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Nancy Rosenblum photographs

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: Coll2008-048

Scope and Content

Photograph collection created by Los Angeles-based lesbian photographer and filmmaker Nancy Rosenblum. The collection is divided into two series: (1) Photographs and Related Material and (2) Sound Recordings. The first series, and the core of the collection, includes material from Rosenblum's two photography exhibits: "Vegetables: A Reaction to Male Violence Against Women," originally showcased at the CalArts School of Art and Design in 1979; and "Some of My Best Friends... Portraits of Lesbians," a series of lesbian portraits photographed in Southern California in the 1980s and early 1990s. The series also includes miscellaneous photographs from the 1970s, of such subjects as Sue Fink and Joelyn Grippo, the Los Angeles Women's Chorus, and Rosenblum with her partner, Mary Whitlock. The second series comprises sound recordings of radio segments (2002 - 2003) that Rosenblum produced for the Southern California LGBT-oriented program, IMRU Radio. It includes discussions about gay weddings, the Los Angeles Women's Building, the Outfest Film Festival, as well as interviews with such women as Eloise Klein Healy, Lea Delaria and Terry Wolverton.

Dates

  • Creation: 1976-2008

Creator

Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Publication Rights

Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner. Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).

Biography

Born in August 1954, Nancy Rosenblum grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles and developed an interest in photography and filmmaking at age seven. She often borrowed her father's Bell & Howell 8mm camera and spliced together short movies. After coming out as a lesbian in 1975, she attended the photography program at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) for six years, eventually earning her Master of Fine Arts degree in 1983. During her time at CalArts, she created two photography exhibits. Her first exhibit, "Vegetables: A Reaction to Male Violence Against Women," premiered in 1979 and her second exhibit, "Some of My Best Friends... Portraits of Lesbians," was her 1983 Master's show. She also created a 3-monitor video installation about growing up in her family.

After graduating from CalArts, Rosenblum turned to video editing and filmmaking. In 1988, she edited and co-produced with Irene Pinn a documentary about lesbians called, You Can Know All I Am. From the 1980s through the mid-2000s, she worked as an editor for film and television, winning several Los Angeles Emmy Awards for her work on various news documentaries. She was also active in the gay and lesbian political movement, contributing to such organizations and publications as Lesbian Tide, Connexxus: El Centro de Mujeres, Lesbian News, Outfest and IMRU Radio; and she continued to exhibit photographs at various Southern California locations.

In 1983, Rosenblum met Mary Whitlock, who became her life partner. In August 2008, Rosenblum and Whitlock relocated to Nelson, British Columbia, where Whitlock studies music and Rosenblum continues to create art works and teach film editing at Selkirk College.

Extent

3.1 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Sound recordings, photographs and related material created by Los Angeles-based photographer and filmmaker Nancy Rosenblum. The core of the collection is photographs and related material from Rosenblum's two photography exhibitions: "Vegetables: A Reaction to Male Violence Against Women" (1979) and "Some of My Best Friends... Portraits of Lesbians," a series of lesbian portraits photographed in Los Angeles in the 1980s and early 1990s. The collection also includes sound recordings of interviews (2002 - 2003) that Rosenblum conducted for Southern California's gay- and lesbian-oriented radio program, IMRU Radio.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Nancy Rosenblum, July 2, 2008.

General Physical Description note

1 archive carton + 3 flat archive boxes.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, July 10, 2008.

Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Subject

Title
Finding aid of the Nancy Rosenblum Photographs Coll2008.048
Status
Completed
Author
Loni Shibuyama
Date
© 2008
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in: English

Repository Details

Part of the ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, University of Southern California Repository

Contact:
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Los Angeles California 90007 United States
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