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Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971

Creator:
Dwan, Virginia, 1931-  Search this
Subject:
Parker, Raymond  Search this
Reinhardt, Ad  Search this
Weber, John  Search this
Snelson, Kenneth  Search this
Flavin, Dan  Search this
Andre, Carl  Search this
Guston, Philip  Search this
Saint-Phalle, Niki de  Search this
Kienholz, Edward  Search this
Mitchell, Joan  Search this
Klein, Yves  Search this
Rauschenberg, Robert  Search this
Morris, Robert  Search this
Scarpitta, Salvatore  Search this
Smithson, Robert  Search this
LeWitt, Sol  Search this
Richenburg, Robert  Search this
Raysse, Martial  Search this
Rivers, Larry  Search this
Oldenburg, Claes  Search this
Kline, Franz  Search this
Arman  Search this
Arakawa, Shusaku  Search this
Goodnough, Robert  Search this
Anastasi, William  Search this
Dwan Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Dwan Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this
Type:
Photographs
Slides (photographs)
Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- New York (State) -- New York -- Exhibitions  Search this
Art -- California -- Los Angeles -- Exhibitions  Search this
Earthworks (Art)  Search this
Minimal art  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Artists -- United States  Search this
Theme:
Art Gallery Records  Search this
Art Market  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6056
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)216037
AAA_collcode_dwangall
Theme:
Art Gallery Records
Art Market
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_216037
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Virginia Dwan, 1984 March 21-June 7

Interviewee:
Dwan, Virginia, 1931-  Search this
Interviewer:
Stuckey, Charles F.  Search this
Subject:
Andre, Carl  Search this
Arman  Search this
De Maria, Walter  Search this
Guston, Philip  Search this
Heizer, Michael  Search this
Kienholz, Edward  Search this
Klein, Yves  Search this
Kline, Franz  Search this
LeWitt, Sol  Search this
Rauschenberg, Robert  Search this
Reinhardt, Ad  Search this
Ryman, Robert  Search this
Smithson, Robert  Search this
Snelson, Kenneth  Search this
Tinguely, Jean  Search this
Dwan Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Dwan Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Virginia Dwan, 1984 March 21-June 7. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12911
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212277
AAA_collcode_dwan84
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_212277

Oral history interview with Robert Grosvenor, 1972 Aug. 9

Interviewee:
Grosvenor, Robert, 1937-  Search this
Interviewer:
Cummings, Paul, 1933-1997  Search this
Subject:
Bellamy, Richard  Search this
Congdon, William  Search this
Di Suvero, Mark  Search this
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Robert Grosvenor, 1972 Aug. 9. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)11843
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212482
AAA_collcode_grosve72
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_212482

Oral history interview with George Herms, 1993 Dec. 8-1994 Mar 10

Interviewee:
Herms, George, 1935-  Search this
Interviewer:
Karlstrom, Paul J  Search this
Subject:
Alexander, Robert  Search this
Asher, Betty  Search this
Berman, Wallace  Search this
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Hopps, Walter  Search this
Kienholz, Edward  Search this
Lamantia, Philip  Search this
McClure, Michael  Search this
Parker, Charlie  Search this
Di Prima, Diane  Search this
Ferus Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with George Herms, 1993 Dec. 8-1994 Mar 10. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Beat generation  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)12275
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)215576
AAA_collcode_herms93
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_215576
Online Media:

Exhibition records of the Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art

