Series includes video art, sound art, performance art, exhibition-related media, interviews, documentaries, and publicity news clips related to the Leo Castelli gallery and the artists it represented. Grouped under artwork and performance are recordings of performances, sound art, video art, components of multi-media art, and other documentation of specific artworks. Artists include Vito Acconci, Robert Barry, Hannah Collins, Merce Cunningham, John Gibson, Laura Grisi, Richard Landry, Paul McMahon, Bruce Nauman, Hermann Nitsch, Ed Ruscha, Salvatore Scarpitta, John Sirica, Chas. B. Swann, Ned Sublette, and Lawrence Weiner. Recordings include both commercially-produced copies and rare or unique archival material, including 15 videocassettes (9 U-matic and 6 VHS), 6 sound cassettes, and 9 vinyl phonograph records.
Exhibition documentation includes recordings that document specific shows and openings on 6 videocassettes (5 VHS and 1 U-matic), and 2 lacquer phonograph records. Interviews include extended interviews with Leo Castelli and artists he represented, including, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenberg, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Thierren, and an appearance of Dan Flavin and Donald Judd at the Centre Pompidou. Interviews are on 14 videocassettes (8 VHS and 6 U-matic), 1 videocartridge (Catrivision), and 1 sound cassette. Documentaries include commercially distributed or broadcast television works, generally about a single artist or artwork or about Castelli himself, on 29 videocassettes (11 U-matic and 18 VHS). Publicity videos are generally news programs that include brief coverage of Castelli Gallery among other stories on 24 videocassettes (20 VHS and 4 U-matic). Unidentified recordings are found on 3 videocassettes (1 Betamax and 2 VHS) and 1 videocartridge (EAIJ Endless Loop).
Arrangement:
Video and sound recordings are arranged by form of material, with artwork and performance documentation first, followed by exhibition documentation, interviews, documentaries, and publicity. Within each group, items are arranged by artist or subject. Publicity videos are arranged by program title. Three unidentified videos in obsolete formats are filed at the end of the series.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original records requires an appointment.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Leo Castelli Gallery records, circa 1880-2000, bulk 1957-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the partial digitization of this collection was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation.
