The Anita Gelman Collection spans 1970 and the 1980s, with the bulk of the materials dating between 1982 and 1984. The collection provides rich visual evidence in the form of 35mm color slides, black and white photographs, and color Polaroids of Gelman's role as a professional cosmetologist for MTV (including VH1 and the Movie Channel) and Epic Records. The materials document Gelman's work with such artists as Nick Ashford, the Fat Boys, Herbie Hancock, the Isley Brothers, Los Lobos, Scandal, the Stray Cats, and Steven Tyler. An added bonus to the collection is the photocopied performance agreements between the Michigan concert venue, the Früt Palace, and various artists, including the Stooges, MC5, Detroit featuring Mitch Ryder, and Parliament & the Funkadelic. The Anita Gelman Collection provides a glimpse into the visual history of 1980s rock and pop music, specifically through the hair styles, makeup, and costumes for which the era is best known. The Anita Gelman Collection is organized by format and then chronologically. The DVD-R contains Gelman's complete Polaroid portfolio in the form of RAW digital files as well as high- and low-resolution derivative files. The complete portfolio contains not only the Polaroids described in this collection but additional images of celebrities from Gelman's career, including film actors and directors, comedians, journalists, film critics, authors, television hosts, radio personalities, Broadway and opera stars, and athletes.
