ABOUT

Burk Uzzle’s career, like his pictures, is a nuanced composition blending American culture, individual psyches of particular places and people, and an atypical way of seeing ourselves, our values, and our community. Always respectful yet locating the poignant or quirky, the history of his narrative belongs to all of us. Initially grounded in documentary photography when he was the youngest photographer hired by LIFE magazine at age 23, his work grew into a combination of split-second impressions reflecting the human condition during his tenure as a member of the prestigious international Magnum cooperative founded by one of his mentors Henri Cartier-Bresson.

For 15 years, Uzzle was an active contributor to the evolution of the organization and served as its President in 1979 and 1980. During the 16 years he was associated with Magnum, he produced some of the most recognizable images we have of Woodstock (album cover and worldwide reproduction of its iconic couple hugging at dawn) to the assassination and funeral of Martin Luther King Jr. to our comprehension for the experience of Cambodian war refugees.

His archive spans almost six decades. His current work rests deep in photographic appreciation of the quiet, strong, and eloquent beauty he discovers in America’s small towns and its people. It is along small back roads, limned with feelings and a surety of surprise for the heart wide open, that continue to support his understanding of how America keeps its personality out on a limb. Uzzle’s current bodies of work (some of which are African-American) are artful and constructed reflections of his subjects. His hope is for a graphic presentation of something universal within the particular, and all the better when involving a gentle chuckle and knowing smile.

From that platform of early work with LIFE Magazine and Magnum Photos has come an encore, amplified courtesy of trial and error. Work from building blocks of years of trial and error. Years are fertilizer with continued energy the icing on the cake made from disciplined regularity of exercise and good nutrition. Carrying decades around has taught me to rest inside the action. Within that calm is produced eloquence grown from patient observation. All those trials and errors taught me craft, the power of light, and rewards of large format digital. I doubt that a better way to learn than personal contemplation of errors exists. From the books. the museums, the travel, tough travel, tough assignments, and above all the joy of loving life as felt by my heart, sent to my eyes which made visual music.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2017 "Perceptions + Recognitions : African-Americans in Eastern North Carolina," Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville NC (Catalogue)
2016 "Burk Uzzle: American Chronicle," North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh NC
2016 "All About America: Photographs by Burk Uzzle," Ackland Art Museum UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC (Catalogue)
2016 "Burk Uzzle Retrospective," Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham NC
2015 "Burk Uzzle: American Puzzles," Steven Kasher Gallery, New York NY
2012 "Burned," Laurence Miller Gallery, New York NY
2011 "Burk Uzzle," Flanders Gallery, Raleigh NC
2010 "Martin Luther King, Jr.," Wilson Arts Council, Wilson NC
2009 "Woodstock," Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, Tampa FL
2009 "Woodstock 40th Anniversary," Laurence Miller Gallery, New York NY
2008 "Burk Uzzle Recent Work," Barton College, Wilson NC
2007 "Just Add Water: America in Color," Laurence Miller Gallery, New York NY
2006 "Burk Uzzle," Michael Dawson Gallery, Los Angeles CA
2005 "A Family Named Spot," The Southeast Museum of Photography, Daytona Beach FL
2004 "Burk Uzzle," Laurence Miller Gallery, New York NY
2003 "Burk Uzzle: All American," Joseph Bellows Gallery, La Jolla CA
2001 "America in the Seventies," Bodo Nieman Gallery, Berlin Germany
1998 "Daytona Bike Week," Gallery Contempo, St. Augustine FL
1996 "Correspondence Between Islands," Danforth Gallery, Portland ME
1994 "Burk Uzzle Recent Work," The Photography Gallery, Drew University, Madison NJ
1992 "A Progress Report on Civilization," The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk VA (Catalogue)
1985 "Burk Uzzle," 253 Gallery, Norfolk VA
1984 "All America: Photographs by Burk Uzzle," Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia PA
1983 "Burk Uzzle," The Photographers' Gallery, London England
1982 "Burk Uzzle," The Ffoto Gallery, Cardiff Wales
1982 "Burk Uzzle," Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool England
1980 "News from Cambodia," International Center of Photography, New York NY
1979 "Burk Uzzle," Gallerie Agathe Gaillard, Paris France
1979 "Burk Uzzle," Galerie Fiolet, Amsterdam Holland
1979 "Burk Uzzle," Witkin Gallery, New York NY
1979 "Burk Uzzle," Galerie Breitling, Berlin Germany
1977 "Burk Uzzle," Aperion Workshop, Traveling exhibition
1977 "Burk Uzzle," Columbia College, Chicago IL
1974 "Burk Uzzle," Dayton Art Institute, Dayton OH
1974 "Burk Uzzle," 831 Gallery, Birmingham MI
1973 "Burk Uzzle," University of Massachusetts Art Gallery, Boston MA
1971 "Burk Uzzle," Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago IL
1970 "Typically American," International Center of Photography, New York NY
1969 "Burk Uzzle," Riverside Museum, New York NY

