Print

Guide to the Robert Alexander Papers
1962-1987
MSS 114

Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2596
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu


© 2009 Fales Library and Special Collections

Collection processed by Bronwyn Law-Viljoen, September - December 2001

This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2009-11-11T12:08-0500

Historical/Biographical Note:

Robert Alexander was born in Brooklyn on the 21st of November 1943. He spent most of his early life there, eventually working as a freelance photographer and photographer's assistant from various addresses, including Remsen Street in the downtown area of the city. He studied Art History at the University of Pennsylvania from 1961 to 1965 (but did not graduate) and did brief stints at the New School for Social Research (film production) and at the School of Visual Arts (16mm film editing). By the early seventies, Alexander had moved to Manhattan and had begun his work as a freelance photographer, though he continued to assist other photographers for several years. He also worked as a commercial photographer, doing catalogues and advertising for jewelry and clothing manufacturers.

Alexander's early portfolio work is at first tentatively formalist, but he quickly develops a strongly realist approach to subjects. He moves from photographing everyday, domestic objects to photographing people and street scenes. Though he retained his interest in still life photography all through his photographic career, sometimes photographing single objects in obsessive detail, it is as an observer of people in motion and interacting with a changing environment that Alexander is at his best. His photographs of New York streets, people, and architecture have that combination of intense engagement with and detachment from subjects that characterizes the work of many renowned documenters of modern city life. Alexander's slides and prints of New York City during the seventies and eighties are a lively record of a city undergoing intense change and they reveal a fascination both with the ordinariness of city life and the grandeur and strangeness of the city itself. He undertook several personal projects, photographing New York cabs and shop mannequins, and, over several years, scenes of the street from his apartment on 29th street. He also documented the building of the West Side Highway and took hundreds of slides of the Manhattan skyline.

Alexander's first resumes indicate that by the early seventies he had begun to think of himself as specializing in performance photography. His work had started to appear in various publications associated with the arts and he had collaborated with Sally Banes on the book: Terpsichore in Sneakers. His black and white photographs are given a special place in the book, accompanying individual chapters and also comprising a separate section at the end of the text. The spare, often stark simplicity of the photography suggests that Alexander had understood the tension between the singularity of the dancer's body and its sometimes violent, sometimes playful interaction with other bodies and objects. The choreographers and dancers he photographed for the book and for other publications had inherited a strong dance vocabulary from the avant-garde performers and choreographers of the fifties and sixties, but they were constantly seeking to break free of some of the constraints imposed upon modern dance by that vocabulary. These attempts to redefine movement and dance are perhaps best exemplified by the development of Contact Improvisation, with its mixture of randomness, spontaneity, and carefully focused give and take between dancers. Alexander frequently photographed Steve Paxton, who was instrumental in the development of this form, as well as the other choreographers and dancers of the collaborative group: Grand Union. His photographs of them are of performers who seem at times restrained and poised and at times utterly abandoned to movement and to contact with other dancers. His strongest street photographs share this quality with his dance pictures. He seems drawn to the vulnerability of bodies in a dynamic environment, and his work conveys something of the dancer's desire both to control spaces and to be abandoned to them.

While Alexander did not achieve the broad recognition of some of his contemporaries such as Peter Moore, his work is an important contribution to the documentation of experimental dance and performance of the seventies and eighties. He photographed most of the major experimental choreographers, dancers, and performers of the period, including Stuart Sherman, Kenneth King, Simone Forti, David Gordon, Valda Setterfield, Laura Foreman, Carter Frank, Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton, Douglass Dunn, Rudy Perez, Meredith Monk, Trisha Brown, Lucinda Childs, and many others. He also photographed musicians and actors, such as the then emerging Tom Waits and the already famous Peter Ustinov.

By the mid-eighties Alexander was doing less and less dance photography and more photography of the city. The collection includes thousands of slides of Manhattan dating from this period, many of which reveal Alexander's interest in ordinary street scenes and people. Most, however, are of the city's skyline and monolithic architecture, and testify to the photographer's obsession with the city that he lived in all of his life and which he left only briefly as a young man. Alexander died on the 8th of October, 1989.

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Scope and Content Note

The Robert Alexander Papers are a part of the Downtown Collection at the Fales Library, New York University. The Fales Library is the primary special collections division of the NYU libraries, housing nearly 200,000 volumes of English and American literature from 1700 to the present. Strengths of the collection include the development of the English and American novel, with an emphasis on the Gothic and the Victorian novel.

