Porter, Bern, 1911-2004

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Bernard Harden Porter was born on Feb. 14, 1911 in Porter Settlement, ME; Sc. B, Colby College, 1932; Sc. M, Brown Univ., 1933; special courses at Da Vinci School (1937), Convair School (1957), Univ. of Maine (1960), and Federal School (1963); in 1929 founded Bern Porter (publishing company) in Belfast, ME; became physicist for Acheson Colloids Corp. (1935-40) and for the Manhattan District Engineers (1940-45); became consulting physicist in 1945; director of Contemporary Gallery, West Coast Design Guild, and Fund for Contemporary Expression, 1947-50; Republican candidate for governor of ME, 1969; became author, poet, editor, illustrator, and publisher; founding fellow, International Poetry Society; published works include Colloidal graphite : its properties and applications (1939), Map of physics (1939), Henry Miller : a bibliography (compiler, 1943), Scandinavian summer (1961), Wernher Von Braun : a bibliography and selected papers (editor, 1966), Reminiscences, 1927-1970 (1970), American strange (1979), and Isla Vista (1981).

From the description of Papers, 1935-1983. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 40931640

Physicist and methodology specialist.

From the description of Bern Porter Collection of Contemporary Letters, 1935-ca. 1989. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 83800445

American physicist, poet, publisher, editor of artists' books, illustrator and mail artist.

From the description of Bern Porter mail art collection, 1953-1992 (bulk 1978-1992). (Getty Research Institute). WorldCat record id: 84098703

Bernard Harden Porter is a poet, artist, nuclear physicist, publisher, editor of artists' books and cultural journals.

From the description of Papers, 1945-1972. (Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)). WorldCat record id: 122516906

Biography

Bernard Harden Porter was born on February 14, 1911 in Porter Settlement, Maine; Sc.B, Colby College, 1932; Sc.M, Brown University, 1933; special courses at Da Vinci School (1937), Convair School (1957), University of Maine (1960), and Federal School (1963); in 1929 founded Bern Porter (publishing company) in Belfast, Maine; became physicist for Acheson Colloids Corporation (1935-40) and for the Manhattan District Engineers (1940-45); became consulting physicist in 1945; director of Contemporary Gallery, West Coast Design Guild, and Fund for Contemporary Expression, 1947-50; Republican candidate for governor of Maine, 1969; became author, poet, editor, illustrator, and publisher; founding fellow, International Poetry Society; published works include Colloidal Graphite: its Properties and Applications (1939), Map of Physics (1939), Henry Miller: a Bibliography (compiler, 1943), Scandinavian Summer (1961), Wernher Von Braun: a Bibliography and Selected Papers (editor, 1966), Reminiscences, 1927-1970 (1970), American Strange (1979), and Isla Vista (1981).

From the guide to the Bern Porter Papers, 1935-1983, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)

Biographical/Historical Note

Bern Porter was born Bernard Harden Porter on February 14, 1911 in Porter Settlement, Maine. Schooled in physics, Porter contributed to the Manhattan Project until 1945 when he quit shortly after he published Henry Miller's Murder the Murderer, an anti-war tract. Disillusioned by the misapplication of scientific potential, Porter began to express himself through a fusion of science and art. In 1959, he established the Institute for Advanced Thinking to encourage freelance physicists to develop ideas that combine physics and the humanities.

Porter is one of the founders of the mail art network, sending visual poetry, letters, one-of-a-kind postcards and altered images to international correspondents as early as the 1950s. He has participated in many mail art exhibitions and also maintains an extensive literary career. To date he has written over 80 books and published over 400.