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2019 "Southbound," Gregg Museum of Art and Design at NC State University, Raleigh NC
2018 "Southbound," Halsey Museum, Charleston SC
2017 "Created By Light," Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington NC
2016 "Retinal Burn," Eboran Galerie, Saltzburg Germany
2016 "Southern Accent : Seeking the American South in Contemporary Art," Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham NC
2014 "Modern Times: Photography in the 20th Century," Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Netherlands
2013 "Light Sensitive," Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham NC
2012 "Director's Choice," Ackland Art Museum, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC
2012 "Man Made Color," Laurence Miller Gallery, New York NY
2010 "Permanent Collection," Nasher Museum, Durham NC
2009 "70' La Photographie Americaine," Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris France
2009 "Reality Revisited," Photography from the Moderna Museet Collection, Stockholm Sweden
2008 "Ojos Privados," Foto Colectania Foundation, Collection of Laurence Miller, Barcelona Spain
2006 "Masterpieces of American Photography," Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna Austria
2005 "Florida Focus," Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Largo FL
2004 "Altered Eden," Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro VT
2004 "Riptide: America on the Flip Side," Laurence Miller Gallery, New York NY
2003 "Leslie Fry, Sculptor - Burk Uzzle, Photographer," Mira Mar Gallery, Sarasota FL
2003 "The Faceless Figure," Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia PA
2002 "Where We Live," The Selby Gallery at Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota FL
2001 "Fourteen Photographers," J. Johnson Gallery, Jacksonville FL
1998 "Daytona Bike Week," Leica Gallery, New York
1994 "Three Decades of Photography," Leica Gallery, New York NY
1988 "Photography in the Fine Arts," International Center of Photography, New York NY
1987 "Selected Works," National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Japan
1983 "Burk Uzzle and JoAnn Callis," Arizona State University, Tempe AZ
1982 "New York City at Night," City Gallery, New York NY
1979 "Contemporary Photographers," Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara CA
1979 "Selected Works," Witkin Gallery, New York NY
1978 "Contemporary Photographers," Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam Netherlands
1977 "Burk Uzzle and Mary Ellen Mark," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA
1977 "La Photo Comme Photographie," Centre d'Arts Plastiques, Bordeaux France
1977 "Through Other Eyes," Arts Council of Great Britain, London England
1976 "Festival d'Automne a Paris," Musee Galliera, Paris France
1975 "Impact of Strong Photography Design," Nikon House, New York NY
1974 "100 Years of American Photography," La Maison de Port Deauville, Paris France
1973 "Burk Uzzle and Liliane DeCock," Witkin Gallery, New York NY
1971 "Contemporary Photographers," Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, Cambridge MA
1970 "Creative Photography," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA
1969 "Spectrum One," Inaugural Exhibition, Witkin Gallery, New York NY
1969 "Vision and Expression," George Eastman House, Rochester NY
1968 "People in the Environment," 831 Gallery, Columbus OH
1968 "Photography 68," George Eastman House, Rochester NY
1968 "Recent Acquisitions," Museum of Modern Art, New York NY

SELECTED MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

Ackland Art Museum, UNC Chapel Hill
Art Institute of Chicago
Arts Council of Great Britain
Bibliotheque Nationale de France
‍Cameron Art Museum
Chrysler Museum of Art
Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University
George Eastman House
Greenville Museum of Art
Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington at Seattle
High Museum, Atlanta, Ga.
International Center of Photography NYC
Library of Congress
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Museum of Modern Art
Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University
National Museum of Modern Art, Japan
North Carolina Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Smithsonian Institution
Stedelijk Museum
University of Texas
Weatherspoon Museum

MONOGRAPHS

ALL ABOUT AMERICA : PHOTOGRAPHS BY BURK UZZLE
Patricia Leighten
Chapel Hill NC : Ackland Art Museum, 2016. Print.

