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abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz (Alphabet Poem), 1963

 Item — Box: 298
Identifier: CC-48358-69384

Scope and Contents

This poem was included in several Fluxus boxes. There is no reference to Emmett Williams as an author of the scroll. AbeBooks: Printed scroll of 3 conjoined sheets of buff-colored laid stock, rolled as issued. 2217 x 58 mm. (ca. 87 1/4 x 2 3/8 inches). A fine copy. "A Fluxus printing of "abcedfghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz,' also called "Alphabet Poem,' was usually included in "Fluxus 1" and "Fluxkit.' This work was first published by Verlag Kalender, the publishing house of Bernd Ebeling and Hansjoachim Dietrich, Wuppertal, West Germany, ca. 1961. They also published "Kalender Rolle,' a survey of avant-garde art in 1961 and again in 1962. Printed on a long scroll, their form influenced several Fluxus publications, such as "Fluxus Preview Review'" (Jon Hendricks, in Fluxus Codex). Williams' "An Opera' was issued in the same format, and distributed in the same way. Only the alphabet poem itself appears on the scroll; there is no credit to Williams, nor any publication information. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Dates

  • Creation: 1963

Creator

Extent

1 item : 1 scroll (letterpress, 5 sheets taped together) in 1 pill bottle (plastic) ; 222 x 6 cm (scroll), 4 diam x 8.5 cm (pill bottle)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

The Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, gift of Ruth and Marvin A. Sackner and the Sackner Family Partnership.

Materials Specific Details

Published: Wiesbaden, West Germany : Fluxus Editions. Nationality of creator: American.

Repository Details

Part of the The Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry Repository

Contact:
125 W. Washington St.
Main Library
Iowa City Iowa 52242 United States
319-335-5921