Redtape Archive
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Redtape, edited and published by Michael Carter, was an East Village "zine" which throughout its run espoused innovative visual and literary expression while encouraging interplay between those two forms. The magazine, featuring comics, poetry, fiction, graphic art, and photography, provided a venue for both established and emerging writers and artists of the downtown scene. The collection includes a complete run of the magazine, mock-up copies and galleys, original art work, copies of art work, photographs, manuscripts and related correspondence, newspaper clippings, posters and flyers for readings, benefit parties and other events organized by Redtape participants.
Historical Note
Redtape, one of the East Village "zines", employing a magazine form to communicate innovative artistic ideas, divided its pages between literature and graphics, encouraging an interplay between writers and visual artists. According to the editor and publisher of Redtape Michael Carter the purpose of the magazine was "to explore new possibilities and forms of expression, to develop craft and technique without becoming sequestered in an intellectual or academic ivory tower". The magazine, featuring comics, poetry, fiction, graphic art, and photography, provided a venue for both established and emerging writers and artists of the downtown scene.
Intended initially as a quarterly publication, Redtape released seven issues in 10 years, each having a unique format and organized around specific theme: 'For the Left Side of Your Brain' (1982), 'Assemblage' (1982), 'Redtape: Double Summer Issue' (1983) , 'ArtDamaged' (1984), 'White Lies' ( 1984), 'The Cracked Mirror' (1986) and 'Tragicomix' (1992). Issue No. 3 was the first time Carter consciously reached out to the art community. Since then, every issue expanded the list of contributors and the scope of the publication, making the magazine a part and product of the Lower East Side scene. From the fourth issue onwards, the magazine was published on glossy paper, capable of high-quality graphic reproduction.
Contributors to the magazine included Kathy Acker, Peter Chereches, Constance De Jong, John Farris, Richard Hambleton, Greer Lankton, Patrick McGrath, Lynne Tillman and David Wojnarowicz among many others.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject/author heading.
The files are grouped into six subject-based series.
- Series I: Correspondence
- Series II: Art/Comix
- Series III: Photography
- Series IV: Production Files
- Series V: Events
- Series VI: Miscellaneous
- Oversize - Series I: Correspondence
- Oversize - Series II: Art/Comix
- Oversize - Series III: Photography
- Oversize - Series IV: Production Files
- Oversize - Series V: Events
- Oversize - Series VI: Miscellaneous
Scope and Content Note
The collection includes a complete run of the magazine (including all variants), mock-up copies and gallows, original art work, copies of art work, photographs, manuscripts and related correspondence, newspaper clippings, ads, and posters and flyers for readings, benefit parties and other events organized by Redtape participants. The earliest materials submitted to the publication are dated 1972; however, the bulk of the material spans 1980-1992 (the period of the magazine's publication). The Collection contains many undated and/or unsigned documents, which, whenever possible, were identified using the published issues of the magazine and filed accordingly. Oversized archival materials from the various series are located in an oversize box at the end of the collection. All posters are located in the map case.
NOTE: Oversized material is in the numerical sequence of the series to which it belongs, though contained in separate boxes.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I: Writings - contains poetry and fiction submitted for publication in Redtape. Materials are arranged alphabetically by author. Some folders include related correspondence. Series II: Art/Comix - contains original artwork and photocopies. The original artwork consists of watercolors, drawings, graphic art, collages and transparencies. Some photocopies are signed and/or have handwritten titles. Whenever handwritten text on the photocopy was not intended as a part of the image, the work was considered a copy. However, if the image itself was modified in any way, the work was considered original. Subseries A contains the original work and subseries B contains copies Series III: Photography - contains photographic prints submitted for publication in Redtape. Some of the photographs are original, while others reproduce the artwork present in the collection (Mike Cockrill) Series IV: Production files - contains copies of magazine issues, drafts, mock-up copies and magazine page designs and layouts. Series V: Events - contains ads, fliers and postcards announcing performances, art exhibits and readings by the authors, Redtape pre-publication celebrations and benefits parties. Series VI: Miscellaneous - contains small-scale publications of Redtape contributors, 1 folder containing Michael Carter's incoming and outgoing correspondence relating to the magazine, and newspaper clippings of articles written by Michael Carter or mentioning Redtape magazine Oversize: One flat oversize box at the end of the collection contains oversize materials from series 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Topics
Access Restrictions
Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Use Restrictions
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); The Redtape Archive; MSS 088; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections , New York University Libraries.
Provenance
The Redtape Archive was acquired via purchase from its editor, Michael Carter in 1996. The collection was sorted by Marvin J. Taylor once it arrived at NYU. Archival materials were sorted into a series and processed later.
Separated Material
There is no information about materials that are associated by provenance to the described materials that have been physically separated or removed.