JUST ADD WATER: PHOTOGRAPHS BY BURK UZZLE
Vicki Goldberg. Editor.
New York: Five Ties Publishing, Inc., 2007. Print.

View photos

A FAMILY NAMED SPOT
Rose, Charlie. Preface. Gurganus, Allan. Essay. New York: Five Ties Publishing, 2006. Print.

View photos

PROGRESS REPORT ON CIVILIZATION
Norfolk, VA: The Chrysler Museum, 1992. Print.

ALL AMERICAN
Martha Chahroudi. Introductory Essay. New York: Aperture, 1985. Print.

View photos

LANDSCAPES
Bailey, Ron. Introduction. New York: Magnum Photos, 1973. Print.

View photos

ANTHOLOGIES

"A Day in the Life of America." New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1986. pp. 48-49, 184-185. Print.
"Album Photographique One." Paris: Centre Georges Pompidou, 1979. Print.
"Americain Crisis." New York: Ridge Press, 1999. Print.
"Aperture 77.” New York: Aperture, 1976. Print.
Aubenas, Sylvie, et al. “Le Choc de la Photographie Americaine." Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, 2008. Print.
Ball, Phillip, et al. "Colour In The Making." London: Black Dog Publishing, 2013. pp. 167. Print.
Booth-Clibborn, Edward. "American Photography Three." New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc Publishers, 1987. Print.
Brown, David J. and Weller, Dennis P. "Rethinking Landscape." Virginia: Taubman Museum of Art, 2008. Print.
Campbell, Brian. "World Photography." London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1981. Print.
Capa, Cornell. Introduction. "Master Photographs." New York: International Center of Photography, 1988. Print.
"Contemporary Photographers." New York: St. Martins Press, 1982. Print.
"Contemporary Photographers." London: St James Press, 1981. Print.
Diamonstein, Barbaralee. "Visions and Images: American Photographers on Photography." New York: Rizzoli international Publications Inc, 1981. Print.
Foresta, Merry Amanda. "Exposed and Developed: Photography Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts." Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1984. Print.
Friend, David. Editor. “The Meaning of LIFE." Chicago: Little Brown & Company, 1991. Print.
Jay, Bill. "Friends and Other Photographers." Portland: Nazraeli Press, 2007.
Johnson, Brooks. "Photography Speaks." Virginia: Aperture/The Chrysler Museum, 1995. Print.
"Magnum: Fifty Years on the Front Line of History." New York: Grove Press, 1999. Print.
Milani, Joanne. "The Delighted Eye." Tampa: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 2012. Print.
"Photographic Communication." Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1971.
"Tao of Photography." Honolulu: Ten Speed Press, 2001. Print.
"The Great LIFE Photographers." Boston: Bullfinch, 2004. Print.
Weiermair, Peter and Matt, Gerald. "American: The Social Landscape from 1940-2006 Masterpieces of American Photography." Bologna, Italy: Damiani Editore, 2006. Print.
Witkin, Lee. "Sixth Anniversary Book." New York: Witkin Gallery, 1975. Print.
"World Photography." New York: Ziff Davis Publishing Co., 1981. pp. 44-55. Print.

