Rob Amberg photographs and papers, 1975-2009

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Summary

Creator:
Amberg, Rob and Archive of Documentary Arts (Duke University)
Abstract:
The photographs and papers of documentarian Rob Amberg span the years 1975-2009. The gelatin silver prints and pigmented inkjet color prints in the collection represent three bodies of work: The New Road: I-26 and the Footprints of Progress; The Sodom Laurel Album; and The Vanishing Culture of Agriculture. Amberg focuses primarily on the social life and customs of the rural South, especially in the mountains of his home state of North Carolina. Images range from landscape shots taken before and during construction of an interstate highway in the N.C. mountains, to portraits of individuals and families affected by the changes in rural culture. Images also depict agricultural activies such as tobacco cultivation and dairy cattle farming, as well as work in the poultry industry. He has a special concern for documenting the way in which industrial and economic progress seems to be erasing many aspects of rural culture at the turn of the twenty-first century. Amberg's papers account for the rest of the collection and are organized into five series: Correspondence, Printed Materials, Subject Files, and Writings and Research, and Audio. Acquired as part of the Archives of Documentary Arts at Duke University.
Extent:
15 Linear Feet
457 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00031

Background

Scope and content:

The Rob Amberg Photographs and Papers span the years 1975-2009. The photographs consist of 8x10 and 11x14 inch gelatin silver prints and pigmented inkjet color prints. Amberg's focus as a photographer is primarily the social customs of the rural South, especially in his home state of North Carolina. He has a special concern for documenting the way in which industrial and economic progress seems to be erasing many aspects of rural culture at the turn of the twenty-first century.

The collection is arranged into three project series: The New Road: I-26 and the Footprints of Progress ; The Sodom Laurel Album; and The Vanishing Culture of Agriculture.

Images range from landscape shots taken before and during construction of an interstate highway in the N.C. mountains, to portraits of individuals and families affected by the changes in rural culture. Images also depict agricultural activies such as tobacco cultivation and dairy cattle farming, as well as work in the poultry industry. Many of Amberg's images in this last series were funded by the Rural Advancement Fund to document the rural Carolinas, and by the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation. Captions and numbering are taken from original notes on the back of each print. Series are arranged in alphabetical order by title of project.

Amberg's papers are organized into five series. The Correspondence Series contains incoming messages regarding exhibits and the publication of Amberg's books as well as photographic work in other published materials.

The Printed Material Series consists of publications which include or feature his images. Publications in the series are both national and local, including The New York Times and Harper's.

Amberg worked and contributed to a number of non-profit organizations dealing with farm worker's rights and other social issues. Collections of materials relating to these non-profits are housed in the Subject Files Series. Printed materials in this series include annual reports and publications by each organization. Most of the materials include photography work by Amberg.

Included in Amberg's papers is the Writings and Research Series. Content includes multiple versions of the manuscripts to The New Road: I-26 and the Footprints of Progress and Sodom Laurel Album, a publisher's draft of Quartet: Four North Carolina Photographers, a number of interview transcripts, and other writings by Amberg and others.

The final grouping in the collection is the Audio Series which includes a piece entitled Interstate 26 produced by Leda Hartman and a copy of the musical recording which accompanies Sodom Laurel Album.

Biographical / historical:

Rob Amberg's photographs and writings have been exhibited and published nationally and internationally in journals, magazines, and galleries. He lectures frequently and performs regular documentary assignments for non-profit organizations, philanthropic foundations and editorial publications. He is the recipient of fellowships and awards from numerous organizations, including: the National Endowment for the Humanities, the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Center for Documentary Studies, Alternate Roots, the North Carolina Humanities Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

His book, Sodom Laurel Album, was published in 2002 by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University and the University of North Carolina Press. The book received the 2003 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award from the Western North Carolina Historical Association. In 2005, his work was included in the book Quartet: Four North Carolina Photographers, which was published by Safe Harbor Books. His latest book, The New Road: I-26 and the Footprints of Progress, was published in 2009 by the Center for American Places and the University of Georgia Press.

Acquisition information:
The Rob Amberg Photographs were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2004, 2007, and 2008. The Papers were received in 2011.
Processing information:

Processed by Kenneth Dasher, July 2009

Encoded by Kenneth Dasher and Paula Jeannet, August 2009

2011 accession processed and encoded by Meghan Lyon and Carrie Mills, June 2011.

Accessions 2004-0338, 2007-0130, 2008-0049, and 2011-0067 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is restricted to educational, non-commercial use.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Rob Amberg Photographs and Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

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