Object Details
- Artist
- Bruce W. Talamon, born 31 Jul 1949
- Sitter
- Maurice White, 19 Dec 1941 - 4 Feb 2016
- Verdine White, born 25 Jul 1951
- Ralph Johnson, born 4 Jul 1951
- Philip Bailey, born 8 May 1951
- Larry Dunn, born 19 Jun 1953
- Al McKay, born 2 Feb 1948
- Exhibition Label
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Front row, left to right: Verdine White, Maurice White, Johnny Graham; middle row: Ralph Johnson, Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn; top row: Andrew Woolfolk, Fred White, Al McKay
- Under the leadership of founder and principal singer Maurice White (1941–2016), the band Earth, Wind & Fire developed a lush, horn-driven sound that fused elements of jazz, funk, R&B, and gospel. With chart-topping hits, such as “Shining Star” (1975), “September” (1978), and “Boogie Wonderland” (1979), the band sold more than ninety million albums worldwide (including fifty Gold and Platinum albums), received seven Grammy Awards, and secured a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
- Commissioned to create a portrait of Earth, Wind & Fire in 1978, photographer Bruce Talamon wanted to represent the band’s members as superheroes. Shooting from a low vantage point, he photo graphed each of the nine musicians individually. He then laboriously assembled the portraits (working without the benefit of Photoshop, which did not exist in 1978) to yield a seamless, composite image. This heroic group portrait was the result.
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Fila frontal, desde la izquierda: Verdine White, Maurice White, Johnny Graham; fila central: Ralph Johnson, Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn; fila superior: Andrew Woolfolk, Fred White, Al McKay
- Bajo la guía de su fundador y cantante principal, Maurice White (1941–2016), la banda Earth, Wind & Fire desarrolló un sonido suntuoso, con énfasis en los viento-metales, que fusionaba elementos de jazz, funk, R&B y góspel. Encabezando las listas de éxitos con canciones como “Shining Star” (1975), “September” (1978) y “Boogie Wonderland” (1979), vendieron más de 90 millones de álbumes en el mundo (incluidos 50 discos de oro y platino), obtuvieron siete premios Grammy y se aseguraron un lugar en el Salón de la Fama del Rock & Roll en el año 2000. Bruce Talamon, quien recibió el encargo de retratar a Earth, Wind & Fire en 1978, quiso repre sentarlos como superhéroes. Fotografió a cada uno por separado, con tomas desde abajo. Luego inició la ardua labor de unir los retratos (sin las ventajas de Photoshop, que no existía en 1978) hasta lograr una imagen fluida, sin “costuras” aparentes. El resultado fue este heroico retrato grupal.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquired through the generosity of Randi Charno Levine
- 1978 (printed 2019)
- Object number
- NPG.2019.114
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © Bruce W. Talamon
- Type
- Photograph
- Medium
- Inkjet print
- Dimensions
- Image: 85.4 × 68.4 cm (33 5/8 × 26 15/16")
- Sheet: 101.9 × 76.5 cm (40 1/8 × 30 1/8")
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Location
- Currently not on view
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Music\Musical instrument\Guitar
- Maurice White: Male
- Maurice White: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Producer
- Maurice White: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Songwriter
- Maurice White: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Singer
- Maurice White: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician\Percussionist\Drummer
- Maurice White: Performing arts awards\Grammy
- Verdine White: Male
- Verdine White: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
- Verdine White: Performing arts awards\Grammy
- Philip Bailey: Male
- Philip Bailey: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
- Philip Bailey: Performing arts awards\Grammy
- Ralph Johnson: Male
- Ralph Johnson: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
- Ralph Johnson: Performing arts awards\Grammy
- Al McKay: Male
- Al McKay: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
- Al McKay: Performing arts awards\Grammy
- Larry Dunn: Male
- Larry Dunn: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
- Larry Dunn: Performing arts awards\Grammy
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.2019.114
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4fcad341a-171b-41bf-8343-105b139f00af
