Finding Aid for the Peter Plagens papers LSC.2255
Kelly Besser in consultation with curator Genie Guerard and with supervision from Megan Hahn Fraser, 2014; machine-readable
finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2019 November 15.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Peter Plagens papers
Creator:
Plagens, Peter
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2255
Physical Description:
13.4 Linear Feet
(26 document boxes, 10 half document boxes, and 1 oversize flat box)
Date (inclusive): 1938-2014
Abstract: Peter Plagens is an abstract painter, art critic, professor and novelist based in New York City. The collection consists of
art work, exhibition materials, art criticism, published and unpublished novels, correspondence, lectures, course materials,
photographs, slides, notebooks, datebooks, journals, and memorabilia.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary 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.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
COLLECTION CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Peter Plagens papers (Collection 2255). Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library,
UCLA.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Peter Plagens and Laurie Fendrich, 2014.
Processing Information
Processed by Kelly Besser in consultation with Genie Guerard and with supervision from Megan Hahn Fraser, 2014.
Additional details and descriptions of certain items were provided by Peter Plagens via email correspondence with Kelly Besser
in November and December 2014.
Biography/History
Peter Plagens was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1941 but grew up in Los Angeles after his family moved when he was two years old.
His parents, George and Jayne Plagens, who both worked, saved their cash to buy a small house in the city. Peter graduated
from John Marshall High School, then paid his way through the University of Southern California (USC) with a partial scholarship
from the university and a job at a supermarket.
He received a Bachelor's degree from the USC School of Fine Arts in 1962 and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University
in 1964. He was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in Painting and two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships in
Painting.
Plagens, an abstract painter, met fellow painter Walter Gabrielson in 1963 at USC when he returned to campus in an attempt
to reclaim his undergraduate job in the Psychology Department on a research project called "BC: Analysis of Behavioral Cognition."
According to Plagens, he returned to find that Gabrielson had taken his job drawing stimuli for social intelligence tests
to be used by the Navy to assess the kind of crew members who could withstand confinement in submarines. The project now required
two cartoonists, so Plagens began work on the project again but this time in a cubicle adjacent to Gabrielson. There they
began their lifelong friendship.
In 1969 Plagens returned to Los Angeles when Gabrielson found him a teaching job in the Art Department of San Fernando Valley
State College, now known as California State University, Northridge. They shared an office on campus and became known informally
among art students as the "Pete 'n' Wally Show," and from 1970 they shared a 3,000 square foot studio in Pasadena until Plagens
left Northridge in 1978.
Plagens has exhibited his work at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery in New York City for over 40 years, and his paintings are part
of the permanent collections of many museums and corporations, including the Baltimore Museum of Art, Chase Manhattan Bank,
the Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C., and the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, California.
Plagens' art has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions in galleries and museums such as the USC Fisher Gallery, the
Akron Art Museum, the Las Vegas Art Museum and Texas Gallery, Houston.
According to Plagens' wife, painter Laurie Fendrich, Peter fell into writing art criticism but he also enjoys it. His first
review appeared in
Artforum in 1966. His writing has appeared in a multitude of publications including
Art in America,
Art News,
The Chronicle of Higher Education,
American Art and
The Wall Street Journal. However, Plagens may be best known as the art critic and senior writer for
Newsweek magazine between 1989 and 2003.
Plagens has taught at Middlebury College in Vermont, Hofstra University in New York, the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, where he also chaired the art department, California State University at Northridge, USC, the University of California
at Berkeley, and the University of Texas at Austin. Notably, in 1998 Plagens was one of four senior fellows in the National
Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University.
In addition to his work as an artist and educator, Plagens is also the author of five books:
Sunshine Muse: Contemporary Art on the West Coast (1974),
Moonlight Blues: An Artist's Art Criticism (1986),
Time for Robo (1999),
Sunshine Muse: Modern Art on the West Coast 1945-1970 (2000),
The Art Critic (2008 and 2012), and
Bruce Nauman: The True Artist (2014).
Plagens works and lives in New York City with his wife, Laurie Fendrich.
Scope and Content
The Peter Plagens papers consist of art work, exhibition materials, art criticism, published and unpublished novels, correspondence,
lectures, course materials, photographs, slides, notebooks, datebooks, journals and memorabilia, ranging in date from 1938
to 2014.
Organization and Arrangement
This collection has been arranged in the following series:
- Series 1: Art Work
- Series 2: Exhibition Materials
- Series 3: Writing
- Series 4: Correspondence
- Series 5: Lectures
- Series 6: Course Materials
- Series 7: Photos and Slides
- Series 8: Notebooks and Datebooks
- Series 9: DRIPS
- Series 10: Memorabilia
Related Material
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Art critics -- United States -- Archives.
Painters -- United States -- Archives.
Novelists, American -- 20th century -- Archives.
Art Work
1958-2011
Scope and Content
This series includes drawings, a poster created with artist Walter Gabrielson, art work ledgers, a hard drive with digital
images of art work and slides of his paintings and collages. Plagens' slide numbering system involves sequential numbers for
each work before the hyphen and the year the work was made follows the hyphen. For example, 32-99 refers to the 32nd work
produced in 1999.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 1, folder 1
DT cartoons
1958-1962
Scope and Contents
Photocopies of cartoons Plagens created while working as an editorial cartoonist for the University of Southern California
(USC)
Daily Trojan student newspaper cover a range from campus issues (e.g. criticism of the Doheny Library) to national issues (e.g. academic
freedom and army recruitment) to international politics (e.g communism and U.S. relations with Cuba).
box 1, folder 2
Richard de Mille drawing
circa 1963
Scope and Content
Drawing of de Mille wearing a Trojan helmet and GOP necklace, created by Plagens while he and Walter Gabrielson worked as
staff artists for a USC Psychology Department research project called "BC: Analysis of Behavioral Cognition." Gabrielson and
Plagens were each assigned to work for a particular researcher. Plagens was assigned to work for Richard de Mille, adopted
son of Cecil B. de Mille. The sword and sandals movie motif and Grand Old Party necklace are references to Richard's father,
Cecil. During this project, Gabrielson and Plagens would create humorous drawings, fold them as paper airplanes and fly them
over the partition into each other's cubicles.
box 1, folder 3
"Who Wrote The Note?" Contest flyer
1964
Scope and Content
Plagens made this flyer while a graduate student at Syracuse University. Syracuse assigned semi-private studios to its studio
grad students on the second floor of an old Continental Can Company. An art history graduate student named Patricia Amlin
received a large studio space and posted a log of all her studio hours. When Plagens and his pals began to fill in impossible
hours on Amlin's log, she became furious and demanded to know who was responsible. Plagens created this flyer as a response.
