Wallace Berman
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Biographical Note
Wallace Berman was born in 1926 in Staten Island, New York. In the 1930s, his family moved to the Jewish district (Boyle Heights) in Los Angeles. After being expelled from high school for gambling in the early 1940s, Berman immersed himself in the growing West Coast jazz scene. During this period, he briefly attended the Jepson Art School and Chouinard Art School, but departed when he found the training too academic for his needs.
In 1949, while working in a factory finishing antique furniture, he began to make sculptures from unused scraps and reject materials. By the early 1950s, Berman had become a full-time artist and an active figure in the beat community in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Many art historians consider him to be the 'father' of the California assemblage movement. Moving between the two cities, Berman devoted himself to his mail art publication SEMINA, which contained a sampling of beat poetry and images selected by Berman.
In 1963, permanently settled in Topanga Canyon in the Los Angeles area, Berman began work on verifax collages (printed images, often from magazines and newspapers, mounted in collage fashion onto a flat surface, sometimes with solid bright areas of acrylic paint). He continued creating these works, as well as rock assemblages, until his death in 1976.
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(Berman, Wallace) SEMINA (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Larkspur: 1955-1964) Nine issues in various limitations (<200 copies), letterpress printed, tipped photgraphs, contributors include Berman, John Altoon, Antonin Artaud, Charles Brittin, Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Jean Cocteau, Allen Ginsberg, Marion Grogan, Walter Hopps, Larry Jordan, Philip Lamantia, Michael McClure, David Meltzer, Stuart Perkoff, and John Weiners, amongst many others.
(Berman, Wallace) Berman, Wallace & George Herms A COMPLETE SET OF WALLACE BERMAN’S SEMINA (Venice, CA: Love Press (George Herms), 1992) first edition thus, 1/300 copies signed by George Herms, individual facsimile reproductions of SEMINA magazine issues 1-9, plus a loose colophon signed and numbered by George Herms laid into a printed chipboard box, as issued. This meticulous facsimile recreation of Wallace Berman's legendary (and legendarily scarce) handmade Beat literary/art magazine from the late 1950s early 60s took four years to bring to fruition, contributors include Berman, John Altoon, Antonin Artaud, Charles Brittin, Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Jean Cocteau, Allen Ginsberg, Marion Grogan, Walter Hopps, Larry Jordan, Philip Lamantia, Michael McClure, David Meltzer, Stuart Perkoff, and John Weiners, amongst many others. This edition has been assembled in the fashion of the originals: handset letterpress on scraps of colored paper, photos, pastedowns, etc. The project was edited and overseen by Berman’'s friend and fellow collage/assemblage artist George Herms.
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Posters & Prints
Berman, Wallace. CMN / DENOMINATOR MIC.W736 (Los Angeles: privately printed, 1967) first edition, poster, 17"x21", offset printed, printed in black with yellow background, four different images of a hand holding a transistor radio, similar in layout to RETARD PARA. 33. SEC. 12. MM poster (SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION, p. 172.)
Berman, Wallace. GEORGE HERMS EXHIBITION (San Francisco, 1961) first edition, poster, 20"x15", poster designed by Wallace Berman announcing an exhibition of works by George Herms at the Batman Gallery in San Francisco, 1961, printed in red and black on beige stock, this is Berman's first poster and features a photograph by Berman of Herms standing next to one of his assemblages: a scarce early item from the West Coast Assemblage scene. (SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION, p. 176.)
Berman, Wallace. LOVEWEED (n.p.: n.p., 1963) first edition, poster, 14.5"x10", a black and white offset poster featuring a photograph of a marijuana plant with "LOVEWEED" printed underneath in huge block letters. (SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION, p. 174.)
Berman, Wallace. OPT. 82. BOOSTER BNG. ANGUINEA/Y (Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1967) first edition, poster, 25"x22", 100 numbered copies signed by Berman, 285 numbered copies, printed in black and red on orange stock: color lithograph showing nine different images of a hand holding a transistor radio. BSP also issued an advertising broadside for the poster. (SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION, p. 173.)
Berman, Wallace. POETRY IS A MUSCULAR PRINCIPLE (LA: Wallace Berman, 1966/1974) first edtion, small broadside, 5.5"x8.5", text by Michael McClure and photograph of McClure as a lion by Wallace Berman. (Support the Revolution, p. 128.)
