Brainard, Joe, 1942-1994

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Joe Brainard, author and artist. Exhibited widely in New York and Chicago, Brainard harmonized linguistic and visual materials in extraordinary ways. His graphic work is notably literary, often incorporating works and sentences into non-literary designs. Both the art work and writing is full of information and frequently takes erotic and semiotic risks.

From the description of Joe Brainard letters, 1957-1994. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 440865506

Poet, artist, and book illustrator associated with the New York School of Poetry.

From the description of Original art, 1960-1984. (University of California, San Diego). WorldCat record id: 32105336

Biography

Born in Arkansas in 1942 and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brainard moved to New York City in 1961. There, he quickly developed friendships with Frank O'Hara, James Schuyler, Bill Berkson, Barbara Guest, and other participants in the New York School. The large number of collaborative works in the collection, as well as the many illustrations Brainard did for books by others, reflect the sense of community shared by these artists.

Brainard's achievement, however, is remarkable quite aside from his many associations. Brainard harmonized linguistic and visual materials in extraordinary ways. His graphic work is notably literary, often incorporating words and sentences into non-literary designs. Such qualities prompted Frank O'Hara to say that Brainard's work had "nothing to do with philosophy, it's all art." Both the art work and writing is full of information and frequently takes erotic and semiotic risks. In one of his more scandalous serial works, Brainard subjected Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy to every imaginable erotic and high art situation.

A prolific artist, Brainard's work has been exhibited extensively in the New York City area since the early 1960s. His first retrospective show, consisting of work from 1960-1970, took place at the Phyllis Kind Gallery in Chicago in 1970. In the mid-1970s he created over 3,000 miniature collages, paintings, and drawings for a major show at the Fischbach Gallery in Manhattan. The materials gathered in the Joe Brainard Archive were first exhibited at the Long Beach Museum of Art in 1980. In 1986 they were again exhibited at UCSD.

Like Joe Brainard, Alex Katz is a New York City artist. He has given numerous solo shows since the early 1960s, and many of his works have been added to numerous public art collections throughout the country. Unlike Brainard, Katz has created a depthless, planar art which strips the visual image of its narrative, literary aura. The result, as one critic has noted, is an image of a reality that is of no consequence.

From the guide to the Joe Brainard Archive, 1960-1992, (University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.)

Biography

Born in Arkansas in 1942 and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brainard moved to New York City in 1961. There, he quickly developed friendships with Frank O'Hara, James Schuyler, Bill Berkson, Barbara Guest, and other participants in the New York School.

Brainard's achievement, however, is remarkable aside from his many associations. Brainard harmonized linguistic and visual materials in extraordinary ways. His graphic work is notably literary, often incorporating words and sentences into non-literary designs. Such qualities prompted Frank O'Hara to say that Brainard's work had "nothing to do with philosophy, it's all art." Both the art work and writing are full of information and frequently take erotic and semiotic risks. In one of his more scandalous serial works, Brainard subjected Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy to every imaginable erotic and high art situation.

A prolific artist, Brainard's work has been exhibited extensively in the New York City area since the early 1960s. The Joe Brainard Archive, located in the Mandeville Special Collections Library at UCSD, is the largest collection extant of Brainard's work.

Brainard died on May 25, 1994.