The caricatures of the artists depicted on the flyer are as follows: 1) Bob Conge 2) Richard Jordan 3) Michael Ashcraft 4)
Peter Plagens, and 5) Gerry DiGiusto.
box 1, folder 4
Plagens slides
1958-1979
Scope and Contents
Slides include images of oil paintings Plagens created as an undergraduate at USC and as a graduate student at Syracuse University,
the Pasadena studio he shared with Walter Gabrielson, his solo exhibition at the University of Oklahoma Art Museum, his "Confessions
of a Fellatrix" installation, and his Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art (LAICA) downtown installation. Materials also
include images of art in Brussels, Amsterdam and London as well as natural scenes in Austin, Texas and Oregon.
box 1, folder 5
Plagens art slides
1980-2002
Scope and Contents
Slides include images from his solo exhibition, "Intimate Dramas: Peter Plagens' Black Paintings" at the Akron Art Museum
and works such as
Brotherhood of Artists,
Basketball in Hollywood,
Noam Sain (Time for Robo),
Jehova's Waitress,
The Last Modernist, and
The Red & The Black: Said Satan.
box 1, folder 6-7
Plagens small collages slides
2000
Scope and Contents
Materials include more than 500 slides of Plagens' small collages.
box 2, folder 1-2
Peter Plagens art slides
1961-2002
Scope and Contents
Materials include mixed media collages such as
Brotherhood of Artists,
Dark Matisse Flame,
Queen of the Blues and
Richter as a Painter, However.
box 2, folder 3
School and Jan Baum Gallery slides
1960-1963, 1979-1991
Scope and Contents
Slides include images of Plagens' work from the
Abstract Artists' Exhibition at the Jan Baum Gallery located at 170 South La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.
box 3, folder 1-7
Peter Plagens art slides
1975-1982, 1993-1994, 1997, 1999
Scope and Contents
Materials include more than a thousand slides and the following transparencies:
Cleveland Defaults On Its Debts,
An Obvious Heterosexual and
Have You Ever Seriously Considered A Monarchy?
box 4, folder 1-2
Peter Plagens: Slides of student work
1969, 1973-1975, 1977-1980, 1983-1984, 1988, 1990
Scope and Contents
More than four hundred slides of student work from Beginning Drawing, Beginning Painting, Advanced Painting and Independent
Study courses taught by Plagens.
box 4, folder 3-5
Collages I-III slides
1972-1976, 1984-1989
Scope and Contents
Approximately nine hundred slides of Plagens' collages.
box 5, folder 1-5
Ledgers of work
1972-1975, 1976-1981, 1982-1987, 1987-1991, 1992-2002
Scope and Contents
Five handwritten ledgers of Plagens' art work are numbered 1-5, arranged in chronological order and signed by the artist.
Although started in 1972, the first book includes his work from the 1960s and in addition to photographs and sketches of his
work, all books record dates, serial numbers, storage locations, materials, dimensions, titles, sales, gifts, damage and destruction.
box 6, folder 1
Studio
circa 1996-1999
Scope and Contents
Materials include painting title ideas and photographs used for Plagens's art work. One photo was taken at the 1934 Air Show
at the Cleveland Municipal Airport. The image is of Plagens's father, George Plagens, single at age 26 in a suit and tie and
his brother, Harold at age 18 wearing his East High football sweater. Peter made three drawings from this photograph. He sold
the best one, gave his daughter Sybil Wisdom the second one, and he kept the third.
box 6, folder 2
Art inventory and exhibition floppy disks
1965-1998
Scope and Contents
Materials include 4 art inventory floppy disks.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Four 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 6, folder 3
Art work CDs
1974-2009, 2011
Scope and Contents
Nine CDs contain images of Plagens' work with the following titles: Collages 1974-2000 (selected), Collage Survey 1974-2000
(selected), Peter's Work (dupe), Plagens' "Introspective" at Columbia College 2005, Peter Plagens' Art/Images September 2006,
Peter's Work September 15, 2006, Peter Plagens' 5 Works on Paper 2007 (draft), Peter Plagens' Images 1974-2009 and Peter Plagens'
Collage-Paintings 2011.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
9 CDs
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 6, folder 4
Hard drive
2011
Scope and Contents
One iomega Helium portable hard drive contains images of Plagens' art work.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
1 hard drive
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 6, folder 5
Floppy disks
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Seven 3.5" floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To
access digital materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of
your visit.
box 36, folder 4
BIG LIE Smash It! poster
circa 1970s
Scope and Content
Anti-war protest poster created by Plagens and Walter Gabrielson.
box 36, folder 7
Life Map
2006 March 22
Scope and Contents
This flowchart style map was drawn by Plagens with black and red pencil.
box 36, folder 7
Untitled
circa 2010
Scope and Contents
Plagens created this colored abstract drawing and tore it off from a Walker's NYC restaurant tablecloth. Walker's is Plagens'
and Fendrich's neighborhood restaurant in Tribeca that places glasses filled with crayons on their dining tables. Plagens
estimates that they have eaten there over 600 times in 30 years.
Exhibition Materials
1967-2013
Scope and Content
This series includes posters, catalogues, brochures, invitations, postcards and a floppy disk concerning Plagens' solo and
group exhibitions in addition to catalogues with essays by Plagens and brochures for exhibitions curated by Plagens. This
series also includes Plagens'
Funny Guys proposal for a Walter Gabrielson and Merwin Belin exhibition and curatorial texts annotated by Plagens.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 36, folder 2
Smagula and Plagens posters
1967
Scope and Contents
Four posters publicize Plagens' exhibition with Howard Smagula at the New Arts Gallery in Houston, Texas.
box 36, folder 3
Confessions of a Fellatrix (paintings) posters
1971
Scope and Contents
Three posters promote Plagens' solo show at 16 West Union Street in Pasadena, California.
box 7, folder 1
24 Young Los Angeles Artists LACMA handout
1971
Scope and Contents
This Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) photographic handout for an exhibition of young, local artists features Plagens
on the cover.
box 7, folder 2
Peter Plagens: Works On Paper catalogue
1976-1977
Scope and Contents
Catalogue for Plagens' exhibition at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
box 36, folder 5
Peter Plagens: Visiting Artist Program posters
1978
Scope and Contents
Three posters for the Wake Forest University/Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) Visiting Artist Program feature
an exhibition of Plagens's paintings and the following two artist lectures: "The State of Painting on the West Coast" and
"My Work." The back of one poster includes a family portrait in crayon by Plagens and Joyce Wisdom's daughter Sybil Wisdom.
box 7, folder 3
Peter Plagens: Selected Small Works postcards
2001
Scope and Contents
Three opening reception postcards for Plagens' exhibition at the Los Angeles Harbor College Fine Arts Gallery.
box 7, folder 4
Eaton Fine Art 10th Anniversary catalogue
2002
Scope and Contents
This catalogue includes a "Best Wishes for the New Year" note from Timothy A. Eaton and features Peter Plagens and Laurie
Fendrich's "Artists & Writers/Husbands & Wives" group exhibition as a highlight.
