The American Hotel and Al's Bar Project records, 1976-2004, bulk 1979-2001

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Summary

Creators:
Kreisel, Rachel and Kreisel, Marc
Abstract:
The American Hotel and Al's Bar Project was a grassroots creative complex on the corner of Hewitt Street and Traction Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Conceptual artist Marc Kreisel designed the project as a work of functional sculpture to circulate money and creative support back into the community. The collection spans from 1976-2004 and consists of flyers, posters, photographs, correspondence, scripts, Rolodexes, calendars, theater programs, press releases, financial records, and bar memorabilia such as the cash can, the jukebox records, the beer taps, t-shirts, signs, and a microphone.
Extent:
19.7 linear feet (14 document boxes, 5 shoe boxes, 5 flat oversize boxes, 3 half document boxes, 2 no compromise boxes, 1 slide box, 1 flat box, 1 oversize disparate box and 1 map folder)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], The American Hotel and Al's Bar Project Records (Collection 2305). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

The American Hotel and Al's Bar Project records range in date from 1976-2004. The collection consists of flyers, posters, photographs, correspondence, scripts, Rolodexes, calendars, theater programs, press releases, financial records, and bar memorabilia such as the cash can, the jukebox records, the beer taps, t-shirts, signs, and a microphone.

Biographical / historical:

In 1979, conceptual artist Marc Kreisel and three partners closed escrow on a building on the corner of Hewitt Street and Traction Avenue in downtown L.A. Kreisel envisioned The American Hotel and Al's Bar as elements of a grassroots creative complex; a work of functional sculpture that was rooted in Joseph Beuys' Honey Pump. What Kreisel called the "Money Pump" was designed as a means to circulate money and creative support back into the community. "It was a capitalistic endeavor to support the arts by itself—an alternative to the feds and the state and getting grants." ("Marc: My Words" L.A. Weekly, July 5, 1985)

The residential hotel upstairs and the bar downstairs would become a self-sustaining entity by and for artists. The hotel provided cheap housing for artists new to the area. Ten rooms were set aside for the American Gallery which showed works by local artists. Profits from the bar often went to purchasing art. But it soon became apparent that the art community alone could not sustain the bar. Kreisel agreed to let two tenants in the hotel book bands. By 1980 a newly energized music scene was emerging in L.A. Kreisel's laissez faire management philosophy allowed a succession of bookers free reign to showcase bands that were too unknown to play the larger Hollywood clubs, bands like Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Beck, Social Distortion and Fear built their audiences by playing Al's. "It's nearly impossible to overestimate the importance of the club to unsigned and risk-taking bands." (Jim Freak, L.A. Reader, March/April 1999)

Local writers and actors approached Kreisel, and together they established the one non-profit entity of the complex, Al's National Theatre, which produced dozens of original works. "We had a policy back when I first opened where I would let people go to their emotional limits," recalled Kreisel. ("The Goal at Al's Bar Is to Circulate Money" The Reader, October 25, 1989)

The purpose was never gentrification. Kreisel intentionally retained the original uses of the building, i.e. the bar and the hotel. Al's Bar and the American Hotel were intended, as Christopher Knight once noted, to realize "art as a verb."

Acquisition information:
Gift of Marc and Rachel Kreisel, 2015.
Processing information:

Processed by Kelly Besser with assistance from Frank Trotta and Rebecca Bucher and supervision by Megan Hahn Fraser, 2016.

Due to a silverfish infestation, Besser moved the collection to the UCLA Library Conservation Lab at the beginning of June 2016. Library Conservation Head Chela Metzger reported that the materials were frozen at -20 C for over 72 hours, and after taking them out, absorbent paper was placed in the air space of the bins to help soak up any residual condensation. Under Metzger's direction, Besser returned to the Library Conservation Lab in July 2016 and vacuumed the materials in the fume hood to remove transferable dirt, insect frass (feces), and eggs. Upon completion of this conservation work, Besser transferred the collection from the Library Conservation Lab to Powell 30 for processing.

The Biography/History note was written by Rachel Kreisel. While Besser processed the collection, Kreisel shared additional history about the records. Electronic mail correspondence between Besser and Kreisel is documented within the collection file.

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

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Arrangement:

This collection has been arranged in the following series:

  • 1. Programming materials
  • 2. Publicity materials
  • 3. Correspondence
  • 4. Financial records
  • 5. Memorabilia

Physical / technical requirements:

CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: This collection contains both processed and unprocessed audiovisual materials. Audiovisual materials are not currently available for access, unless otherwise noted in a Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note at the series and file levels. All requests to access processed audiovisual materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Physical location:
Portions of the collection stored off-site. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], The American Hotel and Al's Bar Project Records (Collection 2305). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website