Joann Philips, Editor-Interviewer, UCLA. Oral History Program. BA, University of California, Santa Barbara. Lawrence Weschler, Assistant Editor, UCLA Oral History Program. BA, Philosophy and Cultural History, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Sessions conducted by Phillips were at Phillips's home in Santa Monica. Sessions conducted by Weschler took place at Brooke Hayward's home in the Hollywood hills and at the Beverly Hills home of Blum's art-collector cousin, Merle Glick.
December 27, 1976 (Phillips); August 1, 4, 25, September 3, 19 78; January 3, 1979 (Weschler).
Sessions usually lasted for an hour to an hour and a half. A total of approximately six and one half hours were recorded.
Blum and Phillips. Blum and Weschler.
In preparation for Weschler's portion of the interview he used the Newport Harbor Museum's "Last Time I Saw Ferus" catalog and his general knowledge of the Ferus Gallery gleaned from other interviews and the editing of interviews with Edward Kienholz, Robert Irwin, Craig Kauffman, et cetera.
The interviews basically proceeded chronologically, then opened onto an artist by artist evaluation, and finally a consideration of more general issues (art and capital, et cetera).
Although never physically there at the interviews, the "presence" of Blum's son Jason was very much on Blum's mind. He seemed to be recording these memoirs for him.
Editing was done by Deborah Young, assistant editor. She checked the verbatim transcript against the original tape recordings and edited for punctuation, paragraphing, spelling, and verification of proper nouns. Words and phrases inserted by the editor for clarity have been bracketed.
The manuscript was reviewed and approved by Blum.
The index was prepared by Rebecca Torres, administrative assistant. The introduction was written by Weschler. Other front matter was prepared by Program staff.
The original tape recordings and. edited transcript of the interview are in the University Archives and are available under the regulations governing use of permanent noncurrent records of the University.
Records relating to this interview are located in the office of the UCLA Oral History Program.