Creator:
Finch College. Museum of Art  Search this
Varian, Elayne H.  Search this
Names:
Acconci, Vito, 1940-  Search this
Anderson, David K., 1935-  Search this
Benglis, Lynda, 1941-  Search this
Benyon, Margaret, 1940-  Search this
Bochner, Mel, 1940-  Search this
Brooks, James, 1906-1992  Search this
Castelli, Leo  Search this
Chase, Doris, 1923-  Search this
Cross, Lloyd G.  Search this
Davis, Douglas  Search this
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Feigen, Richard L., 1930-  Search this
Glimcher, Arnold B.  Search this
Gottlieb, Adolph, 1903-1974  Search this
Graham, Dan, 1942-  Search this
Hollander, Irwin  Search this
Insley, Will, 1929-2011  Search this
Jackson, Martha Kellogg  Search this
Janis, Sidney, 1896-1989  Search this
Kirby, Michael  Search this
Levine, Les, 1935-  Search this
Lichtenstein, Roy, 1923-1997  Search this
Mazur, Michael, 1935-2009  Search this
Meyer, Ursula, 1915-  Search this
Nauman, Bruce, 1941-  Search this
O'Doherty, Brian  Search this
Parsons, Betty  Search this
Richter, Hans, 1888-1976  Search this
Siegelaub, Seth, 1941-  Search this
Smith, Tony, 1912-1980  Search this
Sonfist, Alan  Search this
Weiner, Sam  Search this
Wise, Howard  Search this
Extent:
20.9 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Transcripts
Interviews
Photographs
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Museum records
Date:
1943-1975
bulk 1964-1975
Summary:
The exhibition records of the Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art measure 20.9 linear feet and date from 1943 to 1975, with the bulk of records dating from the period its galleries were in operation, from 1964 to 1975. Over two-thirds of the collection consists of exhibition files, which contain a wide range of documentation including artist files, checklists, correspondence, writings, photographs, interviews, numerous films and videos, artist statements, printed materials, and other records. Also found within the collection are administrative records of the museum, artist files, and papers of the Contemporary Wing's director and curator, Elayne Varian, which were produced outside of her work at Finch College.
Scope and Contents:
The exhibition records of the Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art measure 20.9 linear feet and date from 1943 to 1975, with the bulk of records dating from the period its galleries were in operation, from 1964 to 1975. Over two-thirds of the collection consists of exhibition files, which contain a wide range of documentation including artist files, checklists, correspondence, writings, photographs, interviews, numerous films and videos, artist statements, printed materials, and other records. Also found within the collection are administrative records of the museum, artist files, and papers of the Contemporary Wing's director and curator, Elayne Varian, which were produced outside of her work at Finch College.

Administrative records include records relating to the general operation of the Contemporary Wing concerning fundraising, professional associations, budget, contact information for artists, donors, and lenders to exhibitions. Also found are records of the permanent collection of artworks acquired by the museum between 1964 and 1975 from contemporary artists and collectors of contemporary art.

Artist files contain basic biographical information on over 150 contemporary artists, with scattered correspondence, photographs, technical information about artworks, artist statements, and other writings. Artist files also include an incomplete run of artist questionnaires gathered by the New York Arts Calendar Annual for 1964.

Elayne Varian's personal papers include curatorial records, a course schedule and syllabus related to her teaching activities, and various writings. Curatorial projects documented in Varian's papers include three programs produced outside of Finch College, including a juried show at the New York State Fair in 1967, a film series at Everson Museum of Syracuse University, and an exhibition at Guild Hall in East Hampton in 1973. Several of Varian's writing projects involved interviews, which are also found in this series in the form of sound recordings and transcripts. Interview-based writing projects include individual profiles on Brian O'Doherty and Babette Newberger, and interviews conducted for an article on the artist-dealer relationship published in Art in America (January 1970). Dealers interviewed for the latter project include Leo Castelli, Virginia Dwan, John Gibson, Richard Feigen, Arnold Glimcher, Fred Mueller, Martha Jackson, Sidney Janis, Betty Parsons, Seth Siegelaub, and Howard Wise. Artists interviewed include Roy Lichtenstein, Adolph Gottlieb, and Charles Ross.

