Gene Davis papers, 1920-2000, bulk 1942-1990

Writings include notes, articles, statements, essays, books, and research material by and about Gene Davis. Writings by Gene Davis include artist statements, magazine and newspaper articles about art, news stories written as a White House correspondent for Transradio Press Service, exhibition-related texts, notes, and a proposal for the site-specific "Grass Painting" at the Kennedy Center in 1974. Artist's statements were usually written for specific Davis exhibitions, and include a statement for the "Gene Davis Give-Away," a happening undertaken with Douglas Davis and Ed McGowin in 1969. Several of Davis's articles reflect specifically on the Washington, D.C. art scene. Most of the writings exist as typescripts. Photocopies of the published article are found for a few items.

Writings by others include articles and books about Gene Davis by various authors, and research notes by Percy North. Articles are filed by author. One of the books is a handwritten satire by Jim Lodge documenting the installation of a large work by Davis in a private office. Other books with records in this series are monographs on Davis; one by Donald Wall (1975) and another by Steven Naifeh (1982). Materials found for Wall's book include galley proofs for interviews of Davis conducted by Barbara Rose, Donald Wall, and Walter Hopps, and color proofs of the color plates. Materials found for the Naifeh book include an edited typescript of the text, black and white photographic prints of images from the book, and color transparencies and Chromalin prints of color plates. The photographs are heavily annotated with markup for print production, as well as some source information. Black and white photographs referred to as "reference prints" are photographs of Davis and others. The rest of the photographs and plates are of artworks.

Research notes by Percy North include photocopied published material with annotations by North, notes, a list of articles collected, and notes updating the bibliography and exhibition list for Naifeh's 1982 monograph.

Writings by Gene Davis are filed first, alphabetically by title, form, or subject, followed by writings by others, filed alphabetically by author. Where multiple drafts exist for a piece, the draft that appears to be closest to final is filed at the front of the folder. Published versions of many of the writings are found in series 6, Printed Materials. Original transcripts and one sound recording from the interviews contained in the 1975 Donald Wall book are found in series 2, Interviews and Lectures.