Burk Uzzle (American, b. 1938), Burn Series Photograph

Archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta pigment paper, 2011-12, produced by Griffin Editions, Brooklyn, New York, unframed.

Sheet size 54 1/2 x 44 1/4 in.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Burk Uzzle is a renowned American photographer whose career spans more than six decades. A former Magnum Photos member and the youngest photographer hired by LIFE magazine, he is known for his compelling documentary work on American life, civil rights, and social justice. His famous image of Nick Ercoline and Bobbi Kelly wrapped in a blanket at the 1969 Woodstock festival remains one of the event's most iconic pictures, and his snapshots of Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral are a powerful testament to a pivotal moment in American history.

Returning to North Carolina in later years, Uzzle established his studio in Wilson, North Carolina, where he creates work exploring Southern identity and underrepresented communities. His deep connection to the American South informs his contributions to the Southbound Project, a major photography initiative exploring the evolving culture of the American South.

Uzzle’s work is held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia.

About the Burn Series, Uzzle writes: "In a small town in Eastern North Carolina one can find The Meadow Restaurant, a longtime favorite for its cakes and pies. A few miles from The Meadow was a small, one-room convenience store. It caught fire when a gas can exploded and scorched or destroyed most of the contents on shelves although the building was left standing. Janet Kagan joined me for an exploration inside. Carefully walking on the floor beams that remained, we discovered a long row of books no larger than the palm of one's hand. Although charred, the language of words had survived even when their shapes had turned each into paper sculpture.

Brought them to the studio and arranged a way for them to be suspended in air in front of a black background. I tediously constructed intricate lighting to accentuate the words that I felt symbolized the stubborn refusal of culture to be destroyed. Working with my 8x10 camera, large 80x60 prints were exhibited at the Laurence Miller Gallery in NYC. The Burned exhibition caught the attention of important collectors with one from Texas acquiring the first edition of each print." - From Burk Uzzle's website

Sheet rolled; few minor, soft creases.