About

Biography

Michael James Schneider is a self-taught photographer, content creator, and writer. He was first known for his Box Wine Bovfriend photo series - which started as an online art project that performed grief for an ended relationship's potential, while satirizing the visual language of influencer culture -that went viral around the world, and ended with a wedding performance that raised thousands of dollars for the ACLU of Oregon.

Recurring themes in Schneider's photography are vivid color, foodstuff, anxiety, wordplay, humiliation, loneliness, fantasy, and unwritten social media rules. In 2013, he designed the set for the West Coast stage premiere of Neil Gaian's Neverwhere.

Schneider has a published novel, Tropic of Never, and two webseries: This Ends Badly and more recently, Social Distancing, a COVID-era puppet horror series. Schneider's photography has exhibited at Portland State University's White Gallery. Additionally, he had a successful artist residency at McLean, VA Community Center in October of 2022 and March of 2023, and a residency in Nashville, TN in September of 2023, that involved several collaborations with underrepresented artists and musicians. 

He is known for his unique, viral series of word balloon art, which has been shared by multiple notable personalities, activists, and The Audre Lorde Project, among others.

Some of these balloon letter quote installations have included such personalities as Brandon Kyle Goodman, Estelle, Gregory Gourdet, Durand Bernarr, Kirsten Vangsness, Sarah Jones, Phoebe Robinson, and Amber Ruffin.

Likewise, his other typographic medium such as LED letters suspended in natural settings, and faux flower petals arranged to form quotes, have achieved viral success and recognition. Some of the most recognized of the LED installations are pieces that speak to social and racial injustice and inequity and have historically featured Portland-area thought leaders, artists, and activists.

Schneider firmly believes everyone has an artistic vision inside of them, which only needs encouragement and experience.