HARRY SMITH ARCHIVES

Recorded, compiled, and produced a range of audio works, including the first album by the Fugs (1965), Allen Ginsberg’s First Blues (1976), poetry recordings by Gregory Corso, songs by Peter Orlovsky, and a 15-LP private release of Talmudic legends and liturgical songs (approx. 1,000 sets pressed). Also created sound compilations featuring street sounds, chanting, poetry, and rock, possibly recorded from Ginsberg’s Lower East Side apartment.

Compiled and released the Anthology of American Folk Music, a six-LP (later reissued on CD) collection of 84 historic 78 rpm recordings from 1927–1932, spanning Appalachian folk, gospel, blues, hillbilly, and Cajun music. The release included a detailed illustrated booklet with facsimiles of record covers, period instruments, collages, and cut-outs from Sears Roebuck catalogs, and was reissued in 1997 with expanded notes and essays.

Provides online access to historical recordings such as Kiowa Peyote Meeting and produces or contributes to the release of curated archival collections, including the Treasures IV: American Avant-Garde Film 1947–1968 DVD box set, which received the 2009 Film Heritage Award. Also donated the world's largest paper airplane collection to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.

Co-organized and supported major public events and exhibitions honoring Harry Smith’s legacy, including "Fragments of a Faith Forgotten" at Harvard's Carpenter Center (2024), "HARRY SMITH’S COSMIC COLLAGE" (April–May 2026, across multiple venues), and the interment ceremony for Harry Smith and Herbert Huncke. Events include film screenings, live performances, panels, and immersive presentations featuring rare archival materials.

Produced and exhibited visual artworks across painting, drawing, and collage, often linking musical structure to visual form—such as transcribing Dizzy Gillespie’s “Manteca” into a five-year painting project. Also designed cover art for publications including Allen Ginsberg’s poetry collections and Thelema’s Holy Books, reflecting lifelong interests in esoterica, cosmology, and symbolism.

Recorded and produced audio documentation of Indigenous ceremonies and languages, including the Kiowa Peyote Meeting (released as a 3-LP set with a 12-page booklet), songs and rituals of the Lummi and Samish peoples, and linguistic work on Puget Sound dialects and Kiowa sign language. These efforts reflect early ethnographic research conducted by Harry Smith, particularly during his youth.

Created, compiled, and preserved a body of experimental hand-painted and animated films, including "Heaven and Earth Magic" (1957–1962), "Early Abstractions" (1939–1956), and "A Strange Dream," using intricate frame-by-frame techniques on 35mm film with jazz soundtracks. The organization supports access to these works through screenings, restorations, and live performances with new scores.

Hosted and conducted lectures, classes, and public discussions on topics including surrealism, mythology, indigenous cosmology, creation myths, peyote ceremonies, symbol migration, and poetry. These include sessions at Naropa University, lecture excerpts from 1989, and presentations with film screenings and musical commentary, such as on "Heaven & Earth Magic."