Scope and Content of Collection
The records of High Performance document the magazine's content, editorial
process and history, during its quarterly run from 1978-1997. Due to its extensive
compilation of artist files, the archive provides comprehensive documentation of the
progressive art world from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.
The artist files in Series I form the core of the High Performance archive.
Compiled over the life of the magazine, these files contain documentation on artists and
performers, as well as documentation of events, performances, venues and art spaces, and of
various persons of interest to the magazine. Included here is documentation of such artists
such Marina Abramovic, Jacki Apple, Bob & Bob, Nancy Buchanan, Chris Burden, Church of
the SubGenius, Mary Beth Edelson, Guillermo Gomez-Pena, Gronk, Donna Henes, Allan Kaprow,
Kim Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Paul McCarthy, Hermann Nitsch, Michael Peppe, Rachel Rosenthal,
Carolee Schneemann, Stephen Seemayer, and Barbara Smith. The contents of the files vary
widely from artist to artist, but may include correspondence, publicity photographs, press
releases, clippings, photographs of performances, exhibition/performance announcements,
ephemera, posters and original works of art, and to a lesser extent, submissions to the
magazine's "Artist's Chronicle," not all of which were published.
The contents of Series II, the contributor files, reflect the editorial shift in the
magazine in 1982 from a documentary to a critical format. As High Performance
moved away from being a magazine in which the artists presented their own work to one in
which their work was analyzed by others, the editorial board hired writers and commissioned
coverage of performances. These contributor files represent the various writers,
photographers and graphic artists who either had their work commissioned for High
Performance, as well as those who sent in article pitches or unsolicited work. The
files include correspondence and drafts of articles with editorial comments, and numerous
rejection letters, often explaining why the material was not suitable for High
Performance.
Individual issue files comprise the bulk of Series III, editorial and production files.
These files include material related to the production of each issue. The contents of the
files vary, but may include edited drafts of articles, artwork for images, and page layouts,
as well as correspondence and specific financial and distribution information not included
in or duplicating material in the business files in Series V below. Series III also includes
general editorial files, such as writers' guidelines, general forms, and substantive letters
to the editor, along with an incomplete issue archive of the magazine.
Series IV contains audiovisual materials. These take the form of vinyl records, audio
cassette and reel-to-reel tapes, audio compact discs and video cassettes, as well as a
single film reel and a CD-Rom disc. Included here is a small amount of audio material
produced by High Performance such as the special Issue 23, and works produced
under the High Performance Audio label. The bulk of the series, however, is comprised of
audio and video recordings of performances and interviews, a mixture of both professionally
produced and home-recorded material.
While the first four series are directly related to the content of High
Performance, Series V, business records, documents the operational aspects of the
magazine. Included here are materials related to the financial functioning, governance,
marketing and development efforts of High Performance and its various
governing bodies, as well as distribution of the magazine.
Books published under the aegis of the Astro Artz/High Performance partnership of the early
1980s form the bulk of Series VI. Various materials relating to the published books, such as
correspondence, drafts, artwork and layouts, are included, but perhaps of more interest are
the materials related to books cancelled part way through the publication process, and
various proposed publications. The series also contains similar materials from books
published collaboratively with High Performance.
Series VII is comprised of general reference files and documentation assembled by the
magazine for various purposes. The files contain information on a variety of topical issues
and projects important to the magazine, and coverage of various regional art scenes, as well
as general performance and art world documentation. The material includes clippings, press
releases, newsletters, and a small amount of correspondence. Also included here are a
variety of visual documentation of art, both reproductions and original works.
Arrangement
Arranged in seven series:
Series I. Artist files, 1953-2001, undated;
Series
II. Contributor files, 1979-1996, undated;
Series
III. Editorial and production files, 1978-1997;
Series
IV. Audiovisual materials, 1966-1996, undated;
Series
V. Business records, 1979-1998;
Series
VI. Related publications, 1980-1997;
Series
VII. General reference files and documentation, 1977-2005, undated.
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