The papers of Jan Stussy measure 8.1 linear feet and date from 1924 to 2018. The papers document the career of painter and educator Jan Stussy through correspondence; a resume and other professional documentation; clippings and exhibition announcements; and photographs and slides of Stussy and his artwork. The papers also document the life of artist Stanton MacDonald-Wright through correspondence with Stussy; manuscripts and other writings; lectures and discussions with Stussy; clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs of MacDonald-Wright, Stussy, and Stussy's artwork.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Jan Stussy measure 8.1 linear feet and date from 1924-2018. The papers document the career of painter and educator Jan Stussy through correspondence; a resume and other professional documentation; clippings and exhibition announcements; and photographs and slides of Stussy and his artwork. The papers also document the life of artist Stanton MacDonald-Wright through correspondence with Stussy; manuscripts and other writings; lectures and discussions with Stussy; clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs of MacDonald-Wright.
Biographical material consists of Stussy family history, material on Fred Stussy, Stussy's Boy Scout scrapbook, and an obituary.
Correspondence consists of letters from Stussy to his wife, Maxine Kim Stussy, with various museums and institutions such as the United States Embassy in Turkey, and a collection of postcards. Also included are correspondence between Stussy and Stanton MacDonald-Wright.
Writings consist of a biography and general notes on Stanton MacDonald-Wright, articles on art, manuscripts for screenplays written by Stussy, poetry, and miscellaneous notes. Also included are some of Stussy's diaries from the 1940s and 1980s.
Personal business records consist of mainly inventory and price lists, some general account records, general invoices and related correspondence, and invoices from the Esther Robles Gallery.
Professional activity material consists of resumes, academic evaluations and promotions from his time as a professor at UCLA, awards, screenplay material, and some exhibition files. Also included are a series of audio cassette interviews between Stussy and Stanton MacDonald-Wright, an audio cassette lecture by MacDonald-Wright, and a video cassette on "The Ideals of Occidental Composition."
Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, published articles by Stussy, a book on Stussy's art, and a book featuring some of Stussy's illustrations.
Artwork consists of sketches done by students for some of Stussy's courses in 1948, sketches by Stussy, and collages.
Photographic material consists of photographs of Stussy, Stanton MacDonald-Wright, and of Stussy's artwork. There is a large collection of slides of Stussy's artwork and of tattoo art. Also included are four 8mm film reels of photographs of primarily tattoo art.
Catalog of artwork is a catalog put together by the Jan Stussy Foundation. The catalog contains a listing of Stussy's works consisting of a general list of works, photographs of artwork on index cards, and catalog worksheets with titles and other pertinent information related to each piece.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into nine series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1924-1990 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1940-1991 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 3: Writings, 1943-1992 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1943-1988, 2018 (0.1 linear feet; Box 2)
Series 5: Professional Activity Files, 1950-1990 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)
Series 6: Printed Material, 1940-2016 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 3, 9-10)
Series 7: Artwork, circa 1948 (0.2 linear feet; Boxes 3)
Series 8: Photographic and Motion Picture Film Material, 1950-1989 (3.3 linear feet; Boxes 3-5, 7, OV 8, FC 09-12)
Series 9: Catalog of Artwork, circa 1995 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 5-6)
Biographical / Historical:
Jan Stussy (1921-1990) was a painter and educator primarily in Los Angeles, California. Stussy was born in 1921 in Benton County, Missouri, and he taught at UCLA. Stussy studied with Stanton MacDonald-Wright and remained life-long friends with him. Stussy was married to artist Maxine Kim Stussy.
Stanton MacDonald-Wright (1890-1973) was a modern American artist and co-founder of Syncromism, an early abstract, color-based mode of painting, which was the first American avant-garde art movement to receive international attention. MacDonald-Wright was born in Charlotteville, Virginia in 1890. He moved to Los Angeles in 1918 where he would serve as director of the Southern California division of the Works Project Administration Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1943. He also taught art at UCLA.
Provenance:
The Jan Stussy papers were donated to the archives between 1976-1985 by Jan Stussy and in 2022 by Belinda Franekl, Maxine Stussy's stepdaughter.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Jan Stussy papers, 1924-2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
