Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Jake Jacobson "Heart & Hands" Color Iris Photoprints

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0866
Creators:
Northlight of Colorado, Inc.
Jacobson, Jake
Dates:
1996-2000
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
8 Prints
framed
3.42 Cubic feet
2 boxes, 1 map-folder
Repository:
Collection consists of photoprints and other materials created by Jacob Jacobson for the "Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America" exhibition circulated by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), from April 2000 to early 2004.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of photoprints and other materials created by Jacob Jacobson for the "Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America" exhibition circulated by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), from April 2000 to early 2004. The materials are arranged into two series.
Series 1: Iris (Inkjet) Digital Photoprints, dates, consists of eighty six color Iris (inkjet) items. The subjects are primarily individual musicians and craftsmen, although several instrument companies are included, notably the venerable Selmer Company of Elkhart, Indiana, which has manufactured band instruments for many decades. These digital prints were made from Jacobson's 35mm color transparencies (although print number one is monochrome, rather than full color). The prints are from a limited edition of 350, and are signed by the photographer in the lower right beneath the image, and numbered on the lower left. Some prints bears Northlight Atelier blind stamp in the margin and an identifying label with the print number and subject's name is affixed to each print on the verso at the bottom. Most of the prints have an image size of 20" in the long dimension and from approximately 13-1/4" to 14-1/4" on the short side; on heavy, textured archival paper, ranging in size from about 16"x 23" to 19"x 24". Eight larger prints, with image sizes of approximately 21-22" x 31-32" in size, were received matted and in 28" x 40" frames. Some representative image and print sizes are included. Most prints are in one large flat box; prints in the "folder" are stored separately because the paper is slightly too large for the box. The large framed prints are necessarily stored separately and are less accessible.
Series 2: Other Materials, dates, includes a loose-leaf notebook containing inventory of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES) exhibit prints with titles and thumbnail images for identification (except item 55, which is omitted), plus a CD-ROM containing the images in pocket. Note that the images for numbers 81 and 85 in the notebook are reversed. There is also a compact disk in plastic jewel case of the same name ("Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America"), which contains sixty tracks of instrument makers playing their instruments and interviews with some of them. Compact disk in plastic jewel case, "Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America; Music and Interviews Recorded Live; Taken from the Book..." (produced by Northlight). Containing music and selected interviews with instrument makers, produced for commercial distribution by Northlight Atelier; 60 tracks. Compact disk in plastic jewel case, "Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America; Music and Interviews Recorded Live; Taken from the Book..." (produced by Northlight). Containing music and selected interviews with instrument makers, produced for commercial distribution by Northlight Atelier; 60 tracks.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is divided into two series.
Series 1, Iris (Inkjet) Digital Photoprints
Series 2, Other Materials

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
"Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of America" was an exhibition of photographs by Jake Jacobson, circulated by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), from April 2000 to early 2004 to at least fourteen venues. The first site was April 8, 2000, at the Georgia Mountains History Museum, and the last venue for the show was the Elkhart County Historical Museum, Bristol, Indiana, ending April 6, 2004. Selections from the exhibition were on view from June 4 to 8, 2001, in the Rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building, and it was shown in the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries building, March 2-April 28, 2002.
The field work for the project was begun in 1996, culminating in 1998. "Traveling coast to coast, in an extensive two-year journey across the United States, Jake Jacobson and research collaborator Trisja Malisoff recorded the images, words, and music of over 300 contemporary musical instrument makers. Documenting the diversity of American music, Jacobson's photographs reveal a complex, living tradition-a heritage that draws upon Latin, Native American, European, African and Asian music influences."
Following this project, Jacobson engaged in a related photographic documentation, "Heart & Hands: Musical Instrument Makers of China." He has established a "Heart & Hands Foundation." Music has been an important part of Jacobson's life throughout his career as a photographer, printmaker, and jazz musician. During the mid-1960s he operated a backyard print shop, producing rock concert posters. As an advertising and editorial photographer, he pioneered new techniques for special effects and printmaking. His continuing passion for photographing musical artists is evident in the portraits in the "Heart & Hands" project.
A graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography, Jacobson has taught photography at UCLA and Cypress College in Orange County. A longtime practitioner and teacher of Yoga, he is the owner of the Center for Yoga in Los Angeles. He operated a "state-of-the-art" photography, printmaking, and video production studio, Northlight of Colorado, in the mountains near Telluride, Colorado, before relocating the Northlight Atelier to Santa Barbara, California, in 2003.
Another project of Jacobson's is entitled, "Oh, Baby--Celebrating Birth Rites around the World."

Administration

Author
David Haberstich
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Mr. Jacobson.
Processing Information
Processed by David Haberstich, archivist; supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Physical Access: Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves.
Technical Access: Do not use original
Preferred Citation
Jake Jacobson "Heart & Hands" Color Iris Photoprints, Archives Center, National Museum of American History,
Conditions Governing Use
Jake Jocobson retains copyright. Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

More Information

Bibliography

Bibliography
Jacobson, Jake.
Heart & Hands / Musical Instrument Makers of America
. Foreword by Billy Taylor. Research & collaboration by Trisja Malisoff. Edited by Nancy Ellis & Robert Bailey. Produced by Northlight of Colorado, Incorporated Cologne: Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft MBH, 1999.
Update, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service catalog, 1999-2000, pages 34-35, and other issues.
Web sites containing biographical information, details of the exhibition, etc.:http://www.northlightofco.com/np.htmlhttp://www.northlightofco.com/http://www.hallstromdesign.com/clients/ohbaby/scroller_author.swfhttp://www.sites.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibit_main.asp?id=55http://www.hallstromdesign.com/clients/ohbaby/scroller_ohbaby.swfhttp://www.sites.si.edu/press/pressdet.asp?id=29 (SITES press release)


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Photographs -- Inkjet prints -- 1990-2000 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings -- Compact disks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Inkjet prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musical instruments -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- Digital prints -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Iris prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musical instrument makers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ink jet printing Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Compact discs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Digital images Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
CD-ROMs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Color prints (photographs) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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