Research Catalog

Semina.

Title
Semina.
Publication
Los Angeles, Larkspur, San Francisco, etc.? : Wallace Berman, 1953-1964.

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2 Items

StatusVol/DateFormatAccessCall NumberItem Location
v. 3TextPermit needed Berg Coll+ Beats S46 1953 v. 3Schwarzman Building - Berg Collection Room 320
v. 1-2, 4-9TextPermit needed Berg Coll+ Beats S46 1953 v. 1-2, 4-9Schwarzman Building - Berg Collection Room 320

Details

Additional Authors
  • Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976.
  • Artaud, Antonin, 1846-1898.
  • Baudelaire, Charles, 1821-1867.
  • Blake, William, 1774-1852.
  • Brittin, Charles, 1928-
  • Bukowski, Charles.
  • Burroughs, William S., 1914-1997.
  • Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997.
  • Hesse, Hermann, 1877-1962.
  • Kerouac, Jack, 1922-1969.
  • Lamantia, Philip, 1927-2005.
  • McClure, Michael.
  • Meltzer, David.
  • Reed, John.
  • Tagore, Rabindranath, 1861-1941.
  • Trocchi, Alexander, 1925-1984.
  • Valéry, Paul, 1871-1945.
  • Wieners, John, 1934-2002.
  • Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939.
Description
Formats and sizes vary.
Summary
No. 1: Title ("Semina No. 1") from front of envelope; imprint (Los Angeles, [1953]) from colophon sheet. Comprising a collection of 9 poems, 2 photographs, and 1 drawing reproduction, printed on 9 unbound sheets (not including colophon sheet), some with name of artist; housed in heavy, brown paper envelope with black-and white photograph bearing title affixed to front. The initials "W.B." on the front of the envelope likely stand for Wallace Berman; No 2: Title ("Semina Two") from cover; imprint (Los Angeles, December 1957) from typed note by Berman affixed to back cover; No. 3: Title ("Semina 3") and subtitle ("Peyote Poem") from cover, the latter after title of poem by Michael McClure comprising contents; no imprint (probably Los Angeles, 1958); No. 4: Title from cover; imprint (San Francisco, 1959) from stamp on inside pocket, comprising 24 sheets, 23 of which contain a poem (one of which is printed over black-and-white photo of female nude), plus one sheet folded into 3 leaves and printed with black-and-white stills from Berman's film-in-progress, "Semina." Cover: photograph of "Wife" by W. Berman; No. 5: Title ("Semina 5") from cover; no imprint. Comprising 18 sheets in portfolio of coated paper with black-and-white photo on front cover of stone phallus beside walls of Spanish Christian church containing tombs, and on back cover a black-and-white photo reproduction of oil portrait of Sister Juana Inez de la Cruz. Includes 14 poems and 2 illustrations each printed on a separate sheet. Front cover: photograph by Charles Brittin of a phallic sculpture; back cover: black-and-white photo reproduction of a portrait of Juana Inés of the Cross; No. 6: Title ("Semina VI") from cover; imprint (Larkspur, California, 1960) and collective title ("The Clown") from pocket mounted inside portfolio containing David Meltzer's "The Clown" printed on 14 individual, unbound sheets of heavy paper stock, housed in pocket. Cover photo by Wallace Berman; No. 7: Title ("Semina 7") from cover; imprint (Larkspur, California, 1961) and collective title from pocket mounted inside portfolio, comprising a collection of poems, photographs, and drawings printed on 17 unbound sheets, under the collective title "ALEPH / a gesture involving photographs drawings & text," by Wallace Berman, printed on 18 individual, unbound sheets of heavy paper stock and housed inside pocket. In blank cardboard wrapper, with black-and-white photograph of woman in chair and Hebrew letter "aleph" affixed to front cover; No. 8: Title ("Semina 8") and imprint (Los Angeles, 1963) from pocket mounted inside portfolio. 13 sheets comprising a collection of poems, photographs, and drawings, printed on 9 unbound sheets (8 with single black-and-white photographs affixed to them and with text and portrait of woman's face engraved), plus one sheet with a black-and-white photo affixed, plus 3 sheets of black and white photographs, plus 1 blank sheet, housed in pocket mounted inside heavy cardboard portfolio, with black-and-white photograph of man (resting head on left arm and holding pen in right hand) affixed to front cover; No. 9: Title ("Semina 9") and date ("'64") stamped in purple ink on front of small, brown, brass-clasp envelope, comprising poem "Double Murder!," by Michael McClure, in small brown envelope, with title and date stamped on front in purple ink and with black-and-white photo of the assissnation of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby affixed to front.