Exhibition files, comprising the bulk of the collection, document exhibitions held in the Contemporary Wing during its existence from 1964 to 1975. Types of records found in the series include exhibition catalogs, correspondence, loan agreements, lists, contact information, insurance valuations of artworks, photographs, biographical information on artists, clippings, posters, press releases, and other publicity materials. In addition to the rich textual and photographic records found for exhibitions, numerous audiovisual recordings are also found, some of which were made in preparation for an exhibition, some document mounted exhibitions, and others are artworks themselves or components of artworks exhibited in the galleries. Interviews with artists, dealers, and others involved in exhibitions include Alan Sonfist, Mel Bochner, Hans Richter, Ruth Richards, James Brooks and Janet Katz, Margaret Benyon, Irwin Hollander (transcript only), David Anderson, Doris Chase, Will Insley, Michael Kirby, Les Levine, Ursula Meyer, Brian O'Doherty, Charles Ross, Tony Smith, Douglas Davis, Jane Davis, Russ Connor, Les Levine, Michael Mazur, Paul Gedeohn, and physicists Lloyd G. Cross, Allyn Z. Lite, and Gerald Thomas Bern Pethick. Video artworks, recordings of performances, or components of multimedia artworks are found by artists Vito Acconci, Kathy Dillon, Douglas Davis, Dan Graham, Les Levine, Bruce Nauman, Michael Netter, Eric Siegel, and Robert Whitman. A film of the Art in Process: The Visual Development of a Structure (1966) exhibition is found, and video recordings of artists Lynda Benglis, Michael Singer, and Sam Wiener form as part of the documentation for the Projected Art: Artists at Work (1971) exhibition.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 4 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Administrative Records, 1950-1975 (2 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, 22, OV 23)

Series 2: Artist Files, 1958-1975 (2.4 linear feet; Boxes 3-4, 22, OV 23, FC 27-28)

Series 3: Elayne Varian Personal Papers, 1965-1970 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 5-6)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1943-1975 (14.9 linear feet; Boxes 6-22, OV 24-25, FC 26)
Biographical / Historical:
The Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art, later called simply the "Contemporary Wing," was established in 1964 by the president of Finch College, Roland De Marco, as an extension the Finch College Museum of Art in New York City.

Its mission was to educate art history students at the Manhattan women's college who were interested in working with contemporary art. DeMarco, himself an art collector, hired Elayne Varian as director and curator of the contemporary wing. DeMarco met Varian in the New York office of the prominent international art dealership Duveen Brothers, where she had worked since the mid-1940s, most recently as an art dealer. Varian received her art education in Chicago, where she studied art history and education at the University of Chicago, and took classes in film at the Bauhaus and in fine art the Art Institute of Chicago. Sensitive to emerging art movements in galleries and studios around the city of New York, as the contemporary wing's curator, Varian quickly established a reputation for thoughtfully conceived, cutting-edge exhibitions which were consistently well-received by the press.

Under Varian, the Contemporary Wing carried out a dual mission of showing work of living artists and educating students and the public about the artwork and museum work in general. Varian used the galleries to provide practical training to students interested in a gallery or museum career throughout its existence. For several years, she also maintained an assistantship position for post-graduate museum professionals to gain experience in the field, many of whom went on to careers in museums across New York State.

The Contemporary Wing's best-known exhibitions formed a series of six shows called Art in Process, held between 1965 and 1972. Each of the Art in Process shows took a different medium, including painting, sculpture, collage, conceptual art, installation art, and serial art, and brought the process of art-making into the gallery with the artworks in various ways. For example, for Art in Process V (1972), the show about installation art, the galleries were open to the public for the entire process of its installation, allowing visitors to watch the works take shape. Another show entitled Documentation (1968) exhibited artworks with documentation such as artist's notes, sales records, and conservation records, bringing to light the value of record-keeping in the visual arts. Two exhibitions entitled Projected Art were also innovative, with the first (1966-1967) bringing experimental films from the cinema to the galleries, and the second (1971) showing artists' processes via footage and slides of artists working. Another show, Artists' Videotape Performances (1971), involved both screening of and creation of works in the gallery using a range of experiments with recent video technology. The museum also participated in an experimental broadcast of an artwork entitled Talk Out! by Douglas Davis, in which a telephone in the gallery allowed visitors to participate in its creation while it was broadcast live from Syracuse, NY. Other exhibitions that showcased experimentation in art included N-Dimensional Space (1970), on holography in art, Destruction Art(1968), on destructive actions being incorporated into contemporary art-making, and Schemata 7 (1967), a show about the use of environments in contemporary art, whose working title was "Walk-in Sculpture."