box 7, folder 5
Peter Plagens: An Introspective opening invitation
2004
Scope and Contents
Invitation to the opening reception for Plagens' solo exhibition at USC Fisher Gallery, addressed to Director and Curator
Selma Holo.
box 7, folder 6
Peter Plagens: An Introspective brochures
2004-2005
Scope and Contents
Three brochures for his solo exhibition at USC Fisher Gallery feature a color reproduction of Plagens'
Benton Way and Sunset, LA, 6/28/55, 1:40p.m. work on the cover and include a biography of the artist and descriptions of his early and late work.
box 7, folder 7
Peter Plagens: An Introspective catalogues
2004-2005
Scope and Contents
These two catalogues feature acknowledgements from USC Fisher Gallery Director and Curator Selma Holo, a transcription of
a conversation between Holo and Plagens, "The Jabberwocky and the Gorilla in the Corner" essay by MacArthur Prize Winner Dave
Hickey, Afterword by The Butler Institute of American Art Executive Director Louis A. Zona and full color plates of Plagens'
work.
box 7, folder 8
Peter Plagens: An Introspective mailers
2005
Scope and Contents
Three publicity mailer cards announce the dates of the exhibition, its opening reception and artist lecture at the A + D 11th
Street Gallery in Chicago, Illinois. Plagens'
Wheels of Wonder is featured in full color as the cover image.
box 7, folder 9
"Paint & Tell" article
2005
Scope and Contents
This article was published in the summer issue of the
USC Trojan Family magazine. Plagens, who was interviewed for this feature, discusses his work with a focus on his exhibition at USC Fisher
Gallery, which showcased 44 pieces spanning 30 years of his artistic career. According to the author of the article, this
was the first time the museum held a solo show dedicated to the art work of an alumnus.
box 7, folder 10
Peter Plagens Reception for Artist cards
2005
Scope and Contents
Two Reception for Artist cards for Plagens' solo exhibition at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery feature a full color view of his
studio.
box 7, folder 11
Peter Plagens: An Introspective reception cards
2005
Scope and Contents
Three cards for his reception at The Butler Institute of American Art include statements from the Director and Chief Curator
Louis A. Zona on the importance of Plagens' work.
box 7, folder 12
Driven to Abstraction . . . catalogue
2006
Scope and Contents
The
Driven to Abstraction: Southern California and the Non-Objective World, 1950-1980 catalogue was produced for the Riverside Art Museum's historical survey exhibition curated by Peter Frank. This exhibition
featured Plagens' work,
The People's Republic of Antarctica, an image of which is found on page 77 of the catalogue.
box 7, folder 13
Ron Linden catalogues
2007
Scope and Contents
Two catalogues for painter Ron Linden's exhibition at Cue Art Foundation in New York include an artist's statement, curator's
statement, and full color images of Linden's work. The exhibition, curated by Plagens, was Linden's first solo show in New
York. This folder also includes letters from Linden to Plagens concerning the choice of work for the catalogue cover and correspondence
from Cue Art Foundation Programs Assistant Ryan White regarding the exhibition and its opening reception.
box 7, folder 14
Truckscapes: Drawings from a Mobile Studio book
2007
Scope and Contents
This book of Nick Miller's landscape drawings includes an essay by Plagens entitled, "Nick Miller: Drawing Life from Landscape."
This publication serves as documentation of Miller's solo exhibition of the same name at the Irish Cultural Center in Paris.
box 7, folder 15
Funny Guys proposal
2007
Scope and Contents
Plagens' notes concerning his Walter Gabrielson and Merwin Belin exhibition proposal, Gabrielson press clippings and work
photos, a transparency of Belin's work, and a Merwin Belin Professional NBC Sports 1992 Summer Olympics Barcelona luggage
tag.
box 7, folder 16
Mississippi Invitational catalogue
2009
Scope and Content
Plagens served as Guest Curator for this exhibition at the Mississippi Museum of Art and his catalogue essay, "The Deep (as
in Profound) South" discusses studio visits and the work of the ten artists he chose to participate in this show.
box 7, folder 17
Painting with Paint brochures
2010
Scope and Contents
Two brochures for the
Painting with Paint: Selections from the Nancy Hoffman Gallery exhibition that featured works by Plagens, Howard Buchwald, Hung Liu and Joseph Raffael, include an image of Plagens'
Serge Protector piece alongside text he wrote concerning the appeal of abstraction in connection with the existential truth of painting.
box 7, folder 18
School of Belin catalogue
2010
Scope and Contents
This catalogue for the Merwin Belin exhibition,
School of Belin: A Mid-Career Survey at the Warschaw Gallery in San Pedro includes an essay by Plagens on Belin's life and work.
box 7, folder 19
Peter Plagens: I Don't Give a Damn / Every Moment Counts cards
2011
Scope and Contents
Two reception invitation cards for Plagens' solo exhibition at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery feature an image of Plagens' 2010
work by the same name.
box 7, folder 20
Thinking Contemporary Curating publication
2012
Scope and Contents
Publication by Terry Smith, first in a series developed by Independent Curators International (ICI) entitled,
Perspectives in Curating. This copy is heavily annotated by Plagens.
box 7, folder 21
The Culture of Curating and the Curating of Culture(s) proof
2012
Scope and Contents
Uncorrected page proof of publication by Paul O'Neil, annotated throughout by Plagens.
box 7, folder 22
Abstract, adj.: Expressing a quality apart from an object. brochure
2013
Scope and Contents
This brochure for the group exhibition at the Ringling College of Art and Design Selby Gallery features Plagens'
Get In There Fast work on the cover.
box 7, folder 23
Peter Plagens Texas Gallery opening brochures
2013
Scope and Contents
Three brochures for Plagens' solo exhibition at the Texas Gallery in Houston feature full color images of the following works:
The Italian Job 3,
Death of an Artist 1,
Impure Abstraction Notes from the Underground 3,
The Crust of Life 2 and
The Case for Abstraction 3.
box 7, folder 24
Peter Plagens Exhibition floppy disk
undated
Scope and Contents
This floppy disk includes "lo-fi" digital photos of Plagens' work for the purpose of documentation.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
One 3.5-inch floppy disk
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
Writing
1970-2012
Scope and Content
This series includes Plagens' reviews and articles for
Newsweek,
Art in America,
Artforum and other publications, his
West Coast Art manuscript,
Sunshine Muse photographs and illustration releases, notes and drafts of his first novel,
Time for Robo, drafts of his second novel,
The Art Critic, research, notes and drafts for his
Bruce Nauman: The True Artist book, and multiple drafts of the following unpublished works of fiction:
Robo 2: Noam Sain and the Altadena Bungalow,
Robo 3: Among Those Killed in the Dawn Raid Was the Reverend Noam Sain, Aged One Hundred,
Merciful Brief,
Lieutenant Kao and
Confessions of a Fellatrix.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 8, folder 1
Art Writing Old
1970
Scope and Contents
Materials include an article for
Artforum in which Plagens discusses Richard Serra's
Sawing as a "bona fide sensation."
box 8, folder 2
Art Writing Muy Viejo
1970-1971, circa 1984
Scope and Contents
Materials include an essay for
Art Journal entitled "Some Problems in Recent Painting" and two photocopies of the following typescripts: "Me 'N The Scene" and "True
Garb."
box 8, folder 3
"The Odd Couple" review
1977
Scope and Contents
Plagens discusses the work of Jim Turrell and Walter Gabrielson in this
New West article.
box 8, folder 4
"Golden Days" essay
1990
Scope and Contents
Plagens discusses contemporary art in Los Angeles in this essay clipped from the book,
Modern Art and Popular Culture: Readings in High and Low.
box 8, folder 5-6
Art Writing - Misc.
