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Catalog Data

Creator:
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976  Search this
Subject:
Heinecken, Robert  Search this
Hirschman, Jack  Search this
DeFeo, Jay  Search this
Herms, George  Search this
Jess  Search this
Hopper, Dennis  Search this
Jordan, Patricia M.  Search this
Johnson, Ray  Search this
Bengston, Billy Al  Search this
Di Prima, Diane  Search this
Fonda, Peter  Search this
Duncan, Robert Edward  Search this
Ginsberg, Allen  Search this
Wieners, John  Search this
McClure, Michael  Search this
Lamantia, Philip  Search this
Miller, Henry  Search this
Meltzer, David  Search this
Perkoff, Stuart Z.  Search this
Patchen, Kenneth  Search this
Sherman, Donald  Search this
Ruscha, Edward  Search this
Type:
Drawings
Sound recordings
Photographs
Place of publication, production, or execution:
United States
Physical Description:
5 Linear feet
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into nine series which generally reflect material type. With the exception of the letters in Series 1, each series is arranged chronologically. The original arrangement of the letters has been maintained, with a chronological arrangement of miscellaneous business letters and an alphabetical arrangement of the letters from Berman's more prominent colleagues. Series 1: Letters, 1957-1979, undated (box 1, 0.5 linear feet) Series 2: Notes from Interview, 1967 (box 1, 1 folder) Series 3: Writings by Others, 1972, undated (box 1, 6 folders) Series 4: Artwork, 1956-1976 (box 1, 4 folders) Series 5: Semina, 1955-1967 (boxes 1-2, 26 folders) Series 6: S. M. S., 1968 (box 2, 1 folders) Series 7: Printed Material, 1907-1976 (boxes 2-5, 2.7 linear feet) Series 8: Photographs, 1956-1976 (box 5, 6 folders) Series 9: Sound Recordings, 1962-1965 (box 5, 6 folders)
Access Note / Rights:
The collection is open for research. Patrons must use microfilm copy. Use of audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
Summary:
The Wallace Berman papers date from 1907 to 1979 (bulk 1955-1979). The collection measures 5 linear feet and presents a cursory overview of Berman's career as an assemblage artist and poet. The collection contains business correspondence, letters from other artists and writers of the Beat movement, writings by others, scattered artwork by Berman, photographs by Robert F. Heinecken, and sound recordings of poetry readings.
Citation:
Wallace Berman papers, 1907-1979, bulk 1955-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
This collection is available on 35 mm microfilm reels 5282-5284 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of the material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Most of the sound recordings have been digitized for research access and are available at the Archives of American Art offices.
Use Note:
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.
Biography Note:
Wallace Berman was born in 1926 in Staten Island, New York. In the 1930s, his family moved to the Jewish district in Los Angeles. After being expelled from high school for gambling in the early 1940s, Berman immersed himself in the growing West Coast jazz scene. During this period, he briefly attended the Jepson Art School and Chouinard Art School, but departed when he found the training too academic for his needs.
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
The Wallace Berman papers were donated by Tosh Berman, Wallace Berman's son, in 1992.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Topic:
Works of art  Search this
Poets  Search this
Collage  Search this
Art -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area  Search this
Assemblage (Art)  Search this
Beat generation  Search this
Photography, Artistic  Search this
Theme:
Photography  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)10771
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)214392
AAA_collcode_bermwall
Theme:
Photography
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_214392