The filmmaker and journalist Matt Tyrnauer discusses Kali: Artographer (powerHouse Books, 2022), the art of Kali, the late Joan Archibald, his own films and writing, with Joseph Planta.

Kali: Artographer by Len Prince, Matt Tyrnauer (powerHouse Books, 2022). Click to buy this book from powerHouse Books: Kali

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Matt Tyrnauer joins me now. He is the author of the monograph to new collection, Kali: Artographer. It’s a remarkable collection of photographs and art, by an artist named Joan Archibald, from Long Island, New York who in the 1960s made her way to California and remade herself as Kali. She reinvented herself, took photography at the College of the Desert in Palm Springs, and became friendly with the showbiz crowd like Richard Chamberlain in Malibu, and Frank Sinatra in Palm Springs. She moved into a house there, once owned by Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee. She began creating what she later trademarked, “Artography.” She would take photographs, develop them herself, then finish them with dyes, spray paint, even dirt and bugs. She would move from prints to Polaroids and manipulate them to striking effect. She published a few pieces, was written up in a trade magazine, then by the 1970s her worked was locked away in suitcases stored away never to be seen again for over forty years. She didn’t stop creating art though, and as we find out, when Joan Archibald died, her daughter Susan discovered all this art which is the subject of an exhibit currently at the Columbus Museum of Art, and beautiful new books from powerHouse books. There is a limited edition four-volume set of the work which was published last year, and now a trade edition out shortly. It is edited by Len Prince, the noted American photographer, who was once married to Susan Archibald. I’ll ask Mr. Tyrnauer about his reaction when showed the photos by his friend Len Prince, and about this remarkable story of Kali, her art, and the mystery of it all. She and her work has been described as a sort of West Coast version of Vivian Meier. Matt Tyrnauer is a director, writer, and journalist, whose documentaries include Valentino: The Last Emperor, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, Studio 54, Where’s My Roy Cohn?, and the four-part miniseries The Reagans. As editor-at-large and special correspondent for Vanity Fair he contributed many feature articles, including Once Upon a Time in Beverly Hills, which told the story of Janet DeCordova, the widow of Johnny Carson’s former producer Fred DeCordova. It’s a fascinating piece that has captivated readers, one I really liked when I first read it more than ten years ago, one I had to ask Matt about. I’m a fan of his work, and I appreciated that he indulged me in questions about his films and writing as well. Visit www.powerhousebooks.com for more. I spoke to Matt from Los Angeles late last week. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Matt Tyrnauer; Mr. Tyrnauer, good morning.

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