1993-1997
Scope and Contents
Materials include an essay on Doug Hilson for his exhibition at the Laura Knott Art Gallery, a profile on Ron Linden, a review
of
The San Francisco School of Abstract Expressionism show organized by the Laguna Art Museum, an interview of artist and former
Artforum editor, John Coplans, and a typescript on the work of painter Sam Francis.
box 8, folder 7
Art Writing - Misc.
1998-1999, 2005
Scope and Contents
Materials include an article on the L.A. art scene for the
Los Angeles Times, an annotated list of the "ten best art thingies of the '90s" for
Artforum, selections from "Art Stripped Bare," Plagens' collaboration with Walter Gabrielson and a "Bring Back 'Amos 'n' Andy,' but
With Care" article for
The Chronicle of Higher Education.
box 8, folder 8
Art Writing - Misc.
2000-2003
Scope and Contents
Materials include an
Art in America memorial for John Coplans, a juror's statement for the Huntington Museum of Art's "Exhibition 280," a "Cents and Sensibility:
Collecting the '80s"
Artforum article and a "How Art Has Changed a Lot" essay for
American Art.
box 8, folder 9
Art Writing
2004-2006
Scope and Contents
Materials include the following: "Objects in mirror are more distant than they appear," Plagens' look back at "The Boys' Club"
Los Angeles art scene of the 1960s and 1970s, "The Scene Changes: New York Art in the Postwar Decades,"
New England Review essay and "Return of the white cube,"
ArtReview article concerning Brian O'Doherty's "Inside the White Cube" lecture.
box 8, folder 10-11
Art Writing
2007-2009
Scope and Contents
Materials include an
Art in America memorial for Walter Gabrielson,
Common Review essay, "The Absolute Truth About Art," a
New England Review "Another Look at Clement Greenberg" essay, and the "Turner's Magic Mountains"
ARTnews review of the J.M.W. Turner retrospective.
box 8, folder 12-13
Kuntz
2007
Scope and Contents
Materials include clippings, timelines, correspondence, a CD and annotated drafts of his essay on Roger Kuntz for the Laguna
Art Museum's Kuntz retrospective catalogue.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
1 CD
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 9, folder 1
Art Writing
2010
Scope and Contents
Materials include annotated typescripts such as "Pacific Standard Revise," Plagens' review of the Getty's
Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles Art 1945-1980 book, a
Smithsonian Magazine article on painter Clyfford Still and the Denver museum in his name and the
New England Review essay "Leo Castelli and the New World."
box 9, folder 2
Eye Level: A in A
2010-2012
Scope and Contents
Materials include annotated typescripts and published clippings from Plagens'
Eye Level articles for
Art in America.
box 9, folder 3
Art Writing Notes
undated
Scope and Contents
Materials include notes on John Coplans,
Artforum, and the pleasure of reading.
box 9, folder 4
Art Writing: In the Hopper
circa 2010
Scope and Contents
Materials include an annotated typescript concerning Eli Broad's installation of Jeffrey Deitch as director of Los Angeles'
Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) and the museum's future.
box 9, folder 5
Art Writing Unpublished
undated
Scope and Contents
Materials include typescripts on San Francisco's Ant Farm, comedian Eddie Izzard, David Hockney's
Secret Knowledge book and an interview with art critic Hilton Kramer.
box 9, folder 6
A.W. Press & Publicity
circa 2000
Scope and Contents
This "News From Hudson Hills Press" release announces its monograph on minimalist Tony DeLap, written by Bruce Guenther and
Peter Plagens.
box 9, folder 7
Art Writing: Reviews (of)
1974-1975, 1986
Scope and Contents
Materials include reviews of
Moonlight Blues: An Artist's Art Criticism and
Sunshine Muse: Contemporary Art on the West Coast.
box 9, folder 8
Art Writing
undated
Scope and Contents
Materials include annotated typescripts concerning sculptor John Chamberlain, painter Malcolm Morley, the Getty's
Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles Art, 1945-1980 catalogue and Hunter Drohojowksa's book,
Rebels in Paradise: The L.A. Art Scene and the 1960s.
box 9, folder 9-12
Anthology Book
1995
Scope and Contents
Materials include Plagens' clippings and annotated typescripts of his unpublished art criticism. This unpublished Anthology
Book was to include Plagens' art criticism from various publications. Folder 10 also contains the following six slides: 1)
Durham, N.C. 2) The VW bus on I-85 north 3) Traffic stall, I-85 north 4) The Black Truck near Amarillo, TX 5) Dunes, California
desert, and 6) Truck terminal opposite Linden's loft, LA.
box 9, folder 13
Art Writing floppies
1988-2001
Scope and Content
Six floppy disks include published criticism, notes and research.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Six 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 9, folder 14
Painting audio cassette and floppy disk
undated
Scope and Content
The audio cassette tape includes audio notes for what Plagens describes as ". . . a thinky memoir about being an abstract
painter." Plagens was in the habit of carrying around a cassette recorder and recording thoughts as they occurred.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
One 3.5-inch floppy disk and one audio cassette.
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 11, folder 1-3, box 10, folder 1-11
Art Writing:
Newsweek
1989-2003
Scope and Contents
Materials include photocopies of clippings from Plagens' work as
Newsweek's art critic.
Box 11, Folder 1 contains two floppy disks of
Newsweek drafts.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 11, folder 4
Critical Mess book
2006
Scope and Contents
One copy of
Critical Mess: Art Critics on the State of their Practice, edited by Raphael Rubinstein includes Plagens' "At a Crossroads" essay and is signed by Rubinstein and fellow essayists
Katy Siegel, Thomas McEvilley, Nancy Princenthal and Eleanor Heartney.
box 12, folder 1-5
Merciful Brief novel and screenplay
1972, 2002
Scope and Contents
These folders contain three photocopies of Plagens' unpublished novel set in Los Angeles and two copies of the screenplay.
