CCS Bard Archives
Center for Curatorial Studies
Bard College
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
Phone: 845.758.7567
Fax: 845.758.2442
Email: [email protected]
Guide to the Project Inc. Archive
MSS.006
Published in 2014
©2014 CCS Bard Archives
Table of Contents
- Summary Description
- Arrangement note:
- Historical note:
- Scope and Contents note:
- Information for Users
- Controlled Access Headings
- Related Materials
- Contents List
- Series I: Project Inc. Organizational Files
- Series II: Project Inc. Exhibition/Event Documentation
- Series III: Material unrelated to Project Inc. exhibitions
- Series IV: Artists' Books
- Oversize Series II: Exhibition/Event Material
- Accretions 2013: Series I: Project Inc. Organizational Files
- I.A: Organizational Files
- I.B: Correspondence
- Accretions 2013: Series II: Project Inc. Exhibition/Event documentation
Summary Description
- Repository
- Center for Curatorial Studies Library & Archives
- Creator
- McMahon, Paul, 1950-
- Creator
- Project Inc..
- Title
- Project Inc. Archive
- ID
- MSS.006
- Date [inclusive]
- 1972-1976
- Extent
- 2.5 Linear feet in six boxes
- Language
- English
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Lydia Aikenhead and Ann Butler; Collection processed by Lydia Aikenhead under the supervision of Ann Butler, 2011 with additional processing by Polly Giragosian in August 2012. 2013 Accretions were processed by Ryan Evans in April 2014.
- Abstract
- The Project Inc. Archive contains the records for the exhibitions and events organized by Paul McMahon from 1972-1975 at the small community art center of the same name (Project Inc.) in Cambridge, MA. For the most part lasting just one day, the exhibitions and events showcased the work of a range of well-known conceptual artists including: Matt Mullican, Dan Graham, Laurie Anderson, Jack Goldstein, Lawrence Weiner, and Michael Asher, among many others.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Project Inc. Archive; MSS.006; [box number]; [folder number], Center for Curatorial Studies Library and Archives, Bard College.
Historical note:
Project Inc. was founded in 1972 by Paul McMahon, a young conceptual artist who had recently spent time at Pomona College in California where he met a number of contemporary artists interested in conceptual and performance art. Upon returning to Boston, he sought to create a space where people could view conceptual art and to showcase the work of young artists whose work he felt needed to be seen. He convinced Project Inc., a small community art space in Cambridge, MA to let him use the space as a venue for a night or two each month. From 1972 to 1975 he organized one night exhibitions and events that featured conceptual art, performance, films, video, sculpture, photography and painting.
Funded by Paul McMahon on a very limited budget, for each event he printed an invitation on a 4” x 5” card that was sent to a small mailing list across the US, Canada and Europe. The number of attendees ranged anywhere from a few to 60 people. Listings of the exhibitions were posted in local newspapers.
Many of the artists who showed at Project Inc. went on to become well known contemporary artists. Events and exhibitions of note include Essex (Details of an Imaginary Life from Birth to Death), a performance by Matt Mullican held at the Boston Center for Adult Education and Indian Summer, a group exhibition where the visual image was given equal importance to the text in conceptual art.
In 2010 the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College acquired the archive from Paul McMahon.
Scope and Contents note:
The Project Inc. Archive contains records that document the exhibitions and events organized by Paul McMahon at Project Inc. from 1972 – 1975. This includes exhibition invitations, correspondence between Paul McMahon and the exhibiting artists, artist statements and floor plans. Slides, negatives and contact sheets provide photo documentation of the space, the exhibition, and events. Also included in the archives is a collection of postcards from various artists which were part of the exhibition, Postcards (November 10, 1973) which subsequently traveled to Oberlin College, an original piece “Tales from the Vienna Woods” by Laurie Anderson, a wall installation by Matt Mullican for the Indian Summer exhibition, as well as a number of artists' books.
In 2013 an accretion consisting of primarily correspondence related to the coordinating of exhibitions was received, along with additional documentation of select exhibitions and events.
Arrangement note:
The archive has been kept in the order it was in when acquired from Paul McMahon by the Center for Curatorial Studies in 2010. The collection is divided into four series.
Series I: Project Inc. Organizational Files
Series II: Exhibition/Event Documentation , arranged chronologically.
