Meredith Fleischer

Holding her first camera to her eye at age six, Meredith Fleischer was on her way to her future career in fine art photography.

”By the time I was 13, I had my 35 mm Fuji point-and-shoot camera, and I spent hours documenting my friends and the world I lived in,” said Fleischer, who later went on to study Fine Art Photography at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit, and Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills.

After graduation with a master’s of fine arts degree from Cranbrook, the burgeoning artist followed her passion for photography and fashion to the epicenter of it all – New York City – and completed internships with Men’s Journal magazine and several advertising agencies.

“I was recognized as having a keen eye for photography, styling and makeup,” said Fleischer. Climbing the ranks as art director and a member of the art department at leading creative management firms there, Fleischer sharpened her photography curatorial skills in the fashion millieu. “I was given the responsibility to curate portfolios for internationally acclaimed fashion and portrait photographers, including Miles Aldridge, Gilles Bensimon, Francesco Carrozzini, Walter Chin and Pamela Hanson, among others,” she said.

Jumping forward to 2020, after a decade of personal loss and career rebirth, the Birmingham native put her heart and soul into establishing The MF Gallery (themfgallery.com) – an online exhibition space and print shop, specializing in her personal favorites – street photography, celebrity portraits and music photography, by both modern and contemporary fine art photographers. The entrepreneurial Fleischer says her passion and mission were “to create an online platform for photographers to exhibit their work, help build their reputation and connect with audiences worldwide.”

The trend towards online art and photo galleries was gaining momentum after the pandemic and The MF Gallery joined the ranks of innovators like American contemporary art gallery dealer David Zwirner, who has been presenting online viewing rooms since 2017. The trend is being driven by factors like increased accessibility, cost-effectiveness for galleries, and the growing comfort of art buyers with online purchases.

“It’s all about building connections between artists and also those buying the art,’ said Fleischer. “There’s no barrier of entry when stepping into the world of the online gallery – you can feel uninhibited and comfortable to view at your own pace, and at any time.”

The MF Gallery showcases limited edition and archival prints by rotating photographers from the United States, Canada, Paris, France and more, that can be shipped globally. Among the talented artists represented are Michael Ansell, Leah Frances, Jim Frank, Michael Grecco, Amy Sacka and Wolf Weintraub.

Some of her gallery’s acclaimed “must see” collections are internationally-renowned photographer Michael Grecco’s ”Days of Punk” – capturing the captivating ground-breaking 1980’s punk rock music icons; scenes from Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace – the legendary West Hollywood version of Studio 54; and Street Dogs – artfully celebrating canine charm and character. A ten percent charitable donation is made from the respective collections to MusiCares.org and ASPCA.

An accomplished photographer in her own right, Fleischer, now relocated to Royal Oak, offers her own work through The MF Gallery that favors “black and white, candid, street art that’s gritty and full of irony.

“It’s my ongoing goal to get photography the respect it deserves, like that of painting and other mediums,” she said.

Momentum for the gallery continues to grow as the innovative owner has plans to include a variety of pop-up galleries in curated locations, so buyers can have a bit of the brick and mortar experience as well. “Stay tuned for events rolling out that are helping to grow the photography collective,” Fleischer said. “It’s something I will always be totally committed to.”

Story: Susan Peck

Photo: Laurie Tennent