HISTORICAL LETTERS 1969-2023
Matuschka’s at once gorgeous and shocking image drew more than stares; it also pulled in hundreds of letters to the editor at The New York Times, as well as a rush of television, radio, newspaper, and magazine interviews, personal phone calls, hate mail, and love letters to Matuschka herself.
-Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, "The Feminist Film Philosophy Reader"
The Archive holds over 5,000 letters, faxes, postcards and greeting cards-- typed or hand-written from a wide variety of sources: publishers, politicians, TV and film producers, journalists, artists, famous people, doctors, social workers, therapists, lawyers, Judges, and breast cancer survivors. Often the envelope and stamp have been preserved. Matuschka’s letters are located in a variety of binders and archival boxes. Matuschka has kept every letter ever sent her.
When Beauty Out of Damage made its debut on the cover of The Sunday New York Times Magazine on August 13th 1993, it was picked up by the AP Line and was reprinted world-wide in most publications as a news headline that week. Subsequently The New York TImes received over 1500 letters from the public, both negative and postive regarding The Times publishing decision to print such a graphic image on their cover.
Matuschka’s penchant for printed matter and ‘on paper’ documentation began early and it is astonishing that she retained all the letters and correspondence sent to her-- or from the publication that printed her work, i.e. letters to the editors from the public. Matuschka’s letters are located archival boxes and binders.
Matuschka’s correspondence reflects a valuable piece of history and is a vital resource for historians, scholars, and students who are interested in what it was like to communicate in the last century via mailed letters, when email and texting was nonexistent. These well-kept correspondences not only have societal appeal but also hold historical value, offering a glimpse into the artistic, political, psychological and cultural trends of the times.
Postcard sent to Matuschka c/o The Woman's Museum, 1995
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 1993
The New York Times received thousands of letters to the Editor commenting and criticising Matuschka’s iconic photo, “Beauty out of Damage” in 1993 which appeared on their August 15th, 1993 cover. At the time, this was considered a controversial publishing decision based on its subject matter. This cover generated more letters to the editor than any other in its history . Both disgruntled viewers and staunch admirers wrote to The Times and Matuschka about this image. Some individuals even cancelled their subscriptions. While the positive response outweighed the negative, it was a close call.
GREENPEACE LETTERS 1994-1996
LETTERS FROM MEN 1970-2005
The collection holds an extraordinary number of letters from male admires, complete with visual aids, snap shots and 3-D objects, Some penpall relationships lasted years, if not decades.
MATUSCHKA'S LETTERS 1970-2005
Matuschka’s letters are located on a variety of computers, floppy discs, cds, DVD's and in file cabinets, archival boxes and folders. Before she began composing letters on computers, she made copies of those she mailed For an unknown reason, Matuschka kept every letter ever written to her, or by her.
PROFESSIONAL LETTERS 1978-2023
Matuschka’s penchant for printed matter and ‘on paper’ documentation includes professional correspondences from publishers, producers, business partners, lawyers, photographers, gallery owners, editors , rejection letters, and collaborators. The artists' letters to professional partners are also included in the archive.
LETTERS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY: 1969-1974
The first letter Matuschka wrote was to a Judge in 1970. It is a plea for help after being placed in foster care after she became a Ward of the State of New Jersey in 1969.. A copy of her handwritten draft, and then the typed version has been preserved. Matuschka was assigned a variety of social workers & therapists whom she had to correspond with during their sponsorship of her education. At 16 years old, Matuschka would begin lengthy pen pal relationships with almost everyone she befriended as stamps were cheaper than the cost of a phone call in those days.