Series III: Material unrelated to Project Inc. exhibitions
Series IV: Artists' Books, arranged alphabetically by artist's last name.
Oversize Series II: Exhibition/Event Documentation
Accretions 2013 Series I: Project Inc. Organizational Files, with correspondence arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
Accretions 2013 Series II: Exhibition/Event Documentation, arranged chronologically.
Information for Users
Publication Information
Center for Curatorial Studies Library & Archives 2014
Bard CollegeAnnandale-on-Hudson, NY, 12504-5000
845-758-7567
[email protected]
Access Restrictions
The collection is open to researchers without restrictions. Appointments are necessary to consult manuscript and archival materials. Access copies for media materials may not be available yet. Please contact the CCS Archivist for further details.
Use Restrictions
Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of the Library & Archives at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College. Please contact [email protected] or 845-758-7567 for more information.
Provenance
The Project Inc. Archive was acquired from Paul McMahon, founder of Project Inc, in 2010.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Project Inc..
Genre(s)
- Black-and-white negatives
- Contact sheets
- Invitations
- Letters (correspondence)
- Photographs
- Postcards
- Promotional materials
Personal Name(s)
- Baldessari, John, 1931-
- Graham, Dan, 1942-
- McMahon, Paul, 1950-
- Morgan, Robert C., 1943-
- Mullican, Matt, 1951-
- Salle, David, 1952-
- Weiner, Lawrence
- Welling, James
Subject(s)
- Art, Modern -- 20th Century
- Art--20th century--Exhibitions
- Conceptual art
- Performance art
Related Materials
Separated Material
Click here for a list of separated materials.
Contents List
Series I: Project Inc. Organizational Files |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
I.A: Organizational Files: General n.d. |
1 | 1 | ||
|
I.B: Correspondence 1973-1975 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
I.C: Exhibition plans/notes n.d. |
1 | 3 | ||
|
I.D: Press 1972-1974 |
1 | 4 | ||
|
I.E: Photo documentation of Project, Inc. and Paul McMahon n.d. |
1 | 5 | ||
|
|
||||
Series II: Project Inc. Exhibition/Event Documentation |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Robert Morgan (11/24/72) 1972-1975 |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Robert Morgan (11/24/72) 1972 |
1 | 7 | ||
|
3 Evenings of Non-Studio Art Led by Paul McMahon, 1972 n.d. |
1 | 8 | ||
|
Paul McMahon: Performance Objects (12/8/72) n.d. |
1 | 9 | ||
|
Dan Graham (12/15/72) 1972 |
1 | 10 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Dan Graham (12/15/72) 1972 |
1 | 11 | ||
|
Jack Goldstein (12/22/72) 1972 |
1 | 12 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Jack Goldstein (12/22/72) n.d. |
1 | 13 | ||
|
Jay Jaroslav (12/29/72) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 14 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Jay Jaroslav (12/29/72) n.d. |
1 | 15 | ||
|
Douglas Huebler (1/12/73) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 16 | ||
|
James Welling (1/19/73) 1972-1973, n.d. |
1 | 17 | ||
|
Photo documentation: James Welling (1/19/73) 1972, n.d. |
1 | 18 | ||
|
Donald Burgy (1/26/73) n.d. |
1 | 19 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Donald Burgy (1/26/73) n.d. |
1 | 20 | ||
|
Tom Marioni (2/18/73) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 21 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Tom Marioni (2/18/73) n.d. |
