Boom Box
1989, printed 1994
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
sheet: 35.4 × 27.6 cm (13 15/16 × 10 7/8 in.) image: 32.5 × 25.2 cm (12 13/16 × 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of Betsy Karel)
Accession Number
2015.19.4756
Art Historical Context
**Boom Box** (1989, printed 4) is a striking gelatin silver print by Jim Goldberg, a renowned American documentary photographer celebrated for his intimate portrayals of marginalized communities. Measuring 35.4 × 27.6 cm, this black-and-white image captures the raw energy of late-1980s urban life with the boom box—a quintessential symbol of hip-hop culture, street style, and youth rebellion—taking center stage. Goldberg's often bridges personal stories and social realities, inviting viewers to reflect on the vibrancy and struggles of everyday people. Created during a pivotal era when hip-hop ...
About the Artist
Jim Goldberg
Jim Goldberg, born in 1953 in New Haven, Connecticut, emerged as a pivotal figure in American documentary photography through his immersive, collaborative approach to capturing marginalized lives. He earned a BA in photography from Western Washington University in 1975 before studying at the San Francisco Art Institute under Larry Sultan, a conceptually oriented photographer whose influence shaped...