Letter and agreement from Stan Brakhage to Sally Dixon
(9/20/1974)
Dear Sally,
Enclosed you'll find the "AGREEMENT" I finally devised for transfer of my papers to Santa Cruz (Univ. of Calif.) They were very anxious to secure the papers, agreed to price of $2,250. plus $3,000.00 for film purchase and all terms; BUT the Univ. of Calif, state governmental situation does NOT permit them to sign a legal and binding contract (even such a simple one as my ".AGREEMENT"); thus the deal fell thru. Silly as it sounds, my "AGREEMENT" would have had to go all the way to Reagan's office for approval. Many archives are in this situation, especially state funded archives. O'Grady at Buffalo would have run into similar difficulties; but he felt he could get around them. He just simply, finally, didn't have the money last year — tho' he may be trying to raise it this year. Frankly I'd prefer the papers went to Pittsburgh, most especially to Carnegie. It
has become clear that Buffalo is concentrating upon education (criticism and the like) to the expense of Art -- at least as I see it . . . and
(if you think abt it) as ought to have become obvious that long weekend
when you, I, Hollis Frampton, and Gerald O'Grady discussed all these matters. Pittsburgh is/HAS at least a Risorgimento, and even simply as a city would be more available to human search of this material. Carnegie is clearly the most stable post within whatever flux there.
Now then, the second paper enclosed is the "STAN BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE" list of the material first offered for sale to Santa Cruz. This includes letters and manuscripts, etc., preserved up to about 5 or 6 years ago; and the cataloging was done by Mr. Jack Shoemaker, Serendipity Books,
1790 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, Calif. 94709. He was acting as our agent and made the arrangements with Santa Cruz. He also boxed and wrapped all papers in very formal order. The only trouble with his list is that he was literarily oriented (having only managed the archives of writers and poets previously): thus his section # III "UNSORTED CORRESPONDENCE" is
richer than he thought. We discovered this when we received the material back again. The most memorable example being a number of writs and so forth from Joseph Cornell, very rare and very valuable material. Had he known the worth of some of this material I'm sure his estimate would have been higher than the $2,250.°°; but, rather than send all this thru another agent, I think we'll just stick with this estimate of his for the initial transaction IF there's not too much delay further in the matter. Then there's a second batch of material already boxed but not catalogued and thus not estimated as to value either. Then there's at least as much material again from the last 3 years. We have had to break into the box marked V. "containing all business records" etc. because of the I.R.S. investigation; but that material has been xeroxed and the originals returned to box V.
Okay, its in your hands now; and good luck! One thing for sure is that the real lasting interest in film as art seems to be centered in Pittsburgh. Jane and I are still both JOYED at our last visit there — looking very much forward to the premiere of "The Text of Light" next month. Excuse the strictly bizzy-ness of this letter; but it is, alas, that kind of day. And, all the same . . .
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into this _______day of ______________,
1973, between James Stanley Brakhage (Brakhage), and The University of California Santa Cruz (University):
WHEREAS the University wishes to make the Brakhage Papers (Papers) a part of its Library Special Collections Section for use of scholars and students of the arts, and
WHEREAS Brakhage wishes to have a repository for certain of his Papers and wishes to allow scholars and students of the arts to make use of them;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants contained in this agreement, the parties agree as follows:
1. The parties agree that for the purpose of this agreement, "Papers" shall mean unpublished manuscripts or drafts authored by Brakhage, books, pamphlets, manuscripts or letters which any individuals have given to Brakhage, copies of letters authored by Brakhage, and memorabilia of his life.
2. Brakhage agrees to convey the rights of physical possession of those
of his Papers listed in Exhibit I to the University, with the restrictions contained in this agreement.
3. The University agrees to pay Brakhage $2,250.00 for such rights enumerated in paragraph 1 and to house such Papers and any other Papers received pursuant to this agreement in its Library Special Collections Section.
4. Brakhage grants the University the right of first refusal as pertains to the right of physical possession of other of his Papers which he may offer for sale. The parties agree that Brakhage retains the right to decide which of his Papers he may so offer.
5. The parties agree that the right of first refusal, as stated in paragraph 4, shall operate as follows:
a. Brakhage shall (1) notify the University in writing of his intention to sell the rights to possession, (2) enumerate the Papers involved, and (3) set a price.
Within one month of the receipt of such notification the University shall inform Brakhage in writing of its desire to purchase such Papers. If the University does wish to purchase, but does not agree to the purchase price set by Brakhage, the parties agree to obtain an appraisal from a qualified independent expert, whose decision as to the price of the Papers shall be final and binding upon both parties.