The Robert Alexander Papers comprise mainly photographs, contact sheets and negatives, and slides. There is one box of personal papers, correspondence, and memorabilia, and two boxes containing other media, such as 16mm and Super 8 films and audio cassettes. The negatives and contact sheets have been kept in chronological order, as Alexander had organized them, and the prints and slides have been arranged alphabetically. There are three boxes of unprocessed material at the end of the collection.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

SERIES I: Prints

Subseries A: Dance and Performance Prints

This subseries contains 4 boxes, ordered alphabetically, of dance and performance-related photographs. Box 4 is oversize.

Subseries B: Prints for the Soho Weekly News.

This is a series of prints, arranged chronologically, of work done for the Soho Weekly News. Copies of the tearsheets from the newspaper can be found in Series IV, box 38, folder 38.

Subseries C: Celebrity and other portraits

Amongst the photographs in this subseries are portraits of Alvin Ailey, Tom Waits, Lucinda Childs, Peter Ustinov, Peter Boyle, Laura Foreman, Ann Beckerman, and Robert Alexander. The subseries also contains several poignant photographs of laboratory chimpanzees taken for an article in the NYU Physician.

Subseries D: Portfolios and other personal work.

Boxes 7 through 11 contain prints from Alexander's portfolios. These photographs were not clearly dated by the photographer. Since the subject matter is varied and the dates uncertain the prints have been boxed in no particular order. Wherever possible however, prints that were grouped together by the photographer have been kept together in the collection. Box 11 contains oversize prints.

SERIES II: Slides

Some of the slides in the collection were arranged in sleeves by the photographer, but thousands were in labeled and unlabelled slide boxes. It was extremely difficult to detect any order in the slides and so they have been arranged alphabetically and thematically. The embossed dates on the slides seem more or less accurate but cannot be relied upon (since some slides may have been processed some time after shoots).

Subseries A: Dance and Performance.

Boxes 12 through18 are arranged alphabetically. Of special interest are several sheets of slides, in order, of Stuart Sherman's Eleventh Spectacle (Box 16).

Subseries B: Events

Slides in this subseries are arranged roughly chronologically, though dates are uncertain. Of special interest are slides of the John Lennon observance in Central Park, and those of Thelonius Monk's funeral.

Subseries C: Portraits

The box of portraits in this subseries includes shots of Alvin Ailey, Philippe Petite, Peter Ustinov, and Tom Waits.

Subseries D: Projects: 1973 - 1987, and other personal work.

These slides are arranged thematically and chronologically where possible. They comprise several ongoing projects, most of which document some aspect of life in Manhattan. Of special interest are the slides of the Alex Katz mural in the Attorney General's office. Box 25 appears to be a selection made by Alexander and the slides have been kept in the order in which he arranged them.

Subseries E: City people, 1973 - 1983

This is one box of slides, arranged more or less chronologically.

Subseries F: City scenes, 1980 - 1986

The slides span a six year period and have been arranged more or less chronologically.

Subseries G: Nature

Boxes 31 through 33 are arranged roughly chronologically.

Subseries H: Commercial work

This is one box of slides of work done for jewelry and footwear catalogues. It represents a fraction of Alexander's commercial work in this field. The remainder have been roughly processed and boxed separately.

SERIES III: Negatives and contact sheets

Alexander organized his negatives and contact sheets chronologically. This arrangement has been retained as far as possible.

SERIES IV: Printed and other materials

Subseries A: Printed material, memorabilia, correspondence, ephemera

This subseries comprises two boxes of material, one of which is oversize (box 39).

Subseries B: Other media

This subseries includes a 16mm print of Yvonne Rainer's dance "Trio A". [Research copies may not be available for these materials yet. Check with the Fales archivist.]

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Access Points

People

Ailey, Alvin
Antin, Eleanor
Atwood, Geri
Banes, Sally
Beardsley, Bettany
Beckerman, Ann
Boyle, Peter, 1933-
Brown, Trisha, 1936-
Childs, Lucinda
Chong, Ping
Chuma, Yoshiko
Cumming, Ann
Cummings, Blondell
De Groat, Andrew
Dunas, William
Dunn, Douglas, 1942-
Foreman, Laura
Forti, Simone
Frank, Carter
Gardner, Barbara
Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997
Glass, Philip
Goldblum, Jeff, 1952-
Gordh, Bill
Gordon, David, 1936-
Halprin, Anna
Hay, Deborah, 1941-
Jacobowitz, Diane
Jaroslow, Risa
Joyce, Donald
Kast, Maggie
Katz, Alex, 1927-
Kaye, Pooh
King, Kenneth, 1948-
Kroesen, Jill
Kushner, Robert, 1949-
Landry, Richard
Lord, Carolyn
Malpede, John
McLean, Bruce
Monk, Meredith
Overlie, Mary
Paxton, Steve
Perez, Rudy
Rainer, Yvonne, 1934-
Reitz, Dana
Roberts, Erik
Rudner, Sara
Selmier, Dean
Setterfield, Valda
Sherman, Stuart
Smith, Nancy Stark
Tanaka, Min
Taylor, Paul, 1930-
Ustinov, Peter
Van Riper, Peter
Waits, Tom, 1949-
We, Ellen
Whitman, Sylvia
Woodberry, David
Zaloom, Paul

