David Gahr Art
American, 1922-2008
David Gahr was born in 1922 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After serving with the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II, he studied undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin on the G.I. bill. He moved to New York as a post-graduate student of economics at Columbia University, during which time he worked as a stock boy for Sam Goody at his record store in midtown Manhattan. As a young photography enthusiast, David would capture the musicians and industry executives who came into the store, often directly from the jazz clubs on West 52nd St.
He became a professional photographer in 1958, when his unique skill in portraiture was recognized by Folkways Records founder Moses Asch, and put to use on the album jackets of the label’s seminal roster of recording artists, including Woody Guthrie, Big Bill Broonzy, Cisco Houston, The Weavers, Pete Seeger, and other musicians who inspired the folk music revival of the 1960’s and would influence the direction of American music and culture for the next 40 years.
David was with Bob Dylan in his first years in Greenwich Village and his 1963 Newport Folk Festival debut, and there at Dylan’s infamous introduction of rock’s raucous rhythms into his repertoire at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. He showed us Janis Joplin’s sweat-drenched debut at Newport 1968 and again in feathered regalia at the Chelsea Hotel before a show at the Fillmore East. He captured a Bruce Springsteen, not even 23, in Asbury Park on the eve of a career breakthrough, and again in portraits and onstage throughout the 1980’s. He documented Dolly Parton in New York City in 1976 in what are now widely regarded as some of both his and her’s most beautiful images. David’s profile of Miles Davis' 1970 performance at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, MA is the most famous image of the jazz legend, appearing on the cover of Davis’ “Jack Johnson” album and on a 2012 USPS postage stamp..
Some of David’s most important images are of the legendary pioneers of American blues, including Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, John Lee Hooker, Musddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Howlin’ Wolf, Skip James, Son House, Elizabeth Cotten and Mississippi John Hurt, as they rode the crest of renewed popularity with a young and enthusiastic American audience.
David’s images have been featured in publications such as Life, The New York Times and Rolling Stone. He was the Arts & Culture photographer of choice for Time Magazine’s art critic Robert Hughes, where he documented New York’s white-hot arts scene from studio to gallery, turning his lens on luminaries including Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Nancy Graves, Tony Smith, Robert Rauschenberg and many others.
For almost 50 years, David Gahr’s camera eye was always present at the nexus of American artistic culture, following its currents in 35mm, back and white, full-frame poetry.to
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Artist: David Gahr
Dolly Parton
Located in Mount Pleasant, SC
Dolly Parton photographed in New York City in September, 1976.
Estate Stamped by photographer David Gahr.
Category
20th Century Contemporary David Gahr Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
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