Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis Records, 1976-1981, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.losangei
Creators:
Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis
Dates:
1976-1981
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.1 Linear feet
Repository:
The scattered records of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis date from 1976 to 1981 and measure 1.1 linear feet. Founded in 1975, the organization offered a venue for avant-garde and experimental film as well as special merit documentaries. The records consist of scattered business and administrative records, including member information, the constitution, and by-laws; one folder of correspondence; various notes; printed materials; and a large number of files on filmmakers.

Scope and Content Note

Scope and Content Note
The scattered records of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis date from 1976 to 1981 and measure 1.1 linear feet. The records consist of scattered business and administrative records, one folder of correspondence, various notes, printed materials, and a large number of files on filmmakers and cinematographers.
Scattered business and administrative records include the constitution and by-laws of the organization, founding information, contracts, member information, film rental documents, and film screening schedules. Resumes are found for Oasis members Morgan Fisher, Roberta Friedman, Leslie Gehry, Lyn Gerry, Amy Halpern, Beverly and Pat O'Neill, and William Moritz.
There is one folder of scattered correspondence dating from circa 1977-1981, financial notes, meeting notes, and program notes. Printed materials include announcements and posters, printed articles written by members, clippings, press releases, and film programs.
The largest series consists of compiled files on filmmakers and cinematographers, most of whom showed at the Oasis. Files contain a variety of materials, such as clippings, reviews, programs, biographies, and notes.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The records are arranged into five series:
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Scattered Business Records, 1976-1981 (Box 1; 13 folders)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1977-1981(Box 1; 1 folder)
  • Series 3: Notes, circa 1979-1980 (Box 1; 4 folders)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, circa 1976-1981 (Box 1, OV 2; 0.25 linear feet)
  • Series 5: Filmmakers' Files, 1976-1981 (Box 1; 0.5 linear feet)

Historical Note

Historical Note
The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis was founded by a group of independent filmmakers, critics, and theorists in March 1976. The mission of the non-profit organization was to provide a southern California venue for mostly experimental and avant-garde film.
The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis operated as a member group, and in addition to showing film, offered the opportunity for new and established filmmakers to interact and exchange ideas, and to promote cinematography as a fine art. The Oasis held film screenings about twice monthly in the gallery of the Los Angeles Institute for Contemporary Art. Although most of the films were experimental or avant-garde, the members also showed some feature films and documentaries considered to be particularly important. The Oasis served as the only regular screening venue in Los Angeles at which new and unknown filmmakers could show their works. The Oasis was dissolved in 1981.
Members and founders of the Oasis included Paul Arthur, Roberta Friedman, Leslie Gehry, Lynn Gerry, Amy Halpern, Tom Lesser, Sandy Matthews, Beverly O'Neill, Pat O'Neill, Magdalena Rangel, Tim Shepard, Grahame Weinbren, Susan Rosenblum, Brent Wilcox, Diana Wilson, David Wilson and Arlene Zeichner.
The Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis showed films by Kenneth Anger, Bruce Baillie, John Baldessari, Stan Brakhage, Rudy Burckhardt, Bruce Conner, John Cornell, Maya Deren, Jules Engel, Morgan Fisher, Oskar Fischinger, Hollis Frampton, Robert Huot, Larry Jordan, Fernand Leger, William Moritz, Susan Pitt, Hans Richter, Michael Snow, Chick Strand, John Whitney, and Emerson Woelffer, among others.

Administration

Author
Jayna Hanson
Provenance
Amy Halpern, one of the founders of the Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis donated the records in 1994.
Processing Information
The records were processed by Jayna Hanson in 2008.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Los Angeles Independent Film Oasis records, 1976-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Experimental films Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Filmmakers -- California -- Los Angeles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cinematographers Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Friedman, Roberta Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fisher, Morgan, 1942- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Halpern, Amy Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gerry, Lyn Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gehry, Leslie Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
O'Neill, Pat, 1939- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
O'Neill, Beverly Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Möritz, William Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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