Berman, Wallace. RADIO/AETHER SERIES (Los Angeles: Gemini G.E.L., 1974) first edtion, 50 copies plus 10 artist's proofs, printed cloth-covered box containing 13 2-color mounted lithographs [photographed from original verifax] and a signed title page/colophon. Each lithograph measures 12"x13" and reproduces a grid of four of Berman's iconic hand-held radios with different images in each.
Berman, Wallace. RETARD PARA. 33. SEC. 12. MM (Los Angeles: privately printed, 1967) first edition, poster, 17"x21", offset printed, printed in black with yellow background, four different images of a hand holding a transistor radio. (SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION, p. 172.)
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Cover & Book Art
(Berman, Wallace) ABULAFIA'S CIRCLE, by Jerome Rothernberg (Milwaukee: Membrane Press, n.d.) first edition, stapled wrappers, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) ALPHABET, by Stuart Z. Perkoff (Los Angeles: The Red Hill Press, 1973) first edition, stapled wrappers, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) BLACK ALEPHS, by Jack Hirschman (London: Trigram Press, 1969) first edition, hardcover (issued simultaneously with a wrappers edition), cover art and half-title illustrations by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) CATERPILLAR 14, edited by Clayton Eshelman (New York & Sherman Oaks, 1970) first edition, paperback, cover art "Topanga Seed" by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) CATERPILLAR 17, edited by Clayton Eshelman (Berkeley & Sherman Oaks, 1971) first edition, paperback, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) THE FLOATING BEAR, Issue #37, edited by Diane di Prima (New York, 1969) first edition, stapled wrappers, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) FRUIT CUP, No. ZERO (San Francisco: Beach Books, 1969) first edition, stapled wrappers, art throughout by Wallace Berman, contributors include: William S. Burroughs, Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Allan Katzman, Ed Sanders.
(Berman, Wallace) GHOST TANTRAS, by Michael McClure (SF: City Lights, 1964) first edition, issued in wrappers and 20 hardcover copies in dust jacket, 1/20 copies in cloth, numbered and signed by McClure on a tipped-in sheet, cover photograph of McClure as a lion by Wallace Berman, includes the broadside Blue-Black that was laid in with the hardcover issue.
(Berman, Wallace) HERO/LIL, by David Meltzer (Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1973) first edition, 1000 copies in wrapper, 175 numbered hardcover copies, printed prospectus, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) HYMNS TO ST GERYON & OTHER POEMS / DARK BROWN, by Michael McClure (London: Cape Goliard Press, 1969) first UK edition, hardcover in dust jacket, with a metallic wrap-around band with the words "silver grahhr rainbow" in pink, two books of poetry bound back to back and reversed, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) IGITUR, by Stéphane Mallarmé (Los Angeles: Press of the Pegacycle Lady, 1974) first edition thus, 100 signed copies in boards, 500 numbered copies in sewn wrappers, printed prospectus, translation by Jack Hirschman, Wallace Berman photograph pasted to front cover.
(Berman, Wallace) LUNA, by David Meltzer (Black Sparrow Press 1970) first edition, paperback, 1000 copies in wrappers, 200 numbered & signed and 26 lettered & signed hardcover copies, printed prospectus, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) NARCOTICA, by Philip Lamantia (San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1959) first edition, wrappers, the second published work by Lamantia and an early Auerhahn Press publication, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) THE NEW BOOK / A BOOK OF TORTURE, by Michael McClure (NY: Grove Press/Evergreen Original, 1961) first edition, paperback, illustrated by Roy Kuhlman (painting on cover) and Wallace Berman (photo of author).
(Berman, Wallace) REBEL LIONS, by Michael McClure (New York: New Directions, 1991) first edition, paperback original, cover art by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) THE SOAP OPERA, by Piero Heliczer (London: Trigram Press, 1967) first edition, hardcover, 1/500 copies, illustrated by Paul Vaughan, Robert Harding Brown, Augusto Geninam Ferro, Wallace Berman, Jean-Jacques Label, Harold Chapman and Andy Warhol.
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Exhibition Announcements & Catalogues
(Berman, Wallace) ARRANGED MARRIAGE (New York: Roth Horowitz, 1990) first edition, spiral bound in boards, exhibition catalog, reproduces work by Wallace Berman and Robert Watts.
