Bob Adelman American, 1930-2016

Biography
Photojournalist Bob Adelman poses with his cameras in a march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama
Bob Adelman in a march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama, 1965.

Adelman has moved beyond the familiar clichés of most documentary photography into that rare sphere wherein technical ability and social vision combine to create a work of art.
- Ralph Ellison

Photographer Bob Adelman (1930-2016) captured historic and artistic photographs for sixty years. His extraordinary visual documentation covered subjects from the civil rights movement, the New York art scene, urban culture, social essays, politics, music, the South, and revealing portraits of personalities.

 

An internationally-recognized photojournalist, Bob Adelman worked for LIFE, The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, TIME, Esquire, Vanity Fair, London's Sunday Times Magazine, Paris Match, and other major publications. He was a Guggenheim Fellow and National Endowment for the Arts Grantee. He is primarily known for his photographs of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, when he volunteered his services as a photographer to the Congress of Racial Equality and captured the transformative events that re-shaped modern American history.

 

Adelman’s images were exhibited worldwide during his lifetime, in institutions including: Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian, Getty Museum, High Museum, The Nelson-Atkins Museum, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Tate Modern, and many others. Acquired by the Library of Congress in 2017, the Adelman archive is regarded as the foremost documentation of crucial periods in modern US history.

Bob Adelman, CV (PDF, opens in a new tab.)
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  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol signing Liz Taylor prints at a table in the Leo Castelli Gallery
    Andy Warhol signing 'Liz Taylor' prints at the Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City, 1965 (printed later)
  • Bob Adelman, Andy Warhol and Gerard Malanga with "Elvis I" on exhibit at Leo Castelli Gallery, NYC, 1965
    Andy Warhol and Gerard Malanga with "Elvis I" on exhibit at Leo Castelli Gallery, NYC, 1965
  • Black and white photograph of three people, Andy Warhol, Marisol, and a man, holding cups at a party
    Actor Kevin McCarthy, Andy Warhol and Marisol Escobar at a Factory party, 1965
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol looking into a film camera and biting his nails
    Andy Warhol filming with movie camera at the Factory, 1965 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Andy Warhol crouching in a grocery store aisle, selecting cans of soup behind a shopping cart
    Andy Warhol in Gristedes Supermarket Near 47th Street Factory, 1964
  • Photograph of Andy Warhol in sunglasses standing in a foil-lined bathroom
    Andy Warhol in the silver-foil-covered bathroom at the Factory, 1965 (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol reading the newspaper next to an open door in a foil-lined room
    Andy Warhol in the silver-foil covered bathroom at the Factory, 1965
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol in sunglasses standing in a foil-lined bathroom and looking at the viewer
    Andy Warhol in the silver-foil covered bathroom at the Factory, 1965
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol in profile in front of a screen print of a man’s mug shot
    Andy Warhol with ‘Most Wanted Man No. 2, John Victor G.', 1965 (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol in a Breton striped shirt and sunglasses ascending a fire escape above a city street
    Andy Warhol on the fire escape of the Factory, 1965
  • Photograph of Andy Warhol in sunglasses reclining on a red mid century modern velvet sofa
    Andy Warhol on the red Factory couch (which was used in the 1964 film ‘Couch’). Silk-screened ‘Jackie’ in the background, 1964 (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol illuminated by light bulbs on both sides looking at the viewer
    Andy Warhol posing with the portrait lighting at the Factory, 1965 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Andy Warhol standing in a grocery store with a shopping cart full of items and looking at the viewer
    Andy Warhol in Gristedes Supermarket, New York City, 1964
  • Black and white photograph of Andy Warhol speaking on a rotary dial telephone
    Andy Warhol at the Factory, 1965 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Andy Warhol lying on his stomach looking at the viewer behind 12 screen prints laid on the floor
    Andy Warhol at the Factory with artwork from the suite ‘An American Man,’ a portrait of Watson Powell Sr., the founder of American Republic Insurance Company, 1964 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Andy Warhol standing in front of two multicolored paintings of flowers (red, yellow, black, green, white) with a sculpture in the background
    Andy Warhol at the Factory with ‘Flower’ paintings, 1964 (printed later)
  • Bob Adelman, James Rosenquist examining his work through a reductive lens, 1980 (printed later)
    James Rosenquist examining his work through a reductive lens, 1980 (printed later)
  • Photograph of James Rosenquist sweeping in front of a mural of a woman’s face and strips of bacon in a galactic scene
    James Rosenquist in his studio in front of the mural, “Star Thief”, 1981 (printed later)
  • Photograph of James Rosenquist holding a large shaped painting of a man’s face with sunglasses in front of his torso and head
    James Rosenquist in his studio with the painting, "Big Bo”, 1981 (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of James Rosenquist standing next to a large shaped painting of a man’s head with sunglasses
    James Rosenquist in his studio with the painting, "Big Bo”, c.1980s (printed later)
  • Photograph of James Rosenquist sitting in an artist studio working on a large multicolored painting behind a table with pots of paint
    James Rosenquist in his studio working on the painting, "Fahrenheit 1982 Degrees." In the background, "Four New Clear Women.", 1981 (printed later)
  • Photograph of James Rosenquist working on a large red and blue painting next to a table with pots of paint
    James Rosenquist in his studio, working on the painting, "Fahrenheit 1982 Degrees", 1981 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein posing in front of a brightly-colored (red, yellow, blue) painting of an interior scene