Uniform Title
  • Semina one.
  • Semina two.
  • Semina three.
  • Semina four.
  • Semina five.
  • Semina six.
  • Semina seven.
  • Semina eight.
  • Semina nine.
Subjects
Note
  • No. 1 printed in 150 copies, "First and Final Printing"; No. 2 "handset with miscellaneous available type and papers"; No. 4 "Type handset on beat 5 x 8 Excelsior handpress"; No. 5 printed in 350 copies; No. 6 printed in 350 copies, "Type handset on warped 5 x 8 inch Handpress"; No. 7 printed in 200 copies.
Access (note)
  • Restricted access ;
Contents
Contents of No. 1: Oil and blood / W.B. Yeats -- Unpublished letter to some lost relative / David Meltzer -- Thimble of goodbye / Idell t. Romero -- To a toccata by Bach / Herman Hesse, translated by Ruth Baker Day -- Two poems / Peder Carr -- The Detective / Jean Cocteau, trans. Will Harriss -- Twelve time / E.I. Alexander -- When I was warned / Marion Grogan -- Photos. / Walter Hopps -- Photo. / C. Brittin -- Illustration / Cameron; contents of No. 2: The Bead Game / Hermann Hesse -- Patience / Paul Eluard, translation by Louis Renoir -- Poem for Alice / Jack Anderson -- I wanted to turn ... / Mike McClure -- Like toys of dolls ... / Zack Walsh -- Incompatible / Eric Cashen -- A face raped ... / Pantale Xantos -- O God ... / Lynn Trocchi -- Incident / Idell T. Romero -- Its living Now / J. B. May -- Tomb of a Cursed Poet / Charles Baudelaire, trnslated by Hyman Lopez -- Mine: / Charles Bukowski -- I shall grasp the air ... / Peder Carr -- Does a Ghost Have Thighs / Judson Crews -- Poem / John Reed -- When tongue forges wonder ... / Marion Grogan -- The Sylph / Paul Valéry, translated by R. Rand -- From "Cain's Book" / Alexander Trocchi -- Upon a time ... / David Meltzer -- Circus / Marcia Jacobs -- Excerpt from work in progress / Cameron -- His Road / Rabindranath Tagore -- Art is Love is God / Wallace Berman; contents of No. 3: Peyote Poem / Mike McClure; contents of No. 4: The pieces of watermelon ... / Ron Loewinsohn -- To God / Wm. Blake -- Excerpt from Pantapon Rose / William S. Burroughs -- Sampson Agonistes / David Meltzer -- Oil and blood / W. B. Yeats -- Today's children ... / Beverly Collins -- To Lindsay / Allen Ginsberg -- Right now I am not so very big ... / Judson Crews -- Talking Buddhism with my lawyer / John Chance -- Cat digging walls / Ray Bremser -- The point encased / I. E. Alexander -- Boplicity ... / Stuart Perkoff -- Paleolithic dawns ... / Charles Foster -- And what is nothingness ... / John Wieners -- Sur un mystere / Pierre Jean Jouve; translation: Howard Shulman -- Dear People / Robt. Kaufman -- We're in the middle of a deep cloud / Michael McClure -- A Thimble of goodbye / Idell T. Romero -- I felt that this ear of the soul opened ... / Jules Supervielle ; translation: Chas. Guenther -- Once with his young wife / from Ssu-ma Ch'ien's Shih-chi; Chas. Guenther -- Morphine mother / Pantale Xantos -- It was her love ... / John Reed; photo: Chas. Stark -- Ah Blessed Virgin Mary ... / Philip Lamantia -- Excerpts from a film now in progress entitled 'Semina' / by W. Berman; contents of No. 5: Sister Juana Ines of the Cross / translation, Phillip Lamantia -- Rockets / Larry Jordan -- Morning / Wm. Margolis -- Callejón García Villa Lorea / Christofer Maclaine -- How I died / John Chance -- I Mexico after Artaud / Kirby Doyle -- [Photograph of band players] / Anne McKeever -- O Mexico ... / Robt. Kaufman -- From compass / Ruth Weiss -- Floridas / John Hoffman -- Excerpt from "Le Mexique et la civilization" / Antonin Artaud -- [Illustration of a woman standing in front of a door] -- Memoria / Phillip Lamantia -- Todos santos / David Meltzer -- Peyote poem / Johm Wieners -- The vultures ring around the sun ... / John Reed; contents of No. 6:The Clown / David Meltzer; contents of No. 7: Opos -- Boxed City -- Some easy-rider titles ... -- Spurred by what reason ... -- Fairytale for Tosh -- First & Last Fearpoem -- Rapist & Voicethrower -- Art is Love is God [bookmark] -- + 9 black-and-white photo collages / Wallace Berman; contents of No. 8: i am that noise ... / Jack Kerouac -- Geography / Z.W. -- It is me ... / A.A. -- Ghost Tantra / M[ichael] M[cClure] -- towards tall icy buttes ... / L.R. -- my secret language ... / I.T.R. -- Le Chariot / J. W. -- Increasing / R. D. -- June 2, 1962 / Cameron -- + 3 black-and-white photograps and one blank leaf; contents of No. 9: Double Murder! / Michael McClure.
