Interview Transcripts
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Held, John, 1947-
setName: label: See more items in
content: John Held papers relating to mail art
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 7 Folders (Box 8)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1977-1995
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.heldjohn, Series 5
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Materials are arranged alphabetically by interviewee name.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: This series has been scanned in its entirety.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: Transcripts are of interviews conducted by John Held, Jr. with Al Ackerman, John Cage, Ray Johnson, Allan Kaprow, and interviews with Held, William Gaglione, and Milan Knizak. There is also an interview with Held conducted by Ruud Janssen.  

The interview with Al Ackerman discusses mail art history, specific art pieces, and personal philosophies.  The interview with John Cage covers Cage's autobiography; early influences; travels; meeting Merce Cunningham, Peggy Guggenheim, and Marcel Duchamp; and experiences at Black Mountain College.  The interview with William Gaglione is a discussion on mail artists, Fluxus, and the mail art network.  The interview with Rudd Janssen discusses the artist's introduction to mail art, personal philosophies and definition of terms, performance art, and collaborative works.  The interview with Ray Johnson covers mail art, chane, personal correspondence, sources of input, art criticism of Johnson's works, paintings, materials and techniques, and Black Mountain College.  The interview with Allan Kaprow discusses happenings, artistic influences, Black Mountain College, John Cage, George Segal, and performance and installation art.  The interview with Milan Knizak briefly covers mail art and George Maciunas.