1 | 22 | ||
|
John Knight (2/24/73) 1973-1975, n.d. |
1 | 23 | ||
|
Photo documentation: John Knight (2/24/73) n.d. |
1 | 24 | ||
|
Audrey Adney and Gregory Amenoff (3/3/73) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 25 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Audrey Adney and Gregory Amenoff (3/3/73) 1972, 1975, n.d. |
1 | 25a | ||
|
Wolfgang Stoerchle (3/29/73) 1972-1973, n.d. contians review by Robert C. Morgan |
1 | 26 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Wolfgang Stoerchle (3/29/73) 1973 |
1 | 27 | ||
|
Martha S. Wilson (4/7/73) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 28 | ||
|
Performance documentation: Martha S. Wilson (4/7/73) n.d. |
1 | 29 | ||
|
Lawrence Weiner (5/12/73) 1970-1973 |
1 | 30 | ||
|
David Askevold (5/19/73) 1972-1973, n.d. |
1 | 31 | ||
|
Richards Jarden and Tim Zuck (5/25/73) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 32 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Richards Jarden and Tim Zuck (5/25/73) n.d. |
1 | 33 | ||
|
Michael Asher (8/18/73) 1973-2005 |
1 | 34 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Michael Asher film and James Welling n.d. |
1 | 35 | ||
|
Dean Nimmer (10/20/73) n.d. |
1 | 36 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Dean Nimmer (10/20/73) n.d. |
1 | 37 | ||
|
Postcards (11/10/73) 1973, n.d. |
1 | 38 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Postcards (11/10/73) n.d. |
1 | 39 | ||
|
Postcards: Sol LeWitt 1973 |
2 | 40 | ||
|
Postcards: James Welling 1973 |
2 | 41 | ||
|
Postcards: Willoughby Sharp 1973 |
2 | 42 | ||
|
Postcards: Carl Andre 1973 |
2 | 43 | ||
|
Postcards: Jan Dibbets 1973 |
2 | 44 | ||
|
Postcards: Michael Asher n.d. |
2 | 45 | ||
|
Postcards: Matt Mullican n.d. |
2 | 46 | ||
|
Postcards: David Salle 1977 |
2 | 47 | ||
|
Postcards: Wolfgang Stoerchle 1973 |
2 | 48 | ||
|
Postcards: Robert Morgan 1973 |
2 | 49 | ||
|
Postcards: Richards Jarden n.d. |
2 | 50 | ||
|
Postcards: [unknown writing to Lee Lozano] 1971 |
2 | 51 | ||
|
Postcards: John Baldessari 1972-1974 |
2 | 52 | ||
|
Postcards: Archie James Turrell 1973-1974 |
2 | 53 | ||
|
Postcards: Martha S. Wilson n.d. |
2 | 54 | ||
|
Postcards: Helene Winer 1973-1974, n.d. |
2 | 55 | ||
|
Postcards: Carol Adney 1972-1973 |
2 | 56 | ||
|
Postcards: Bruce Andrews n.d. |
2 | 57 | ||
|
Postcards: Dan Graham 1972-1974, n.d. |
2 | 58 | ||
|
Postcards: Simon Blackwood 1973-1974, n.d. |
2 | 59 | ||
|
Postcards: Robert Kramer 1973 |
2 | 60 | ||
|
Postcards: Howard McCalebb 1974 |
2 | 61 | ||
|
Postcards: Jody McMahon, Anonymous 1970-1973, n.d. |
2 | 62 | ||
|
Bruce Andrews (11/17/73) 1973-1977, n.d. |
2 | 63 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Bruce Andrews (11/17/73) n.d. |
2 | 64 | ||
|
Matt Mullican (12/1/73) 1972, n.d. |
2 | 65 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Matt Mullican (12/1/73) n.d. |
1 | 66 | ||
|
5 Boston Conceptual Artists(1/16/74) 1974, n.d. |
2 | 67 | ||
|
Photo documentation: 5 Boston Conceptual Artists n.d. |
2 | 68 | ||
|
J. B. Cobb (4/4/74) 1973-1975 |
2 | 69 | ||
|
Athena Tacha (5/4/74) 1972-1974 |
2 | 70 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Athena Tacha (5/4/74) n.d. |
2 | 71 | ||
|
Alice Aycock (5/11/74) n.d. |
2 | 72 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Alice Aycock (5/11/74) n.d. |
2 | 73 | ||
|
Sol LeWitt (5/24/74) 1973-1974 |
2 | 74 | ||
|
Laurie Anderson (7/7/74) 1974, n.d. |
2 | 75 | ||
|
