An interview with James Wentzy, conducted 2017 January 23-March 31, by Cynthia Carr, for the Archives of American Art's Visual Arts and the AIDS Epidemic: An Oral History Project, at Wentzy's home and studio in New York, New York.
Wentzy speaks of his childhood in South Dakota; studying filmmaking at Southern Illinois University; moving to New York and shooting commercial films in the late 1970s; working and homesteading in the photography studio of James Dee; the beginning of the AIDS crisis; being diagnosed with HIV in 1990; his participation in and extensive documentation of ACT UP meetings, actions, and demonstrations; his place in the genealogy of AIDS activism; and his body of film and television work. Wentzy also recalls Darrel Ellis, Alanna Heiss, Arch Brown, James Dee, Robert Farber, Ho Tam, John Schnabel, Patrick Moore, Lou Maletta, Tony Arena, Vincent Satinire, David Buckingham, Jean Carlomusto, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
James Wentzy (1952- ) is a cinematographer, documentary filmmaker, and artist in New York, New York. Cynthia Carr (1950- ) is a writer in New York, New York.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
An interview of Edmund Rudolph Teske conducted 1980 May 27-30, by Susan C. Larsen, for the Archives of American Art.
Teske speaks of his family background; his early interest in photography, acting and music; Jane Addams' Hull House; working in A. George Miller's commercial photography studio; aspiring to be a cinematographer; establishing the first photographic workshop at Taliesin North; photographing Chicago "in the spirit of Atget"; development of his technique; his subject matter; solarization and other printing processes; and his series, "Song of Dust". He recalls Aline Barnsdall, Sibyl Moholy-Nagy, Man Ray, Frank Lloyd Wright, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Edmund Teske (1911-1996) was a photographer from Los Angeles, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 4 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 7 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hr., 38 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
[Roger Brown, Richard Hunt, John Hegarty] [videorecording] / Archives of American Art, produced by American Film House ; exec. producer, Dennis Barrie ; producers, Linda Abramsky and Ralph Graham ; director, cinematographer, Charles Cirgenski
Dennis Barrie, Midwest director of the Archives of American Art, narrates three separate documentaries about Chicago artists, including painter Roger Brown, sculptor Richard Hunt, and realist painter John Hegarty. Version combines three separate 15 min. video productions on one cassette.
Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):
Birmingham, Mich. : American Film House, 1983.
Provenance:
A film by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Artists -- Illinois -- Chicago -- Interviews Search this
Two men with motion picture camera on tripod, man, two women, two children standing nearby.
Local Numbers:
RSN 18167
General:
In box 3.1.70 [227A].
Yellowing severely.
Orig. no. A-2.
Collection Restrictions:
The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Flood being filmed by cinematographer amid deep snowbanks.
Local Numbers:
RSN 19112
AC0143-0019112.tif (AC scan number)
General:
Company catalog card included.
Currently stored in box 3.1.73 [220B], moved from [181].
Severely damaged? Yellowing slightly.
Orig. no. 44X46R
Collection Restrictions:
The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Puerto Rico. Division of Community Education. Department of Education Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 71 x 50.6 cm.)
Container:
Map-folder 26
Type:
Archival materials
Posters
Screen prints
Date:
1984
Scope and Contents:
This commemorative poster celebrates Jack Delano's contribution to the humanities in Puerto Rico as an artist, photographer, cinematographer, and composer. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000034.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.37 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
The scattered records of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis date from 1976 to 1981 and measure 1.1 linear feet. Founded in 1975, the organization offered a venue for avant-garde and experimental film as well as special merit documentaries. The records consist of scattered business and administrative records, including member information, the constitution, and by-laws; one folder of correspondence; various notes; printed materials; and a large number of files on filmmakers.
Scope and Content Note:
The scattered records of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis date from 1976 to 1981 and measure 1.1 linear feet. The records consist of scattered business and administrative records, one folder of correspondence, various notes, printed materials, and a large number of files on filmmakers and cinematographers.
Scattered business and administrative records include the constitution and by-laws of the organization, founding information, contracts, member information, film rental documents, and film screening schedules. Resumes are found for Oasis members Morgan Fisher, Roberta Friedman, Leslie Gehry, Lyn Gerry, Amy Halpern, Beverly and Pat O'Neill, and William Moritz.
There is one folder of scattered correspondence dating from circa 1977-1981, financial notes, meeting notes, and program notes. Printed materials include announcements and posters, printed articles written by members, clippings, press releases, and film programs.
