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Nick Zedd Papers

Call Number

MSS.311

Dates

1937-2016, inclusive
; 1979-2008, bulk

Creator

Zedd, Nick

Extent

28.35 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

Materials are in English and Spanish.

Abstract

Nick Zedd is a filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist who became the leading figure of the Cinema of Transgression Movement (1984 - 1990). The Nick Zedd Papers preserve Zedd's films and writing, which include scripts, notebooks, sketchbooks, photographs, and audio and moving image elements.

Biographical Note

Nick Zedd (James Harding) was born in Takoma Park, Maryland in 1956. He attended The Philadelphia College of Art for illustration and printmaking, studied animation at The School of Visual Arts, and earned a BFA in film at The Pratt Art Institute. Zedd used the phrase "The Cinema of Transgression" (1984 - 1990) to describe an underground network of New York City filmmakers and performance artists known for low-budget productions exploring themes of erotica, violence, and humor. This community included Zedd, Tessa Hughes-Freeland, Richard Kern, Lung Leg, Lydia Lunch, Kembra Pfahler, Casandra Stark, and Tommy Turner. Zedd wrote, illustrated, designed, and published The Underground Film Bulletin (1984 - 1990) pseudonymously to document his work and the work of this community. Zedd also used this forum to develop ideas that would become "The Cinema of Transgression Manifesto," and later, "The Theory of Xenomorphosis." Zedd published autobiographical works Bleed (1992) and Totem of the Depraved (1996) as well as contributed to periodicals including Film Threat, The East Village Eye, CUZ, and Penthouse Magazine. Zedd has been a visiting lecturer at various film, art, and poetry festivals in the United States, as well as in Sweden and Germany.

Zedd acted in various films, including Richard Kern's "The Manhattan Love Suicides" (1985), Alyce Wittenstein's "No Such Thing as Gravity" (1989), Ari Roussimoff's "Shadows in the City" (1990), Rachel Amodeo's "What About Me" (1993), Peter Sempel's "Jonas in the Desert" (1994), and Peter Strickland's "Bubblegum" (1995). As a filmmaker, Zedd cites the work of Ed Wood Jr., Jack Smith, and John Waters as primary influences. Zedd's films have been featured in exhibitions and festivals at The Anthology Film Archives, The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and in theatres and universities in Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Sweden. With performance artist Saint Reverend Jen, Zedd created the satirical sci-fi public access television series "The Adventures of Electra Elf" (2002 - 2008). His work is also featured in the documentaries "Llik Your Idols" (2007) and "Blank City" (2010).

Filmography

"They Eat Scum" (1979)

"The Bogus Man" (1980)

"Geek Maggot Bingo" (1983)

"The Wild World of Lydia Lunch" (1983)

"School of Shame" (1984)

"Thrust in Me" (1984)

"Kiss Me Goodbye" (1985)

"Go to Hell" (1985)

"Police State" (1987)

"I Shit on God" (1988)

"Whoregasm" (1988)

"War is Menstrual Envy" (1992)

"Smiling Faces Tell Lies" (1995)

"Screen Tests/Why Do You Exist" (1998)

"Tom Thumb in the Land of the Giants" (1999)

"Ecstasy in Entropy" (1999)

"I of K9" (2001)

"Elf Panties: The Movie" (2001)

"Lord of the Cockrings" (2001)

"Thus Spake Zarathustra" (2001)

"I Was a Quality of Life Violation" (2002)

Arrangement

Within each series, materials are either arranged alphabetically by project title or chronologically if dated.

Series I: Writing includes the work of Nick Zedd and others, and is organized alphabetically by project title.

Subseries A: Zedd A - Z includes original journals, manuscripts, poetry, and scripts, including unrealized productions "The Deprogramming" (1981) and "Thimble of Oblivion" (1983) intended to star Richard Hell, Jack Smith, and Zedd.

Subseries B: Juvenelia includes artistic compositions completed during Zedd's youth and an assortment of student materials. Secret Agent Freddy is an illustrated comic strip for a character based on James Bond and Man from "U.N.C.L.E," while 25th Century Magazine was based on Famous Monsters Magazine. Venusian Press is a collaboration between Zedd and his brother John Harding while the Harding Film Production Catalogs were inspired by Castle Films and intended to promote Zedd's childhood films "Attack of the Giant Fly" (1968), "The Return of the Giant Fly" (1970), "The Giant Fly Invincible" (1971), and "Psy-Color" (1970).

Subseries C: Source and Subject Files include documentation directly related to the previous subseries, in addition to development files dedicated to subjects or individuals of interest, as either source material or collaborative parties.

Subseries D: Other Authors includes essays, poetry, scripts, and screenplays not written by Zedd.

Series II: Projects documents the production development of films involving Zedd and the publishing process of his written works. Elements are organized by document type and alphabetically by project title or subject, then chronologically.

Subseries A: Development includes administrative and pre-production documents.