Other popular exhibitions at the Contemporary Wing included shows on Art Deco (1970) and Art Nouveau (1969). Several shows mined the private collections of prominent contemporary art collectors including Martha Jackson, Betty Parsons, George Rickey, Paul Magriel, Jacques Kaplan, Josephine and Philip Bruno, and Carlo F. Bilotti. A number of exhibitions featured contemporary art from overseas including Art from Belgium (1965), Art from Finland (1973), Seven Swedish Painters (1965), and Art in Jewelry (1966), which featured mainly international jewelry artists. Retrospective exhibitions of Hans Richter, Hugo Weber, and James Brooks were also held.

Hundreds of contemporary artists were shown at the Contemporary Wing in the eleven years of its existence, including many who came to be leading figures in contemporary art, and some who already were, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Mel Bochner, Eva Hesse, Lynda Benglis, Bruce Nauman, Robert Morris, Lawrence Weiner, Robert Smithson, Sol Le Witt, Dan Flavin, Philip Pearlstein, and Yayoi Kusama, to name just a few.

The Contemporary Wing and the entire Finch College Museum of Art shut its doors in 1975, when Finch College closed due to lack of funds. The permanent collection was sold at that time, and the proceeds were used to pay Finch College employee salaries. Elayne Varian went on to the position of curator of contemporary art at the John and Mabel Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. She died in 1987.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with curator Elayne Varian conducted by Paul Cummings, May 2, 1975.
Provenance:
The Archives of American Art acquired these records from the Finch College Museum of Art after it closed permanently in June 1975.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
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.
Occupation:
Video artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Museum administrators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Museum curators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Gallery directors  Search this
Gallery owners  Search this
Genre/Form:
Transcripts
Interviews
Photographs
Sound recordings
Video recordings
Museum records
Citation:
Exhibition records of the Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art, 1943-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.finccoll
See more items in:
Exhibition records of the Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ed5f13a2-eeb3-452a-8735-204ff25576b5
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-finccoll
Online Media:

Dwan Gallery (Dwan, Virginia)

Collection Creator:
Smithson, Robert  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 31
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966-1971
Collection 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.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, holds the intellectual property rights, including copyright, to all materials created by Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt with the exception of the following items: two holiday cards found in box 11, folders 22-23. For these two items, copyright held by Holt/Smithson Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Requests for permission to reproduce should be submitted to ARS.
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.
Collection Citation:
Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt papers, 1905-1987. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt papers
Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt papers / Series 2: Correspondence / 2.2: General
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9012be0cc-07a0-4d6a-a52a-f48e4ffef341
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-smitrobe-ref48

Oral history interview with George Herms

Interviewee:
Herms, George, 1935-  Search this
Interviewer:
Karlstrom, Paul J.  Search this
Names:
Ferus Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this
Alexander, Robert  Search this
Asher, Betty  Search this
Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976  Search this
Di Prima, Diane  Search this
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Hopps, Walter  Search this
Kienholz, Edward, 1927-  Search this
Lamantia, Philip, 1927-  Search this
McClure, Michael  Search this
Parker, Charlie, 1920-1955  Search this
Extent:
8 Sound cassettes (Sound recording (60 min.), analog)
162 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Pages
Date:
1993 Dec. 8-1994 Mar 10
Scope and Contents:
An interview of George Herms conducted 1993 Dec. 8-1994 Mar. 10, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.
Herms discusses the development of his ideas and art. He recalls individuals and events associated with avant-garde art activity in California from the 1950s to present (1990s). He recalls Philip Lamantia, Charlie Parker, Wallace Berman, Robert Alexander, Ferus Gallery, Walter Hopps, Edward Kienholz, Virginia Dwan, Betty Asher, Michael McClure, and Diane di Prima, among others.
Biographical / Historical:
George Herms (1935- ) is an assemblage and collage artist of Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif. Central participant in the West Coast Beat culture.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1959 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Beat generation  Search this
Identifier:
AAA.herms93
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99005d1ed-2303-4050-88fa-446901b6559d
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-herms93
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Robert Smithson