Folder 4 includes correspondence between Plagens and the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art reference services interlibrary
loan coordinator concerning searching his papers for a copy of the manuscript and screenplay.
box 13, folder 1
West Coast Art
circa 1972
Scope and Contents
Plagens'
West Coast Art manuscript was revised and published in 1974 as
Sunshine Muse: Contemporary Art on the West Coast, his first book of art criticism and history which set the stage for the Getty's
Pacific Standard Time initiative. This book was published again as
Sunshine Muse: Art on the West Coast, 1945-1970 by University of California Press in 1999 with a new introduction by Plagens.
box 13, folder 2
Sunshine Muse
1999-2000
Scope and Contents
Materials include royalty statements, correspondence from University of California Press Paperback Editor Charlene Woodcock,
images of cover painting
Figure on a Porch by Richard Diebenkorn, a photccopy of the Memorandum of Agreement between Peter Plagens and The Regents of the University
of California, text for the book's spine and back cover, correspondence to Judy Throm of Reference Services at the Smithsonian
Archives of American Art concerning photographs and transparencies for the book's new edition and reviews of the first edition.
box 13, folder 3
Sunshine Muse floppy disk
2002
Scope and Contents
This floppy disk includes one
Sunshine Muse folder.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
One 3.5-inch floppy disk
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 14, folder 1-16
Sunshine Muse photos
Scope and Contents
These black and white photographs were published in the book.
box 14, folder 17-18
Sunshine Muse illustration releases
1973-1974
Scope and Contents
Folder 17 contains one set of signed illustration releases and folder 18 contains one set of unsigned illustration releases.
box 15, folder 1-2
Robo: Clips
Scope and Contents
Plagens used these research clippings while writing his first novel,
Time for Robo. Clippings are numbered and arranged by the following headings: Physics (Macro/Micro), Espionage (Crime), Religion (Prophets/Gurus),
Art (Authorship) (See Writing), Writing (Emptying Mind), Time, Theory, Air Craft and Sport (Body). Materials also include
notecards on voice, language and the novel's structure.
box 15, folder 3
Robo: Notes
Scope and Contents
Materials include Excel spreadsheet print outs of the novel's chronology, notes on characters, style and plot themes and a
four page "Whom I hate:" typescript.
box 15, folder 4
Time for Robo: Press
1998-2000
Scope and Contents
Press clippings and lists of publications with contacts for book reviews.
box 15, folder 5
Time for Robo
1996
Scope and Contents
Plagens' copy of his book publishing agreement and an Excel spreadsheet print out of notes for the novel.
box 15, folder 6-7
Time for Robo
undated
Scope and Contents
Typescript of novel annotated by Plagens.
box 15, folder 8
Time for Robo: Book Itself
1996-1998
Scope and Contents
Correspondence between Plagens and Black Heron Press publisher Jerry Gold and an advance copy of the book jacket. In his introductory
letter to Gold, Plagens describes
Time for Robo as follows: "... a small part of it is about art. But the book is really about time, perception, and a few questions concerning
reality...."
box 15, folder 9
Time for Robo
1999
Scope and Contents
One hardcover copy of the novel signed by the author.
box 16, folder 1-2
Robo Notes
Scope and Content
Photocopies of clippings, used by Plagens while conducting research for this novel.
box 16, folder 3
Robo: Adds
Scope and Content
Materials include Plagens' handwritten notes, clippings, photocopies of articles and two slides of Dieric Bouts' paintings:
The Altarpiece of the Last Supper and
The Martyrdom of St. Hippolytus.
box 17, folder 1-2
Robo 2
Scope and Contents
Typescript entitled
Robo 2, The Synquel: Noam Sain and the Altadena Bungalow.
box 17, folder 3
For Book 2
Scope and Contents
Materials include a photocopy of "Intrusions?" by J. W. Dunne.
box 17, folder 4-5
Robo 2 stuff
Scope and Contents
Clippings concerning villains and cults.
box 17, folder 6-7
Robo 2 Notes
Scope and Contents
Materials include clippings, photocopies of articles, chronologies, title ideas, to do lists, lists of words, character descriptions,
main points and themes such as Words vs. Reality and Science vs. Religion.
box 17, folder 8
ATKDRWNAOH
Scope and Contents
Initials stand for
Among Those Killed in the Dawn Raid Was Noam, Aged One Hundred. This folder contains one Post-It with a note about Noam confronted, surrounded and stabbed by pachucos in the 1950s.
box 17, folder 9
Robo 2 floppies
Scope and Contents
Thirteen floppy disks include notes and multiple drafts.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Thirteen 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 17, folder 10
Robo 2 CD
Scope and Contents
One CD includes draft 6 for printing.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
1 CD
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 18, folder 1-2
Noam Sain and the Altadena Bungalow
Scope and Contents
One
Robo 2 typescript.
box 18, folder 3
Robo 3 Notes
Scope and Contents
Materials for Plagens' third Robo novel include handwritten research titles and corresponding page numbers, clippings and
photocopies from Brad and Sherry Steiger's dossier,
Conspiracies and Secret Societies.
box 18, folder 4-7
Robo 3
Scope and Contents
Four copies of Plagens' third Robo novel are titled,
Robo 3: Among Those Killed in the Dawn Raid Was the Reverend Noam Sain, Aged One Hundred.
box 18, folder 8
Robo 3 floppies
Scope and Contents
Two floppy disks include chapters in outline format and a first draft of the novel.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 19, folder 1-4
Lieutenant Kao
Scope and Contents
Two copies of Plagens' unpublished novel that tells the story of a kamikaze pilot who survives and ends up as a houseboy in
a sorority house.
box 19, folder 5-6
Lt. Kao Japan
Scope and Contents
Research materials for the novel include photocopies of articles and print-outs from the internet concerning Japanese history.
box 19, folder 7
Lt. Kao U.S.