Subjects

Dance photography.
Dance--Pictorial works.
Dancers--Portraits.
Landscape photography.
Photography, Artistic.
Portrait photography.

Organizations

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Big Apple Circus.
Grand Union (Performance group).
Kipper Kids (Group of artists).
No Theatre (Theater group).
Rockettes (Dance company).
Squat Theatre (Theater group).

Type

Acetate film -- 16mm
Acetate film -- 8mm -- Super 8
Audiocassettes.
Clippings.
Correspondence.
Ephemera
Financial records.
Photographs.
Record covers.
Tear sheets

Places

New York (N.Y.) 

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Container List

Series I: Prints

Subseries A: Dance prints

Scope and Content note:

Series I: Subseries contains 4 boxes, ordered alphabetically, of dance and performance-related photographs. Box 4 is oversize.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Trisha Brown:
Figure Eight, rehearsal, 1973 (2 prints)
Primary Accumulations, rehearsal, 1973 (1 print)
Water Motor, performance, 1979 (7 prints)
Interview portrait, Jan 1974 (1 print)
1973-1979
1 2 Lucinda Childs:
Melody Excerpt, rehearsal, 1978 (4 prints)
Katema, performance, 1978 (2 prints)
Dance, rehearsal, 1979 (2 prints)
1978-1979
1 3 Yoshiko Chuma, 9 Mar 1980 (2 prints) 1980
1 4 Douglas Dunn:
101, performance exhibition, 1974 (4 prints)
Lazy Madge, performance, 1976 (4 prints)
Coquina, performance, 1979 (2 prints)
1974-1979
1 5 Simone Forti at Fordham, Apr 1976 (10 prints) 1976
1 6 Simone Forti at St Marks, May 1976 (6 prints) 1976
1 7 Simone Forti and Peter Van Riper at the Museum of Modern Art, Aug 1978 (11 prints) 1978
1 8 Carter Frank (with Maggie Kast et al), May 1974 (2 prints) 1974
1 9 David Gordon:
Not necessarily Recognizable Objectives, performance, 1978 (5 prints)
What Happened, performance,1978 (2 prints)
Times Four, performance with Valda Setterfield, 1976 (3 prints)
David Gordon/Pick Up Co., performance, Apr 1978 (2 prints)
1978
1 10 Bill Gordh and John Malpede, Dead Dog and Lonely Horse, Nov 1978 1978
1 11 Grand Union:
Improvisatory performance, 1974 (8 prints)
Rehearsal, June 1975 (3 prints)
Performance at La Mama, Apr 1976 (2 prints)
1974-1976
1 12 Deborah Hay:
Rehearsal, Feb 1979 (1 print)
Solo performance, Feb 1979 (1 print)
The Grand Dance, workshop, 1979 (2 prints)
1979
1 13 Diane Jacobowitz, performance, May/June 1980 (2 prints) 1980
1 14 Risa Jaroslow, 21 Oct 1978 (1 print) 1978
1 15 Pooh Kaye, Blur, Mar 1982 (1 print) (see also slides) 1982
2 1 Kenneth King:
With Carter Frank, performance, 8 Dec 1978 (6 prints)
Performance, 8 Dec 1978 (1 print)
Word Raid, performance at St Marks benefit, 1 Jan 1979 (1 print)
1978-1979
2 2 Meredith Monk:
Education of the Girlchild, performance, 1973 (5 prints)
Education of the Girlchild, performance, 1979 (2 prints)
1973-1979
2 3 Meredith Monk and Ping Chong, Paris, performance, 1974 (8 prints) 1974
2 4 Multi-gravitational Experimental Group:
Performance, Dec 1973 (21 prints) Performance, May 1974 (2 prints)
1973-1974
2 5 Steve Paxton:
Backwater: Twosome, performance, 1978 (3 prints)
With Nancy Stark-Smith, Contact Improvisation, performance, 1978 (1 print)
Contact Improvisation, performance, 1978 (2 prints)
1978
2 6 Steve Paxton with Grand Union, 1973 (1 print) - photograph by Gwen Thomas 1973
2 7 Rudy Perez, rehearsal and performance, Dec 1973 (15 prints) 1973
2 8 Yvonne Rainer, New Version of Convalescent Dance, performance, 1979 (2 prints) 1979
2 9 Paul Taylor, Arden Court, Apr 1982 (1 print) (see slides) 1982
2 10 Terpsichore in Sneakers:
Yvonne Rainer, Trio A, performance, 1978 (6 prints)
1978
2 11 Terpsichore in Sneakers:
Deborah Hay, The Grand Dance, 1979
Lucinda Childs, Katema, 1978
Lucinda Childs, Melody Excerpt, 1978
Meredith Monk and Ping Chong, Paris, 1974
Meredith Monk, Education of the Girlchild, 1973
Kenneth King, Wor(l)d (T)rade, 1978
Kenneth King, RadeoA.C.tiv(ID)ty, 1978
Douglas Dunn, Coquina, 1979
Douglas Dunn, 101, 1974
Douglas Dunn, improv., 1974
Grand Union, improv., 1974
1973-1979
2 12 Terpsichore in Sneakers:
Simone Forti, Big Room, 1976
Grand Union, Improvisation, 1974
Simone Forti, Fountain Huddle, 1978
Steve Paxton, Backwater: Twosome, 1978
Trisha Brown, Water Motor, 1979
David Gordon, Not Necessarily Recognizable Objectives, 1978
Deborah Hay, solo, 1979
Lucinda Childs, Dance, rehearsal, 1979
Meredith Monk, Education of the Girlchild, 1979
