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Work of photographer Weegee rediscovered in Ky.

Iconic photographer's work, rediscovered in Kentucky, now at Indiana museum

By Jenna Youngs jyoungs@herald-leader.com

For two women who traveled through southern Kentucky and stopped at a yard sale in 2003, ­finding someone's trash — a zebra-print trunk — was their new treasure. The ladies' ­subsequent trash from their find — more than 300 photos and documents — turned out to be a real treasure for the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

The trunk contained 210 photographs by famed artist Weegee. The trunk also held nearly 100 personal artifacts, including letters, some of his press passes and his Social Security card. Indianapolis-based historical-documents dealer Steve H. ­Nowlin acquired the photos and documents from the women in 2003 and approached the museum with the items; the museum announced its ­ownership of the collection on Tuesday, said Martin Krause, curator of prints at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Weegee, whose real name was Arthur Fellig, was a free-lance news ­photographer known for his striking ­portrayals of New York crime scenes from the 1930s until his death in 1968. He earned his nickname — a take on Ouija boards because of the boards' predictive powers and Fellig's seeming ability to ­predict crime — for his ­tendency to arrive at scenes fast, often before police. ­Weegee arrived so quickly in part because he carried a police radio in the trunk of his car. In addition to his crime-scene photography, Weegee also used infrared film to secretly photograph people in compromising positions at movie theaters or on park benches, and he distorted ­portraits of famous celebrities.

”Weegee was a ­fascinating photographer,“ Krause said. ”He straddled the line ­between the world of journalism and artistic ­photography. He was an ­interesting character and was an influential photographer.“

According to a news ­release, the collection includes a number of crime-scene photos, ­infrared ­images, self-portraits and distorted renderings of ­celebrities including e_SDHpElizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Krause said Nowlin ­approached the museum in 2003 with the collection, but the museum made the final decision earlier this year under new director Maxwell L. Anderson to acquire it. Krause said the museum paid Nowlin for a portion of the collection, using money from the Carolyn Marmon Fesler Fund and the Alliance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Krause said the bulk of the collection was a gift from Nowlin.

Krause said an appraisal sought by Nowlin valued the collection at $500,000.

Nowlin was not available for comment.

Krause said neither he nor Nowlin knows how Weegee's belongings made it to southern Kentucky; they think the artifacts once ­belonged to ­Weegee's ­longtime companion, Wilma Wilcox, to whom the ­recovered letters and postcards were addressed. Wilcox had possession of most of Weegee's work after his death, and she willed the items to the International Center of Photography when she died in 1993.

The new collection at the Indianapolis Museum of Art is thought to be the second-largest Weegee collection, trailing only the one at the International Center of ­Photography in New York.

Krause called Weegee's work a significant addition to the museum's ­photography collection. He said the ­collection is ­representative of work from the 19th and 20th centuries, but the ­acquisition of so many pieces by one ­artist could make the Indianapolis Museum of Art a ”niche“ location for people interested in Weegee.

Krause said the museum hopes to display most if not all of the collection, but its exhibition schedule is set through 2010.