ArchivesSpace at the University of Iowa

This first page is dated with handpainted Roman numeral 26 Mar 1984. Phillips writes, "A year after our first proper meeting, Peter [Greenaway] and I are ready to start; as usual the waiting for finance causes most of the delay...It was only after I consulted my chronology notes I realized and remembered that Dante's journey actually begins on March 26th. Thus the auspices seemed good indeed." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

In this drawing, Tom Phillips describes the rehearsals and actors for the Dante Inferno video. The two colored photographs collaged onto the drawing are stills of a female and two male nudes from the video. There is extensive application of rubberstamping with images that include large numerals, a clock face, Dante's head, and two Egyptian-like eyes, fleur de lise, skull and cross bones, and skull in profile. Some images are crossed out and others may have been used by Phillips in the Dante work, as he discusses rubberstamped images in the handwritten text. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

In this drawing, Phillips describes the techical difficulties that he is experiencing at CAL video in making Dante's Inferno video piece and mentions utilization of the Muybridge doves. Several words are painted on the page including Love, history, starlings and amor. The playing card, the six of hearts, torn into two fragments, is placed on the left side of the drawing, adjacent to the three versions of the word "Amor." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The left side of the drawing consists of handwritten instructions for "Attitudes & Positions for Almeida Shoot." The right side continues the dialogue of production schedule and work on the film. Phillips mentions that "Hansjorg Mayer picks up Dante proofs for publication." A drawing of an Egyptian amulet with colored pictograms is placed on the bottom center of the page. To the left of this image, Phillips writes the interpretation of the pictograms. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Phillips describes the difficulties and pleasures of working on-line and rehearsing off-line. He writes, "What an enormous pleasure I have in this collaboration with Peter [Greenaway]. Sets me right back on my toes again." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The notes by Phillips in this drawing describe work on the storyboard at CAL Video with Peter Greenaway. Phillips comments that relations with the video company are "wearing thin" with editing continuing late into the night. The right side of this page consists of a numerical diagram on the top and three drawings, two side and one frontal view of a man's head at the bottom. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Tom Phillips writes about his trip to Japan and regrets not sharing it with Pella Erskind-Tulloch. Images include reproductions of Hiroshima after explosion of the Atomic Bomb interspersed with hand drawn quotes from Dante in the Italian. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This page consists of preparatory charts for filming sequences. The collage elements are ripped, handwritten and drawn pieces of paper. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This page is based on the package of a pornographic film that that Tom Phillips' son Leo found titled "Dante's Inferno." Phillips painted elements to the flattened and ripped box changed "minors" to "Minos," and crossed out portions of male anatomy. Phillips writes in his text that he showed the video tapes to Iris Murdoch and Brian Eno who liked it a lot and found it inventive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This copy is the third printing of the book that was first published in 1969. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

These are preparatory drawings for an unrealized work. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Illustrated on the recto is "Hommage pour Andre Breton." The collaged work includes a drawing by Trinkewitz of Jiri Kolar packing a parcel for Marvin Sackner and a letter from Sackner to Trinkewitz. The artist also writes about his current projects. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Feine describes in extensive detail an archive of 40 Finlay works that were subsequently purchased by the Sackner Archive. This list is filed under Finlay. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Finlay writes about the World War II Battle of Midway4 June 1942 in poetic terms, viz., ...the great sea hives/consumed with their choicest swarms by their own flaming honey. The bee symbol is used to suggest the sea (bee) and hive symbolizing the aircraft carriers. The text is hand written and served as preparatory texts for a subsequently realized print that is also held by the Sackner Archive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

The viewers of The Beauty in Breathing exhibition, curated by Marvin Sackner for the ATS/ALA meeting, wrote interesting and relevant remarks after viewing the works. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Carl Andre writes to Ruth and Marvin Sackner, "Ana Mendieta & I wish to thank you very much for the wonderful evening you shared with us in Miami. Your collection & archive are truly of the aesthtic & historic first rank. It is so rare to find such depth in an American collection." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Included in the five cards is an invitation to the wedding of D. R. Wagner to Rebecca Connor and a photograph of the bride and groom. Srored in the D.R. Wagner box. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.