Scope and Contents
Research materials for the novel include clippings, email correspondence with sorority sisters, print outs of internet articles
on Japanese American history in Los Angeles, the story's chronology, stream of consciousness notes by a sorority sister on
Greek letter organizations and a "50th Anniversary of the Founding of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity" booklet, Plagens' USC fraternity.
box 19, folder 8
Lt. Kao floppies
circa 2000-2002
Scope and Contents
Three floppy disks include drafts, notes and business materials.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Three 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 20, folder 1
Confessions of a Fellatrix
undated
Scope and Content
One copy of Plagens' unpublished novel/memoir hybrid.
box 20, folder 2
N3 floppies
2005-2006
Scope and Content
Versions of Plagens' unpublished Novel 3, a novel/memoir hybrid entitled
Confessions of a Fellatrix.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Eight 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 20, folder 3-9
The Art Critic
circa 2008
Scope and Contents
Folders 3-6 contain three photocopied manuscripts of Plagens' online novel, which was first published as a serial in 24 weekly
installments by Artnet, and then again in 2012 by Hol Art Books. Folders 7 and 8 contain a draft with Laurie Fendrich's edits
and annotations and folder 9 contains nine floppy disks of various drafts.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Nine 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 21, folder 1-3
TAC - Rewrite
circa 2008
Scope and Contents
Folders 1 and 2 include the original copy of the manuscript with Laurie Fendrich's edits and annotations as well as some notes
by Plagens. Folder 3 includes two floppy disks with rewrites of Plagens' second novel and raw material.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 36, folder 7
TAC e-book shelf surrogate
2012
Scope and Contents
This shelf surrogate consists of a color copy of the novel's cover, back and spine, a bookmark and tassel. These materials
were created by Hol Art Books and include instructions for assembly. The text on the bookmark reads: "The critic's job is
to prevent the next Jeff Koons or Mark Kostabi from gaining a fucking foothold."
box 22, folder 1
Nauman research/notes
2008-2009
Scope and Contents
Materials concerning Plagens' book,
Bruce Nauman: The True Artist, include questions for interviews with Connie Lewallen, John Baldessari, Frank Owen, Brenda Richardson and Jane Livingston,
Plagens' handwritten notes on Nauman's life and William T. Wiley's handwritten responses to Plagens concerning his work with
Nauman at UC Davis.
box 22, folder 2
Nauman - Chronologies
Scope and Contents
Plagens' typed chronology covers Nauman's life and work from 1941-2009.
box 22, folder 3
Nauman draft
Scope and Contents
Early draft of the Nauman manuscript with annotations and a photocopy of the Leo Castelli Gallery catalog for Nauman's first
one-man exhibition in New York.
box 22, folder 4-8
Nauman manuscript
circa 2009
Scope and Contents
Multiple versions of the Nauman manuscript. Folders 5 and 6 include corrections by Bruce Nauman and Angela Westwater. Folder
7 includes a copy of the manuscript on a CD for Phaidon Press.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
1 CD
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 22, folder 9
Bruce Nauman in Venice
2009
Scope and Contents
Press releases, image sheets, Nauman biography/bibliography and exhibition venue maps comprise Plagens' folder for
Bruce Nauman: Topological Gardens, the official United States representation at the 53rd International Art Exhibition -- La Biennale di Venezia.
box 22, folder 10
Nauman: Readings
Scope and Contents
Photocopies of articles and bibliographies.
box 23, folder 1
Nauman 2 Do
Scope and Contents
To do lists, correspondence concerning edits, and a CD with a Word file of the book.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
1 CD
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 23, folder 2-4
Nauman: Visuals
Scope and Contents
Materials include postcards,
Mapping the Studio II booklet,
Flayed Earth/Flayed Self (Skin/Sink) publication for exhibition at the Nicholas Wilder Gallery, four CDs and a flash drive of images.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
4 CDs and 1 flash drive
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 23, folder 5
Nauman: Misc. documents
2008
Scope and Contents
Proposal for the Nauman book and a Sperone Westwater press release for
Bruce Nauman: Drawings for Installations, his ninth solo exhibition with the gallery.
box 23, folder 6
Nauman MSS: To Print CD-R
Scope and Contents
This CD-R stores an electronic copy of Plagens' Nauman manuscript.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
1 CD-R
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
Correspondence
1972-2013
Scope and Content
This series includes personal and professional correspondence.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 24, folder 1-6
Correspondence
1972-2006
Scope and Contents
Folder 1 includes letters from Ron Linden and actor Jack MacGowran.
Folder 2 includes letters from Walter Gabrielson, Doug Hilson, Merwin Belin, George Plagens, Ron Linden, Jayne Plagens, M.
Louise Stanley, John Coplans, Brenda Richardson, Isabel McIlvain, Cynthia Maughan and Peter Schjeldahl.
Folder 3 includes letters from Laurie Fendrich, Phoebe Plagens, Adrian Biddell, George Plagens, Walter Gabrielson, Dave Hickey,
Jayne Plagens, M. Kenneth Suddleson, Joseph D. Masheck, Bert Irvin, Felicitas Wetter, Marilyn Baxter, Doug Hilson and Merwin
Belin.
Folder 4 includes art writing correspondence.
Folder 5 includes letters from Ron Linden, Walter Gabrielson, John Coplans, Jim Lee, Clarence Morgan, Marina Faust, Bill Pigman,
Merwin Belin, Brenda Richardson and Johannes Lacher.
Folder 6 includes letters from Ron Linden, Richard de Mille, John L. Garrett, Walter Gabrielson and George Plagens. Correspondence
from George Plagens includes clippings and family photos.
box 25, folder 1
Art/Writing Biz
1996-2013
Scope and Contents
Correspondence and attached agreements concerning publishing rights.
box 25, folder 2
A Drama In Your Mailbox Production postcards
1997-2004
Scope and Contents
These humorous postcards are from Doug Hilson, founder and director of Doug's Museum of which Plagens said, "Most real museums
worry about fake art. Doug's Museum is a fake museum that worries about real art."
box 25, folder 3-4
About Painting
2002-2003
Scope and Contents
About Painting was Plagens' idea for a painting focused art magazine that could branch out into history, chemistry, iconography and market.
Plagens was working with a graphic designer, publications person and reaching out to writers, including John Updike who were
interested in contributing to this publication. Adding "About" to the title was Laurie Fendrich's idea in order to move it
to the top of alphabetical journal listings. They tried to raise two million dollars to start it up but struggled to sell
the idea of an art magazine confined to painting.
Folder 3 contains email correspondence and Plagens'
About Painting press card.
Folder 4 contains a trademark search report.
box 25, folder 5
T-shirt
2007
Scope and Contents
Email correspondence from Plagens discusses a t-shirt gift list for the holidays and black widow spider images from the jacket
of Eric Ambler's 1940 spy novel which were used for the t-shirt design. One leg of the spider splayed out too much, so Plagens
eliminated it and created a seven-legged spider for his t-shirt design.
box 25, folder 6
Auburn cards
Scope and Contents
Two Auburn University thank you cards are signed by students who appreciated Plagens' visit to their class.
box 25, folder 7
Warhol/Creative Capital Grant floppies
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, proposals and images.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
Lectures
circa 1980-2009
Scope and Content
This series includes annotated typescripts of lectures, slides, a program and posters.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 26, folder 1
This is About Formalist Painting in L.A. slides
circa 1980
Scope and Contents
Slides used for a lecture Plagens gave at UCLA Extension in which he never spoke, but experimented with a purely visual talk.
