AVALANCHE

An unusually well preserved complete set, in very fine to near mint condition. Important conceptual art magazine, published by Willoughby Sharp, edited by Elizabeth Béar. At the time, Sharp was a New York-based art historian and independent curator and Béar an underground magazine editor who had recently moved to New York from London. They published the first issue in 1970 and collaborated on 13 issues from 1970 to 1976. They both conducted the interviews and conversations with the artists. Avalanche focused on art from the perspective of artists rather than critics, and investigated new forms of art that were developing in the U.S. and Europe with a radical new media format--probing interviews, extensive use of photography and dynamic layouts. For many artists, publication in Avalanche preceded a one-person gallery or museum show. - No. 1: Cover photograph of Joseph Beuys, interviews with Carl André, Jan Dibbets, a portrait of Joseph Beuys by Shunk-Kender, retrospective of Richard Long, Carl Andre, Jan Dibbets, Richard Long, Joseph Beuys, Heizer, Oppenheim. - No. 2: (Body Works). Cover photograph of Bruce Nauman with articles on him, and on Vito Acconci, Terry Fox, Yves Klein, Bruce Nauman, Dennis Oppenheim, Klaus Rinke, Richard Serra, Wm. Wegman, incl. a photo of Matta-Clark-installation and Bas Jan Ader: Fullpage b+w photo of 'Too sad to tell you' and text in the Rumble-section. No. 3: (Post-Studio Sculpture). Cover photograph of Barry Le Va. Interview with David Tremlett and features on Jacks (Gordon Matta-Clark), contributions by Italo Scanga, George Trakas and on Barry Le Va (his picture on the cover), Bill Beckley, Joel Fisher, Robert Morris and others - No. 4: (Conceptual Art). Cover photograph of Lawrence Weiner. Jackie Winsor (interview), Sol LeWitt; Howard Fried, Alice Aycock, Stanley Brouwn; Hanne Darboven; Walter De Maria; - No. 5: (Performance). Cover photograph of Yvonne Rainer. Contributions Braco Dimitrijevic; Joseph Beuys (talking at Documenta 5); Jannis Kounellis (interview); Phil Glass; Keith Sonnier; Yvonne Rainer (interview) - No 6: (Vito Acconci). Cover photograph of Vito Acconci and number devoted to him. - No.7: (Humor). Cover Man Ray (name of the dog, photo by William Wegman). Interview with General Idea. Edward Ruscha, Interview with Van Schley ("Different Strokes for Different Folks", which is a green folder, stapled in the middlespread, intact but without the postcard insert), Man Ray, Do you want to.. (interview with William Wegman by Liza Béar) - No. 8: (Sculpture & Performance). Cover Robert Smithson. Exchange '73; A Drinking Sculpture, Gilbert & George. Memorial issue for Robert Smithson. Features Robert Morris, Tina Girouard, Chris Burden and others. Continued in a changes format: --NEWSPAPERS: (Now Published by Center for New Art Activities, Inc., New York.) As detailed below, each issue has several pages of general information, messages, rumbles, films, publications, etc. as well as several pages of advertising and the more specific contents are: - No. 9: June 1974. Issue dedicated to video and performance art. Texts by Willoughby Sharp, William Wegman, Joseph Beuys (contains partial transcript of Joseph Beuys' first US peformance at the New School), Iincludes interviews with Vito Acconci, Keith Sonnier, Richard Serra, Robert Bell, Willoughby Sharp and Dennis Oppenheim, Boris Wall Gruphy. 36 pages. . - No. 10: December 1974. Cover photo Jack Smith. Contents: Hans Haacke, Manet Project '74; Daniel Buren, Kunst bleibt Politik; Simone Forti, Dancing at the fence; Stephen Laub, Projections, interview by Willoughby Sharp; Jack Smith, Fear Ritual of Shark Museum (Centerfold) ; Joel Fisher. As strong as a spiders web; Terry Fox: Children's Videotapes (interview); Gordon Matta-Clark: Splitting (interview); The Phil Glass Ensemble (interview by Willoughby Sharp after Music in Twelve Parts performance). 52 pages. - No. 11: Summer 1975. Cover photo Steve Paxton. Contents: Alan Saret. Installation for Man; Darcy Lange. Videography: Work; Joel Shapiro:Torquing; On Kawara: One Million Years (centerfold); Laurie Anderson. Confessions of a Street Talker; Contact Improvisation (Laura Chapman, Scott Jones, Annette La Rocque, Daniel Lepkoff, Steve Paxton, Karen Radler, David Woodbury; Steve Paxton: Like the Famous Tree (Dialogue with Liza Béar). 40 pages. - No. 12: Winter 1975. Cover Photo Barbara Dilley. Contents: Robin Winters: Fairly regular hours; Robert Wilson & Christopher Knowles: Because Why; Alexis Smith: Anteroom; Rita Myers: A remote intimacy; Michael McClard: Mumbo Jumbo; Barbara Dilley: In the 'Dancing Room'; Barbara Dilley Dancing, a picture autobiography. 40 pages. - No. 13:Summer 1976. Cover photo: "Trial Balance". This printed with colour red added. Contents: Fitzgibbon:Colleen; Jim Roche:Straight Razor; Reiner Ruthenbeck:Eclipse; Bas Jan Ader: In search of the miraculous; Meredith Monk: Invocation/Evocation; Diego Cortez: An obvious kind of eyesore. 48 pages. ADDED TO THIS SET AND INCLUDED IN THE PRICE: Facsimile boxed edition in a limited edition of 100 signed and numbered by Liza Béar and Willoughby Sharp. Produced by PRINTED MATTER. Number 29 of 100. This boxed facsimile edition of Avalanche's complete run reproduces the first eight issues individually, and the final five in a single bound paperback. Accompanied by a certificate signed by both Liza Béar and Willoughby Sharp shortly before Sharp's death in December 2008. The publication is 1,016 pages and illustrated throughout; is housed in a heavy duty, laminated, archival box measuring 10.5 x 19.5 x 2.5 inches. The first eight issues measure 9.25 x 9.25 inches and are exact facsimiles of the originals; the subsequent five tabloid-sized issues, now bound as a single volume measuring 9.25 x 13.5 inches, have been reduced slightly in scale from the original format.