Interviewee:
Smithson, Robert  Search this
Interviewer:
Cummings, Paul  Search this
Names:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Extent:
59 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1972 July 14-19
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Robert Smithson conducted 1972 July 14-19, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art at 799 Greenwich Street in New York on July 14 and 19 1972. Smithson speaks of growing up in Passaic, New Jersey; primary and high school; high school art education; going to New York Museums; writing and its impact on art work; the Artists Gallery; the Art Students League; his time in the army; the Cedar Bar; Quicksand; the Museum of Modern Art; art education; Sam Smithson; his father; traveling the U.S.; Brooklyn Museum School; impact of the Museum of Natural History; moving to New York; visiting Europe; psychology; show at the George Lester Gallery; the Broken Circle; Dallas-Fort Worth Airport; crystalline structures; meeting William Carlos Williams; cosmology; Enantiomorphic Chambers; mapping; painting and drawing; the Dwan Gallery; getting married; Aerial Art; earthworks; sculpture; the Cryosphere; Alogon; Rome; stratas; nonsites; When Attitudes Become Form; Attitudes; mining sites and quarries; light and reflection; the Spiral Jetty; coordination of large works; documentation; selection of sites; Gyrostasis; weather's impact and seasonal change of the Spiral Jetty; confines of the gallery and museum; mirrors; landscapes; artist materials; art education; traveling; art and vacations; documenta; Smithson also recalls Federica Beer-Monti , Hugh Stix , Danny Donohue, Joe Levin, Charlie Hasloff, John Cassavetes , Alan Brilliant, Irving Sandler, Barnett Newman, Richard Bellamy,John Groth, Lawrence Alloway, T. S. Elliot, Donald Judd, William Carlos Williams, Jackson Pollock, William Burroughs, Ad Reinhardt, Dan Flavin, Virginia Dwan, Rosalind Krauss, and others.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Smithson (1938-1973) was a sculptor well known for his earthworks.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hr.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Environmental artists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century  Search this
Art -- Philosophy  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.smiths72
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a3c8b740-0374-4dc6-87f9-616fbbc142c1
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-smiths72
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Robert Grosvenor

Interviewee:
Grosvenor, Robert, 1937-  Search this
Interviewer:
Cummings, Paul  Search this
Names:
Bellamy, Richard  Search this
Congdon, William, 1912-1998  Search this
Di Suvero, Mark, 1933-  Search this
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound tape reel (Sound recording, 5 in.)
54 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound tape reels
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1972 Aug. 9
Scope and Contents:
Interview of Robert Grosvenor conducted 1972 Aug. 9, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art.
Grosvenor speaks of his early life and education in Newport, R.I.; studying in Europe; his first formal art instruction in Dijon, France; the art and architecture scene in Paris; his U.S. Army service; meeting Mark di Suvero, and his influence; his one-man show at the Dwan Gallery; materials; and the impermanence of his pieces. He recalls Richard Bellamy, Virginia Dwan, and William Congdon.
Biographical / Historical:
Robert Grosvenor (1937-) is a sculptor from New York N.Y.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
ACCESS RESTRICTED; written permission required.
Use requires an appointment.
Occupation:
Art students -- France -- Paris  Search this
Topic:
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.grosve72
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9383e459b-83e9-4103-bf40-d9e95197721e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-grosve72

