“I like theplanes that haveevidenceof havingbeen ignored
byeveryonebutHarry, andhave tyremarks and footprints”
“Hewas a littlewizard-like, weird
characterwhodrank a lot, andhad almost
anunhingedpersonality,” says Lampert.
“Many of his collections reside at the
Anthology FilmArchives, and it’s our job
topreserve theseobjects andcontinue
tomake them accessible.”
Smithcollectedhundreds of paper
planes, carefully annotating eachwith the
street, cross street and time atwhichhe
found them tocreate anodd recordof
New York at aparticular point in time.
Lookingbackat thecollection, thepaper
fromwhich theplanes areconstructed
– receipts forhardwareandaminkcoat,
psychedelicgigflyers, anEmpireState
Building informationpamphlet, thedoodles
of businessmen–offers glimmersof insight
into the livesofNewYorkersover at least
22 years. For Smith,who rarely travelled,
the interest laynot inaviation, but in the
evolving stylesof folding, andhow the
planeschanged year-to-year.
“I like theplanes that haveevidence
of havingbeen ignoredby everyone
elseexcept forHarry – theoneswith
tyremarks and the footprints of busy
New Yorkers,” says Lampert. “I love
how trampled they are.”
In 1984, Smith sent boxes containing
his paper airplanecollection– it’s unclear
howmany, but one friendestimated
“more than two and less than50” – to
the SmithsonianNational Air and Space
Museum, whichwent into storage. In 1994,
however, three years after Smith’s death,
theMuseum sent just onebox containing
251 planes to theAnthology FilmArchives.
Today, the locationof the lost boxes
remains amystery.
“The idea that this book is a catalogue
– a complete recordof an artist’swork–
is very tongue-in-cheek,” says Lampert.
“Harry Smith is shrouded inmystery. He
lost all his belongings andwork somany
times that the idea that therecouldbe
a complete anythingof Harry Smith is
laughable.”
jandlbooks.org
Norwegianflies toNewYork fromseven
destinations.Bookflights,ahoteland
arental caratnorwegian.com
27 April 1967, no location given; on Hotel Albert paper
No annotation
No annotation
26 April 1967, East 8th St, between 2nd and 3rd
Ave; handbill for a Mothers of Invention gig
20 January 1968, 5th Ave between West 34th St &
West 35th St; below the Empire State Building
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