The largest series consists of compiled files on filmmakers and cinematographers, most of whom showed at the Oasis. Files contain a variety of materials, such as clippings, reviews, programs, biographies, and notes.
Arrangement:
The records are arranged into five series:
Series 1: Scattered Business Records, 1976-1981 (Box 1; 13 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1977-1981(Box 1; 1 folder)
Series 3: Notes, circa 1979-1980 (Box 1; 4 folders)
Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1976-1981 (Box 1, OV 2; 0.25 linear feet)
Series 5: Filmmakers' Files, 1976-1981 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)
Historical Note:
The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis was founded by a group of independent filmmakers, critics, and theorists in March 1976. The mission of the non-profit organization was to provide a southern California venue for mostly experimental and avant-garde film.
The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis operated as a member group, and in addition to showing film, offered the opportunity for new and established filmmakers to interact and exchange ideas, and to promote cinematography as a fine art. The Oasis held film screenings about twice monthly in the gallery of the Los Angeles Institute for Contemporary Art. Although most of the films were experimental or avant-garde, the members also showed some feature films and documentaries considered to be particularly important. The Oasis served as the only regular screening venue in Los Angeles at which new and unknown filmmakers could show their works. The Oasis was dissolved in 1981.
Members and founders of the Oasis included Paul Arthur, Roberta Friedman, Leslie Gehry, Lynn Gerry, Amy Halpern, Tom Lesser, Sandy Matthews, Beverly O'Neill, Pat O'Neill, Magdalena Rangel, Tim Shepard, Grahame Weinbren, Susan Rosenblum, Brent Wilcox, Diana Wilson, David Wilson and Arlene Zeichner.
The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis showed films by Kenneth Anger, Bruce Baillie, John Baldessari, Stan Brakhage, Rudy Burckhardt, Bruce Conner, John Cornell, Maya Deren, Jules Engel, Morgan Fisher, Oskar Fischinger, Hollis Frampton, Robert Huot, Larry Jordan, Fernand Leger, William Moritz, Susan Pitt, Hans Richter, Michael Snow, Chick Strand, John Whitney, and Emerson Woelffer, among others.
Provenance:
Amy Halpern, one of the founders of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis donated the records in 1994.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
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.
Found here are files about filmmakers, cinematographers, and other film artists that showed at the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis. There are also a few files relating to specific film programs held at the Oasis. Files may include a variety of scattered clippings, reviews, programs, biographies and notes. See the Index for Series 1 for a list of all film screenings held by Oasis.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers 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:
Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis records, 1976-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Photographs made by George C. Coudert among the Tenharim and Parintintín (Parintintin) communities in Brazil during a 1924 expedition.
Scope and Contents:
This collection includes 14 negatives shot by George Coudert among the Tenharim and Parintintín (Parintintin) communities along the Rio dos Marmelos in the Amazonas State in Brazil. These were made during an expedition to collect rare bird specimens on behalf of the Zoological Gardens of Philadelphia. According to his original negative sleeves, the expedition stayed six days in the Madeira region to study the indigenous people in the area. Images include portraits of Tenharim and Parintintín (Parintintin) men, women, and children, often posed in groups outside of dwellings and along the river. The photographs were made in 1924 and were likely shot on nitrate. The negatives were transferred to safety film (acetate) in the 1960s when the Museum of the American Indian, Heye foundation conducted a large scale photograph conservation project. Contact prints were also made at this time.
Catalog numbers: N09121-N09134
Arrangement:
Arranged by catalog number.
Biographical / Historical:
George C. Coudert (1884-1955) was a photographer and cinematographer. Born in France, Coudert moved to the United States as a young child and attended school in Newark, New Jersey. Thought he started his career as a photographer, he moved into film and worked as cinematographer for most of his career. In the 1920's, Coudert went on several expeditions to South America serving as the photographer. In 1924 he travelled to Brazil on a rare bird catching expedition for the Zoological Gardens of Philadelphia, along with Joseph McGoldrick, Rudolphe Meyer De Schauensee, Henry Norris and Alec Eesso. Eventually, Coudert moved to California where he lived out the rest of his life.
Provenance:
It is still unclear how this collection came to the Museum of the American Indian, though it was likely a donation around 1924-1925 based on the catalog numbers.
Restrictions:
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Thursday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu). Some images restricted for cultural sensitivity.
Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited users to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not changed, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); George C. Coudert photographs from Brazil, Item Number; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
