The papers of poet, artist, and ordained priest Robert Alexander and the records of Venice, California's Temple of Man measure 11.7 linear feet and 1.01 GB, and date from 1938-2015. The papers and records document Alexander and the Temple of Man, which he founded in 1960 to serve as a meeting place for a community of artists, poets, and musicians. The collection contains biographical material pertaining to Alexander, Temple of Man administrative records, correspondence and artists files, project files, printed material, and photographic material.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of poet, artist, and ordained priest Robert Alexander and the records of Venice, California's Temple of Man measure 11.7 linear feet and 1.01 GB, and date from 1938-2015. The papers and records document Alexander and the Temple of Man, which he founded in 1960 to serve as a meeting place for a community of artists, poets, and musicians. The collection contains biographical material pertaining to Alexander, Temple of Man administrative records, correspondence and artists files, project files, printed material, and photographic material.
Correspondence and artists files comprise the bulk of the collection and contain a wide variety of material pertaining to Temple of Man artists and affiliates, including mail art, over one hundred artworks, poetry, writings, exhibition announcements, clippings, and photographs. Artists include Anita Alexander, Bob Alexander, John Altoon, Aya, Paul Beattie, Michael Bergt, Wallace Berman, Charles Britton, Cameron, Bruce Connor, William Dailey, Gayle Davis, George Herms, Jack Hirschman, Maurice Lacy, Fred Mason, Kenneth Patchen, Peter Paul, Stuart Perkoff, Artie Richer, Tony Scibella, Ben Talbert, Zack Walsh, Edwin Ward, Marcia Ward, Saul White, Steve Wilson, and others. A small amount of born-digital material includes a video recording of Renick Stevenson, images of artworks, and photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as six series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1938-1988 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 2: Temple of Man Administrative Records, 1960-2010 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1, OV 13)
Series 3: Correspondence and Artists Files, circa 1948-2015 (9.8 linear feet, Boxes 1-6, 9-12, 30-33, OVs 14-28; 0.99 GB, ER01-ER02)
Series 4: Project Files, circa 1967-2014 (0.9 linear feet, Boxes 6-7; 0.015 GB, ER03)
Series 5: Printed Material, 1958-2014 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, OV 29)
Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1960-2009 (1 folder, Box 8; 0.001 GB, ER04)
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Alexander (1923-1987), also known as Bob and "Baza," was a poet, collagist, printer, assemblage artist, and ordained priest from Venice, California. Alexander founded the Temple of Man in 1960 in San Francisco, moving it to his home in Venice, California in 1968. The Temple served as a meeting place for artists, poets, and musicians, and contained a collection of artworks by Temple of Man members, also ordained priests. Many of the artworks which form the core of the collection were on display at the Alexander residence and are dedicated to Alexander and his wife Anita. Members also created and exchanged mail art, handmade cards, and poems with one another. After Alexander's death in 1987, the Temple of Man was directed by Anita Alexander and, since 1992, by a board of directors.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art are an oral history interview with artist George Herms conducted by Paul Karlstrom in 1993-1994, the papers of California artist and poet Wallace Berman, and the papers of curator and founding board member of the Temple of Man, Hal Glicksman.
Provenance:
Donated to the Archives of American Art by Alexander's widow Anita Alexander in 1990 and in 2017 and 2018 by the Temple of Man via George Herms, Officer, and Yoav Getzler, Registered Agent of record.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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.
Includes correspondence related to exhibitions, photographs of artwork, exhibition announcements and brochures, and clippings.
Collection Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
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:
Robert Alexander papers and Temple of Man records, 1938-2015. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with George Herms, 1993 Dec. 8-1994 Mar 10. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Larry Jordan, 1995 Dec. 19 - 1996 July 30. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Filmmakers -- California -- Interviews Search this
Collagists -- California -- Interviews Search this
An interview of Larry Jordan conducted 1995 Dec. 19-1996 July 30, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art, at the artist's home, in Petaluma, Calif.
Jordan discusses his family background in Denver; his attraction to contemporary avant-garde; his brief time at Harvard, and his mental breakdown and return to Denver; his move to San Francisco in 1954 because of the artistic and literary atmosphere there; meeting Kenneth Rexroth, Robert Duncan and other poets and his initial introduction to the creative community in San Francisco; his friendships with Jordan Belsen, Michael McClure, Wally Hedrick and Jay DeFeo; the San Francisco Renaissance, the beat era, and what it means to be "beat;" the distinction in intensity between bohemianism and the resurrection of the self during the beat era, the social impact of the anti-establishment movement; and the difference between artists and political activists.
