Photograph of Aaliyah, NYC, 1994: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

She is wearing a sheer long sleeve black shirt with a shiny black shirt underneath. She has long hair and bangs. She is wearing long earrings and has a ring on her proper right hand. She is smiling wide with her mouth open and her head is turned slightly towards the proper right side. Her right hand is pointing forward and is out of focus. She is standing in front of "fye" logos, which are also out of focus.

There is a white border around the image. It is thicker on the two sides and thinner on the top and bottom. The back of the photograph is white. There is a bit of tape residue at the top of the page. There is an inscription on the back in Bill Adler's hand.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1994
• Photograph by: Michael Benabib, American, born 1962
• Subject of: Aaliyah, American, 1979 - 2001
• Subject of: f.y.e., American, founded 1993
• Type: portraits
• Type: inkjet prints
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 19 15/16 × 16 1/4 in. (50.6 × 41.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 19 × 12 9/16 in. (48.2 × 31.9 cm)
• Place captured: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Business
• Topic: Gesture
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Popular music
• Topic: Rhythm and blues (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2015.132.68
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Michael Benabib Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.