Richard Grabell

Artist Jesse Burke American, born 1972

Date2010

MediumArchival inkjet print

Dimensions14 x 11 in. (35.6 x 27.9 cm)
Frame: 15 x 12 in. (38.1 x 30.5 cm)

ClassificationsPhotography

Credit LineGift of Allen G. Thomas Jr. in honor of Linda Johnson Dougherty

Object number2014.14.16

On View

Not on view

Label TextWith visible kindness and compassion these 23 images from the “LOW” series by Jesse Burke feature the strength and resilience of homeless men on the margins of society. Against a stark black background the bare torsos of the men glow and are positioned in a manner reminiscent of Renaissance religious imagery of Christ. These engaging photographs provide viewers with a very different image of masculinity than what is most dominant in contemporary visual culture. Most of the portraits do not directly engage the camera—tattoos, scars, and defined collar bones are visceral symbols of the humanity and endurance of these men.

“My intentions”, Burke says, “are to take people that one ignores or passes in the street and place them on a pedestal to emphasize their individual beauty. The straightforward images of weeds are meant to compliment and reinforce the idea that they are living on the fringes of society and are equally forgotten. In these images hardened souls become vulnerable icons, allowing the world to see a different side of being low.”
[L. Dougherty, 2014]
ProvenanceCreated United States, 2010; collection of the artist, Rhode Island; sold to Allen G. Thomas Jr., Wilson, NC, 2010; given to NCMA, 2014.Published ReferencesJesse Burke, Low (Rhode Island: Blurb, 2009), illus. (color).Exhibition HistoryBoone, NC, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, “Men Working: The Contemporary Collection of Allen Thomas, Jr.,” July 5, 2013–February 8, 2014.

Raleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "Private Eye: Allen G. Thomas Jr. Photography Collection," September 13, 2014–March 22, 2015. Object Rights Statement

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