Kenneth King, Word Raid, 1978
Douglas Dunn, Lazy Madge, 1976
1974-1979
2 13 Terpsichore in Sneakers:
Simone Forti, Phoenix, 1978
Simone Forti and Peter Van Riper, Big Room, 1979
Yvonne Rainer, New Version of Convalescent Dance, 1979
Steve Paxton and Nancy Stark-Smith, 1978
Trisha Brown, Primary Accumulation, 1973
Trisha Brown, Water Motor, 1979
David Gordon, Times Four, 1976
David Gordon, What Happened, 1978
David Gordon, Not Necessarily Recognizable Objectives, 1978
Deborah Hay, solo, 1979
1973-1979
2 14 Ellen Webb, dance relaxation techniques, Mar 1979 (1 print) 1979
3 1 Bettany Beardsley undated
3 2 Peter Boyle undated
3 3 Trisha Brown undated
3 4 Trisha Brown undated
3 5 Trisha Brown undated
3 6 Trisha Brown undated
3 7 Trisha Brown undated
3 8 Trisha Brown undated
3 9 Lucinda Childs undated
3 10 Lucinda Childs undated
3 11 Lucinda Childs undated
3 12 Lucinda Childs undated
3 13 Yoshiko Chuma undated
3 14 Andy DeGroat, Philip Glass, Dickie Landry undated
3 15 Andy DeGroat, Philip Glass, Dickie Landry undated
3 16 Andy DeGroat, Philip Glass, Dickie Landry undated
3 17 Philip Glass undated
3 18 Dickie Landry, Philip Glass undated
3 19 Dickie Landry undated
3 20 Andy DeGroat and dancers undated
3 21 Shelley and Denman at Ear Inn undated
3 22 Shelley and Denman undated
3 23 Denman undated
3 24 Shelley and Denman undated
3 25 Bill Dunas dancer undated
3 26 Bill Dunas dancer undated
3 27 Bill Dunas dancer undated
3 28 Doug Dunn and Dave Woodberry undated
3 29 Doug Dunn and Dave Woodberry undated
3 30 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 31 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 32 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 33 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 34 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 35 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 36 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 37 Doug Dunn and Sara Rudner undated
3 38 Simone Forti and Peter Van Riper undated
3 39 Peter Van Riper undated
3 40 Peter Van Riper undated
3 41 Peter Van Riper undated
3 42 Carter Frank undated
3 43 Carter Frank, Maggie Kast, et al undated
3 44 Carter Frank, Maggie Kast, et al undated
3 45 Friday 13th at MoMA undated
3 46 Friday 13th at MoMA undated
3 47 Friday 13th at MoMA undated
3 48 Friday 13th at MoMA undated
3 49 Barbara Gardner undated
3 50 Barbara Gardner undated
3 51 Barbara Gardner undated
3 52 Barbara Gardner undated
3 53 Allen Ginsberg undated
3 54 St Marks Benefit undated
3 55 Jeff Goldblum undated
3 56 Jeff Goldblum undated
3 57 Jeff Goldblum undated
3 58 David Gordon and Valda Setterfield undated
3 59 David Gordon and Valda Setterfield undated
3 60 Grand Union undated
3 61 Grand Union undated
3 62 Grand Union undated
3 63 Grand Union undated
3 64 Grand Union undated
3 65 Grand Union undated
3 66 Grand Union undated
3 67 Grand Union undated
3 68 Grand Union undated
3 69 Grand Union undated
3 70 Grand Union undated
3 71 Grand Union undated
3 72 Grand Union undated
3 73 Grand Union undated
3 74 Anna Halprin undated
3 75 Diane Jacobowitz dancer undated
3 76 Diane Jacobowitz dancer undated
3 77 Diane Jacobowitz undated
3 78 Diane Jacobowitz undated
3 79 Diane Jacobowitz undated
3 80 Diane Jacobowitz et al undated
3 81 Diane Jacobowitz et al undated
3 82 Diane Jacobowitz dancer undated
3 83 Diane Jacobowitz et al undated
3 84 Diane Jacobowitz dancer undated
3 85 Alex Katz mural undated
3 86 Alex Katz mural undated
3 87 Alex Katz mural undated
3 88 Pooh Kaye et al undated
3 89 Pooh Kaye et al undated
3 90 Kenneth King undated
3 91 Kipper Kids undated
3 92 Kipper Kids undated
3 93 Robert Kushner's New York Hat Line undated
3 94 Robert Kushner's New York Hat Line undated
3 95 Robert Kushner undated
3 96 Robert Kushner undated
3 97 Carolyn Lord undated
3 98 Carolyn Lord undated
3 99 Bruce McLean undated
3 100 Meredith Monk undated
3 101 Meredith Monk undated
3 102 Meredith Monk undated
3 104 Multigravitational Experimental Group undated
3 105 Steve Paxton undated
3 106 Steve Paxton undated
3 107 Rudy Perez undated
3 108 Rudy Perez undated
3 109 Rudy Perez et al undated
3 110 Le Plan K undated
3 111 Le Plan K undated
3 112 Dana Reitz undated
3 113 Dana Reitz et al undated
3 114 Erik Roberts undated
3 115 Erik Roberts undated
3 116 Dean Selmier undated
3 117 Dean Selmier undated
3 118 Squat Theater undated
3 119 Sylvia Whitman undated