Call Number
Berg Coll+ Beats S46 1953
OCLC
308819442
Title
Semina.
Imprint
Los Angeles, Larkspur, San Francisco, etc.? : Wallace Berman, 1953-1964.
Local Note
No. 1 signed "W.B." beneath black and white photo affixed to front of envelope, and "CAMERON" in black felt pen on verso of print of drawing; No. 2 inscribed by Berman in red pen on inside of back cover, "cover photo by Charles Britin," and "Altoon" on verso of affixed engraving, and with typed note affixed to back cover, dated December 1957, recoding the confiscation of a copy of "Semina 1" (because of an engraving depicting the act of coitus) by members of the Los Angeles vice squad at the Ferus art gallery, which had been part of an installation titled "Temple," following which judge Kenneth Holiday declared Berman "guilty of intent to display lewd and pornographic material," for which reason "I will continue to print 'Semina' from locations other than this city of degenerate angels"; No. 3 inscribed in blue pen by Michael McClure to Robert Wilson, with stamped manila envelope with postal cancel mark, addressed by Berman in black pen to Robert Wilson, apt. 11 F, 790 Riverside Drive, "New York 32 N.Y.," sent from 1548 Crater Lane, "LA 24 Calif."; No. 7 inscribed and signed by Wallace Berman in black pen on inside of front cover, "David-- / Be good to yr muse-- / it comes first / Love you / W Berman / 5. 18. 61", and with typed gift letter signed, 22 April 1966, to Marshall [Clements]; No. 8, inscribed on cover by Berman in black ink ("Dale: / Thanks For / gift. / --Wallace B."), on inside cover signed in black ink "M.C." [i.e., former owner Marshall Clements], and with 3 sheets inscribed "W.", 1 sheet inscribed "P.", 1 sheet inscribed "L.F.", and blank sheet inscribed "W.H.", all in black pen; lacking twine that held together portfolio; No. 9: envelope with canceled postage stamp and "Returned To Writer" stamp, addressed by Berman in black pen to Marshall Clements, 140 W. 20th Street, New York, N.Y. 10023, crossed through in pencil with "Unknown" in pencil above, signed "G192" (probably postal inspector number); with white enverlope with typed address reading "Marshall Clements / "140 W. 70th St. / NYC N.Y. 10023," and, inscribed in pencil, "Semina 9."
Housed in ring-binder box, except for "Semina 3," which is housed in separate envelope shelved adjacent to box.
Access
Restricted access ; request permission in holding division.
Connect to:
Request access to this item in the Berg Collection
Added Author
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976. Artist
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976. Publisher
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976. Editor
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976. Photographer
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976. Inscriber
Artaud, Antonin, 1846-1898. Contributor
Baudelaire, Charles, 1821-1867. Contributor
Blake, William, 1774-1852. Contributor
Brittin, Charles, 1928- Contributor
Brittin, Charles, 1928- Photographer
Bukowski, Charles. Contributor
Burroughs, William S., 1914-1997. Contributor
Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997. Contributor
Hesse, Hermann, 1877-1962. Contributor
Kerouac, Jack, 1922-1969. Contributor
Lamantia, Philip, 1927-2005. Contributor
McClure, Michael. Contributor
Meltzer, David. Contributor
Reed, John. Contributor
Tagore, Rabindranath, 1861-1941. Contributor
Trocchi, Alexander, 1925-1984. Contributor
Valéry, Paul, 1871-1945. Contributor
Wieners, John, 1934-2002. Contributor
Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939. Contributor
Added Title
Semina one.
Semina two.
Semina three.
Semina four.
Semina five.
Semina six.
Semina seven.
Semina eight.
Semina nine.
Research Call Number
Berg Coll+ Beats S46 1953
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