Colby alumnus and Maine native Bern Porter (1911–2004) was an artist, writer, philosopher, and scientist. A pioneer in the arts, he is known for his landmark work as an author and publisher. As an artist he produced mail art, found and performance poetry, typography, sculpture, photography, artists’ books, and collage. Housed in Colby College Libraries' Special Collections, the Bern Porter Collection of Contemporary Letters is an eclectic mix of published and unpublished materials that reflects the complexity, creativity and humor of Porter himself.
Finding Aid | How Bern Porter Saw the World
Browse the Bern Porter Collection of Contemporary Letters Collections:
- 1. Early Influences and Aptitude (1910s-1920s)
- 2. Colby, Art and Physics (1920s-1940s)
- 3. Wartime / Manhattan Project (1941-1945)
- 4. Post-War / I've Left (1945-1960s)
- 5. Scrutiny / Arrest (1950s-1960s)
- 6. The Institute of Advanced Thinking (1960-2004)