Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Exhibition Label

Born Portland, Oregon

Jazz bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding electrified the Grammy Awards in 2011 when she won honors as Best New Artist. Having been inspired by Yo-Yo Ma as a child, she played several different stringed instruments before settling on the bass when she was in high school. She released her first album, Junjo, in 2006. Her sixth release, Exposure, was created over seventy-seven consecutive hours, a process that she livestreamed on Facebook in September 2017. Spalding’s musical roots reflect her rich cultural heritage: Her father is African American; her mother is Welsh, Native American, and Hispanic; and she herself sings in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Sandrine Lee’s photograph shows the musician in an old railroad station in Connecticut. In interviews, Spalding has emphasized that music does not only happen in recording studios and concert halls, but also in more intimate, everyday spaces, like the one shown here.

Nacida en Portland, Oregon

La bajista de jazz y cantante Esperanza Spalding electrificó los premios Grammy en 2011 cuando ganó la distinción a la Mejor Nueva Artista. Habiéndose inspirado en Yo-Yo Ma de niña, tocó varios instrumentos de cuerda distintos antes de decidirse por el bajo cuando estaba en la escuela secundaria. Lanzó su primer álbum, Junjo, en 2006. Su sexto estreno, Exposure, fue creado a lo largo de setenta y siete horas consecutivas que transmitió en vivo por Facebook en septiembre de 2017. Las raíces musicales de Spalding reflejan su rica herencia cultural: su padre es afroamericano; su madre es galesa, indígena e hispana; y la propia artista canta en inglés, español y portugués. La fotografía de Sandrine Lee muestra a la artista en una antigua estación de ferrocarril de Connecticut. En entrevistas, Spalding ha puesto de relieve que la música no sólo ocurre en estudios de grabación y salas de concierto, sino también en espacios más íntimos y cotidianos, como se ve aquí.

Artist

Sandrine Lee, born 1972

Sitter

Esperanza Spalding, born 1984

Date

2010 (printed 2012)

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Sandrine Lee

Medium

Digitally exposed chromogenic print

Dimensions

Image: 40.5 x 61 cm (15 15/16 x 24")

Sheet: 50.7 x 71.2 cm (19 15/16 x 28 1/16")

Type

Photograph

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition

20th Century Americans: 2000 to Present

On View

NPG, South Gallery 341

Object number

C/NPG.2012.42

Topic

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair

Music\Musical instrument\Violin

Equipment\Drafting & Writing Implements\Writing implement\Pencil

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Bench

Music\Sheet music

Music\Musical instrument\Cello

Interior\Train station

Esperanza Spalding: Female

Esperanza Spalding: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician

Esperanza Spalding: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Composer

Esperanza Spalding: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Jazz

Portrait

Place

United States\Connecticut