The records of the Sculptors Guild measure 5.7 linear feet, date from 1936-1979, and document the history of this non-profit artist organization from its inception in 1937 to the late 1970s. The records contain correspondence and minutes documenting the activities of the Guild's various committees, legal and financial records, artist files for Guild members, exhibition files, printed material, scrapbooks and photographs.
Scope and Content Note:
The records of the Sculptors Guild measure 5.7 linear feet, date from 1936-1979, and document the history of this non-profit artist organization from its inception in 1937 to the late 1970s. The records contain correspondence and minutes documenting the activities of the Guild's various committees, legal and financial records, artist files for Guild members, exhibition files, printed material, scrapbooks and photographs.
The early years of the Guild's history, from 1938-1948, are particularly well documented in business records including detailed meeting minutes of the executive board, membership and nominating committees, and exhibition and cultural committees. Correspondence files provide a good overview of the development of Guild programs and changes within the organization from 1937-1976, although coverage of events from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s is relatively sparse. Researchers should consult subseries 1.2: Correspondence by Subject, for records relating to this period.
Artist files provide biographical information for and photographs of many of the Guild's members. Scrapbooks, exhibition files and printed material document the founding of the Guild and its exhibitions from the late 1930s to the 1970s. The collection also contains photographs of Guild members, officers and many of its exhibitions.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series.
Missing Title
Series 1: Correspondence, 1937-1976 (Boxes 1, 9, OV 10; 1.0 linear foot)
Series 2: Business Records, 1936-1974 (Boxes 2-3; 1.6 linear feet)
Series 3: Artist Files, 1936-circa 1965 (Boxes 3-4, 7; 1.2 linear feet)
Series 4: Exhibition Files, circa 1938-1979 (Boxes 4, 9, OV 10; 0.5 linear feet)
Series 5: Scrapbooks, 1938-1952 (Boxes 7-9; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 6: Printed Material, circa 1938-1974 (Boxes 5-6, OV 10; 0.7 linear feet)
Series 7: Photographs, circa 1938, circa 1960s (Box 6; 1 folder)
Historical Note:
The Sculptors Guild was founded in New York City in 1937 by a group of artists interested in the promotion of contemporary sculpture in a wide variety of styles through free group exhibitions and educational programs. Membership in the Guild was obtainable only by invitation, based on a sculptor's creative ability and professional standing.
The Guild held annual exhibitions of contemporary sculpture in locations such as the terrace of the International Building at Rockefeller Plaza, Bryant Park, the New York Botanical Gardens, and perhaps most notably at Lever House, marking the introduction of the exhibition of professional art in corporate lobbies. The Guild frequently combined demonstrations and lectures with its exhibitions. Many traveling exhibitions circulated under the auspices of the American Federation of Arts, the Carnegie Corporation, and the Board of Education of the City of New York. The Guild also held several outdoor exhibitions in various other locations in New York City, and at the New York World's Fair in 1939-1940.
Between 1937 and 1964 the Sculptors Guild was supported by membership dues, a 30 percent commission taken on sales of sculpture at annual exhibibitions and private funding. In the mid-1960s the Guild recognized the need for increased funding from foundations and established the Friends of the Sculptors Guild to this end.
The Sculptors Guild was headquartered at various New York locations throughout its history. From 1937-1938, it was located at 52 West 8th Street, moving in early 1939 to 37 East 4th Street. Later that year the Guild moved again, to 96 Fifth Avenue, where it stayed for 25 years. In 1966 the Guild moved to 106 West 16th Street and, in the following year, to 797 Madison Avenue. In 1991 the Guild was located at 35 East 85th Street. The Sculptors Guild is still in operation in 2005 and is located at the Soho Building, 110 Greene Street, New York City.
Provenance:
The Sculptors Guild records were donated by the Sculptors Guild in 1966, 1979, and 1991 and were microfilmed on Reels D262-D266A and 5908-5910 in the order in which they were received.
Restrictions:
Collection is partially microfilmed. Use of material not microfilmed requires an appointment.
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.
Topic:
Sculpture, American -- Societies, etc. Search this
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
