This collection is arranged as five series. Series 1: Personal Papers, 1973-1984 (Box 1, 2 Folders) Series 2: "Howard William Mehring 1931-1978: Washington Color Painter", circa 1977-1978 (Box 1, 12 Folders) Series 3: Photographs, circa 1977-2004 (Box 1-6, OV 7, 5.5 linear feet) Series 4: Sound and Video Recordings, 1977-1995 (Boxes 6, 8-14, 2.3 linear feet) Series 5: Unprocessed Addition, circa 1973-2004 (Boxes 15-16, 0.6 linear feet)
Access Note / Rights:
The collection is open for research. Archival audiovisual recordings must be digitized for research access. Researchers may access digitized audiovisual materials in the Archives' Washington, D.C. or New York, N.Y. Research Centers by appointment. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Summary:
The papers of photographer and curator Mary Swift measure 8.8 linear feet and date from 1973-2004. The bulk of the collection contains photographs that Swift took while working for the Washington Review . The images consist of photographs, contact sheets, and negatives of artists and art events in Washington, D.C. Also included are some personal papers; two video recordings of art events in Washington, D.C.; research material and a manuscript from Swift's M.A. thesis "Howard William Mehring, 1931-1978: Washington Color Painter" from George Washington University; and 105 sound recordings and two VHS videocassette tapes of interviews conducted by Swift, radio programs and panel discussions. There is a 0.6 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2023 that includes three photograph albums, slides and two audio cassettes. Materials date from circa 1973-2004.
Citation:
Mary Swift papers, 1973-2004. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Additional Forms:
Mary Swift's M.A. thesis, "Howard William Mehring, 1931-1978: Washington Color Painter," is available on 35mm microfilm reel 2762 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Funding:
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.
Use Note:
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.
Biography Note:
Mary Swift (1929-2022) was a photographer and curator in Washington, D.C. She received her B.A. from Vassar College in 1950 with a major in English History. Swift then moved to London for her husband's work, and did not return to the United States until the 1960s. She received her M.A. from Catholic University's Speech and Drama Department in 1968, and an M.A. in Art History from George Washington University in 1978.
Language Note:
English .
Provenance:
This collection was donated in three installments in 2016, 2018 and 2023 by Mary Swift via her children, Isabel Swift Byron and William Swift.
Location Note:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 750 9th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