6. The University agrees that all Papers for which it purchases the rights of physical possession, shall have the following restrictions:
a. The University will abide by the Regulations which are attached as Exhibit II.
b. The University agrees to obtain Brakhage's written permission prior to any change of the Regulations referred to in (a.) above.
c. The University shall inform all individuals using or viewing the Papers that Brakhage retains the copyrights and other literary rights to all of his Papers and that authors of Papers not authored by Brakhage also retain copyrights and other literary rights.
2.
d. The University shall keep a list of all individuals using or viewing the Papers which shall include the name of the individual, a general description of the Papers viewed or used and the time such use or viewing took place.
7. The parties agree that except as governed by paragraphs 7 and 8, nothing in this agreement constitutes any sale or assignment of Brakhage's copyrights or other literary rights to any of his Papers or any such right that an author of Papers other than Brakhage may have.
8. Brakhage agrees that the University shall have the right to grant to users of the Papers the right to quote without permission from Brakhage no more than sixteen full sentences from any Paper for inclusion in an unpublished lecture, thesis or dissertation. The University acknowledges that Brakhage has no power to, nor does he grant any permission to quote from Papers of which he is not the author.
9. The parties agree that Brakhage will have the right to will the copyrights and literary rights to any Papers to whomever he chooses,in a life estate or estates to be distributed among such legatees in a manner he chooses, with the remainder of any such life estate or estates reverting to the University.
10. The University agrees to furnish to Brakhage or the holder of a life estate described in paragraph 9, copies of any of the Papers (exclusive of films) at cost, upon written request for such copies.
11. The University agrees to allot and spend, during a one year period from the date of this agreement, $3,000.00 for the purchase of films authored and made by Brakhage. The University further agrees to use its best efforts, qualified by future budgets to purchase all the films of Brakhage.
3.
12. This agreement may not be amended, extended or cancelled except by a written instrument signed by both parties.
13. The parties agree that the terms and conditions of this agreement will bind and inure to the benefit of each and their respective assigns, successors, heirs and personal representatives.
James Stanley Brakhage UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ
By:
Date:
4.
STAN BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE
MANUSCRIPTS AND BOOKS.
A. METAPHORS ON VISION. NY: A Film Culture Books,
1963. Introduction by P. Adams Sitney. Bound in corrugated wrappers as issued.
1. A fine copy of the book, as issued.
2. Notebook containing two earlier versions of two sections from the book. One, MOVE KENT is an offset reproduction of the essay, 16 pps. The other is a dittoed version of the title essay, METAPHORS ON
VISION, marked "Copyright 1960".
3. A notebook containing the final draft of the book, fully corrected and signed by Brakhage. This final version is made up of typescripts, xeroxes, carbons, &c.
159 pps.
4. 4 pps carbon ts of CORRECTIONS: METAPHORS ON VISION. Corrections by the author of the final printed version.
B. Red notebook, spiral bound, dated 1966. Being "A Hopeful Journal of relations with Birds" by Jane Brakhage. Holograph, 360 pps.
C. THE BRAKHAGE LECTURES: GEORGE MELIES, DAVID WARK GRIFFITH, CARL THEODORS DREYER, AND SERGEI EISENSTSIN. Chicago: The Good Lion, at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 1972. Illustrated with photographs. Forward by Robert Creeley.
1. A mint copy of the book in wrappers as issued.
2. An unbound set of page proofs, folded and laid into a proof copy of the cover.
3. Ms of each lecture, first drafts: MELIES
78 pps; GRIFFITH 82 pps ; DREYER 68 pps; EISENSTEIN 114 pps. Each written in the author’s holograph, each heavily corrected.
4. Corrected typescript of the final drafts,
98 pps, signed by the author.
D. INDEPENDANT FILMMAKING by Lenny Lipton. NY: World/ Straight-Arrow Books, 1972. Introduction by Brakhage.
Holograph first draft of the introduction by Brakhage, 34 pps, heavily corrected.
I.
BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE : : 2
E. THE BRAKHAGE LECTURES VOLUME TWO, CHARLES CHAPLIN,
JEAN VIGO, EUSTER KEATON, AND STAN LAUREL & OLIVER HARDY. This book remains unpublished.
1. Manuscripts of each lecture, first drafts;
VIGO 71 pps; LAUREL & HARDY 51 pps; CHAPLIN 119 pps; KEATON 101 pps. Each lecture is
in the author's holograph and heavily corrected.
2. Corrected typescripts of each lecture, final drafts. KEATON 30 pps, signed by the author. CHAPLIN 31 PPS. LAUREL & HARDY 16 pps.
VIGO 20 pps. Each ts is heavily corrected.