Jordan discusses his influences and important moments in his experimental film career; the surrealist methods for social changes as seen in film; the west coast filmmakers focus on the interior and mystical; the rivalry in the film world; his association with Bruce Conner and their founding a film society together in 1956 and establishing an experimental theater; meeting Joseph Cornell and his invitation to assist him with films, their time spent together, Cornell as a filmmaker, preparing Cornell boxes, and the influence of Cornell on is own art. He discusses his own art; his role as an artist in society; the religious aspect in his art; his place in the avant-garde film world; the major influences in his art; and the concept of death and the celebration of the mind as a major theme in his film and artwork.
He recalls Wallace Berman, Stan Brackage, Bruce Conner, Jay DeFeo, Maya Deren, Robert Duncan, Max Ernst, Allen Ginsberg, Wally Hedrick, George Herms, Jess, Patricia Jordan, Michael McClure, Bruce Nauman, and Kenneth Rexroth.
Biographical / Historical:
Larry Jordan (1934- ) is a filmmaker and collagist from Petaluma, Calif.
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. Funding for the transcription of this interview provided by the Pasadena Art Alliance.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Filmmakers -- California -- Interviews Search this
Collagists -- California -- Interviews Search this
Correspondence between Martin and Sam Haddad and Royal Marks of the Royal Marks Gallery, 1964-1972, and with many artists and people involved with the arts; manuscript, business and printed materials; catalogs and announcements; clippings; miscellany; two small works; 20 photographs, 1957-1966, of works by Martin, Jeremy Anderson, Jay Defeo, Richard Diebenkorn, Sam Francis, Sonia Gechtoff, Wally Hedrick, Ivan Majdrakoff, David Park, Sam Richardson, and Joseph White; and one photograph of Wally Hedrick with a painting.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, illustrator, collagist and art educator, San Francisco, Cal. Director of the College of the San Francisco Art Institute. Worked in oil, watercolor, Gouache and pencil.
Provenance:
Donated 1975 by Fred Martin.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Art teachers -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Collagists -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Painters -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Fred Martin, 1980 Aug. 27-Sept. 19. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Arthur Amiotte, 2010 August 18-19. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Correspondence, sketches, collages, writings and printed material.
REEL 2291: Letters from Ilya Bolotowsky, Joseph A. Fiore, Leo Krikorian, and Alice Trumbull Mason; illustrated letters from Gregory Masurovsky and Kenneth Noland; memos from Philip Leider and John Coplans concerning articles written by Stiles for Artforum Magazine; 8 pen drawings by Dylan Thomas; 2 exhibition announcements; and miscellany.
REEL 4046: 9 letters from Ilya Bolotowsky to Stiles; and a letter from Stiles to Archives of American Art staff in which he comments upon the nature of his correspondence with Bolotowsky.
Unmicrofilmed Framed watercolor by Kenneth Noland.
Biographical / Historical:
Collage artist and writer; San Francisco, Calif.
Provenance:
Donated 1980-1987 by Knute Stiles.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
Reel 2291: Authorization to publish, quote or reproduce requires written permission from Andrew Bolotowsky. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Occupation:
Authors -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Collagists -- California -- San Francisco Search this
An interview of Fred Martin conducted 1980 Aug. 27-Sept. 19, by Terry St. John, for the Archives of American Art.
Martin speaks of his childhood and early artistic influences; his education at the University of California, Berkeley; his rebellion as a student; studying under Mark Rothko and Clyfford Still; teaching art in elementary and high schools; going to work for the Oakland Art Museum; his lack of an identifiable style and its negative impact on his early career; teaching at and becoming director of the San Francisco Art Institute; leaving there and teaching at the University of California, Berkeley; the influence of abstract expressionism on his work; his work in collage; his travels; the influence of "dynamic symmetry"; the current art market.
Biographical / Historical:
Fred Martin (1927- ) is a painter, teacher, and collagist from Oakland, Calif.
General:
Originally recorded on 8 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 14 digital wav files. Duration is 7 hrs., 9 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.
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America Search this
Names:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America Search this
Extent:
124 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
2010 August 18-19
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Arthur Amiotte conducted 2010 August 18 and 19, by Mija Riedel, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, at Amiotte's studio in Custer, South Dakota.
Biographical / Historical:
Arthur Amiotte (1942- ) is an artist and independent scholar in Custer, South Dakota. Mija Riedel (1958- ) is an independent scholar and writer in San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 5 memory cards as 8 digital sound files. Duration is 6 hr., 7 min.
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.
Restrictions:
Transcript not to be made available on-line.
Occupation:
Collagists -- South Dakota -- Interviews Search this
