Eleanor Antin 100 Boots feedback, 1970-1974. ANT.001.001

Box 1

Feedback dated in 1971 and 1972.

Scope and Contents note

36 leaves including including postcards, letters, photocopies, flyers, and other materials sent to Antin in the years 1971and 1972, largely in response to receiving a postcard from the series 100 Boots or hearing about the series. Contributing artists include Ray Johnson, John Evans, Richard C. (Richard Craven), Lowell Darling, Roberty Cumming, Cynthia Oxenberg, June Wayne, Barbara Smith, Stephan von Huene, and Stephen Zaima of the Museum Avant-Garde in Davis, California. Writers and poets who sent materials include Jackson MacClow, Ruth Krauss, Aram Saroyan, Kenward Elmslie, and Bill Zavatsky. Other contributors are art collector Diana Zlotnick; Linda Patton of the Anthology Cinema; Judy Hoffberg of the Brand Library in Glendale, Ca; Paul Richard of the Washington Post; Stephen Weil, Administrator of the Whitney Museum of American Art; Henry Flood Robert Jr., Assistant Director of University Art Collections at Arizona State University; and Emily Ohrwall, Director of the Memorial Union Art Gallery at the University of Californiam Davis. Also includes postcards stamped with "Great Canadian Split Project" by the General Idea art collective. As a part of this mail art project, Antin's postcards were torn in half when they were received and taped back together with half of a different postcard.

Two letters are from participating 100 Boots locations. One isletter from G.W. (Bill) Jacox the manager of the Salona Beach branch of Bank of America where 100 Boots at the Bank was shot and one is from Herb Bunker from the Del Mar Drive In Theater in Solano Beach where 100 Boots Parking was shot.

Box 2

Feedback dated in 1971 and 1972.

Scope and Contents note

40 leaves of letters, postcards, and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin during the years 1971-1972, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots. Includes items sent and made by Judy Fiskin, Richard C., Horacio Zabala, Tom Askman, Brian Buczak, John Evans, Michael Gehrke, Janey Washburn and Ruth Kraus. Also includes a letter signed Marcel which was a mail art identity of Michael Morris, a painted box by Brian Buczak, postcards with "The Great Canadian Split Project" stamp that were made with postcards from 100 Boots and a collage made by Carol Berge from 100 Boots at the Pond. Others contributing letters and postcards are writers and poets Amos Vogel, David Ignatow, Theadore Enslin, Larry Eigner, playwright Jack Gelber, and composer James Tenney. Also includes letters from Henry Flood Robert Jr. of Arizona State University, Stephen E. Weil of the Whitney Museum, and Judy Farmer, secretary of LACMA's Art Rental and Sales Gallery.

Box 3

Feedback dated in 1972 and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

60 leaves of letters, postcards, and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1972 and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots including materials sent by the artists John Evans, Fletcher Copp, the New York Corres Sponge Dance School of Vancouver (Glenn Lewiss), Ray Johnson, Michael Morris (as Mr. Peanut and Marcel Dot), Ricard C. (Richard Craven), Carolee Schneemann, Ken Friedman, Brian Buczak, Tom Askman, Robert Grosvenor, and Ira G. Dawson (writing as the founder of the fictitious company Dawson Aircraft). There are 10 postcards from "The Great Canadian Split Project," where 100 Boots postcards were torn in half, taped back together and otherwise alterred and mailed back to Antin, by the art group General Idea. Includes postcards from the poet Frank Kuenstler's mail art identity "Archive," and a card with a photograph of Jim Dine painting a tie on his bare chest with the caption "Jim Dine's Tie."

