Nancy Woolley/Montanna Houston Correspondence
Call Number
Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Montanna Houston was a writer, artist and musician who lived in New York City and later in Houston, Texas. This collection includes 43 letters written by Montanna Houston between 1975-1985, sent to his friend Nancy Woolley in Dallas, Texas. In addition to letters, Houston sent a variety of artwork including over 50 drawings, as well as collages, poetry, and zines. From 1979 on he wrote from New York City, where he was involved with the East Village, downtown art scene. Some of the artwork includes collaboration with Richard Kern, Tommy Turner and David Wojnarowicz.
Biographical Note
Born Monte Hewson (circa 1952-1990), Montana Houston (which he also stylized as Montanna, Montini, and Montanna Hewston) was an artist, musician, writer, and contemporary of David Wojnarowicz, Richard Kern and Tommy Turner. Houston was raised by an adoptive family, whom he referred to as his step-family, and spent his childhood in Texas. After moving to New York in his mid-twenties, he met and became friends with Kern and Turner around 1979, and then later met Wojnarowicz through the two filmmakers. Houston acted in Kern's Stray Dogs (1985) as well as Where Evil Dwells (1985), an unfinished Turner and Wojnarowicz film, in which he was cast as Satan (Joe Coleman is also credited as this character). Houston also contributed to many of Turner and Kern's zines. For most of his adult life, Houston lived with mental health issues and severe substance use. He left New York in 1986 to return to Houston, Texas, where his adoptive family still lived, and checked himself into West Oak Hospital for treatment. The twelve-step program he took part in there was an important part to his recovery from addiction. Houston died by suicide in 1990.
Arrangement
The material is arranged chronologically, with oversize items listed at the end of the container list.
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises correspondence sent to Nancy Woolley from Montanna Houston during the decade between 1975 and 1985. Houston wrote from Houston, Texas; Boulder, Colorado; and New York City to Woolley in Dallas, Texas. The letters are written on a variety of paper: construction paper, brown paper bags, as well as the backs of xeroxes that sometimes include his collages of newspaper and magazine clippings. Houston often wrote to Woolley concerning his interest in Aleister Crowley, Buddhism, Minimalism, as well as the people in the Cinema of Transgression, New Wave, No Wave and Punk scenes with whom he was working, such as Richard Kern and Nick Zedd. Houston uses ink stamps as signatures in both his letters and on his artwork. He also stylized his name as well as Woolley's, which often appears as Woollette or Woolleyburger. Occasionally he refers to her as "Pharaoh Queen."
In addition to letters, Houston sent clippings from magazines and newspapers, xeroxed art, drawings done in ink, pencil and marker, collages, prayer cards and religious pamphlets, exhibit booklets, zines, poetry, as well as a few photographs, including one of Andy Warhol, 1 pressed leaf, and 1 poster for a New York performance entitled "Breaking the Mood, Stress Test II" for which he did the music. There are two issues of the zine done in collaboration with Richard Kern, Heroin Addict, a zine called How Magic Works with text by Houston and photographs by Kern, as well as one issue of Dumb Fucker, containing pieces by Kern, David Wojnarowicz, Tommy Turner and others. The drawings are mostly self portraits of Houston, but also include a character he called "The Prince of Darkness." The largest piece, "Montanna Reveals All," is a series of xeroxes of his body taped together to form a larger than life self portrait.
Subjects
Genres
People
Topics
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
Identification of item, date; Nancy Woolley/Montanna Houston Correspondence; MSS 436; box number; folder number or item identifier; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection of letters and other materials sent from Montanna Houston to Nancy Woolley was donated by Woolley to NYU's Fales Library and Special Collections in May 2015. The accession number associated with this gift is 2015.436.
Born-Digital Access Policies and Procedures
Born-digital materials have not been transferred and may not be available to researchers. Researchers may request access copies. To request that material be transferred, or if you are unsure if material has been transferred, please contact Fales Library and 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.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2021 are unknown.
