MARION PALFI German / American, 1907–1978 Fiesta de la Raza, Barcelona, Spain 1934 photograph Photograph; artist’s titled and signed lower right; it is an example of her early work before she moved to the U.S. and focused on American social issues. Framed. Not examined out of frame. Sight (as matted): 10.5 x 12.5 inches; frame: 17 x 19 inches $700-1,200
ARTIST PROFILE; Born in Berlin, Marion Palfi (1907–1978) was a pioneering German-American social-documentary photographer who defined herself as a "social change photographer." After escaping Nazi Germany and arriving in New York in 1940, she pivoted from her background as a model, actress, and commercial portraitist to use her camera as a powerful tool for activism. Palfi’s work focused intensely on equity and justice, documenting the harsh realities of racism, poverty, and segregation across the United States. Notable for her courageous field work, she photographed the aftermath of lynchings in Georgia, documented the Civil Rights Movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and produced influential photo books like Suffer Little Children. Her impactful imagery was not only featured on the first cover of Ebony magazine but was also utilized by the U.S. Department of Justice and Congress to support civil rights legislation. Throughout her career, Palfi received prestigious Guggenheim and NEA fellowships, eventually teaching the next generation of photographers in Los Angeles until her death in 1978.