SELECTED ARTICLES

"‘F11 and Be There’ Review: Burk Uzzle, a Photographer Worth Knowing" by Glenn Kenny on New York Times. July 14, 2020. Read article
"The Evolved Documentarian: Interview with Burk Uzzle" by Janet Kagan on Lenscratch. September 20, 2018. Read article
"A Day in the Life of America." New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1986. pp. 48-49, 184-185. Print.
"Album Photographique One." Paris: Centre Georges Pompidou, 1979. Print.
"Americain Crisis." New York: Ridge Press, 1999. Print.
"Aperture 77." New York: Aperture, 1976. Print.
Aubenas, Sylvie, et al. "Le Choc de la Photographie Americaine." Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, 2008. Print.
Ball, Phillip, et al. "Colour In The Making." London: Black Dog Publishing, 2013. pp. 167. Print.
Booth-Clibborn, Edward. "American Photography Three." New York: Harry N. Abrams Inc Publishers, 1987. Print.
Brown, David J. and Weller, Dennis P. "Rethinking Landscape." Virginia: Taubman Museum of Art, 2008. Print.
Campbell, Brian. "World Photography." London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1981. Print.
Capa, Cornell. Introduction. "Master Photographs." New York: International Center of Photography, 1988. Print.
"Contemporary Photographers." New York: St. Martins Press, 1982. Print.
"Contemporary Photographers." London: St James Press, 1981. Print.
Diamonstein, Barbaralee. "Visions and Images: American Photographers on Photography." New York: Rizzoli international Publications Inc, 1981. Print.
Dohm, Megan. "Burk Uzzle: From Woodstock to Wilson." The Bitter Southerner. Read article
Edwards, Gavin. "The Man Who Photographed Woodstock’s Most Iconic Couple." The New York Times. Aug. 8, 2019. Read article
Foresta, Merry Amanda. "Exposed and Developed: Photography Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts." Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1984. Print.
Friend, David. Editor. "The Meaning of LIFE." Chicago: Little Brown & Company, 1991. Print.

Jay, Bill. "Friends and Other Photographers." Portland: Nazraeli Press, 2007.
Johnson, Brooks. "Photography Speaks." Virginia: Aperture/The Chrysler Museum, 1995. Print.
"Magnum: Fifty Years on the Front Line of History." New York: Grove Press, 1999. Print.
Milani, Joanne. "The Delighted Eye." Tampa: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 2012. Print.
"Photographic Communication." Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1971.
"Tao of Photography." Honolulu: Ten Speed Press, 2001. Print.
"The Great LIFE Photographers." Boston: Bullfinch, 2004. Print.
Weiermair, Peter and Matt, Gerald. "American: The Social Landscape from 1940-2006 Masterpieces of American Photography." Bologna, Italy: Damiani Editore, 2006. Print.
Witkin, Lee. "Sixth Anniversary Book." New York: Witkin Gallery, 1975. Print.
"World Photography." New York: Ziff Davis Publishing Co., 1981. pp. 44-55. Print.

SELECTED LECTURES

2018 "Pas De Deux : Facts and Feelings," Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington NC
2018 "Light," Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham NC
2017 "The Epic Ordinary," Toronto, Phase One Conference
2017 "The Epic Ordinary," Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City UT
2017 "The Epic Ordinary," The Waterford School, Salt Lake City UT
2016 "Best Practices and Asset Management," CLICK! Durham NC
2016 "In Conversation : Patricia Leighten and Burk Uzzle," Ackland Art Museum, UNC Chapel Hill
2016 "Photojournalism at Its Best," North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh NC
2014 "Relationship between Music and Photography," Methodist University, Fayetteville NC
2014 "Burk Uzzle: Current and Past Work," Edinboro University, Edinboro PA
2013 "Fifty Years: Looking Back & Forward," Seman's Lecture, Duke University, Durham NC
2010 "Recent Acquisitions," Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham NC
2004 Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota FL
1986 Hermitage Foundation Museum, Norfolk VA
1985 "All American," Photographic Book of the Year Award, Photographic Workshops ME
1981 International Center of Photography, New York NY
1981 "Photography as a Vehicle for Non-Verbal Communication," Shepherd College, Shepherdstown WV
1978 Center for Photographic Studies, Louisville KY
1977 "Contemporary Trends in Photography," Columbia College, Chicago IL
1975 Fellowship Award, National Endowment for the Arts
1970 "Page One," Newspaper Guild of New York Award, New York NY
1962 "The Young Creative Eye," University of Miami, Coral Gables FL

F11 AND BE THERE

A film about Burk Uzzle. From their website:

"During the process of making this film, it has been easy to see that the way in which Burk Uzzle approaches the photographic process is ontological — it is a way of being. He does not merely use his technical wizardry and vast experience to photograph a subject in an interesting way, rather, he is endlessly seeking to present the aura of the individual through a picture. His artistry continues to connect us with appreciation and understanding of the anima of a particular place or person. f/11 and Be There is a film about how he locates core moments that amplify how we see our collective selves, values, and communities. A current project documenting the African-American South is a prism into his affinities and priorities, and his belief that portraiture is still a new frontier in photography."

VISIT FILM WEBSITE