Finding Aid to the Sunny Bak Photography Collection Coll2013.037

Finding aid prepared by Katrina Sire
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90007
(213) 741-0094
askone@ONEarchives.org
© 2013


Title: Sunny Bak photography collection
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013.037
Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 4.1 linear feet. 1 archives carton + 1 archives flat box + 4 posters.
Date (inclusive): 1993-2002
Abstract: The collection includes Bak's medium format color transparenices/unmounted slides of Ashley Herrin and Catherine Angiel and alternative layouts for the June 21, 1993, Newsweek cover story, "Lesbians Come Out Strong." The collection also contains Bak's images of lesbian women and couples on 10% Productions and G Gallery greeting cards, postcards and posters. Bak photographed hundreds of entertainers including members of 10,000 Maniacs, Madonna, and Philippe Saisse. She may be most well-known for her work on the Beastie Boys album, Licensed to Ill.
creator: Bak, Sunny

Biography

Sunny Bak was born in Manhattan. She was a photographer for her junior high school newspaper in Queens, New York. She shot the cast of Broadway shows for the paper. She went on to study at The School Visual Arts Nikon House and at The New School for Social Research under Philippe Halsman.
In 1976, while still in high school she opened her first studio in Manhattan. During this time Bak photographed hundreds of entertainers including members of 10,000 Maniacs, Madonna, and Philippe Saisse. She may be most well-known from this period for her work on the Beastie Boys album, Licensed to Ill.
From 1986 to 1991, she had studios in New York and Los Angeles during this time she also photographed fashion in London, England. In 1992 she relocated to Venice Beach, California.
Bak’s works have appeared in British Elle, Cosmopolitan, Details, Hampton’s Newspaper magazine, Time Magazine, Woman’s World and one of the bestselling issues of Newsweek. Her portrait photography includes images of Carol Alt, Danzig, Seth Green, Gregory Peck, Jason Priestly, Keanu Reeves, Slayer and the Village People.

Scope and Content

The collection includes Bak's medium format color transparenices/unmounted slides of Ashley Herrin and Catherine Angiel and alternative layouts for the June 21, 1993, Newsweek cover story, "Lesbians Come Out Strong.". The collection also contains Bak's images of lesbian women and couples on 10% Productions and G Gallery greeting cards, postcards and posters.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Acquisition

Gift of Sunny Bak, October 1, 2012.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder #, or item name] Sunny Bak Photography Collection, Coll2013-037, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Katrina Sire, May 2013.

Seperated materials

Removed to the ONE greeting card collection:
10% Productions - 11404-200, 12216-200, 13601-200,13209-200, 13206-200, 13306-200, 14103-200, 14204-200, 15402-200, 17106-200, 17210-200, 17211-200, 17406-200, 17502-200, 17305-200, 17701-200, 18403-200, x205-200, x206-200, 29885-225, 27104035
Gallery Collection - 53196-200
Simply Love by 10% Productions - 33231
Visions by 10% Productions - 25660-200

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Lesbians--California--Los Angeles
Mass media and gays--United States
Photographs

 

Sunny Bak collection

Box 1

10% Productions greeting cards 1993-2002

Physical Description: [34 items]
Box 1

10% Productions postcards cards 1995-1997

Physical Description: [3 items]
Map-case 8, Drawer 5

10% Productions posters 1998-2001

General Physical Description note: 4 posters
Box 1

Gallery greeting cards 1998-1999

Physical Description: [5 greeting cards]
Box 1

Gallery greeting card catalogs circa 1999

Physical Description: [3 items]
Box 2

Newsweek alternative front cover layouts 1993

General Physical Description note: 3 covers
Box 1

Newsweek alternative images 1993

Physical Description: [22 pages of color transparencies]
General Physical Description note: 216 color images