In 2021, narrative description was revised in the biographical note to edit harmful language regarding mental health, addiction, and suicide. Some harmful language regarding addiction has been identified in select creator-supplied titles, but has been retained as they may be the terms with which the creators referred to themselves, as well as to convey important contextual information regarding time and place in which the documents and titles were created.
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
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1 "Addenda" Note with Ink Illustration of Desk Scene & Clippings, 1975 January 18, inclusive
1 Portrait, Ink Illustration of Male in Glasses [2 Photocopies], 1975 August 14, inclusive
1 Letter with Cut-outs: "Theme of the Season: I Have No Control.", 1975 August 20, inclusive
2 Letters, Colored Pencil Illustration with "Morning After Poem," & Newsprint Clippings, 1975 October 1 - 2, inclusive
Conditions Governing Access
1 letter featuring Montana's "Morning After Poem" [October 2, 1975], is unavailable as it receives conservation treatment. Please see a Fales archivist for more information.
1 Letter: "Dear Gracious Queen", 1975 October 3, inclusive
1 Letter with Red Ink Illustration of Male in Glasses, 1975 October 6, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "Machinery and Machines" Clipping, 3 Prayer Cards of Mother & Child, 1975 October 30, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Magazine Clipping, 1975 October 31, inclusive
1 Letter with Photographs & Printed Materials, undated, circa 1975 - 1985, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This folder houses the following objects:
Brevettato, Rosario. "The Mysteries Of The Rosary." Alinari Baglioni: Florence, Italy. Undated.
Liguori, St. Alphonsus. "The Fourteen Stations of the Way Of The Cross with Meditations." Isola Art Company: New York, NY. November 3, 1942.
2 Color Photographs: 1 featuring Andy Warhol, 1 featuring a snow sculpture
1 "Hewson Galleries" Handdrawn Exhibition Advertisement Card
1 Italian Prayer Card featuring Mother & Child
1 Letter, 1 Envelope: "Straddling Wads" Poetry, 1976 January 14, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Attached Prayer Card of Jesus Christ, 1976 May 18, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Frank Whipple Advertisement Card & Images of Andy Warhol [Photocopies], 1976 June 3, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Advertisement Clipping, 1976 June 19, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Colored Ink Illustration "The Mountain Prince Turns Into A Penis," Tupperware Catalog & Newsprint Clipping, 1976 September 11 & 12, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Pressed Leaf, 1976 October 25, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Lavender Ink Illustration "The Prince Of The Dark Court", 1976 October 26, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Blue Ink Illustration of Male, 1976 November 14, inclusive
1 Envelope with "Corrective Poems by M. Hewson" [Photocopies of Typescripts], 1976 December 1, inclusive
1 Envelope, 1 Collection of Poetry [Photocopies of Typescripts], 1976 December 2, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Purple Ink Illustration "The Crown Prince Flails Away At Reality", 1976 December 2, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope: "Isabella Court", 1977 January 21, inclusive
2 Letters: "Dearest Pharoah Queen," [Colored Construction Paper] with "Praise To You, Pharoah Queen", 1977 January 31; undated, circa 1970s, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope: "Dear Woollette," [Handwritten on Brown Paper Bag Sheets], 1977 February 12, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope: "Dearest Woollette, Etc.", 1977 March 3, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope: "Dear Woollette Et. Al", 1977 March 31, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope: "Dear Woollette", 1977 April 21, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "New Astrology" Chart & Images [Photocopies], 1977 July 5, inclusive
1 "Confidential Memorandum," 1 Envelope with Magazine Cat Clipping, 1978 August 24, inclusive
1 Handcolored Flyer of Male in Sunglasses [Photocopy with Color Ink], 1979 May 10, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Colored Ink Illustration & Ephemera, 1979 June 23, inclusive
Scope and Contents
1 Flyer "The Offenders: A Film By Scott B & Beth B" [Photocopy with Notation]
1 "His Holiness, Pope John Paul I" Prayer Card
1 "Neo Warholian Post-Post Punquette" Colored Ink Illustration by Montana [Featuring Richard Hell]
1 Tien Loon Restaurant Business Card
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Manuscripts [Photocopies], 1979 November 20, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This folder houses photocopies of the following Montana collage & illustration projects:
"Headlines: Collaged From The Pages Of The New York Daily News, New York Post, And New York Times"
"Nothing Matters: Collected Drawings 1975-1979 by Montana Houston, Sent to William Ryder ('Nothing') Mathers ('Matters')"
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Manuscript "Notes from The Confessions of Aleister Crowley," [Photocopies], 1980 February 15, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "Be Prepared" Images [Photocopies], 1980 April 7, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Ink Illustrations "Natchuralistic Montana," & "Montana Scoffs At Death" [Photocopies], 1980 April 23, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "The American Dream" Images [Photocopies], 1980 May 20, inclusive
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Colored Ink Illustration & Zine, 1980 September 8, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This folder includes the following published work:
Houston, Montana with Richard Kern."Find The Girls: Armed And Considered Dangerous," The Heroin Addict, No. 5. New York, NY. August 1980.