F. MAKING LIGHT OF NATURE OF LIGHT. An early draft,, ts but heavily corrected, of a short essay to appear in the book forthcoming from Frontier Press; THE MOVING PICTURE GIVING AND TAKING BOOK. 7 pps.
BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE : : 3
II. CORRESPONDENCE.
A. SORTED.
1. BRUCE BAILLIE, filmmaker. 14 ALS,
21 AP-CS, 5 TLS. With 9 cabbon replies from Brakhage. Regarding film, art & life.
2. JAMES BROUGHTON, poet & filmmaker.
16 TLS w/ various enclosures, 9 ALS,
3 ANS. With 7 carbon TLS replies.
Long letters regarding art & filip.
3. HARVEY BROWN, publisher Frontier Press.
3 ALS, with 8 carbon TLS replies. Re; two books which Frontier Press will be publishing of Brakhage, SCRAPBOOK & THE MOVING PICTURE GIVING & TAKING BOOKX.
4. William Buckley, politician & editor.
2 TLS w/ various enclosures. 2 carbon
TLS replies. Regarding a possible appearance by Brakhage on Buckley’s
Firing Line, a television program.
5. FRED CAMPER, director of The MIT Film Society, critic, filmmaker. 7 TLS, 3 ALS, 1 AP-CS. With enclosures of his reviews on all of Brakhages’ films to date. 1 carbon TLS reply. Camper was busy promoting Brakhage’s films and reviewing them.
6. DARYL CHIN, young student/artist. vlO TLS, 17 ALS, 3 ANS. 6 carbon TLS
replies .
7. JACK COLLOM, poet & editor of THE Magazine. 4 ALS, 1 TLS, 3 AP-CS with enclosures; 112 pps of poems (mostly carbons, corrected),
& copies of THE #'s 2, 5, 6 & 7. 1 carbon
TLS reply.
8. BRUCE CONNER, artist/filmmaker. 3 TLS w/
enclosures (slides, &c), 3 long ALS. One carbon TLS reply.
9. PHILIP CORNER, poet. A copy of BOSS with 13 pps of xerox poems.
10. CID CORMAN, poet/editor. 2 TLS.
11. ROBERT CREELEY, poet. 3 TLS, 1 ALS, 1 typed
poem wiltten "for Brakhage" and inscribed, 3 AP-CS, 1 TP-CS. With 5 carbon TLS replies. Long letters discussing the nature of art and the Document.
BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE :: 4
II.A. (continued)
12. GUY DAVENPORT, poet. 38 TLS, 2 ANS, with enclosures (9 pps of poems inscribed).
With 9 carbon TLS replies. Long fine letters between artists.
13. DIANE DI PRIMA, poet. 2 AP-CS.
14. SALLY DIXON, coordinator of Films at the Museum of Art at Carnegie Institute.
6 TLS, 10 ALS, 3 AP-CSo With 11 carbon TLS replies.
15. EDWARD DORN, poet. 2 TLS, 7 ALS, 3 AP-CS, with enclosures (3 broadside poems inscribed).
Also a copy of THE BRAKHAGE LECTURE VOL I edited & corrected by Dorn. 1 long carbon TLS reply.
16. ROBERT DUNCAN & JESS COLLINS, poet & artist.
4 ALS from both Robert & Jess; a copy of UPRISING, a broadside; a typescript of MEDEA by Duncan with his annotations & corrections for production together with a clean carbon of same. Brakhage staged the first reading of this play with Duncan's assistance.
17. CLAYTON ESHLEMAN, poet/editor. 27 TLS,
5 ALS, 9 AP-CS with enclosures: 231 pps of poems (carbons, ts, &c) many corrected
& most inscribed by the poet to Brakhage.
11 long carbon TLS replies.
18. HOLLIS FRAMPTON, filmmaker. 5 TLS, 1 ALS,
2 AP-CS w/ enclosures (42 pps of texts for films, mostly xerox, mostly inscribed).
2 carbon TLS replies.
19. BOB FULTON, filmmaker. 3 ALS, 3 TLS,
4 ANS, 4 AP-CS. 3 carbon replies/
20. RICHARD GROSSINGER, writer. 6 TLS, 3 TNS,
with enclosures. 4 carbon TLS peplies.
21. CHARLES HENRI, poet. 1 ALS 2 AP-CS,
22. JEROME HILL, artist/composer/filmmaker.
26 ALS w/ enclosures. 19 carbon TLS repli es.
23. RICHARD JOHNSTON, composer. 18 ALS.
4 TLS from his wife. 9 carbon replies.
With enclosures.
