The papers of photographer Charles Brittin contain photographs, negatives, slides, and transparencies documenting the Los Angeles art scene and social and political movements that occurred during the 1950s-1970s. Accompanying the photographs are correspondence, personal writings, printed ephemera, posters, maquettes, clippings, and publications. The archive also includes works of art by Brittin and other artists such as Bob Alexander, Wallace Berman, and George Herms.

American photographer and artist Charles Brittin came to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s through his association with Los Angeles artists Wallace Berman and George Herms. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Brittin relocated with his mother to the Fairfax district of Los Angeles in 1944, following the death of his father. After studying film and photography at UCLA, he settled in Venice, California, and began capturing images of the rapidly changing landscape. Employed variously as a tour guide at ABC, a darkroom assistant, and a mail carrier, Brittin also managed to capture images of the entertainment world, such as Orson Welles' transformation of a Venice neighborhood into a set for his movie A Touch of Evil.

93 Linear Feet (136 boxes, 9 flatfile folders, 1 roll)

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