Performance documentation: Laurie Anderson (7/27/74) 1974, n.d. |
2 | 76 | ||
|
Indian Summer (9/9/74) 1974-1975, n.d. |
2 | 77 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Indian Summer (9/9/74) 1974, n.d. |
2 | 78 | ||
|
Matt Mullican work "Horizon Line Sky/Grass" from Indian Summer (9/9/74) 1974 |
2 | 78a | ||
|
Emanuel Kelly (11/16/74) n.d. |
3 | 79 | ||
|
Alan Sondheim (12/7/74) 1973, n.d. |
3 | 80 | ||
|
Performance documentation: Alan Sondheim (12/7/74) n.d. |
3 | 81 | ||
|
James Welling: Boatyard (12/17/74) n.d. |
3 | 82 | ||
|
Photo documentation: James Welling: Boatyard (12/17/74) n.d. |
3 | 83 | ||
|
Charles Simonds (2/75) 1975 |
3 | 84 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Charles Simonds (2/75) n.d. |
3 | 85 | ||
|
An Evening of Artists' Performance and Video Tape at BCAE (2/6/75) 1975 |
3 | 86 | ||
|
Matt Mullican 'Essex' text from BCAE performance (2/6/75) 1975 |
3 | 86a | ||
|
David Salle (3/15/75) 1976, n.d. |
3 | 87 | ||
|
Photo documentation: David Salle (3/15/75) n.d. |
3 | 88 | ||
|
Willoughby Sharp (3/1/75) 1974, n.d. |
3 | 89 | ||
|
Performance documentation: Willoughby Sharp (3/1/75) n.d. |
3 | 90 | ||
|
Alan Sondheim (4/1/75) n.d. |
3 | 91 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Alan Sondheim (4/1/75) n.d. |
3 | 92 | ||
|
Peter Downsbrough (4-5/75) 1973-1975, n.d. |
3 | 93 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Peter Downsbrough (4-5/75) n.d. |
3 | 94 | ||
|
Ernst Caramelle and Juan Navarro Baldweg (6/27/75) 1974, n.d. |
3 | 95 | ||
|
Robert Morgan and Barbara Hero (7/26/75) 1975, n.d. |
3 | 96 | ||
|
|
||||
Series III: Material unrelated to Project Inc. exhibitions |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Photographic documentation of meeting between Chris Burden and Paul McMahon n.d. |
3 | 97 | ||
|
Photographic documentation of Robert Morgan and Athena Tacha n.d. |
3 | 98 | ||
|
Scotch Brand C-45 Highlander/Low Noise cassette tape by Robert Morgan "Hit Songs Beginning With 'I Love…'" from Phonolog Reports, [inscribed] 1973 |
3 | 99 | ||
|
Postcards from Gutai Bikutsu Kyokai n.d. |
3 | 100 | ||
|
Re: Postcards Gutai? After 1973 November 10 1973-1974 |
3 | 101 | ||
|
Re: Postcards Gutai? After 1973 November 10 1973-1975 |
3 | 102 | ||
|
Re: Postcards Gutai? After 1973 November 10 1973-1976 |
3 | 103 | ||
|
|
||||
Series IV: Artists' Books 1973 |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Bruce Andrews, ed., Toothpick, Lisbon and the Orcas Islands [special issue], 1973 1973 |
5 | 108 | ||
|
Bruce Andrews, Appalachia, [inscribed], 1973 1973 |
5 | 109 | ||
|
Bruce Andrews, Edge [inscribed], 1973 1973 |
5 | 110 | ||
|
Bruce Andrews, Corona, 1973 1973 |
5 | 111 | ||
|
Bruce Andrews, Acappella, Ghost Dance, No. 17 [inscribed], 1973 1973 |
5 | 112 | ||
|
Robert C. Morgan, Learning to swim, 1976 1976 |
5 | 113 | ||
|
Robert C. Morgan, Learning to swim (le style francais), 1976 1976 |
5 | 114 | ||
|
Robert C. Morgan, Wherever you go, wherever you are consider this, 1982 and A manual for painters : (strophic variations on a text) [inscribed], 1980 1980, 1982, 1986 |
5 | 115 | ||
|
Robert C. Morgan, Curving [inscribed], 1975 1975 |
5 | 116 | ||
|
Robert C. Morgan, Points [inscribed], 1975 1975 |
5 | 117 | ||
|
Robert Morgan, Winged Victor [inscribed], 1976 1976 |
5 | 118 | ||
|
Robert C. Morgan Waterfields, 1974 [inscribed] 1974 |
5 | 119 | ||
|
Lawrence Weiner, Flowed, undated n.d. |
5 | 120 | ||
|
Lawrence Weiner, art & project, 1971 January 1971 |
5 | 121 | ||
|