24. ROBERT KELLY, poet. 198 page carbon ts of WEEKS, Kelly's long poem (unpublished), sent
in sections to Erakhage while Kelly was writing it. Notes corrections, letters throut.
Plus 6 long TLS. 2 ALS. 1 AP-CS with 3 carbon replies
BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE
5
II.A. (Continued)
25. Hugh Kenner, critic/professor.
1 TLS w/ 2 carbon replies.
26. LENNY LIPTON, filmmaker/author.
2 TLS w/ enclosures, 1 TP-CS.
2 carbon replies.
27. MICHAEL MC CLURE, poet. 8 ALS, 4 TLS.
1 AP-CS, w/ enclosures; broadsides (3) inscribed, carbon ts of LOVE LION BOOK inscribed (21 pps). 3 carbon replies.
Long full letters.
28. ABBOTT HEADER, artist/filmmaker. 12 TLS,
7 ALS, with many enclosures; photographs &c.
1 carbon TLS reply.
29. JONAS MEKAS, filmmaker/critic. 2 AP-CS,
4 TLS w/ various enclosures. 6 long carbon
TLS replies.
30. DAVID HELTZER, poet. 13 TLS, 1 ALS, 2 TP-CS,
1 AP-CS w/ various enclosures, poems &c.
4 carbon TLS replies.
31. ANETTE MICHKLSON, author/critic. 2 TLS,
1 AP-CS w/ enclosures. 2 carbon TLS replies.
32. THE MUSEUM OF MODERN AT CONTROVERSY. A group of xeroxed letters between Brakhage and Larry Kardish of The Museum of Modern Art (also letters from Willard Van Dyke, also of the Museum).
This correspondence (8 letters) was published in CATERPILLAR Magazine.
33. WINDY NEWCOMB, student/friend. 3 ALS, 3 AP-CS.
One carbon TLS reply.
34. MYRON ORT, filmmaker. 1 TLS, 2 ALS. 2 carbon TLS replies.
35* FRANCIS PIATEK, artist. 3 long ALS. One carbon reply.
36. TOM RAWORTH, poet, 3 TLS 2 ALS, 1 AP-CS.
One carbon reply.
37. DONALD RICHIE, critic/on the staff of The
Museum of Modern Art. 9 TLS, 2 TP-CS, 2 AP-CS.
With enclosures. 10 carbon TLS replies. Mr Richie wrote the text for The Brakhage Retrospective held at The Museum.
38. ARTHUR SAINER, writer. A duplicated version of a play, RITES, by Sainer. 39 pps.
39. JOHN SCHOFILL, professor. 4 TLS, one carbon reply.
BRAKHAGE ARCHIVE :: 6
II.A. (continued)
40 . PAUL SHARITS, artist/filmmaker. 18 ALS
w/ numerous enclosures, 8 TLS, 4 AP-CS.
10 carbon replies.
41. P. ADAMS SITNEY, critic/writer. 1 ALS,
2 TLS, 1 TP-CS. 4 carbon replies.
42. DONALD SUTHERLAND, professor/writer.
6 TLS, 1 ALS, 1 ANS w/ enclosures.
2 carbon TLS replies.
43. LESLIE TRUMBALL, of The Film-Maker’s Co-Operative. 1 TLS, 1 ALS, 1 TP-CS. With one carbon reply,
44. PARKER TYLER, artist/poet. 4 TLS, 1 AP-CS.
45. AMOS VOGEL, of The New York Film Festival.
2 TLS w/ enclosures. 1 carbon TLS reply.
46. CAROL WESTON, writer. 1 TLS, 1 ALS w/ xeroxed story enclosed.
47. STEVE WHEALTON, filmmaker. 5 TLS, 1 ALS.
With carbon reply.
48. A carbon TLS to MINOR WHITE, the photographer.
49. FORREST WILLIAMS, professor. 3 TLS, 1 ALS,
1 AP-CS.
50. LOUIS ZUK0FSKY, poet. 2 ALS,
III. UNSORTED CORRESPONDENCE. This being mostly Business correspondence with a few unsorted letters from friends and admirers. Separated by the Brakhages into countries and states. Over 1000 letters with over 350 carbon TLS replies. Charting the business dealings over a 15 year period/
IV. PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE. Between Stan & Jane Brakhage.
Letters written to each other during periods of travel, &c.
A. Letters from Stan to Jane Brakhage. 65 long letters.
B. Letters from' Jane to Stan Brakhage. 36 long letters.
C. Letters to the children from. both. 5^ long letters.
V. A box containing all business records and personal financial records of the Brakhage family. Spanning a period of over 18 years, these records trace the financial history of a filmmaker.
