.de.ap, who commissioned Koval to shoot Apl to help launch his solo album and for the performer’s charity “This Time Foundation” which combats poverty in the Philippines. 

Koval has also made several television appearances. His first cameo appearance was on Sex and The City - coincidentally he played a photographer. Later that year he was on stage with rapper Eminem during the 2003 live performance of the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall. He played a prominent background performer during Eminem's 'White America' and 'Cleaning Out My Closet' which was performed in front of 20,000 people, and additional millions on live television.

In addition to photography, Koval has continued to nourish his talents in painting.  His impressionist paintings intend to capture the vignette of a bygone New York City constantly facing reinvention through gentrification. www.kovalcs.com

In his personal life Koval is a strong supporter of Transcendental Meditation and is active in martial arts. Koval is of Ukrainian Jewish heritage and is the son of a Holocaust survivor and camp escapee. It's a past which directly informs his life on a daily basis. 

He currently resides in New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.