From the guide to the Bern Porter mail art collection, 1953-1992, 1978-1992, (Getty Research Institute)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf PORTER, BERN, 1911-. Franklin Furnace artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
creatorOf Bern Porter Papers, 1935-1983 University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
creatorOf Porter, Bern, 1911-2004. Bern Porter Collection of Contemporary Letters, 1935-ca. 1989. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Porter, Bern : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
creatorOf Schevill, James Erwin, 1920-. The James Schevill Papers relating to Bern Porter, 1943-1992. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
creatorOf Crozier, Robin. Robin Crozier Collection 1975-1988. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Bern Porter mail art collection, 1953-1992, 1978-1992 Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Porter, Bern, 1911-2004. Bern Porter mail art collection, 1953-1992 (bulk 1978-1992). Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Porter, Bern, 1911-2004. Materials related to Bern Porter publications on Henry Miller, 1943-1993. University of North Texas Library, UNT
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
referencedIn Bryan, Tom. Maple syrup label. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
referencedIn Dick Higgins papers, 1960-1994, 1972-1993 Getty Research Institute
creatorOf PORTER, BERN. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
creatorOf Brown University. Library (Providence, Rhode Island). Selected correspondence, 1913-1993, "Lake" to "Scott". Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
creatorOf Jean Brown papers, 1916-1995 Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Porter, Bern, 1911-2004. Correspondence with Singing Horse Press, 1984-1988. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Porter, Bern, 1911-2004. Papers, 1945-1972. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
referencedIn Henry Miller letter to Bern Porter (MS 138), August 1944 University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries. Special Collections Dept.
creatorOf Porter, Bern, 1911-2004. Papers, 1935-1983. University of California, Los Angeles
referencedIn Roger Jackson (Firm). Roger Jackson, Publisher, collection 1993-2001. Ohio State University Libraries
referencedIn Miller, Henry, 1891-1980. Papers of Henry Miller [manuscript], 1943-1946. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Kaplan, Philip, 1903-1990. Philip Kaplan collection addition, 1922-1976. Southern Illinois University, Morris Library
creatorOf Higgins, Dick, 1938-1998. Dick Higgins Collection, 1958-2002 UMBC, Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery
creatorOf Roth, Dieter, 1930-1998. Cutcards / Diter Rot. University of California, Los Angeles
referencedIn Kenneth Patchen Collection TXRC92-A43., 1929-1978 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan). [The Alternative Press collection], 1969-1992. Wayne State University
creatorOf Miller, Henry, 1891-1980. Papers, 1930-1979. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Higgins, Dick, 1938-1998. Dick Higgins papers, ca. 1960-1994 (bulk 1972-1993). Getty Research Institute
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Altemus, Reed. person
associatedWith Alternative Press (Detroit, Michigan) corporateBody
associatedWith Baroni, Vittore person
associatedWith Baroni, Vittore. person
associatedWith Bloch, Mark person
associatedWith Bloch, Mark. person
associatedWith Brown, Jean, 1911- person
associatedWith Brown University. Library (Providence, Rhode Island). corporateBody
associatedWith Bryan, Tom. person
associatedWith Cantsin, Monty person
associatedWith Cantsin, Monty. person
associatedWith Cole, David person
associatedWith Cole, David, 1939- person
associatedWith Craigie, Peter M. person
associatedWith Craigie, Peter M. person
associatedWith Crozier, Robin. person
associatedWith Finlay, Eric person
associatedWith Finlay, Eric. person
associatedWith Held, John, 1947- person
associatedWith Higgins, Dick, 1938-1998. person
correspondedWith Kaplan, Philip, 1903-1990. person
associatedWith Miller, Henry, 1891-1980. person
correspondedWith New Directions Publishing Corp. corporateBody
associatedWith Olbrich, Jürgen O. person
associatedWith Olbrich, Jürgen O., 1955- person
associatedWith Patchen, Kenneth, 1911-1972 person
associatedWith Pittore, Carlo. person
associatedWith Pyros, John. person
associatedWith Random, Steve person
associatedWith Random, Steve. person
associatedWith Roth, Dieter, 1930-1998. person
associatedWith Saunders, Robert, 1940- person
associatedWith Schevill, James Erwin, 1920- person
associatedWith Spiegelman, Lon person
associatedWith Spiegelman, Lon. person
associatedWith VooDoo, Michael person
associatedWith VooDoo, Michael. person
associatedWith Welch, Chuck person
associatedWith Welch, Chuck, 1948- person
associatedWith Winkler, Chris person
associatedWith Winkler, Chris. person
associatedWith Yager, Jay person
associatedWith Yager, Jay. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Publishers and publishing
Publishers and publishing
Authors, American
Poets, American
Art and science
Artists' books
Copy art
Literary movements
Mail art
Physicists
Visual poetry
Occupation
Authors, American
Artists
Physicists
Physicists
Poets, American - 20th century
Activity

Person

Birth 1911

Death 2004-06-07

English

Information

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Ark ID: w69w17q8

SNAC ID: 45216682