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Oversize - Subseries A

Scope and Contents note:

Prints mounted for P.S. 1 exhibition; Alternative Gestures, Dec 1978 - Jan 1979 (oversize)

Box Folder Title Date
4 1 Trisha Brown, Water Motor, performance, 1979 1979
4 2 Trisha Brown, Water Motor, performance, 1979 1979
4 3 Bill Dunas, 30 Sep 1978 1978
4 4 Douglas Dunn, Lazy Madge, performance, 1976 (2) 1976
4 5 Simone Forti, Fountain Huddle, performance, 1978 1978
4 6 Simone Forti, 30 Sep 1978 1978
4 7 David Gordon/Pick Up Co., Not Necessarily Recognizable Objectives, performance, 1978 (2) 1978
4 8 David Gordon and Valda Setterfield, Times Four, performance 1976 1976
4 9 Deborah Hay, solo performance, 1979 1979
4 10 Risa Jaroslow, 21 Oct 1978 (2) 1978
4 11 Kenneth King and Carter Frank, RadeoA.C.tiv(id)ty, performance, 1978 1978
4 12 Meredith Monk and Ping Chong, Paris, performance, 1974 1974
4 13 Meredith Monk, Education of the Girlchild, performance, 1973 1973
4 14 Steve Paxton and David Moss, Backwater: Twosome, performance, 1978 1978

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Subseries B: Prints for the Soho Weekly News

Scope and Contents note:

Series I: Subseries B is a series of prints, arranged chronologically, of work done for the Soho Weekly News. Copies of the tearsheets from the newspaper can be found in Series IV, box 38, folder 38.

