Woodie Guthrie

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Artist Lester Balog(American, born Hungary, 1905–1976)American, born Hungary, 1905–1976

Printer Ken Light (American, born 1951)American, born 1951

CultureAmerican

Titles

Woodie Guthrie

Date1941, printed 1978

Place depictedUnited States

MediumGelatin silver print with selenium toning

DimensionsImage: 8 × 10 1/2 in. (20.3 × 26.7 cm)
Sheet: 10 13/16 × 13 15/16 in. (27.5 × 35.4 cm)

Credit LineGift of Ken and Melanie Light

Object number2000.632

Current Location

The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building

Gallery 208

Exposé

Explore Further

Department

Photography

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionLester Balog became involved with labor organizations during the 1920s, and in 1926, he witnessed photographers being beaten as they tried to document the textile workers’ strike in Passaic, New Jersey. Outraged by the police brutality, Balog picked up a camera and became one of the founding members of the Workers’ Film and Photo League. Balog made this portrait of Woodie Guthrie only a year after the young folk musician had moved to New York and released his first commercial album, "Dust Bowl Ballads." Balog likely admired Guthrie for their shared leftist politics and work to counter fascism.
ProvenanceKen and Melanie Light; given to MFAH, 2000.
Exhibition HistoryExhibited: "The Sounds I See: Photographs of Musicians," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Cameron Foundation Gallery, September 20, 2008 - January 19, 2009.

"American Made: 250 Years of American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 7 July 2012 - 2 January 2013.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Inscribed in pencil, verso, lower left: Woody Guthrie // Photography by Lester Balog // KL-A // Printed by Ken Light 1978

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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