Lawrence Weiner, And/or: green as well as blue as well as red, 1972 1972 |
5 | 122 | ||
|
Lawrence Weiner, Relative to hanging, 1975 1975 |
5 | 123 | ||
|
|
||||
Oversize Series II: Exhibition/Event Material |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Laurie Anderson work "Tales from the Vienna Woods" 1974 |
4 | 104 | ||
|
Matt Mullican's wall installation from Indian Summer n.d. |
4 | 105 | ||
|
Photo documentation: David Salle's work from Indian Summer, black and white print n.d. |
4 | 106 | ||
|
Newspaper element for Matt Mullican's wall installation from Indian Summer 1974 |
4 | 107 | ||
|
|
||||
Accretions 2013: Series I: Project Inc. Organizational Files |
||||
I.A: Organizational Files 1973-1974 |
||||
| Object | Folder | |||
|
Organizational Files: General |
6 | 124 | ||
I.B: Correspondence |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
A-402, California Institute of the Arts 1973 |
6 | 125 | ||
|
Adney, Carol (Audrey) 1972-1974 |
6 | 126 | ||
|
Andrews, Bruce 1973 |
6 | 127 | ||
|
Artists for Democracy 1974 |
6 | 128 | ||
|
Asher, Michael |
6 | 129 | ||
|
Askevold, David 1973 |
6 | 130 | ||
|
Aycock, Alice 1973-1974 |
6 | 131 | ||
|
Baldessari, John 1973 |
6 | 132 | ||
|
Buren, Daniel 1974 |
6 | 133 | ||
|
Cobb, J. B. 1973, n.d. |
6 | 134 | ||
|
Croft, Remy 1974 |
6 | 135 | ||
|
Downsbrough, Peter 1974, n.d. |
6 | 136 | ||
|
Ferguson, Jerry 1973 |
6 | 137 | ||
|
Glicksman, Hal 1974 |
6 | 138 | ||
|
Goldstein, Jack 1973 |
6 | 139 | ||
|
Graham, Dan 1974-1975, n.d. |
6 | 140 | ||
|
Horton, Lyn 1974 |
6 | 141 | ||
|
Horvitz, Robert n.d. |
6 | 142 | ||
|
Hovagimyan, Gerry (Gerard) n.d. |
6 | 143 | ||
|
Jarden, Richards n.d. |
6 | 144 | ||
|
Konig, Kasper 1973 |
6 | 145 | ||
|
Leavitt, Bill 1973 |
6 | 146 | ||
|
McCafferty, Jay. D. n.d. |
6 | 147 | ||
|
Morgan, Robert 1974-1975 |
6 | 148 | ||
|
Mullican, Matt c. 1973-1975 |
6 | 149 | ||
|
Murray, Ian 1973-1974 |
6 | 150 | ||
|
Reise, Barbara n.d. |
6 | 151 | ||
|
Salle, David 1974 |
6 | 152 | ||
|
Sharp, Willoughby 1974 |
6 | 153 | ||
|
Sivin, Carole 1974 |
6 | 154 | ||
|
Tacha, Athena 1974 |
6 | 155 | ||
|
Weiner, Lawrence 1974 |
6 | 156 | ||
|
Welling, James c. 1973 - 1974 |
6 | 157 | ||
|
Zuck, Tim 1973 |
6 | 158 | ||
|
|
||||
Accretions 2013: Series II: Project Inc. Exhibition/Event documentation |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Photo documentation: Dan Graham (12/15/72) 1972 |
6 | 159 | ||
|
Dan Graham (12/15/72), Arts Magazine April 1973 "Intention, Intentionality, Sequence" 1973 |
6 | 160 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Jack Goldstein (12/22/72) 1972 |
6 | 161 | ||
|
Photo documentation: James Welling (1/19/73) 1973 |
6 | 162 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Martha S. Wilson (4/7/73) 1973 |
6 | 163 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Matt Mullican (12/1/73) 1973 |
6 | 164 | ||
|
Videotapes and Performance at Boston Center for Adult Education (2/6/74) c. 1974 |
6 | 165 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Videotapes and Performance at Boston Center for Adult Education (2/6/74) 1974 |
6 | 166 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Indian Summer (9/9-15/74) 1974 |
6 | 167 | ||
|
Photo of Salle, Welling, McMahon, Morgan - Indian Summer (9/9-15/74) 1976 |
6 | 168 | ||
|
Photo documentation: Matt Mullican at MassArt (2/16/75) 1975 |
6 | 169 | ||
|
Photo documentation: David Salle (3/15/75) 1975 |
6 | 170 | ||
|
|
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