Box Folder Title Date
5 1 Sylvia Whitman undated
5 2 Anna Halprin undated
5 3 Anna Halprin undated
5 4 The Rockettes undated
5 5 The Rockettes undated
5 6 The Rockettes undated
5 7 The Rockettes undated
5 8 James Neu's Echo Ranch undated
5 9 Echo Ranch undated
5 10 Echo Ranch undated
5 11 Echo Ranch undated
5 12 Geri Atwood and Carter Frank undated
5 13 Geri Atwood and Carter Frank undated
5 14 Big Apple Circus undated
5 15 Big Apple Circus undated
5 16 No Theatre Company undated
5 17 No Theatre Company undated
5 18 Blondell Cummings undated
5 19 Blondell Cummings undated
5 20 Blondell Cummings undated
5 21 Simone Forti undated
5 22 Simone Forti undated
5 23 Simone Forti undated
5 24 Big Apple Circus undated
5 25 Big Apple Circus undated
5 26 Big Apple Circus undated
5 27 Kenneth King undated
5 28 Kenneth King undated
5 29 Kenneth King undated
5 30 Kenneth King undated
5 31 Kenneth King undated
5 32 Stuart Sherman undated
5 33 Stuart Sherman undated
5 34 Stuart Sherman undated
5 35 Lucinda Childs undated
5 36 Lucinda Childs undated
5 37 Lucinda Childs undated
5 38 Laura Foreman undated
5 39 Laura Foreman undated
5 40 Bill Dunas undated
5 41 Simone Forti undated
5 42 Simone Forti undated
5 43 Steve Paxton undated
5 44 David Gordon undated
5 45 David Gordon undated
5 46 The Hummers undated
5 47 The Hummers undated
5 48 The Hummers undated
5 49 Jill Kroesen undated
5 50 Jill Kroesen undated
5 51 Jill Kroesen undated
5 52 Mary Overlie et al undated
5 53 Mary Overlie undated
5 54 Dog'd Shots undated
5 55 Dog'd Shots undated
5 56 Donald Joyce undated
5 57 Donald Joyce undated
5 58 Donald Joyce undated
5 59 Risa Jaroslow undated
5 60 Whirling Dervishes undated
5 61 Steve Paxton undated
5 62 Steve Paxton undated
5 63 Steve Paxton undated
5 64 Michael and Paul Galasso undated
5 65 San Francisco Mime Troupe undated
5 66 Alvin Ailey undated
5 67 Alvin Ailey undated
5 68 Alvin Ailey undated
5 69 Alvin Ailey undated
5 70 Alvin Ailey undated
5 71 Bill Gordh and John Malpede undated
5 72 Dancing Songs undated
5 73 Ann Cumming undated
5 74 Ann Cumming undated
5 75 Ann Cumming undated
5 76 Tom Waits undated
5 77 Maple Sugar undated
5 78 Kenneth King undated
5 79 Kenneth King, Carter Frank, Diane Jacobowitz undated
5 80 Kenneth King, Carter Frank, Diane Jacobowitz undated
5 81 Kenneth King and Carter Frank undated
5 82 Kenneth King, Carter Frank, Diane Jacobowitz undated
5 83 Kenneth King and Diane Jacobowitz undated
5 84 Kenneth King, Carter Frank, Diane Jacobowitz undated
5 85 Meredith Monk et al undated
5 86 Eleanor Antin undated
5 87 Paul Zaloom undated
5 88 Paul Zaloom undated
5 89 Peter Ustinov undated
5 90 Peter Ustinov undated
5 91 Yvonne Rainer undated
5 92 Yvonne Rainer undated
5 93 On Mount Chimborazo undated
5 94 On Mount Chimborazo undated
5 95 Ellen Webb undated
5 96 Ellen Webb undated
5 97 Ellen Webb undated
5 98 Ellen Webb undated
5 99 Ann Waldman undated

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Subseries C: Celebrity and other portraits

Scope and Contents note:

Peter Moore photographs; chimpanzee photographs for the NYU Physician; Kodak commemorative photographs.

Box Folder Title Date
6 1 Alvin Ailey, Nov 1978 (1 print) 1978
6 2 Gerri Atwood and Carter Frank (4 prints) undated
6 3 Ann Beckerman (2 prints) undated
6 4 Ann Beckerman (6 prints) undated
6 5 Peter Boyle, Feb 1979 (3 prints) 1979
6 6 Lucinda Childs, Sep 1978 (4 prints) 1978
6 7 Bill Dunas, Sep 1978 (1 print) 1978
6 8 Laura Foreman, 22 Jan 1980 (4 prints) 1980
6 9 Simone Forti, Sep 1978 (2 prints) 1978
6 10 Sheldon Frank (2 prints) undated
6 11 Michael and Paul Galasso, Nov 1978 (2 prints) 1978
6 12 Peter Ustinov, Mar 1979 (2 prints) 1979
6 13 Tom Waits, Nov 1978 (6 prints) 1978
6 14 Lab chimpanzees for the NYU Physicianarticle on chimpanzees of The Gambia (5 prints) undated
6 15 Kodak commemorative prints undated
6 16 Peter Moore photographs (2 prints) undated

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Subseries D: Portfolios and other personal work

Scope and Contents note:

Series I: Subseries D - Boxes 7 through 11 contain prints from Alexander's portfolios. These photographs were not clearly dated by the photographer. Since the subject matter is varied and the dates uncertain the prints have been boxed in no particular order. Wherever possible however, prints that were grouped together by the photographer have been kept together in the collection. Box 11 contains oversize prints.