2 Zines, 1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "Hand O'Face, Armchair Life" Flyer & Collage Images [Photocopies], 1981 February 10, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This folder includes the following published works:
Houston, Montana with Richard Kern. "Hungry and Homeless," The Heroin Addict: Masculine-Feminine Relationships, Issue 7. Heroin Addict (HA) Productions / Montannaprinners (HA Xerography): New York, NY. January 1, 1981.
Kern, Richard. YOU Should Taste What Happens To: YOU. Heroin Addict (HA) Productions / MHI Enterprises Publications / Montannaprinners: New York, NY. January 25, 1981.
1 Post Card, 1 Envelope, with Image & Zine [Photocopies], 1983 August 17, inclusive
Scope and Contents
"End of Muscle Beach Section, Stress Test II, Adrienne Altenhaus, choreographer," [Photocopy]
Kern, Richard. Dumb Fucker #6. New York, NY. August 1983. [Featuring Work by David Wojnarowicz, Montana Houston & Tommy Turner]
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Zine, 1984 June 18, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This folder includes the following published work:
Houston, Montana with Richard Kern."How Magic Works." New York, NY. Undated, circa 1984.
1 Letter, 1 Envelope with Newsprint Clippings, 1985 December 8, inclusive
1 Letter: Addressed to Marvin J. Taylor, Sent From Nancy Woolley, 2015 May 17, inclusive
"Thumb Drive With Scans Of Letters," Addressed to Marvin J. Taylor, Sent From Nancy Woolley, 2015 May 17, inclusive
Scope and Contents
"Thumb Drive with Scans of Letters"
OVERSIZE: 1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "Andy Warhol Portraits, Denver Art Museum" Exhibition Pamphlet, 1977 March 25, inclusive
OVERSIZE: 1 Letter on Denver Art Museum Posters, 1 Envelope, 1 Magazine Clipping, 1977 April 26, inclusive
OVERSIZE: 1 Mail Flyer / Poster, [no year] June 10, 11, 12, circa 1983 - 1985, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Event: "Betsy Hulton -- Adrienne Altenhaus, Breaking the Mood: Stress Test II"
Featuring: Linda Austin, Joan Blair, Marcie Chanin, Lucy Hemmendinger, Tom Howe, Jennifer Spiegler, Gayle Tufts, Peggy Vogt; Music by Montana Houston, Furry Couch and Others; Photograph by Richard Kern
Location: Performance Space 122, assisted by Dance Theater Workshop, Inc.
OVERSIZE: 1 Letter, 1 Envelope with "Graphic Timetable Of The Heavens" Images [Photocopies], 1983 October 23, inclusive
OVERSIZE: "Montana Reveals All" Xerograph Total Body Portrait, 1975 - 1976; 1984 June 18, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This artwork was originally housed with the "UltraMontana Laboratories" Correspondence & "How Magic Works" Zine [Box 1, Folder 39]; dated 1975-1976 but sent to Nancy Woolley in 1984.
Measurements: 22" x 72"
