Bernice Kolko
Pinatas, Cuidad de Mexico

Artist Bernice Kolko(American, born Poland, 1904–1970)American, born Poland, 1904–1970

CultureAmerican

Titles

Pinatas, Cuidad de Mexico

Datec. 1953

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsImage: 15 7/8 × 19 7/16 in. (40.3 × 49.4 cm)
Sheet: 15 7/8 × 19 7/16 in. (40.3 × 49.4 cm)
Mount: 15 7/8 × 19 7/16 in. (40.3 × 49.4 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Photo Forum 2019

Object number2019.234

Not on view

Explore Further

Department

Photography

Special Collections

Photographs by Latin American Artists

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionLike other American Modernists, the Polish-born American photographer Bernice Kolko was drawn to Mexico’s folk traditions and leftist politics. She spent the last two decades of her life there, photographing the country’s women (including her friend Frida Kahlo), markets, and Indian culture. This image records an industrious family cutting, soaking, and molding sheets of newspaper around pottery and armatures, shaping and decorating the rooster, donkey, and elephant piñatas that would soon bring joy and candy to partying children.
Provenance[Charles Isaacs Photographs, Inc., New York]; purchased by MFAH, 2019.
Exhibition HistoryBellas Artes National Institute in Mexico, 1955.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Inscribed, verso, top left: Mexico City // Pinata factory
Inscribed, verso, top left center: 127 [crossed out] 129 [crossed out]
Inscribed, verso, top right: B.K.
Inscribed in black ink, verso, upper left: Kolko [over 129 in red pencil]
Inscribed in black ink, verso, upper right: Pinatas Cuidad de Mexico

Printed in black on applied label, mat verso: Bernice Kolko // [price] // Pinatas, Cuidad de Mexico, 1955?. // Vintage silver print, 15-13/16 x 19-7/16 in. (402 x 495 mm) on // original mount, signed and titled in pencil on verso.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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