Show and Tell

Photographer Henry Horenstein shoots the burlesque world and gives downtown drag king Murray Hill his close-up.

by Natalie Hope McDonald

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Published: Feb 16, 2010

Photo Courtesy of Henry Horenstein PEEP SHOW: One of many cheeky photos from Henry Horenstein’s book SHOW.

[ burlesque bonanza ]

Philadelphia experiences a Henry Horenstein hat trick this month when the Boston-based photographer exhibits at Gallery 339 (through April 3), signs his new burlesque photo book SHOW (Pond Press) and previews his film Mr. Showbiz: The Murray Hill Story about New York's venerable drag king. The book signing and movie screening are part of SHOW: Photography, Burlesque and Fun with Henry Horenstein, featuring a live performance from Philly's Peek-a-Boo Revue and music by DJ Audio Romeo.

City Paper: How did SHOW come together in Philly?

Henry Horenstein: We're trying to do the event in multiple cities with some version of the burlesque show and film. We did it in Boston and we'll be doing it in New York and Philly and Houston and Seattle — a couple places. Basically, I just want tour T-shirts.

CP: How is the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center (PPAC) involved?

HH: [PPAC founder] Sarah Stolfa's been amazing. She's a terrific photographer, but she's also put it together. The organization is really a plus for Philadelphia. I'm happy to be involved with them, as well as having my project shown. I really like the idea of getting attention for Sarah. She's done so much for the city of Philadelphia. I think it's such an amazing community of artists and photographers. If I was starting out, it's a place I would absolutely go. It's near New York, which is nice, but it's not New York, which is nice.

CP: What inspired you to delve into the world of burlesque?

HH: When I started out, I got into photography through history and not art. I was a history student and the natural choice for me was to be a documentary photographer. Though I didn't know much about art, I did know a little about history. When I was a young photographer, I went to [photographer] Harry Callahan at one point and asked, "What is valid?" I was uncertain about whether I could even be a photographer. He asked me what it is I love doing. I thought, well, I like country music and I like to bet on the horses. He told me to go take pictures of that and said, "If you take bad pictures at least you'll have a good time." So I did Honky Tonk and Racing Days. My books are documents of subjects that were interesting to me. Burlesque is part of that.

CP: What attracts you to your subjects?

HH: When I was a student, I studied with E.P. Thompson in England. He wrote a book called The Making of the English Working Class. He was part of what was called the "bottom-up" school of history. He said what you should be studying are people on the bottom, not the top. The people on the bottom, the everyday part of society, are people who are often forgotten. They might fail and disappear, but they needed to be recorded so you would understand the history.

I didn't want to do a "celebrities of burlesque" book. I was more interested in the fans and the people, and the people who are making it go.

CP: You've said SHOW was inspired partly by the graphic designs created for Harper's Bazaar in the '30s, '40s and '50s. How does that aesthetic relate to your own style?

HH: To me, good photography isn't limited to one genre or the other. Some people think that there is art photography, commercial photography and editorial photography and never the twain shall meet. Until the 1970s and '80s, every photographer in the history of photography was a working photographer, or they had a big trust fund. I love great fashion photographers — they are great visual artists. [Harper's Bazaar art director] Alexey Brodovitch's mantra was, "Come back and amaze me." I don't really believe in compartmentalizing photography, which is happening more and more. Brodovitch's photographers had a good style and you could identify who they were in how they worked. I think that's important for any writer, musician or photographer. Set your own tone, style or message or whatever gets you into it to begin with.

CP: You've photographed regular Joes and many celebrities throughout your career. Any anecdotes you've picked up along the way?

HH: Dolly Parton gave me the greatest advice when I asked her why she looked the way she did. She said, "People don't come out to see me looking like them." That was great creative advice. You've got to make your own way.

CP: How did the film about Murray Hill come about with William Anderson and Hillary Spera?

HH: I've known Murray for about 15 years. Murray was a grad student at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Murray Hill was a character (Betsey Gallagher) developed as a grad student thesis. It wasn't a very good act back then! I knew her at the time and we were friends and we lost track. When I started photographing burlesque about eight years ago, Murray was already virtually the king of the burlesque circuit. He was so good! We re-met and I asked him to write the intro to my book.

While I was shooting, I thought I should do something more than that. Murray has a terrific story. His message is basically one of celebrating difference and celebrating people who are different. The combination of the star being very charismatic and the message being so important now is difficult to find.

CP: How does the film reflect these things?

HH: In New York City, the old story is everything's gentrified. He tells the story in the film; he says, enjoy yourselves tomorrow because you'll come back and this will be an American Apparel. To me, that's the story of the film and the characters around him — friends and family.

CP: Is this your first film?

HH: I've worked on a couple of others. Most photographers think they can make films because it's about pictures. But we usually can't. I got a couple of friends who work in film together and I knew if I couldn't do it, they could. The three of us made the film together. You're really ahead of the game if you have a great subject.

CP: You also teach photography at the Rhode Island School of Design. What's perhaps the most important lesson one can learn about the medium?

HH: Some of it's common sense, like any field — like being a writer. You have to work hard and be good at what you do, and be smart about how to get your work distributed. The most important thing is to do good work and make it unique to yourself. Those are obvious things. Why would someone hire you as opposed to a million other people who can do the job? Because you're on time, you get it done, you're not a pain in the ass. When it comes down to it, overall, you get it because you're good at what you do and what you do has a singular voice. That's what I think everyone should be aiming for. I've done a lot of jobs that are quite ordinary and adequate, but the goal is always trying to do that special thing.

CP: What's next after your burlesque tour?

HH: I've got ongoing projects. One is in Buenos Aires photographing nightlife, and Cajun culture in Louisiana. Music is part of that and the people in the area. Also, I've been photographing in central Maryland with a friend who's a writer — the remnants of the Wesorts people — a tri-racial group who used to intermarry since the early 1700s. They're racially mixed families. I've always got a few things hopping.

(n_mcdonald@citypaper.net)

SHOW: Photography, Burlesque and Fun with Henry Horenstein | Fri., Feb. 19, 8-11 p.m., $10-$13, Bahdeebahdu, 1522 N. American St., 215-627-5002, philaphotoarts.org.

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