(Berman, Wallace) FRAMMIS, edited by Jack Hirschman and Jack Mueller (Berkeley: Artaud's Elbow, 1979) first edition, velo bound, "[A]n October tribute to the Wallace Berman Retrospective at the University Art Museum, Berkeley, Sept. 21-Nov. 11, 1979, and continual revolutionary activism by poets/artists of California", reproduces work by Wallace Berman and Robert Watts.
(Berman, Wallace) PHOTOGRAPHING THE L.A. ART SCENE, 1955-1975, edited by Craig Krull (Santa Monica: Smart Art Press, 1996) first edition, perfect bound, catalog for an exhibit at the Craig Krull Gallery: July 6-August 17, 1996, numerous photos and commentary about Berman and the Ferus gallery.
(Berman, Wallace) THE POETIC OBJECT (San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Museum of Art, Sept. 9 to Oct. 30, 1988) first edition, wrappers, 41 black-and-white and 11 color plates, exhibition of collage, photomontage, and assemblage. Foreword by John A. Makey. Lists works by Hannelore Baron, Wallace Berman, Varujan Boghosian, Doris Cross, Roy Fridge, George Herms, Jess, Jim Love, David McManaway and Betye Saar. Also contains essays by Peter Clothier and Jim Edwards.
(Berman, Wallace) WALLACE BERMAN - LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art,1968) first edition, pamphlet for Wallace Berman exhibit April 30-June 2, 1968 at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, cover illustration by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) WALLACE BERMAN - MICHAEL KOHN GALLERY (Los Angeles: Michael Kohn Gallery, 2009) first edition, pamphlet for Wallace Berman exhibit January 15-March 7, 2009 at Michael Kohn Gallery, cover illustration by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) WALLACE BERMAN RETROSPECTIVE (Los Angeles: Fellows of Contemporary Art, 1978) first edition, paperback, illustrated throughout by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) WALLACE BERMAN - WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART (New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1978) first edition thus, single page flyer for 1978 exhibit at Whitney Museum of American Art, front side features reproduction of "Silent" (1967-69, Verifax, 49.25" x 46.75", collection Russel Tamblyn, Topanga), reverse lists checklist of the exhibition.
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Biographical
(Berman, Wallace) ART AS A MUSCULAR PRINCIPLE, 10 artists and San Francisco 1950-1965 (MA: Joh and Norah Warbeke Gallery/Mount Holyoke College, 1975) first edition, perfect bound, exhibition catalog, reproduces work by Wallace Berman, Joan Brown, Bruce Conner, Jay De Feo, George Herms, Jess, Robert Lavigne, Fred Martin, Arthur Monroe, Keith Sanzenbach.
(Berman, Wallace) ART IN LOS ANGELES: SEVENTEEN ARTISTS IN THE SIXTIES (Los Angeles: LACMA, 1981) first edition, illustrated wrappers, With duotone illustrations throughout, and 17 color plates, catalogue of the exhibition held at Los Angeles County Museum of Art July 21 - October 4, 1981 and San Antonio Museum of Art November 20, 1981 - January 31, 1982, covers Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Wallace Berman, Ronald Davis, Richard Diebenkorn, Sam Francis, Joe Goode, David Hockney, Robert Irwin, Craig Kauffman, Edward Kienholz, John McLaughlin, Edward Moses, Bruce Nauman, Kenneth Price, Edward Ruscha and Peter Voulkos. Includes a thorough and well-illustrated chronology (254 small bw reproductions) of the time period covered, showing gallery catalogues, monograph title pages, newspaper headlines, etc. Three-page introduction by Maurice Tuchman. Essays by Ann Bartlett Ayres (Berman and Keinholz: Progenitors of Los Angeles Assemblage); Susan C. Larsen (Los Angeles Painting in the Sixties: A Tradition in Transition); Christopher Knight (The Word Made Flesh: L.A. Pop Redefined); and Michele D. De Angelus (Visually Haptic Space: The Twentieth Century Luminism of Irwin and Bell). 114 works were exhibited. Each artist is given a thorough bibliography and exhibition history, making this a valuable reference.