From the guide to the Joe Brainard Letters, 1957-1994, (Mandeville Special Collections Library)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Brainard, Joe. [Joe Brainard] : artist file John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library, Ringling Museum Library
creatorOf Elmslie, Kenward. Papers, 1901-2000. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Kyger, Joanne. Correspondence, 1957-1975. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Berkson, Bill,. Joe Brainard archive, ca. 1960-1992, bulk 1964-1976. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Brainard, Joe, 1942-1994. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
creatorOf BRAINARD, JOE, 1942-. Franklin Furnace artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
referencedIn Brownstein, Michael, 1943-. Michael Brownstein papers relating to Anne Waldman, 1968-1971. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Bidart, Frank, 1939-. Letter : Cambridge, Mass., to Joe Brainard, New York City, 1991 Nov. 21. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Joanne Kyger Correspondence, 1957-1975 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf United Artists (New York, N.Y.). Records, ca. 1977-1983. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Bernadette Mayer Papers, 1958 - 1996 Mandeville Special Collections Library
creatorOf Brainard, Joe, 1942-. Original art, 1960-1984. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Ted Berrigan Papers, 1961-1975. Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Berrigan, Ted. Ted Berrigan and Alice Notley collection, 1954-1980. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Kulchur Foundation records, 1936-1994, [Bulk Dates: 1969-1989]. Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn United Artists (New York, N.Y.) Records, 1977-1983 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Sky Gilbert Collection. Marilyn Monroe Is Alive and Well And Living In Joe's Brain / by Sky Gilbert (?), 1982 - script. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
creatorOf Schuyler, James. Papers, 1947-1991. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Brainard, Joe : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
creatorOf Mayer, Bernadette. Papers, 1958-1996. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Anne Waldman Papers (1945-2012, bulk 1965-2000) University of Michigan
referencedIn Felver, Christopher, 1946-. Chris Felver photographs of 20th century American poets, 1981-2003. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Joe Brainard Archive, 1960-1992 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
referencedIn Trinidad, David, 1953-. David Trinidad papers, [ca. 1970-2002]. Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Kulchur Press. Kulchur Press records, 1936-1994. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Notley, Alice, 1945-. Alice Notley papers, 1969-2001. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn David Trinidad Papers, ca. 1970-2002 Fales Library & Special Collections
referencedIn Alice Notley Papers, 1969-2001 Mandeville Special Collections Library
creatorOf Brainard, Joe, 1942-1994. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
referencedIn Joe Brainard : bio, events, art, writing, critics, links. San Diego State University Library, SDSU Library and Information Access
referencedIn Ron Padgett papers, 1929-2008 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Patty Mucha Papers, Bulk, 1969-1979, 1954-2011 Fales Library & Special Collections
creatorOf Brainard, Joe, 1942-1994. Joe Brainard letters, 1957-1994. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
creatorOf Brainard, Joe, 1942-1994. Joe Brainard letters and compositions sent to Ted Berrigan : manuscript, 1962-1963 and undated. Houghton Library
referencedIn Padgett, Ron, 1942-. Ron Padgett letters and poems, 1964-1983. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn James Schuyler Papers, 1947-1991 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Hanuman books. Hanuman books records, 1978-1996, (bulk 1986-1994). University of Michigan
referencedIn Fairfield Porter papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Fairfield Porter papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan). The Alternative Press records, 1961-1998 (bulk 1970-1995). University of Michigan
referencedIn Berrigan, Ted. Papers, 1961-1975. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Joe Brainard Letters, 1957-1994 Mandeville Special Collections Library
creatorOf Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan). [The Alternative Press collection], 1969-1992. Wayne State University
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, Donald, 1912-2004, person
associatedWith Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan) corporateBody
associatedWith Ashbery, John, 1927- person
correspondedWith Berkson, Bill person
associatedWith Berkson, Bill, person
associatedWith Berrigan, Ted. person
associatedWith Bidart, Frank, 1939- person
associatedWith Brownstein, Michael, 1943- person
associatedWith Clark, Tom, 1941- person
associatedWith Creeley, Robert, 1926-2005, person
associatedWith Elmslie, Kenward, person
correspondedWith Fagin, Larry person
associatedWith Felver, Christopher, 1946- person
associatedWith Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997, person
correspondedWith Greenwald, Ted person
associatedWith Hanuman books. corporateBody
associatedWith Joe Brainard, person
associatedWith Johnson, Ray, 1927-1995, person
associatedWith Katz, Alex, 1927- person
associatedWith Kikel, Rudy, 1943- person
associatedWith Kulchur Foundation. corporateBody
associatedWith Kulchur Press. corporateBody
associatedWith Kyger, Joanne. person
correspondedWith Mayer, Bernadette person
associatedWith Mayer, Bernadette, person
associatedWith Notley, Alice, 1945- person
associatedWith Owen, Maureen, 1943- person
associatedWith Padgett, Ron, 1942- person
associatedWith Porter, Fairfield. person
correspondedWith Schuyler, James person
associatedWith Schuyler, James. person
associatedWith Sky Gilbert Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library. corporateBody
correspondedWith Thomson, Virgil, 1896- person
associatedWith Trinidad, David, 1953- person
associatedWith United Artists (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Waldman, Anne, 1945-. person
correspondedWith Warsh, Lewis person
associatedWith Warsh, Lewis, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Art, American
American poetry
Gay men
Gay men
Gay men
Gay men in art
Gays' writings
Prose poems, American
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1942-03-11

Death 1994

Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6f19hmw

SNAC ID: 3363440