Plagens describes abstract painting in the context of Los Angeles through this series of 19 slides which capture his humorous
descriptions written in black ink on white posters.
box 26, folder 2
GIGS floppies
1994-2001
Scope and Contents
Documentation of Plagens' lectures.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 26, folder 3-4
Lecture notes
Scope and Contents
Materials include typed lectures and panel discussion notes with Plagens' annotations for presentations at USC, Columbia Columbia
College, the Jewish Museum, the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference and the Southeastern
College Art Conference (SECAC) Annual Meeting. His USC Roski School of Art and Design lecture, "A Simple Country Painter"
is in folder 3.
box 26, folder 5
CAEA conference program
2002
Scope and Content
Shifting Perspectives, the Colorado Art Education Association (CAEA) Fall conference program features keynote speakers Peter Plagens and Laurie
Fendrich.
box 26, folder 6
The Absolute Truth CD-R
2008 February 6
Scope and Contents
Recording of Plagens' "The Absolute Truth about Contemporary Art" lecture at the New York Studio School.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
One CD-R
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
box 36, folder 6
Peter Plagens posters
2009
Scope and Contents
Three full color posters announce Plagens' lectures at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) for its School of Art
and Design's Painter/Art Critic Lecture Series.
Course Materials
1985-2011
Scope and Content
This series includes course evaluations, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, assessments, readings, discussion questions
and student papers from courses taught at Princeton University, Hofstra University, Middlebury College and New York University.
box 27, folder 1
Princeton evaluations
1985-1986
Scope and Contents
Cumulative course evaluations by Princeton University students for Plagens' Visual Arts 304 course.
box 27, folder 2
Hofstra class final project
1986
Scope and Contents
A photocopy of Plagens' final project assignment for Hofstra classes FA 5 and FA 14 includes size, materials, description,
purpose, method and criteria for evaluation.
box 27, folder 3-4
HARC 0307 Archives
2005
Scope and Contents
Contemporary Art and Criticism course materials include a syllabus, timelines, lecture notes, photocopies of readings and
lists of questions.
box 27, folder 5
Colloquium
2005
Scope and Contents
Readings, timelines and a syllabus for Plagens' Middlebury College Faculty Colloquium entitled, "The Anxious Object of Modern
Art: Questioning the work of art from Cubism through Performance Art."
box 27, folder 6-7
Hofstra Seminar Reading
2008
Scope and Content
Course materials for Plagens' Hofstra University seminar, "The Artist's Practice" include photocopies of readings, handwritten
lecture notes and a syllabus.
box 27, folder 8
NYU
2009
Scope and Contents
Plagens' Seminar in Art Criticism course materials include correspondence from NYU, handwritten and typed notes, discussion
questions, quizzes, student course evaluations and a syllabus.
box 28, folder 1-2
NYU
2011
Scope and Contents
Plagens' Seminar in Art Criticism course materials include photocopies of readings, typed lecture notes, student papers and
a syllabus.
Photos and Slides
1958-2014
Scope and Content
This series is comprised of personal photos and slides.
box 29, folder 1
JMHS prom after party photocopy
1958 June
Scope and Contents
One photocopy of a high school photograph captures Plagens and friends at Moulin Rouge, a nightclub in Hollywood that hosted
the John Marshall High School after-prom dinner. Plagens is seated at the front of the table dressed in a white suit with
a plaid bow tie and cummerbund.
box 29, folder 2-3
Personal slides
1964-1999
Scope and Contents
Folder 2: Slides include images of his studios in Los Angeles on Union Street, 239 South Los Angeles Street and in Pasadena
as well as his studios in Austin, Texas, Durham, North Carolina, Johnson, Vermont and New York. There are also images of Peter
and children: Paul Wisdom Plagens, Sybil Wisdom, and Phoebe Plagens. Other slides capture images of Peter and his wife Laurie
Fendrich, best friend Walter Gabrielson, gallerist Nancy Hoffman, George Green, Robert Pincus-Witten, Jim DeFrance, Sydney
Littenberg, Johannes Lacher, Mitchell Kahan, David Gates and Merwin Belin.
Folder 3: Slides include images of Peter and his wife Laurie Fendrich, their daughter Phoebe, and Plagens's studios in Los
Angeles, Texas and New York.
box 29, folder 4
Personal photos
1979-1996
Scope and Contents
Color photographs include images of the exterior and interior of Plagens' 239 S. Los Angeles Street studio, Peter and Ed Ruscha,
Laurie Fendrich, Jayne Plagens, Johannes Lacher, George Plagens, son Paul Wisdom Plagens, daughters Sybil Wisdom and Phoebe
Plagens, George Garcia and Peter's sister Pamela Garcia, Merwin Belin, Doug Hilson, David Gates, Ron Linden and a Polaroid
portrait of Plagens signed by Suzanne Paul.
box 29, folder 5
Peter and Phoebe photos
1984
Scope and Contents
Two black and white photos of Plagens and his daughter.
box 29, folder 6
"Sep Bye to LA" photos
circa 1985
Scope and Contents
Three photo album pages feature images of Peter's daughter Phoebe in Little Tokyo, at his studio in downtown Los Angeles and
at the Hollywood Bowl.
box 29, folder 7
Paul Wisdom Plagens head shots
undated
Scope and Contents
Black and white head shots of Peter's son Paul Wisdom Plagens.
box 29, folder 8
Dora Maar House residency photos
2009 April 30-May 31
Scope and Contents
Color photos of Plagens and Laurie Fendrich, in front of the Dora Maar House in Southern France.
box 29, folder 9
Peter photo
2010
Scope and Contents
One black and white image from a Hofstra University publication of Plagens teaching.
box 29, folder 10
Ruth Bachofner Gallery opening photo
2014
Scope and Contents
One color photograph of Ron Linden, Elizabeth Medina and Plagens in the Ruth Bachofner Gallery at the Bergamot Station Art
Center.
Notebooks and Datebooks
1995-2013
Scope and Content
This series is comprised of notebooks, datebooks, to-do lists, a mailing list and address book.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 30
Notebooks and to do lists
circa 2007-2013
Scope and Contents
Two notebooks filled with ideas and to do lists written on notecards and Post-Its.
box 31, folder 1-15
Datebooks
1996-2004, 2008-2012
Scope and Contents
These 15 annual datebooks are heavily annotated by Plagens.
box 31, folder 16
Mailing list and address book floppies
2006, 2008
Scope and Contents
Electronic copies of Plagens' mailing list and address book.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
DRIPS
1984-2006
Scope and Content
This series contains copies of Plagens' journal entries. These are also referred to as DRPS or DRP, abbreviations for the
painter's DRIPS.
These materials are restricted until three years after the death of Peter Plagens.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital
materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 32, folder 1
White Paintings
1985-1990
Scope and Content
This folder title refers to a notice in
The New Yorker that said, "White paintings, with drips, by the art critic." According to Plagens, "Somehow my drips into a journal seemed
to echo the drips (traces of my passing through) on a canvas."
