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Rich Gold papers
M1510
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Rich Gold papers
Identifier/Call Number: M1510
Physical Description:
28.16 Linear Feet
(61 boxes, 4 flat boxes, 3 map folders)
Date (inclusive): circa 1978-2005
Abstract: A collection of creative and intellectual works by Rich Gold, an American inventor, futurologist, and artist who was active
from the 1970s to early 2000s. Gold produced writings, presentations, inventions, and artwork to demonstrate relationships
between technology, society, and creativity. The collection features a variety of formats on which Gold created and documented
his works, including digital media, video recordings, posters, drawings, and notebooks. A portion of the collection includes
Gold's manuscript materials for The Plentitude, a posthumous publication from 2008.
Open for research; material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use
Purchased, 2005. Accession 2005-343
Rich Gold (1950-2003) was a digital artist, inventor, cartoonist, composer, lecturer and inter-disciplinary researcher. He
was a provocative speaker who lectured throughout the world on the future of the book, the nature of engineering, creativity,
innovation and Evocative Knowledge Objects (EKOs) [from the Rich Gold website, 5/13/2011].
Gold received his B.A. from SUNY-Albany, and a M.F.A. from Mills College, Oakland where he studied in the graduate electronic
music program at the Center for Contemporary Music. Gold's career was diverse in its achievements, including composing avant
garde music, being a cartoonist, and leading the development of innovative and creative designs for Sega video games and the
Mattel Toy company. In 1993, he created the artist-in-residence program for Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), and managed
a multi-disciplinary laboratory, RED (Research in Experimental Documents), which developed a project called "Experiments in
the Future of Reading" that was featured at the San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation in 2000.
Gold incorporated his inventions and artwork into a series of lectures and presentations that focused on the intersection
between the arts, science, design and engineering. These presentations evolved into a manuscript, The Plentitude, and was
posthumously published in 2008 by Gold's family members, including his wife and artistic collaborator, Marina LaPalma. Described
as a "graphic textbook, a cartoon treatise, speculative autobiography" [preface from The Plentitude], the short book focuses
on Gold's observations of the American consumer-based economy and the perpetual roles of innovation within this system [from
encylopedia.com 3/22/2023]. Gold passed away in Menlo Park, California in 2003.
[identification of item], Rich Gold papers (M1510). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University
Libraries, Stanford, California.
Large folders originally mis-identified as "Map Folders" were re-processed as folders inside boxes 56-59 in Series 11: Artwork.
This correction resulted in a gap in box numbers from 60 to 79. Additional materials that were accessioned after the collection's
initial processing were also incorporated into the collection.
Rich Gold papers include notebooks (114), artwork, correspondence, and manuscript for The Plenitude, which was posthumously
published in 2008. Also included are patents, awards, slides, video tapes, audio tapes, compact discs, photographs, and documentation
materials (including the World Economic Forums of 1999, 2000, and 2001).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gold, Rich
Xerox PARC (Firm)
Sega of America (Firm)
Mattel Toys
World Economic Forum
Art and technology
Video games.
Futurologists
Technological innovations.
Creative thinking
Science -- History -- Gaming
LaPalma, Marina