Box Folder Title Date
7 9 folders containing portfolio work (mounted and unmounted prints). undated
8 15 folders containing portfolio work, polaroids, photographs of friends, self-portraits, photographs of New York City. undated
9 1 Portfolio (7 sleeves) undated
9 2 Architectural (9 sleeves) undated
9 3 Still life (5 sleeves) undated
9 4 Street scenes, NYC (10 sleeves) undated
9 5 Color polaroids - still life (3 sleeves) undated
9 6 School children (2 sleeves) undated
9 7 Children dancing (9 sleeves) undated
9 8 Chimpanzees (1 sleeve) undated
10 35 sleeves of portfolio work from 1981, 1982, and 1983 (though dates are uncertain). These include self-portraits, domestic scenes, subway scenes, street scenes, portraits, still lifes. 1981-1983

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Oversize - Subseries D

Box Folder Title Date
11 7 folders of portfolio work undated

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Series II: Slides

Subseries A: Dance and performance

Scope and Content note:

Series II: Subseries A - Boxes 12 through 18 are arranged alphabetically. Of special interest are several sheets of slides, in order, of Stuart Sherman's Eleventh Spectacle (Box 16).

Box Folder Title Date
12 1 African dancers undated
12 2 Geri Atwood undated
12 3 Benefit, Dec 1980 1980
12 4 Trisha Brown undated
12 5 Yoshiko Chuma undated
13 1 Circus undated
13 2 Merce Cunningham undated
14 1 Edwin Denby and Yoshiko Chuma undated
14 2 Douglas Dunn undated
14 3 Stephanie Evanitsky (Multigravitational Experimental Group) undated
14 4 Laura Foreman undated
14 5 Simone Forti undated
14 6 David Gordon undated
14 7 Martha Graham undated
14 8 Grand Union undated
15 1 Diane Jacobowitz undated
15 2 Risa Jaroslow undated
15 3 Bill T. Jones undated
15 4 Bill T. Jones and Kenneth King undated
15 5 Judson Church undated
15 6 Pooh Kaye undated
15 7 Kenneth King undated
16 1 Mime, Victoria Falls undated
16 2 Steve Paxton undated
16 3 Red Mole Theatre undated
16 4 Dana Reitz undated
16 5 Rukas [?] undated
16 6 Shelley and Denman [?] undated
16 7 Stuart Sherman, Eleventh Spectacle undated
17 1 Min Tanaka undated
17 2 Paul Taylor undated
18 1 Paul Taylor undated
18 2 Torville and Dean undated
18 3 Whirling Dervishes undated
18 4 Stephanie Woodard undated
18 5 Unlabelled mixed performance undated

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Subseries B: Events

Scope and Contents note:

Series II: Subseries B is arranged roughly chronologically, though dates are uncertain.

Box Folder Title Date
19 1 Willowtown street fair, 1974 1974
19 2 Halloween parade, 1980 1980
19 3 John Lennon observance, 1980 1980
19 4 Macy's Christmas, 1980 1980
19 5 Christmas party in garment district, 1980 1980
19 6 Thelonius Monk's funeral, 1982 1982
19 7 Christmas pageant, 1982 1982
19 8 Fireworks, 1983 1983
19 9 Opera in Central Park, 1983 1983
19 10 New London fireworks, 1983 1983

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Subseries C: Portraits

Box Folder Title Date
20 1 Robert Alexander undated
20 2 Alvin Ailey undated
20 3 Ann Beckerman undated
20 4 Trisha Brown undated
20 5 Lucinda Childs undated
20 6 Carter Frank undated
20 7 Sheldon Frank undated
20 8 Philippe Petite undated
20 9 Bucky and John Pizzarelli undated
20 10 Erik Roberts undated
20 11 Rob Seiga and Toby Klass undated
20 12 Peter Ustinov undated
20 13 Tom Waits undated
20 14 Mixed portraits undated

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Subseries D: Projects: 1973 - 1987, and other personal work

Scope and Contents note:

Series II: Suberies D - These slides are arranged thematically and chronologically where possible. They comprise several ongoing projects, most of which document some aspect of life in Manhattan. Of special interest are the slides of the Alex Katz mural in the Attorney General's office. Box 25 appears to be a selection made by Alexander and the slides have been kept in the order in which he arranged them.

