Sammy Baird

Orval Hixon, artist

1884–1982

Sammy Baird, 1925

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: gelatin silver print

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 21.5 x 30.5 cm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 8 7/16 x 12 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 19 x 14 in

Credit line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Orval Hixon

Accession number: 1971.0359

Not on display

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Images

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Big Botany: Conversations with the Plant World

Jazz dancer and instructor Sammy Baird stands en pointe before a curving, flowering branch that extends from an elegant vase. Baird, who lived and worked in Kansas City in the early 20th century, gazes intently at the plant as she contorts her body to mirror the contours of her botanical inspiration. Her satin robe, decorated with floral motifs, and the large, white flower affixed to her headband underscore the significance of her pose. Captured by renowned Kansas City vaudeville photographer Orval Hixon, this photo demonstrates the ongoing exchange between the world of plants and the visual and performing arts. Just as Baird and Hixon seem to have appreciated the parallels between human and botanical behaviors nearly a century ago, the movements and morphologies of the botanical world remain a focus for contemporary dancers, performance artists, and even painters.