Box 4

Feedback dated in 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

53 leaves of letters, postcards, and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1972 and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots, including mail art from or with stamps from Ecole des Bozart, Glenn Lewis (as Flakey and New York Corres Sponge Dance School of Vancouver), New Era Social Club, Sphinx, Ray Johnson, Plastic Jack, Russell L. Buttler (Hoo Hoo Archives), Robert Cumming, and John Baldessari (with the stamp "School of Art"). Also includes postcards made by the General Idea art collective from 100 Boots postcards, with the stamps "Great Canadian Split Project," "General Idea," "Ave. B School of Art," "Sphinx", "Sphinx West", and the "e" with a dot stamp of John Evens. An installment of the "Sock of the Month Club," a painted sock from Fletcher Copp and Ken Friedman has been moved to the oversize box (box 13, Folder 1) at the end of the collection.

Box 5

Feedback Bulk, 1973 dated in 1968 and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

60 leaves of letters, postcards, newspaper clippings and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1972 and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots, including items sent by Al Hansen, Richard C. (Richard Craven), Ray Johnson, Caolee Schneemann, Sol Dewitt, Peter Kennedy, Ruth Krauss, Tom Askman, Russell L. Buttler (Hoo Hoo Archives), Robin Drury, John Evans (as Avenue B. School of Art), as well as an alterred version of 100 Boots Under the Bridge . Also includes a letter from Judy Farmer of the LACMA Art Rental and Sales Gallery and several large empty manila envelopes labeled with variations of “Boots Feedback” or titles of 100 Boots photographs. Most of the envelopes include a return address at the University of California, San Diego.

Box 6

Feedback dated in 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

49 leaves of letters, postcards, newspaper clippings and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1972 and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots. Includes items sent by Ray Johnson, John Evans, Richard C. (Richard Craven), and Caroline Kent and Rick Herold of Orlando Gallery. Includes Christmas cards from friends and aquaintances of the Antins including Aram Saroyan and Carolee Schneemann. Also includes large empty manila envelopes and change of address postcards.

Box 7

Feedback dated in 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

56 leaves of letters, postcards, and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1972 and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots. Includes items sent by Ray Johnson, Fletcher Copp, Jim Crawford and John Evans. Also includes a sketch by Carol Eaton Bowen and a photograph by Robert Cumming.

Box 8

Feedback dated in 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

56 leaves of letters, postcards, press clippings announcements and other items (including a length of white string) sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1971, 1972, and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots. Includes 19 unique postcards made by the Canadian Art Writers, a postcard announcing Antin's "Traditional Art Show", a custom made Christmas card from Carolee Schneemann, Anthony McCall, and Kitch, Schneemann's cat and frequent star of her films. Also includes collages and instructions on "How to Draw a Tender Button" by Ray Johnson.

Box 9

Feedback dated in 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

56 leaves of letters, postcards, press clippings, announcements and other items (including a length of white string) sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin in 1971, 1972, and 1973, largely in response to or pertaining to her work 100 Boots. Includes an announcement from artist Tom Winnett requesting examples of tattoo art for an upcoming project, received in an envelope with "B.A.D. Art", "Certified Esthetic Experiece", and "Dada is Everywhere" stamps. Also includes a postcard from Barbara Straser and a postcard from Stephen Zaima announcing his arrival in Columbus Ohio; a letter from artist Ethel Fisher written soon after her arrival in Los Angeles from New York; a letter from Ira G. Dawson of the fictional firm Dawson Arcraft; a letter from Marty Carey describing life at the commune of the True Light Beavers in Willow, New York; a letter from Fidel Danieli regarding an upcoming issue of L. A. Artists Publication and a letter from Vaughan Rachel, then Vaughan Kaprow.

This box also contains several empty envelopes including two large manila envelopes; one labeled “100 Boots” and the other including the notation “feedback 100 Boots in the Wild Mustard.” Other empty envelopes have the senders Fat City School of Finds Art, Theodore Enslin, and T. Heller. It is possible that letters that received in these envelopes are elsewhere in the collection.