(Berman, Wallace) ASSEMBLAGE IN CALIFORNIA: WORKS FROM THE LATE 50'S AND EARLY 60'S (Alhambra: Cunningham Press, 1968) first edition, wrappers, catalog for the exhibit at the School of Fine Arts, University of California Irvine from October 15 to November 24, 1968.Featured artists are Wallace Berman, Edward Kienholz, George Herms, Bruce Conner, Fred Mason, Ben Talbert. Essays by John Coplans, Walter Hopps, Philip Leider, Hal Glicksman.
(Berman, Wallace) DIFFERENT DRUMMERS, edited by Frank Gettings (Washington DC: Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 1988) first edition, wrappers, 155 pages, 69 black-and-white and 18 color plates, biographies, exhibition histories and bibliographies written by Anna Brooke, featured artists are Wallace Berman, Clyde Connell, Bruce Conner, Oyvind Fahlstrom, Robert Helm, Alfred Jensen, Jess, Luis Jimenez and Peter Saul.
(Berman, Wallace) LA POP IN THE SIXTIES, edited by Ayres, Anne (Newport Beach: Newport Harbor Art Museum, 1989) first edition, illustrated wrappers, features the work of John Baldessari, Billy Al Bengston, Wallace Berman, Vija Celmins, Robert Dowd, Llyn Foulkes, Joe Goode, Phillip Hefferton & Edward Ruscha. Include selected bibliographies, 83 illustrations, including 27 color plates.
(Berman, Wallace) SECRET EXHIBITION: SIX CALIFORNIA ARTISTS OF THE COLD WAR ERA, edited by Rebecca Solmit. (San Francisco: City Lights, 1990) first edition, illustrated wrappers.
(Berman, Wallace) SURPPORT THE REVOLUTION, by Tosh Berman, Michael McClure, David Meltzer, Colin Gardner, Walter Hopps, Christopher Knight, Eduardo Lipschutz-Villa, Charles Brittin. (Amsterdam: Institute of Contemporary Art, 1992) first edition, hardcover, illustrated throughout by Wallace Berman. This lavishly produced book is visual testament of, biography of, and homage to Wallace Berman, the artist and publisher who was a heavy influence on both the worlds of art and poetry in the 1950s and 1960s. Publisher of SEMINA, an important art/literary journal, he transcended the boundaries of traditional art and publishing. Chapters include: Support the Revolution by Eduardo Lipschutz-Villa; In the Darkroom with Walter Hopps; L.A. c. 1949: Dark Night-Jazz by Walter Hopps; The Ferus Gallery Affair by Charles Brittin; The Work I; Instant Artifacts by Christopher Knight; Bohemia and Counterculture by Christopher Knight;The Secret Text Lost in the Processor by David Meltzer; On Semina, an interview with Michael McClure upon opening a box of all nine issues of SEMINA; Semina; The Film; Wallace and His Film by Tosh Berman; The Influence of Wallace Berman on the Visual Arts by Colin Gardner; The Archives of American Art - The Smithsonian Institution: The Wallace Berman Papers, The Patricia Jordan Papers, and the Robert Alexander Papers; The Archives: Charles Brittin, Robert Duncan and Jess, Joan Simon, Jack Walsh; The Work II; Design; Chronology; Solo Exhibitions; Group Exhibitions; Bibliography. Includes many photos of Berman's work in both black and white, and color. An important volume and essential for anyone wishing a more complete understanding of Wallace Berman, and more broadly, of the period's relationships between art and poetry.
(Berman, Wallace) THIRD RAIL, INTERNATION ARTS & LITERATURE, Issue 9, edited by Uri Hertz (Los Angeles: Third Rail, 1988) first edition, perfect bound, tributes, interviews, essays by: Michael McClure, David Meltzer, Jack Hirschman, Robert Duncan, George Herms, Russel Tamblyn, photos of and artwork by Wallace Berman.
(Berman, Wallace) UTOPIA AND DISSENT: ART, POETRY, AND POLITICS IN CALIFORNIA, by Richard Cándida Smith. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995) first edition, hardcover.
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Appreciations
(Berman, Wallace) A PORTENTS SEMINA - PORTENTS #6 - (FOR WALLACE BERMAN) (n.p., 1967) first edition, folio with inside pocket containing broadsides and photos, 1/100 copies, notable contributors include William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, includes a photo of Berman by John Martin.
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Resources