Box Folder Title Date
21 1 Movement series undated
21 2 Ron Edson sculptures, Wids Delacour undated
21 3 Alex Katz mural undated
21 4 Mannekins undated
21 5 Cabs undated
21 6 Health clubs undated
22 "From My Window" 30 sleeves of slides shot from Alexander's apartment window on 29th street undated
23 Still life studies, 1971 - 1987; 22 sleeves 1971-1987
24 Memorabilia; 19 sleeves undated
25 1 Unlabelled: 1 sleeve undated
25 2 Kids mixed: 3 sleeves undated
25 3 Views from my window: 1 sleeve undated
25 4 Couples: 1 sleeve undated
25 5 City: 6 sleeves undated
25 6 Portraits: 3 sleeves undated
25 7 Workers and industrial: 2 sleeves undated
25 8 Commercial: 1 sleeve undated
25 9 City, city people: 14 sleeves undated

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Subseries E: City People, 1973 - 1983 (dates uncertain)

   

Series II: Subseries E consists of one box of slides, arranged more or less chronologically.

Box Folder Title Date
26 27 sleeves of candid photographs of people (mostly street scenes in New York City). undated

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Subseries F: City scenes, 1980 - 1986 (dates uncertain).

Scope and Contents note:

Series II: Subseries F consists of extensive documentation of New York City (mostly Manhattan) over roughly six years. Includes photographs of the city bridges, the building of the West Side Highway, the city stations, street fairs, landmark buildings, and city parks.

Box Folder Title Date
27 29 sleeves: Sep 1980 - Apr 1981 1980-1981
28 25 sleeves: May 1981 - Apr 1982 1981-1982
29 29 sleeves: May 1982 - Dec 1982 1982
30 27 sleeves: May 1983 - July 1986 1983-1986
30 12 sleeves: mixed dates undated

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Subseries G: Nature

Scope and Contents note:

Series II: Subseries G includes slides of Maine, Long Island, Block Island, Novia Scotia, Utah, Colorado, and upstate New York.

Box Folder Title Date
31 29 sleeves 1971-1978
32 17 sleeves 1981-1983
33 34 sleeves 1985-1987

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Subseries H: Commercial work

Scope and Content note:

Series II: Subseries H is one box of slides of work done for jewelry and footwear catalogues. It represents a fraction of Alexander's commercial work in this field.

Box Folder Title Date
34 14 sleeves undated

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Series III: Negatives and Contact Sheets

Box Folder Title Date
35 1 Hillside nature shots, 7 Mar 1966 1966
35 2 23rd Street, 15 June 1966 1966
35 3 Delancey Street, 20 June 1966 1966
35 4 Personal: Diane; honeymoon, June 1966 - June 1968 1968
35 5 Diane undated
35 6 Catskills campsite undated
35 7 5th Avenue undated
35 8 Joan Berlin et al modeling for John Mandel, Aug 1968 - May 1969 1969
35 9 Picnic at Silvermine, 27 Oct 1968 1968
35 10 Gnarled tree, Atlantic Ave, etc, 5 Nov 1968 1968
35 11 Summer '69 photo course, summer 1969 1969
35 12 Ethical Culture School, 7 June 1969 1969
35 13 Personal, 1971 and 1973: Barbara (nudes), fern, rock, 1971-1973
35 14 Moon men on 5th, Mar 1971 1971
35 15 S.E.L.C. march on Wall Street, April 1971 1971
35 16 Michael, June 1971 1971
35 17 Paul Kempf, June 1971 1971
35 18 Marty Mevado, July 1971 1971
35 19 Barbara, July 1971 1971
35 20 Various: Macdougals, Bronx Zoo, Jan 1972 1972
35 21 Various (including self-portrait), June 1972 1972
35 22 Wood stacks, skyline, Vivian, Aug 1972 1972
35 23 Central Park, Fran Atherton, Oct 1972 1972
35 24 Yarn still life, 6 Oct 1972 1972
35 25 Andre bakes a Christmas cake, 5 Dec 1972 1972
35 26 Buildings lower Manhattan, spring 1973 1973
35 27 Architecture book, Oct 1973 1973
35 28 Multigravitational Experimental Group, Dec 1973 1973
35 29 Rudy Perez rehearsal and performance, Dec 1973