Subseries B: Distribution contains post-production and distribution materials, including ephemera, flyers, posters and festival programs.

Subseries C: Interviews preserves restrospective press about Zedd.

Subseries D: Ads, Reviews and Literature includes ad spots, project press, and literature that includes discussion of Zedd's work and The Cinema of Transgression Movement.

Subseries E: Other Artists and Events contains promotional material of events not featuring Zedd's work.

Series III: Correspondence preserves communication not directly related to any single production, and is organized alphabetically by individual or company in contact, then chronologically.

Subseries A: Professional

Subseries B: Personal

Series IV: Dad's Pornography Collection preserves Zedd's father's work as a United States Postal Service censorship researcher. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject and document type.

Series V: Photography contains photographs, contact sheets, negatives, and slides pertaining to Zedd's productions and personal collection.

Subseries A: Professional

Subseries B: Personal

Series VI: Illustrations and Artwork includes Zedd's original comic illustrations, collages, and paintings.

Series VII: Objects contains an assortment of props and production materials, Zedd-Casanova Clothing, and "The Mexican Kit."

Subseries A: Props

Subseries B: Zedd - Casanova Clothing includes a variety of tops and pleated skirts featuring prints from Zedd's filmography, and the original screenprint stencils. Designed by Nick Zedd and his wife Monica Casanova.

Subseries C: The Mexican Kit is an assortment of personal items Zedd collectively titled "The Mexican Kit." This assemblage includes a miniature piƱata, ornaments, household adornments, sugar skulls, and figurines.

Series VIII: Film includes original filmic elements by Zedd and is organized chronologically, then alphabetically. Access copies appropriate for consultation are not currently available.

Subseries A: By Nick Zedd

Subseries B: Original Containers

Subseries C: Juvenelia and Family Films include films Zedd completed as a youth, in addition to a collection of Harding Family movies.

Subseries D: Miscellaneous Film includes Lung Leg's "Worm Movie" and a collection of commercial films from Zedd's personal collection.

Series IX: Video includes original moving image elements by Zedd and is organized chronologically, then alphabetically. Access copies appropriate for consultation may not be available, please ask a Fales archivist.

Subseries A: By Nick Zedd

Subseries B: Acting and Press preserves Zedd's acting work, in addition to interviews and documentaries about the Cinema of Transgression by other filmmakers.

Subseries C: Miscellaneous includes assorted footage from Zedd's personal video library, rare work by his contemporaries and collaborators, as well as commercial works that Zedd collected.

Series X: Audio includes original audio elements by and or about Nick Zedd, and is organized chronologically, then alphabetically. Access copies appropriate for consultation may not be available, please ask a Fales archivist.

Subseries A: Film Soundtracks include Zedd production sound effects reels.

Subseries B: Cassettes preserve Zedd's sound work and interview recordings.

Subseries C: Miscellaneous includes recordings from Zedd's personal collection.

Subseries D: Vinyl includes Zedd's work with the Zyklon Beatles and other commercial recordings from his personal collection.

Series XI: Data Storage includes Zedd's magnetic and optical computer data storage elements organized chronologically, then alphabetically.

Series XII: Accretions consists of materials added to the collection following initial arrangement and description.

Scope and Contents

The Nick Zedd Papers contain materials that document Zedd's film career, ranging from the late 1970s through 2008. This collection also preserves Zedd's writing, which includes scripts, notebooks, articles, essays, comics, poetry, and zine manuscripts that date back to Zedd's elementary education in the 1960s. Elements include source material for his writing career as well as distribution documents promoting both his filmic and writing works in the form of ephemera, flyers, festival programs, and posters. This body of components also includes the work and promotional documents of other artists, and the censorship and community standards research compiled by his father. In addition, this collection includes professional and personal correspondence, production and personal photography, original illustrations, sketchbooks, and original film, video, and audio recordings.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.

The donor has mandated that self-shot photography by researchers is not permitted for this collection. If a researcher needs a reference image for the purpose of requesting permission to reproduce from Nick Zedd, a Fales staff member will photograph the requested items and send the reference images to Zedd on the researcher's behalf.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy for materials in this collection were not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.

The donor has mandated that self-shot photography by researchers is not permitted for this collection. If a researcher needs a reference image for the purpose of requesting permission to reproduce from Nick Zedd, a Fales staff member will photograph the requested items and send the reference images to Zedd on the researcher's behalf.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form: Identification of item, date (if known); Nick Zedd Papers; MSS 311; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Nick Zedd in 2011, with multiple accretions given in 2013 and 2016. The accession numbers associated with these gifts are: 2011.311, 2013.311.001, 2013.311.002, and 2016.013.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Born-digital and audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers.

Collection processed by

Rhyannon J. Rodriguez, 2011.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-02-06 14:20:59 -0500.
Language: Description is in English

Processing Information

In 2016, an accretion to the collection consisting of one folder of materials was added to the collection as a separate series in accordance with prior arrangement and description decisions.

Repository

Fales Library and Special Collections
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012