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Mark Klett and William L. Fox: The Half-Life of History

CAE1215

Summary Note

The Mark Klett & William L. Fox: The Half-Life of History archive contains research materials, notes, essay drafts, work prints, book dummies, press, and .50 caliber shell casings related to Klett & Fox’s research of the deteriorating remnants of the Wendover Air Base, the largest military base in the world during WWII, for the book Wendover: The Half-Life of History.

Biographical Note

Mark Klett: Trained as a geologist, Mark Klett was born in 1952 and holds a BS in geology from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York (1974), and an MFA in photography from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Program at the Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York (1977). He established his artistic perspective on the Western American landscape as the chief photographer for the Rephotographic Survey Project (1977-79), which rephotographed scenes visited by the first photographic surveys of the West in the 1860s and 1870s. His work has been shown in one-person exhibitions at the Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; and the Phoenix Art Museum. Klett lives in Arizona, where he teaches photography at Arizona State University, Tempe. William L. Fox: William L. Fox, Director of the Center for Art + Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, Nevada, has variously been called an art critic, science writer, and cultural geographer. He has published thirteen books on cognition and landscape, numerous essays in art monographs, magazines and journals, and fifteen collections of poetry. Among his nonfiction titles are Aereality: On the World from Above; Terra Antarctic: Looking Into the Emptiest Continent; In the Desert of Desire: Las Vegas and the Culture of Spectacle; and The Void, the Grid, and the Sign: Traversing the Great Basin. Fox is also an artist who has exhibited in numerous group and solo shows in eight countries since 1974. Fox has researched and written books set in the extreme environments of the Antarctic, the Arctic, Chile, Nepal, and other locations. He is a fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and Explorers Club and he is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and National Science Foundation. He has been a visiting scholar at the Getty Research Institute, Clark Art Institute, the Australian National University, and National Museum of Australia.

Scope and Content

Klett & Fox were in residence at the CLUI facility in Wendover, Utah for a week each year from 2000 through 2005 to photograph the deteriorating remnants of the Wendover Air Base, which during WW II was the largest military base in the world. The photographic and writing project was not concerned so much with questioning the decision to deploy the A-bomb as it was with the contrast between how Japan handles the history of the bombing versus the United States, and the consequent preservation of structures in Hiroshima, contrasted with the deterioration of the base in Wendover. A book about the project, The Half Life of History, was published in 2011.

Materials include notes, research materials, essay drafts, work prints, book dummies, and .50 caliber shell casings.

Arrangement

Mark Klett & William L. Fox: The Half-Life of History is organized into two series based on subject.
  • Series 1: Project Information and Research
  • Series 2: Project Outcomes

Inclusive Dates

Original Date 1921-2012

Bulk Dates

2003 - 2011

Quantity / Extent

1 cubic feet

Language

English

Related Archive Collections

  • CAE1041: Center for Land Use Interpretation: Wendover Residencies
  • CAE1508: smudge studio

Related Publications

Klett, Mark and William L. Fox, Wendover: The Half-Life of History. Santa Fe, NM: Radius Books, 2011.

Pfahl, John. Tainted Prospects: Photographers and the Compromised Environment. Niagara, NY: Castellani Art Museum, Niagara University, 1991.

Container Listing by Series:

CAE1215/1 Series 1: Project Information and Research, Original Date 1921-2012

Series 1 contains artist information about William L. Fox and Mark Klett, as well as preliminary research materials and correspondence relating to the book project The Half-life of History: The Atomic Bomb and Wendover Air Base.

  • ARCH-FILE 27-1

    • 1-1 Artist Information, 1992-2004
    • 1-2 Project Correspondence, 1999-2011
    • 1-3 Research, The 509th Composite Group, 2006
    • 1-4 Research, Enola Gay, 2004-2006
    • 1-5 Research, Hiroshima & Nagasaki, 2005
    • 1-6 Research, Historic Photographs, Original Date 1921-2012
    • 1-7 Research, Wendover, 1998-2004
    • 1-8 Research, Wendover Air Base, 1991-2005
    • 1-9 Research, William L. Fox Research Notes, not dated

Additional Materials

  • ARCH-OBJ 65

    • 1-8#3 .50 Caliber Shell Casing, not dated

  • Archive F2 Oversized Items

    • 1-7#4 Beneath the Surface (of language): Silver Island Mountain Byway, map, 2009

CAE1215/2 Series 2: Project Outcomes, 2001-2012

Series 2 contains prints, BLADs, text drafts, and resulting press about the book The Half-life of History: The Atomic Bomb and Wendover Air Base.

  • ARCH-FILE 27-1

    • 2-1 Project Work Prints (not utilized), not dated
    • 2-2 Book Work & Proof Prints (1 of 3), 2011
    • 2-3 Book Work & Proof Prints (2 of 3), 2011
    • 2-4 Book Work & Proof Prints (3 of 3), 2011
    • 2-5 Draft Texts, 2001-2011
    • 2-6 Book Dummy, 2006
    • 2-7 Publishing Information, 2007-2011
    • 2-8 Press Coverage, 2011-2012

Additional Materials

  • Archive F2 Oversized Items

    • 2-3# 11h Page 59-62, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#10c Clouds Over Hangar (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#10d Page 57-58, 63-64, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#11f Enola Gay Hangar Interior 1-4 (2), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#11g Enola Gay Hangar Interior 1-4 (3), layout, 2011

