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Bound to El Norte
Bound to El Norte
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Foad Seyed Mohammadi

Bound to El Norte

Artist Don Bartletti (American, born 1947)
Date2000; print 2021
MediumArchival pigment print
DimensionsPaper: 26 x 36 in. (66.04 x 91.44 cm)
Other (Image): 20 x 30 in. (50.8 x 76.2 cm)
Mat: 30 x 42 in. (76.2 x 106.68 cm)
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineMuseum purchase, funds provided by the Caroline Julier and James G. Richardson Acquisition Fund
Object number2021.27.1
Collections
Visual Description“September 11, 2000, Teotihuacan, Mexico. A Central American boy sits atop a speeding freight train. I rode all night from tropical Veracruz through tunnels and the cold mountain passes to Mexico City. At first light, I spotted a tiny figure seated 3 hopper cars ahead. I jogged forward and leaped from car to car to reach him before we were enveloped in fog. I squeezed off a few horizontal and vertical frames. I got one step closer, about to ask his name when I saw he was shivering and sobbing. My empathy as a parent pulled me back from a private moment I felt should be his alone. The anonymous, underdressed boy in a dirty shirt never noticed me on his sojourn to El Norte somewhere on the invisible horizon.” – Don Bartletti
Agony
Agony
Don Bartletti
2000; print 2021
Black-and-white print of two faces with raised, expressive hands. Below the drawing, red text reads "FOR THE YEAR OF THE INSANE", followed by two columns of the poem by Anne Sexton: O Mary, fragile mother, hear me, hear me now although I do not know your words. The black rosary with its silver Christ lies unblessed in my hand for I am the unbeliever. Each bead is round and hard between my fingers, a small black angel. O Mary, permit me this grace, this crossing over, although I am ugly, submer…
For the Year of the Insane
Barbara Swan
1967
Artist's wooden palette with partial faces seeming to be peering out from under splotches of green, red, blue and yellow paint. The white frame is inscribed in black on top and bottom rails" "I want to be at a gallery abroad, I dislike been a palette, oh! Kwame Akoto/ But I believe one day an art lover will take me to gallery I will appear in books."
I Want To Be At A Gallery Abroad
Kwame Akoto
2011
An off-white print featuring the poem "Another August" By James Merrill in orange text on the left. Beside it is a soft, sweeping sketch of tall trees and a tiny figure on a path, rendered in pale blue, green, and brown. The poem reads: Pines. The white, ochre-pocked houses. Sky unflawed. Upon so much former strangeness a calm settles, glaze of custom to be neither shattered nor shattered by. Home. Home at last. Years past—blind, tattering wind, hail, tears—my head was in those clouds that now…
Another August
George Lockwood
1968
A newspaper boy holds a stack of newspapers in his left arm, and shows one newspaper overhead in his right arm; a bustling city street in the background with many people on the sidewalk, cars in the street, and shop signs on the tall buildings.
Wuxtry!
Albert Abramovitz
c. 1935-1939
A black and white photograph of two boys standing in front of a car, leaning on the side doors. One boy wears a white sweater with black paint under his eyes. The other stands to the left, wearing a tasseled piece of outerwear.
Comanchitos, Talpa, NM 1995
Miguel Gandert
1995
Portrait of a young man seated at a table/desk looking out at the viewer; he wears a short-sleeved, button-down brown plaid shirt; objects of a classroom in the background (white board, lectern, another classroom desk). Text beneath image reads, "I describe myself as a very nice and respectful young man to all. I'm an encourager to my friends and family, even to my teachers. Often I find it fun to visit the nursing home to keep the old ones company. I love to help and encourage people."
Jason
Dawoud Bey
2003
The print is from a Sosaku Hanga folio published in 1930, and shows the shooting of a movie at a street location. The comment by the artist in the accompanying presentation sheet says: "... I felt I peeked at the sight which was not meant to be seen. The depiction of the camera and other equipment is not accurate, but I thought the spectators, the cheap props, and gaudy makeup of the actresses were a great subject for a print." The print is mounted at the top corners on a presentation sheet givi…
Movie Location (Location no zu)
Shintaro Takeda
1930
Baraa Azam sits in a chair amid the ruins of his house after an Israeli air strike flattened the Al Zeitoun area in Gaza City. Baraa was slightly injured. After going back home, he found his room and toys were destroyed, and asked his mother, "How will the school bus pick me up with all the rubble?"
Baraa Azam sits in front of his ruined house
Eman Mohammed
undated
White panel with orange, blue, yellow and green and white braided necklace; text: AMAZOKI AZODELA - translates as "There are troublemakers, I am not saying anything, I love you more." This is an admonition to ignore gossip about people in a relationship.
Beaded panel (isibebe)
Zulu Artist
undated
Flying Cranes Antiques: Rare ikebana basket of unusual form. Reminiscent of ancient bronze vessels, it has an elegant, tall and removable trapezodial handle sculpted with geometric wrapping. The flared skirt and neck are woven closely with thin strips of sooted bamboo, elaborate wraps and unique knots in the form of shrimp bordering the lower four sides at the base. Original kiriwood tombako signed "Made by Chikuyuusai I, karamono utsushi with handle, Tokugawa Family."
Basket
Chikuyuusai I
c. 1910-1920
A male figure sits on grass, crossing his arms on top of his knees and looking at the viewer. He leans on a blue lighted sign reading "Del Taco Drive Thru." Behind him, a car idles at a gas station.
Ralph Smith; 21 years old; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; $25
Philip-Lorca diCorcia
1990-1992

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