Nancy Newberry
Early Character Study for the series Smoke Bombs and Border Crossings

ExpandFavorite

Artist Nancy NewberryAmerican, born 1968

CultureAmerican

Titles

Early Character Study for the series Smoke Bombs and Border Crossings

Date2012, printed 2017

MediumInkjet print

DimensionsFrame (outer): 31 1/8 × 22 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (79.1 × 57.2 × 3.8 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Bryn Larsen, Geoffrey Koslov, and Joan Morgenstern

Object number2018.192

Not on view

Explore Further

Department

Photography

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionTexas folklore is perhaps the only thing bigger than the state itself. For nearly 20 years, photographer Nancy Newberry has been investigating the state’s unique customs, traditions, and lore. The photograph of a perfectly outfitted young boy on a pony was an early character study for her newest series, Smoke Bombs and Border Crossings, which presents stereotypical characters associated with Texas. The boy is striking in both his youth and his grownup self-possession and, posed against the strong horizon, it is difficult to pinpoint his location or the time of day. Like the folklore of Texas, the reality of the picture remains uncertain.

ProvenanceThe artist, Dallas; [FotoFest International Fine Print Auction, Houston, March 19, 2018]; purchased by MFAH, 2018.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Printed in black on applied label, frame verso: FotoFest 2018 // International Fine Print Auction // // Nancy Newberry (U.S.) // Early Character Study // From the series Smoke Bombs and Border // Crossings, 2012 // Archival Pigment Print // Edition 4/7 // Courtesy of the artist // Lot 14

Printed in black on applied label with black ink signature, frame verso: Nancy Newberry // Early Character Study, 2012 // for the series Smoke Bombs and Border Crossings // Archival Pigment Print // 30 x 21.5 inches // edition 4 of 7 // Newberry 2017 [signed]

Signed in black ink, frame verso: Newberry 2017

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.