Bak (Sunny) Photography Collection, 1993-2002

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Summary

Title:
Sunny Bak photography collection
Dates:
1993-2002
Creators:
Bak, Sunny
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.
Extent:
4.1 linear feet. 1 archives carton + 1 archives flat box + 4 posters.
Language:
Preferred citation:

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

Background

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.

Biographical / historical:

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.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Sunny Bak, October 1, 2012.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Katrina Sire, May 2013.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Katrina Sire
Sponsor:
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Date Prepared:
© 2013
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-06-20T16:05-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

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

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

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

Location of this collection:
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007, US
Contact:
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
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