ARCHIBALD, KALI.
Kali Archibald papers, 1933-2004

Restrictions on Access

Special restrictions apply: Collection stored off-site. Researchers must contact the Rose Library in advance to access this collection.

Access to processed born digital materials is only available in the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (the Rose Library). Use of the original digital media is restricted.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Separated Material

The Rose Library also holds books formerly owned by Kali Archibald. These materials may be located in Emory University's online catalog by searching for: Archibald, Kali, former owner.

Source

Purchased from Susan Oddo, 2018.

Custodial History

The Rose Library purchased the material from Susan Oddo, Kali Archibald's daughter, via Len Prince, acting as a broker. Oddo and Prince prepared the materials for transfer to the Rose Library, which included scanning materials to produce digital copies for their records and imposing an order on the otherwise unarranged material. Prince packed the materials at his home in New York and shipped them to the Rose Library.

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], Kali Archibald papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University.

Appraisal Note

Curator of Modern Political and Historical Collections, Randy Gue, acquired the collection as part of the Rose Library's holdings in contemporary photography. During processing in 2018, Rose Library staff removed and shredded a small amount of duplicate material. Rose Library staff returned personal financial records to the donor. Appraisal decisions were made by Accessioning and Collections Manager, Meaghan O'Riordan, in consultation with Randy Gue.

Processing

Arranged and described at the collection level by Katy Lindquist, September, 2018. When any original containers were replaced for preservation concerns, Lindquist transcribed information supplied by Len Prince and Susan Oddo to the new containers.

Born digital materials arranged and described by Brenna Edwards and Zhexiong Liu, 2019-2020. Born digital materials include files taken from six optical discs. Forensic disk images were created from the optical discs using GuyMager. Individual files were extracted using FTK Imager and scanned for viruses using McAfee’s anti-virus software; none were found. Duplicate and system files have been removed, and files were scanned for personally identifiable information; none were found. Access copies retain original folder titles and file names.

Biographical Note

Kali Archibald, born Joan M. Davis on August 27, 1932 in New York City, New York, is a New York City and California-based photographer. She began her career in 1968 by taking documentary photographs and portraits, but became interested in more abstract, psychedelic work as well as using print making in her work. She used a variety of art techniques to create “artography,“ a term she coined to describe her pieces that combined photography with print making. Her artography work appeared in U.S. Camera and Camera 35. In the late 1970s, Archibald shifted away from print making techniques and turned her attention to attempting to capture images of UFOs. Susan Oddo is the daughter of Kali Archibald and was once married to photographer Len Prince. Archibald died in 2019.

Scope and Content Note

The collection primarily consists of prints of Archibald's “artography“ from 1968-1970, and the negatives used to create them. “Artography“ was a term Archibald coined to describe the combination of photography with creative printing techniques, such as color overlays, double printing, refracted light, and multiple image combinations. These images include portraits, as well as other subjects such as cats, architecture, and space. Archibald's poetry is included on the back of some of these pieces. Poetry is also found with her personal photos and notes.

The collection also consists of Archibald's polaroid portraits, many of which she arranged together into sets of sixteen. Polaroids and negatives of Archibald's later space and UFO photography are also included.

Also included are some paintings, drawings and charcoal sketches done by Archibald under both the name Kali Archibald and her birth name, Joan Marie [Davis].

There are also personal photos, including family and travel photos dating from 1933-2004. Archibald's personal notes, poetry, writing, class notes and letters are included in the collection, as well as printed material about her life and work. Business records starting in the early 1960s-2004 including correspondence, purchase orders, and model releases are also included in the collection.

Arrangement Note

Arranged by record type.