The Beginning of Bob Dylan’s Career Through Photos
By Victoria Corinne
There have been many classic artists who have paved the way for musicians to continue their legacy, but there is one who sticks out as a key icon, and that would be Mr. Bob Dylan. Not only is he a talented musician, but a poet who knows how to speak to the public through the tragedies and triumphs that life has to offer.
Monmouth University in Long Branch is currently honoring the legend through “Bob Dylan: Photos by Daniel Kramer,” which is an exhibit showcasing intimate rock photos of the singer-songwriter during the years 1964-1965. Daniel Kramer’s photography helped Dylan gain recognition in the early days of his career. Kramer eventually published a book titled Bob Dylan, which features an array of photos taken by himself, that changed the way fans and critics view the performer.
In a press release from the Pollak Gallery, Kramer’s work is described as having, “revealed the rising young star to international audiences,” and “set a standard by which all other rock portraits would be judged.” Kramer is known for bringing rock music and photojournalism into the same light during the 60s and 70s, especially for Dylan, with whom Kramer spent a year documenting his move from folk to rock music. Kramer has designed covers for some of Dylan’s most successful albums, Bringing It All Back Home (1965), Highway 61 Revisited (1965), and Biograph (1985). Rolling Stone magazine has referred to Kramer as “the photographer most closely associated with Bob Dylan,” and fans alike know of Daniel Kramer because he has successfully taken shots of Dylan that show him in the purest, most creative light. The exhibit was curated by the Grammy Museum and shows the relationship of Kramer and his iconic muse through photos.
Recently winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, “for having created new poetic expressions within the Great American song tradition,” this is a perfect time for the university to display the Dylan exhibit. This will give visitors, whether they’re fans or not, a look into the beginning of his iconic career. These photos will give the viewer the power to imagine his words, which led him to the position of the prestigious award.
The exhibit will continue to be on display at Monmouth University’s Pollak Gallery through December 20th and it is free and open to the public. Monmouth University is located at 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
