Bern Boyle Papers
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Abstract
Bern Boyle was a photographer, curator, actor, filmmaker, and LGBT activist. The Bern Boyle Papers contain his photographic work in the form of contact sheets, negatives, photographs, and slides. In addition, this collection includes correspondence, postcards, press clippings, promotional material, and Boyle's 8mm and 16mm films.
Biographical Note
Born in 1951, Bern Boyle received his B.A. from Villanova University and an M.A. in Teaching English from Hunter College. In 1988, he received an M.A. in Museum Studies from The City College of New York. He lived in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City.
In 1973, Boyle helped to found Giovanni's Room in Philadelphia, the nation's oldest and largest LGBT bookstore and cultural center, and is also credited with founding the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival in 1976, (today it is known as the Frameline Film Festival). In New York City he lived in the East Village and was known for his participation in the mail art scene. An active member of the New York City film community, Boyle acted in the 1975 horror parody film "Thundercrack," and appeared as himself in the 1990 film "Silence = Death" alongside Keith Haring, David Wojnarowicz, and other downtown artists and writers struggling with AIDS. He also directed a small number of short films and documentaries.
Boyle is most well known for his curatorial and photographic work. Among the many art shows he curated are "The North American Coastal New Wave" at the Foro de Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City; "Mexican Illustrators: 1920-1950" at the Anglo-Mexican Institute of Culture, Mexico City; "The History of Books for the Blind" at The Catholic Center, New York City; and "Booth: Photo Booth Work by Herman Costa" at St. Mark's Graphics, New York City.
As a photographer, Boyle documented a wide range of subjects, from street art in Alphabet City and Loisaida, to portraits of Coney Island sideshow performer Michael Wilson (aka "The Illustrated Man" or "Tattoo Mike"). In 1986, amidst the panic of the AIDS epidemic and dismay at learning of many of his friends' diagnoses (and perhaps his own), he photographed himself once a day using a photobooth, which ultimately led him to curate the "Photomaton" exhibition in 1987, which was the first exhibition to showcase the work of artists working with photobooth technology.
Bern Boyle died of AIDS-related complications on June 17, 1992 in New York City.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into the following series:
Series I: Photographic Materials
Subseries A: Locations Photography
Subseries B: Portraiture
Subseries C: Coursework
Subseries D: Photobooth Pictures
Series II: Exhibitions Press
Series III: Postcards and Correspondence
Subseries A: Personal Correspondence
Subseries B: Postcards and Printed Ephemera
Series IV: Film
Scope and Contents
The Bern Boyle Papers comprises Boyle's work in the form of contact sheets, negatives, photographs, and slides. Subjects include architecture, city streetscapes, street art, and gay pride parades; locations are primarily New York City and San Francisco, but also include Mexico, other Latin American locations, Miami, and Paris. This collection also includes Boyle's photobooth pictures of both himself and his friends. Although there is some staged portraiture (e.g. "Tattoo Mike"), more casual street shots and special events photography dominate the collection. In addition, this collection includes coursework, a small selection of press clippings and promotional material, personal correspondence, and printed ephemera.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Bern Boyle Papers; MSS 341; box number; folder number or item identifier; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Sur Rodney (Sur) in 2012 and 2013. The accession number associated with these gifts are 2012.341 and 2013.341.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Access to some audiovisual materials in this collection is available through digitized access copies. Researchers may view an item's original container, but the media themselves are not available for playback because of preservation concerns. Materials that have already been digitized are noted in the collection's finding aid and can be requested in our reading room.
Audiovisual materials that have not been preserved may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact NYU Special Collections (special.collections@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596) with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
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