    Roy Lichtenstein demonstrating how to view the dancer in “Large Interior with Three Reflections”, 1993 (printed later)
  • Photograph of a hand with a paintbrush painting a red Ben-Day dot on a canvas filled with identical red dots, arranged equidistantly
    Roy Lichtenstein filling spots in the red Ben-Day dots with a tiny spotting brush, 1986 (printed later)
  • Photograph of a Roy Lichtenstein standing in front of a blue and red painting of a hand with a paintbrush
    Roy Lichtenstein in front of "Brushstrokes" (1965), 1993 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein sitting on a ladder in front of a multicolored mural of figures and geometric designs
    Roy Lichtenstein in front of his mural at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 1989 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein leaning against a white, yellow, black, and blue painting
    Roy Lichtenstein in front of the Greene Street Mural, Leo Castelli Gallery, 1983 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein smiling in front of a large mural featuring a woman’s face and an array of household objects
    Roy Lichtenstein in front of the Greene Street Mural, Leo Castelli Gallery (overall), 1983 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein in profile in front of a red, black, and white painting of a woman’s face
    Roy Lichtenstein in front of the Greene Street Mural, Leo Castelli Gallery (profile), 1983 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein on a ladder in front of a multicolored (yellow, red, white, black, blue) mural of figures ascending a staircase
    Roy Lichtenstein in front of “Bauhaus Stairway: Large Version,” a mural for I. M. Pei’s new building for the Creative Artists Agency, Inc, Los Angeles, 1989 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein, cropped at the shoulders, below a black sculpture of a head
    Roy Lichtenstein poses below his version of Constantin Brancusi’s Sleeping Muse in his New York apartment, 1983 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein holding a large white isosceles triangular object standing in front of a yellow, black, and white geometric mural
    Roy Lichtenstein standing before “Perfect Painting #1” in his studio, 1985 (printed later)
  • Photograph of a man in dark silhouette working on a blue, red, and yellow painting of a vehicle
    Roy Lichtenstein with the collage maquettes of the Time Square Mural, New York City, 1990 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Roy Lichtenstein opening double doors painted yellow with white spots outlined with black
    Roy Lichtenstein with Untitled (Swiss Cheese Elevator Doors) (1986) at his 23rd street studio, NYC, 1980s (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of Tom Wesselmann standing with folded arms in front of a painting of a female nude
    Tom Wesselmann at Sidney Janis Gallery during his 1966 exhibition. In the background, artwork from the ‘Great American Nude’ series, 1966 (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of Tom Wesselmann in profile holding and looking at a sculpture of an open mouth
    Tom Wesselmann in his studio at 54 Bond Street with artworks from the ‘Mouth’ series, which he exhibited in his 1966 exhibition at Sidney Janis Gallery, 1966
  • Photograph of Tom Wesselmann behind a laser-cut steel sculpture of a woman
    Tom Wesselmann in his 54 Bond Street Studio in 1988 with the cut-out of “Bedroom Blonde with Necklace", 1988 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Tom Wesselmann standing between two separated parts of a large painting of a female nude
    Tom Wesselmann in his Studio, 1988 (printed later)
  • Photograph of Tom Wesselmann holding a steel laser-cut drawing of an outline of a female nude
    Tom Wesselmann with laser-cut “Steel Drawing / Monica Lying” in his studio at 231A Bowery, 1988 (printed later)
  • Black and white photograph of a female nude model with Tom Wesselmann leaning over a table and drawing her
    Tom Wesselmann with model Monica Serra in his studio at 54 Bond Street, c.1966 (printed later)
  • Black & white photograph of four children in the back of a car, three white, one African-American
    On main street, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of African-American men and women holding each other while hosed down with water under pressure
    No man is an island. Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, Alabama, 1963
  • Black & white photograph of crowd in Washington DC in front of the the Washington Monument carrying signs, We March, We Demand
    Marchers en route to the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of African-American woman arrested by two white cops with helmets
    Innocent bystander arrested, Birmingham, Alabama, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. wearing a black suit and tie, white shirt
    Eyes on the prize: King in a quiet moment during the march to Montgomery, Alabama, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of African-American boy at a school desk, with framed photograph of Abraham Lincoln in the background
    Classroom, New York City, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of African-American’s hands circling candidates on the 1966 ballot of Wilcox County, Alabama
    One of the first African American voters to cast a vote under the new law, Camden, Alabama, 1966 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of African-American man carrying a sign reading “Now”
    Participants in the 1963 March on Washington, D.C., 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of a white cop carrying an African-American woman holding a sign reading “Racial Equality”
    Passive Resister, 1964 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of four African-American children in front of a blackboard with the words, Freedom Is Near
    Writing on the wall, Alberta, Alabama, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black & white photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. speaking, right hand raised, people behind him visible
    The Dreamer Dreams, Washington, D.C., 1963
  • Black & white photograph of African-American woman carrying a sandwich board with the word “Freedom”
    Signifying Photograph, c. 1968 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a man examining a sample registration form in Frank Robinson’s office in Sumter, South Carolina