These materials are restricted until three years after the death of Peter Plagens.
box 33, folder 1-6, box 32, folder 2-6
DRP
1991-1998
Scope and Content
Box 32: 1991-1995
Box 33: 1996-1998
These materials are restricted until three years after the death of Peter Plagens.
box 35, folder 1-8, box 34, folder 1-7
DRPS
1999-2008
Scope and Contents
Box 34: 1999-2003
Box 35: 2004-2008
These materials are restricted until three years after the death of Peter Plagens.
box 35, folder 9-10
DRPS floppies
1984-2006
Scope and Contents
These items are restricted until three years after the death of Peter Plagens.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Thirteen 3.5-inch floppy disks
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference
desk in advance of your visit.
Memorabilia
1938-2013
Scope and Content
This series consists of art work created by Peter's father, George Plagens, publications, flyers, memorial programs, an illustrated
trip diary by Walter Gabrielson and Nancy Goldberg, a
Newsweek special issue cover which features Peter, a John Marshall High School 40th reunion program and badge, a file of humorous
annotated clippings for painter Doug Hilson, a North Carolina personalized license plate, materials from Plagens' studio walls,
his Columbia University National Arts Journalism certificate and September 11, 2001 notes written on an empty cigarettes pack.
box 36, folder 1
George Plagens' art work
1938, undated
Scope and Contents
These three pieces, created by Plagens' father who worked as a freelance commercial artist, are futuristic imaginings of airplanes,
a pilot and an automobile. According to Peter, the sum of George H. Plagens' formal training was a few night classes at the
Cleveland Art Institute.
box 37, folder 1
George Plagens' cartoon
1938
Scope and Contents
Framed cartoon by Plagens' father, published in Collier's magazine, depicting window washers harnessed to a building while
shooting at birds with water guns. The caption reads, "Tsk Tsk! Missed again!"
box 37, folder 2
Lucky Strike cigarettes pack
circa 1940s
Scope and Content
Cigarettes pack created by George H. Plagens, who created samples such as this to add to his portfolio while he searched for
freelance work as a commercial artist.
box 37, folder 3
The 1941 Cars clipping
1941
Scope and Contents
Painter and friend Doug Hilson gave this clipping to Plagens for his birthday. Hilson is also a Professor of Fine Art at Hofstra
University. According to Plagens, Hilson holds a vast collection of vintage postcards and magazines. Examples of these postcards
and vintage magazine clippings may be found in the "A Drama In Your Mailbox Production" postcards folder within the Correspondence
series of this collection.
box 37, folder 4
Clippings and publications
1973-2005
Scope and Contents
Publications include
Two Qualms & a Quirk: Three Stories by Richard de Mille signed by the author, Walter Gabrielson's "The Openings Gambit or For One Night in L.A." text and drawings,
The Daily Pigeon newspaper and "The Continuous Mark: 40 Years of the New York Studio School."
Clippings include "Decline and Resistance: The New Radicalness of the Subject" by Peter Oswald, "Diana, Surrogate Princess"
by Barbara Ehrenreich, and "Death Explains Himself" by Roger Rosenblatt. This folder also includes an article on the life
and death of basketball player Curtis Conrad and a "Murder on the Midway: Sordid Life and Death of Lobster Boy" article.
box 37, folder 5
Untitled publication
1974
Scope and Contents
Los Angeles art publication with an interview with Plagens at his Pasadena studio.
box 37, folder 6
ABSTRART license plate
1981
Biography/History
Plagens was professor of the fine art and art history department at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill from 1980-1984
and chaired this department from 1980-1983. He and wife Laurie Fendrich sublet a place in Chapel Hill their first year and
then moved to Durham where they lived in "Peter's Folly," a Jehovah's Witnesses church that Plagens describes as a "...loft
on a cement slab." The couple bought a new Honda in 1981 and this was its vanity plate.
box 37, folder 7
Hot Flashes quarterly
1993
Scope and Contents
This premiere issue by the Guerilla Girls, self-described "feminist masked avengers," is devoted to their examination of
The New York Times' art critics. The publication's tagline is "All the sexism, racism and homophobia that fits, we complain about."
box 37, folder 8
Memorial programs
1994, 2000, 2004
Scope and Contents
Memorial programs for
Newsweek editor, critic and writer Jack Kroll, Robert Paul Tavetian, and artist John Coplans, founder and former editor of
Artforum magazine.
box 37, folder 9
Diary of a Small Journey
1995
Scope and Contents
One photocopy of Walter Gabrielson and Nancy Goldberg's illustrated diary of their trip to Paris and Italy, and photocopies
of Gabrielson's cartoon work from the 1960s.
box 37, folder 10
Hilson file
1995-2000
Scope and Contents
Plagens' humorous file for his friend, painter Doug Hilson contains Hall 'O' Fame materials that include witty annotations
on clippings, invitations and photographs concerning art openings, lectures, Donald Judd's work at the Chinati Foundation,
and going to the movies with Pee Wee Herman.
box 37, folder 11
Nova International Enterprise flyer
undated
Scope and Contents
This flyer lists a Post Office Box in the Bronx to write to for "Financing to Start or Spand Your Business. Free Details."
Plagens picked this up off the street because of the strange use of the word "spand."
box 36, folder 9
Newsweek cover
2002 May 31
Scope and Contents
One color photocopy of a
Newsweek Special Issue cover with a photographic portrait of Plagens features the following headline and subhead: "Van Goghing, Van
Goghn: Peter Gives Us a Brush With Greatness."
box 37, folder 12
JMHS Reunion program
1998
Scope and Contents
Plagens' 40 Year John Marshall High School Reunion program includes his laminated photo badge.
box 37, folder 13
Columbia University certificate
1999
Scope and Contents
This Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism certificate documents Plagens as one of four senior fellows in the
National Arts Journalism Program from August, 1998 to May, 1999.
box 37, folder 14
911 notes
2001 September 11
Scope and Contents
Plagens found these September 11th notes on the street. An attack timeline is written on the inside of this Newport cigarettes
pack.
box 37, folder 15
Plagens portrait
2002
Scope and Content
Portrait on ruled paper with black ballpoint pen and metallic blue pen. Plagens recalls that he is unsure of the artist but
it may have been his wife, Laurie, making a fake Picasso portrait of him.
box 37, folder 16
Wall material
undated
Scope and Contents
Materials include items that were previously posted on Plagens' studio walls such as a Polaroid photo of his daughter, Phoebe,
a photograph of best friend Walter Gabrielson, art by Phoebe, an announcement for a National Gallery of Art press breakfast
and restoration preview of the three panels of Gerard David's
The Saint Anne Altarpiece, and a poster of the Fifteenth General Staff Course Army Air Forces Group.
box 37, folder 17
Bad Boy
2013
Scope and Contents
This hardcover copy of painter Eric Fischl's autobiography includes annotations by Plagens.