Box 10

Feedback dated in 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

58 leaves of letters, postcards, announcements, and other material sent to Eleanor Antin through the mail in 1971, 1972, and 1973. Most items were sent in direct response to her work 100 Boots including a picture postcard of Tay Bridge in Scotland with “100 Boots” written in the message area and stamped with “Collage by Ray Johnson.” Other items are not directly related to 100 Boots such as Antin’s own postcards announcing her video work Representational Painting (1971) returned by the post office; documentation of art projects, including an “Evaporation by Ray Johnson,” a drawing of a milk bottle with instructions to put something in it and then send it to John Evans; and letters from from Fidel Danieli inviting Antin to contribute to the second issue of L.A. Artists Publication and Colin Naylor at Art and Artists magazine. This box also contains a large number of photocopied collages, most are copyright The Northwest Mounted Valise and several empty envelopes including two from Theadore Enslin and two from Fletcher Copp.

A large dot-to-dot completed in purple marker to read “Merahl Lows Morin Hypostyle Halls Washington July 1971,” has been removed from this box due to its large size and placed in box 13, folder 7 at the end of the collection. It’s place in the original order is marked by a photocopy of the exterior of the invitation reading in part “White House Next?”

Box 11

Feedback dated in 1971, 1972, and 1973.

Scope and Contents note

24 leaves of postcards, letters and other items sent through the mail to Eleanor Antin, mostly in response to her work 100 Boots, in the years 1971, 1972, and 1973. Included are letters and cards from the artists John Evans, Gloria Kisch, and Robert Cumming; as well as Fidel Danieli the publisher of L.A. Artists Publication. Also present is documentation for a “Fake Event” from the New York Corres-Sponge Dace School of Vancouver, and a list of what appears to be descriptions of 43 mail art postcards, headed “May, 20, 1972 General Ode: Split for Ray Johnson,” from the General Idea collective. Includes a flyer for the exhibition What is Technological Art? At California State College, Hayward with a note from artist Eden Hodara.

Box 12

Feedback [three dimensional objects].

Physical Description: 4 objects in 8 pieces total.

Box 12, Item 1

"Tulip" paint brush.

General Physical Description note: Paint brush painted green and red to look like a tulip and labeled "TULIP" on the handle. Stamped "Fletcher Copp.'

Box 12, Item 2

Wooden signatre broken into three pieces.

Box 12, Item 3

Three "Portable Disposable Shit Scrapers."

General Physical Description note: Three wooden tongue depressors each printed with "PORTABLE DISPOSABLE SHIT SCRAPER" on one side and "WATCH YOUR STEP" on the other.

Box 12, Item 4

Purple Pine and Satin Sky by Brian Buczak.

General Physical Description note: Jewel box with a purple pine tree and grass painted onto the satin lining of the lid and inscribed "Purple Pine and Satin Sky" on the base and signed "Buczak."

Box 12, Item 5

Broken shell.

General Physical Description note: Small seashell broken into seven very small pieces. Is a part of a drawing of a boot by Billy Stuka. See box 13, folder 6 of this collection.

Box 13, Folder 6

Feedback [oversized items].

Box 13, Folder 1

Album leaf with a painted sock (an installment of the sock of the month club, see box 4 of this collection), a "Fake Collage" by Ray Johnson, and a note signed, "Ruth."

Box 13, Folder 2

Collage titled Homage to Eleanor Antin, signed "Black/73."

Box 13, Folder 3

Letter from Bill Patterson. Januray 7, 1972

Box 13, Folder 4

Partial mailing lists. Originally placed at the end of Antin's third album.

Box 13, Folder 5

Cookie box with a painted interior by Brian Buczak.

Box 13, Folder 6

Drawing of a boot by Billy Stuka.

General Physical Description note: A seashell was original affixed to this drawing and attached with tape. At some point it became detached and was broken. Several of the pieces have been retained. See box 12, item 5 in this collection.

Box 13, Folder 7

Dot-to-dot invitation completed in purple marker (see box 10 for original location).