Frank Bara Collection, 1980s to 1990s
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#2054
- Bib ID:
- 15570720 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Bara, Frank
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 4 Linear Feet (2 document boxes, one flat box & 1 mapcase folder)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
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Boxes 1 & 2 of this collection are located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Description
Content Description
This small collection is related to the Arthur Mitchell Collection, and consists mainly of Dance Theater of Harlem publications, performance history, and Frank Bara's drawings and other materials that he used to create the Dance Theatre of Harlem 20th Anniversary Puzzle. Including some of Bara's original drawings and mock-ups for the DTH Puzzle, a digital copy of the VHS tape made when he presented it to Arthur and members of the DTH company in 1991, a DVD on the Biographical Luciano Pavarotti Jigsaw Puzzle made by Bara, and a DVD of the work of David and Abraham Roentgen and the Marie-Antoinette automaton filmed for the Metropolitan Museum by Bara's partner Marvin Hayes, artist, innovative videographer and software designer. The collection also include Hayes' etchings for his 1977 project, "God's Images."
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Series I: Manuscripts relater to the Dance Theatre of Harlem
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Series III: Dance Theater of Harlem Plans and Designs
Floor layouts and decorative designs for the Dance Theater of Harlem
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Series VII: Etchings by Marvin Hayes
Two sets of etchings for Hayes' 1977 masterwork, "God's Images." The series illustrates the Bible through 53 etchings. They were published as "God's images : the Bible, a new vision" , with text by poet-novelist James Dickey. Poet and artist have depicted in etchings the men and women of the Bible.
Arrangement
- Series I: Manuscripts relater to the Dance Theatre of Harlem
- Series II: Puzzle
- Series III: Dance Theater of Harlem Plans and Designs
- Series IV: Photographs
- Series V: CDs
- Series:VI Printed Material
- Series VII: Etchings by Marvin Hayes
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Rbml Advance Appointment
Boxes 1 & 2 of this collection are located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Conditions Governing Use
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Curator of Manuscripts/University Archivist, Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML). The RBML approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Frank Bara Collection; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Related Materials
Arthur Mitchell Collection., Columbia University Libraries.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Biographical / Historical
Frank Bara started making jigsaw puzzles in 1972. From a New York Sun article (https://www.nysun.com/on-the-town/living-breathing-and-working-as-santa-all-year/6069/): His puzzles, the pieces of which are so delicate that they need to be handled with tweezers, take between three months and a year to make. He hand paints and wood-burns each piece and spells words by carving intricate series of letters out of the wood itself. Mr. Bara's largest puzzle, commissioned by the Dance Theater of Harlem, was 9-feet long and had 4,000 pieces. "It has the names in it of everybody who was associated with the theater for its first 20 years," said Mr. Bara. "There are paintings and sculptures in it. There are two miniature grand pianos." He started off making the puzzles as opening-night gifts for theater friends, but as his work became better known, so did his clientele. Mr. Bara has puzzled for Bob Fosse, Lucianno Pavarotti, and Stephen Sondheim.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
All links open new windows.
| Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dance Theatre of Harlem | CLIO Catalog | ArchiveGRID |
| Mitchell, Arthur, 1934-2018 | CLIO Catalog | ArchiveGRID |
| Subject | ||
| Performing arts | CLIO Catalog | ArchiveGRID |
| Puzzles | CLIO Catalog | ArchiveGRID |