Howard Davis-Artifacts Artist Group collection

Identity elements

Name and location of repository

Level of description

Collection

Title

Howard Davis-Artifacts Artist Group collection

Date(s)

  • 1979-2008 (Creation)

Extent

19 Linear Feet

Name of creator

Davis, Howard

Biographical history

Artifacts Artist Group was founded by Howard Davis in June, 1984. According to Davis, "Artifacts was conceived with four goals in mind:

  1. To provide a showcase for emerging as well as more established artists in Miami/South Florida

  2. To provide a framework for artistic collaboration

  3. To engage the various cultural communities in South Florida

  4. To promote the 'demystification of art, i.e. presenting multimedia art happenings and installations in unconventional settings and venues, e.g. nightclubs, etc.'"

To that end, Artifacts would set up art salons and events in galleries and nightclubs throughout Miami, in neighborhoods such as the Design District and Miami Beach, places that were just then beginning to experience the renaissance that would eventually bring them to the forefront of the global arts community with contemporary events such as Art Basel.

Name of creator

Valdez, Juan

Biographical history

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

A collection of papers, photographs, scrapbooks, ephemera and other objects that document various cultural scenes in Miami from the 1980s to the present, with an emphasis on the art, nightclub and drag subcultures.

System of arrangement

The collection is organized into two series. The Howard Davis-Artifacts Artist Group papers document the work of Howard Davis and the group he founded and directed, the Artifacts Artist Group, a collective of local artists in the South Florida region.

The Juan Valdez papers document the nightclub, LGBT and drag subcultures prominent in Miami Beach during the 1980s-2000s.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

This collection is open for research

Physical access

Items from this collection are kept on-campus and may be requested from the first floor Kislak Center in the Otto G. Richter Library at University of Miami.

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

University of Miami does not own copyright. It is incumbent on the user to obtain copyright from the original creator.

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Language and script notes

Finding aids

Generated finding aid

asm0221.pdf

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