Ted Stamm slides of works of art and exhibitions measure 2.2 linear feet and date from circa 1968-1986, and 2018. The collection is comprised primarily of approximately 6450 35mm slides assembled by the painter Ted Stamm between his arrival in New York in 1968 and his death in 1984. The majority of the slides were photographed by Stamm himself, and collectively form a unique and expansive record of artworks and exhibitions on view in New York during that time period, by a variety of artists including Stamm.
Scope and Contents:
Ted Stamm slides of works of art and exhibitions measure 2.2 linear feet and date from circa 1968-1986, and 2018. The collection is comprised primarily of approximately 6450 35mm slides assembled by the painter Ted Stamm between his arrival in New York in 1968 and his death in 1984. The majority of the slides were photographed by Stamm himself, and collectively form a unique and expansive record of artworks and exhibitions on view in New York during that time period, by a variety of artists including Stamm.
The collection includes both exhibition views and individual artworks photographed in situ. In addition to exhibitions in galleries and nonprofit spaces, Stamm also photographed works installed in public spaces, graffiti and street art, and views of the gallery facades and architectural fabric of Lower Manhattan.
Stamm used the slides in his own teaching, and the collection includes a set of slides documenting periods of art history. Additional teaching material includes examples of course descriptions, syllabi, reading lists, and other teaching materials for courses taught by Stamm. Printed material includes an artist book, an exhibition catalog, and a monograph/catalog.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as three series.
Series 1: Slides, circa 1968-circa 1984 (Boxes 1-2; 2 linear feet)
Series 2: Teaching Material, 1977-1982 (Box 3; 0.1 linear feet)
Series 3: Printed Material, 1979-1986, 2018 (Box 3; 0.1 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Ted Stamm (1944-1984) was a multidisciplinary conceptual artist and educator in New York, New York, known for his focused series of paintings, works on paper, and studies. Stamm's studies, such as the Wooster series, were influenced by the shapes, street contours, and intersections he could see from his studio on Wooster Street in SoHo.
Stamm was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Hofstra University, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1967. In 1968 he settled in New York City and his early work was included in exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum Art School in New York and in the alumni show at Hofstra University in 1971.
From 1974 until his death in 1984, Stamm lived and worked on the top floor of 101 Wooster Street in New York City. There he began his iconic group of works titled Woosters, and subsequent series including Dodgers, from the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, C-Dodgers influenced by the Concorde planes he observed at John F. Kennedy Airport, and Designators, graffiti Stamm painted on buildings in stages which he would photograph each time he returned to develop the graffiti further.
Stamm's work was exhibited widely throughout his life, both internationally and in the United States. He taught classes at the School of Visual Arts, Hofstra University, and C. W. Post College, and was awarded National Endowment for the Arts and Guggenheim fellowships in 1981 and 1983.
Stamm died of congenital heart disease at the age of 39.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2022 by The Ted Stamm Estate via Per Haubro Jensen.
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.
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.
The Ted Stamm Estate donor has retained all intellectual property rights including copyright on all slides taken by Ted Stamm. Please contact the Ted Stamm Estate for copyright permission at tedstammestate.com.
Occupation:
Conceptual artists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Citation:
Ted Stamm slides of works of art and exhibitions, circa 1968-1986, 2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation.