  • Archive F17 Oversized Items

    • 2-2#1a Hangar Doors Cover (1), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#1b Hangar Doors Cover (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#1c Cover, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#2c W, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#2d Liner, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#4b B-29 Ceremony (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#4c B-29 Ceremony (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#4i Page 2-3, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#5d Fat Man Names on Bomb (4), proof print, 2011.
    • 2-2#5j Page 4-5, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#6f Page 6-7, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#7j Page 8-9, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#8b Radiation Burns on Japanese Woman (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#8h Page 10-11, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#9a Japanese Soldier Walking, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#10d Rocks Near Base (4), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#11c Hangar and Sky, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#13b Storm Over the Playa (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#13c Storm Over the Playa (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-2#13d Page 22-23, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#16d Page 28-30, layout. 2011
    • 2-3#2g Bullets (6), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2h Page 40-41, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2k Bullets (9), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2l Page 42-43, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2o Bullets (12), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2p Page 44-45, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#5f Bullet Hole Window and Air Charts, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#5g Page 50-51, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#6c View Through Cracked Glass / Smokestack, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#9c Hangar Walls Stripped of Plaster (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#10b Clouds Over Hangar (2), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-3#11a Enola Gay Hangar Interior 1-4 (1), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#1c Former Airbase Plant Through Cottonwood Trees, proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#3e Airmen’s Barracks Panorama (2), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#3f Page 78-80, layout, 2011
    • 2-4#4d Tree / Dartboard / Smokestack (1), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#4e Tree / Dartboard / Smokestack (2), layout 2011
    • 2-4#4f Page 77, 81-82, layout, 2011
    • 2-4#10b Artifacts Found in the Desert (2), proofs, 2011
    • 2-4#11b American History Book Found in the Desert (2), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-4#15c Shredded Banner on the Perimeter Fence (3), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-4#15d Shredded Banner on the Perimeter Fence (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#15e Page 100-101, layout, 2011
    • 2-4#16c Figure and Window (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#16d Figure and Window (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#16e Page 102-103, layout, 2011
    • 2-4#17c Sun Setting Over Wendover Airbase (3), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-4#17d Sun Setting Over Wendover Airbase (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#17e Page 104-105, layout. 2011

  • Archive S-Box 7

    • 2-2#3a Sign as Newspaper, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#3b Page 1, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#5b Fat Man Names on Bomb (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#5c Fat Man Names on Bomb (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#5e EG Parking (1), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#5f EG Parking (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#5h Fat Man on Tinian Island (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#5i Fat Man on Tinian Island (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#6a Nagasaki Bomb (1), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-2#6c Nagasaki Bomb (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#6e Human Shadow Etched in Stone (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#7h Paul Tibbets in Enola Gay (2), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-2#7i Paul Tibbets in Enola Gay (3), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-2#8c A-Bomb Dome (1), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#8d A-Bomb Dome (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#9b Page 12, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#10e Rocks Near Base (5), layout, 2011
    • 2-2#10f Page 14, layout, 2011.
    • 2-2#11a Hangar Doors, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#11b Sky with Contrail, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#12b Broken Green Glass. proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#14b Moments In (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#15c Barbed Wire Mountains (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#15d Barbed Wire Mountains (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-2#15e Barbed Wire Mountains (5), layout, 2011
    • 2-2#15f Page 27, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#16a Bulletin Board, proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#16b Image of Sun and Hand, proof print 2011
    • 2-2#16c Open Door Barracks, proof print 2011
    • 2-2#17b Hiroshima Today (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#18b Bomb Book (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#19c Screen with Big Hole (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#19d Screen with Big Hole (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-2#19e Page 34, layout, 2011
    • 2-2#20c Nail on Floor (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-2#21b Figure on Concrete Pad (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3# 8b Holiday Lights Above Wendover (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#1b Broken Mullion (2), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-3#1c Broken Mullion (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#1d Page 37, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2b Bullets (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#2c Bullets (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2d Page 39, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#2e Bullets (4), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#2f Bullets (5), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#2i Bullets (7), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#2j Bullets (8), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#2m Bullets (10), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#2n Bullets (11), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#3c Enola Gay Tail Fin (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#4c Light and Bed Frame (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#4d Light and Bed Frame (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#4e Page 49, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#5c Bullet Hole in Barracks Window (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#5e Torn Air Charts (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#6b View Through Cracked Glass (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#6d View Through Cracked Glass (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#6e Page 53, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#7c Bomb Painting (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#8c Holiday Lights Above Wendover (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#8d Page 55, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#9d Hangar Walls Stripped of Plaster (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#9e Page 56, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#11b Enola Gay Interior 1, proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#11c Enola Gay Interior 2, proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#11d Enola Gay Interior 3, proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#11e Enola Gay Interior 5, proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#12b Holes Torn in Window Screen (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#12c Holes Torn in Window Screen (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#12d Page 65, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#13c Jukebox Cave (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#13d Jukebox Cave (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#13e Page 67, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#14c Antenna Above Interstate 80 (3), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#14d Antenna Above Interstate 80 (4), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#14e Antenna Above Interstate 80 (5), layout, 2011
    • 2-3#14f Page 68, layout, 2011
    • 2-3#15b Wendover Will (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#16b Toy Solider Buried in Salt (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-3#17b Enola Gay Hangar (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#2b Smokestack (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#3b Airmen’s Barracks 1, proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#3c Airmen’s Barracks 2, proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#3d Airmen’s Barracks 3, proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#4a Tree, proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#4c Makeshift Dartboard (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#5c Bullet Holes in Plywood (3), proof prints, 2011
    • 2-4#5d Bullet Holes in Plywood (4), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#5e Page 83, layout, 2011
    • 2-4#6b Discarded Photo (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#7b Union Hall Photograph (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#8b Bomber Painting (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#9b Present Day A-Bomb Dome (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#12b Wristwatch Stopped at the Moment of Detonation (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#13b Hole Caused by Bomb Blast (2), proof print, 2011
    • 2-4#14b Sun Reflected in Glass Shard (3), layout, 2011
    • 2-4#14d Page 99, layout, 2011