Jasper Johns: Take an Object Production Records
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Wechsler, Judith
setName: label: See more items in
content: Judith Wechsler papers
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 5.9 Linear feet (Boxes 2, 7-11, 20-24)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1971-1972
label: Date
content: 1989-1990
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.wechjudi, Series 2
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Series contains original and work print picture and soundtrack elements from the documentary Jasper Johns: Take An Object, made by Wechsler with Hans Namuth's production company, Museum at Large, in 1989. The documentary combines recorded interviews with Johns by both Wechsler and Namuth, footage of John Cage giving a public reading, and other sound footage from various sources, with motion picture footage of Johns working on artworks. Johns is shown working in two settings: at his Houston Street studio in New York City, where he worked on his Mapin 1971, and at Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE), working on prints in 1989. Footage shot in 1971-1972 was shot by Hans Namuth and Paul Falkenberg. Namuth may also have been involved with the 1989 shoot but much of the later footage appears to have been shot by Wechsler and her assistants. 

Interviews with Johns conducted by Wechsler and Namuth are found in their sound track film reel form, and the Namuth interview from 1972 is also found in its original sound reel format. Additional sound footage includes an unedited sound recording of the ULAE shoot, an interview with Marc Rosenthal, clips of Johns and others quoted in the documentary, and a copy of an interview with Johns conducted by Ann Hindry obtained by Wechsler. Copies of the edited work are found in the form of a work print rough cut and a re-mastered sound track of the edited work.