    A candidate studies the practice form for a voter registration test, Sumter, South Carolina, c. 1962 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of an older African American man having a button affixed to his lapel after registering to vote
    A successfully registered voter is awarded with his button, Sumter, South Carolina, 1962 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a vigil where participants hold posters with images of slain civil rights workers Schwerner, Chaney, and Goodman in Atlantic City, New Jersey
    All-night vigil at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1964 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Martin Luther King in front of a large cross, speaking at the 16th street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama
    At the 16th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of protesters in Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham, Alabama being sprayed with fire hoses
    Beloved community. Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, Alabama, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a young boy, mostly obscured by the architecture of the stoop he sits on
    Boy in a box, Brooklyn, New York City, 1964 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of five well dressed boys standing in a row in front of a store
    Boys to men, Easter Sunday. Harlem, New York City, c. 1979 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a white protester in front of the White House holding signs with hate speech
    Hate Speech, the White House. Washington, D.C., 1962 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Martin Luther King and his wife Coretta Scott leading marchers on Jefferson Davis Highway to Montgomery, Alabama
    King and his wife Coretta lead the marchers on Jefferson Davis Highway to Montgomery, Alabama, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Martin Luther King leading the singing of We Shall Overcome after eulogizing a slain civil rights crusader, the Reverend James Reeb, at Brown Chapel in Selma, Alabama
    King leads the singing of "We Shall Overcome," Selma, Alabama, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Ralph Bunche and the Kings with arms linked, parading down Montgomery’s main street in a victory march beginning in downtown Montgomery towards the state capitol
    Leading 25,000 marchers, King enters the downtown, Montgomery, Alabama, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X, in profile wearing a black headscarf and sunglasses with a streak of tears running down her cheek
    Malcolm X's Widow, Betty Shabazz. Harlem, New York City, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of civil rights leader Malcolm X speaking at a demonstration in Brooklyn while holding a pamphlet reading, "To Unite!"
    Malcom X at a civil rights demonstration, Brooklyn, New York City, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white close-up photograph of author Ralph Ellison
    Master of them that know: Ralph Ellison, Harlem, New York City, c. 1968 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a woman, Mrs. Pettway, in her kitchen with walls covered in newspapers featuring Martin Luther King in Canton Bend, Alabama
    Mrs. Pettway, Canton Bend, Alabama, 1966 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of woman picketer under arrest in a police van behind Loveman's department store in Birmingham, Alabama after protesting unfair hiring practices
    Picketer under arrest behind Loveman's department store, Birmingham, Alabama, 1963
  • Black and white photograph of three boys posing on a Queens street with baseball gear in New York
    Play ball, St. Albans neighborhood, Queens, New York City, c. 1968 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Prince Arnold standing in front of a courthouse wearing a jacket, vest, and sheriff's badge
    Prince Arnold, the first black sheriff elected under the Voting Rights Act, stands in front of the courthouse, Wilcox County, AL, 1980 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a protesting woman kneeling on a handkerchief on the ground surrounded by workers and police officers in Brooklyn, New York
    Protestors put their lives on the line, closing down a construction site at the Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York City, 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Reverend Ralph Abernathy and National Urban League Director Whitney Young Jr and Martin Luther King pledge allegiance at the ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Reverend Ralph Abernathy and National Urban League Director Whitney Young Jr join King to pledge allegiance at the ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of Rosa Parks seated as an honored guest at the March on Washington
    Rosa Parks, an honored guest at the march, Washington, D.C., 1963 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a man in profile walking in front of a white brick background
    Scuffling. Sumter, SC., 1962 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of six young African American boys doing math problems on a chalkboard in a classroom setting
    Segregated classroom, Prairie Mission, Alabama, 1966 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of four men shooting craps outdoors on a stoop
    Shooting Craps, 1976
  • Black and white photograph of wealthy socialites mingling in a lavish interior being dusted by a maid
    Socialite gathering, Dallas, Texas, c. 1966 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of workers at a cab cheering and clapping
    The marchers are cheered by workers at a cab stand that was one of the bulwarks of the Montgomery bus boycott ten years earlier, Montgomery, Alabama, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of a family standing in three rows in front of a farm house in Alabama
    Three generations of tenant farmers. Millers Ferry, Alabama, c. 1966 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of voter applicants waiting patiently in line at the Registrar of Voters office in Clinton, Louisiana
    Voter applicants line up then wait to register, Clinton, Louisiana, c. 1963
  • Black-and-white photograph of Malcolm X in his casket, shrouded in accordance with Islamic tradition, as African American men and women file by at the funeral viewing
    With Allah. Harlem, New York City, 1965 (printed 2007)
  • Black and white photograph of white hecklers insulting two black women who are part of a voting rights drive in Selma, Alabama
    Words can wound. Selma, Alabama, c. 1960s (printed 2007)
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