Oral history interview with Virginia Dwan

Interviewee:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Interviewer:
Stuckey, Charles F.  Search this
Names:
Elizabeth Murray Oral History of Women in the Visual Arts Project  Search this
Extent:
66 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
2010 July 14-2011 March 21
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Virginia Dwan conducted 2010 July 14-2011 March 21, by Charles F. Stuckey, for the Archives of American Art's Elizabeth Murray Oral History of Women in the Visual Arts project, at Dwan's home, in New York, New York.
Biographical / Historical:
Virginia Dwan (1931- ) is an art collector and philanthropist in New York, New York.
General:
Originally recorded as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 3 hrs., 48 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Restrictions:
For information on how to access this interview contact Reference Services.
Rights:
Authorization to quote or reproduce for the purposes of publication requires written permission from Virginia Dwan, c/o of Anne Kovach. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Collectors -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Philanthropists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Women art dealers  Search this
Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this
Women art collectors  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.dwan10
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fdab0cdc-e6b7-462e-8aa9-4078f58c3a52
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-dwan10

Dwan Gallery records

Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Names:
Dwan Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this
Dwan Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Anastasi, William, 1933-  Search this
Andre, Carl, 1935-  Search this
Arakawa, Shusaku, 1936-  Search this
Arman, 1928-2005  Search this
Flavin, Dan, 1933-  Search this
Goodnough, Robert, 1917-  Search this
Guston, Philip, 1913-1980  Search this
Kienholz, Edward, 1927-  Search this
Klein, Yves, 1928-1962  Search this
Kline, Franz, 1910-1962  Search this
LeWitt, Sol, 1928-2007  Search this
Mitchell, Joan, 1926-1992  Search this
Morris, Robert, 1931-2018  Search this
Oldenburg, Claes, 1929-  Search this
Parker, Raymond, 1922-  Search this
Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008  Search this
Raysse, Martial, 1936-  Search this
Reinhardt, Ad, 1913-1967  Search this
Richenburg, Robert  Search this
Rivers, Larry, 1925-  Search this
Saint-Phalle, Niki de, 1930-  Search this
Scarpitta, Salvatore, 1919-2007  Search this
Smithson, Robert  Search this
Snelson, Kenneth, 1927-2016  Search this
Weber, John, 1932-2008  Search this
Extent:
2.3 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Slides (photographs)
Date:
1959-circa 1982
bulk 1959-1971
Summary:
The Dwan Gallery records measure 2.3 linear feet and consist primarily of files of exhibitions curated by Virginia Dwan at Dwan Galleries in Los Angeles (1959-1967) and New York (1965-1971). Found within this nearly comprehensive set of exhibition files may be lists of exhibited works, price lists, photographs, slides or color transparencies of installations, invitations, full-size posters, magazine and newspaper clippings and exhibition catalogs.
Scope and Contents:
The Dwan Gallery records measure 2.3 linear feet and consist primarily of files of exhibitions curated by Virginia Dwan at Dwan Galleries in Los Angeles (1959-1967) and New York (1965-1971). Found within this nearly comprehensive set of exhibition files may be lists of exhibited works, price lists, photographs, slides or color transparencies of installations, invitations, full-size posters, magazine and newspaper clippings and exhibition catalogs.

Artists that held exhibitions at the Dwan Gallery in New York and Los Angeles include: Robert Goodnough, Robert Richenburg, Larry Rivers, Philip Guston, Yves Klein, Salvatore Scarpitta, Arakawa, Martial Raysse, Ad Reinhardt, Arman, Franz Kline, Edward Kienholz, Claes Oldenburg, Niki de Sainte Phalle, Joan Mitchell, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Morris, Dan Flavin, Raymond Parker, Kenneth Snelson, Carl Andre, Sol LeWitt, Robert Smithson, and Anastasi. Also, the exhibition files are nearly comprehensive and include: Language to be Looked at and/or Things to be Read annual series (1967-1970), Boxes (1964), Earth Works (1968), My Country 'tis of Thee (1962) and 10 (1967 and 1968). Many of the multiple artist shows were created and organized by gallery director John Weber and/or Virginia Dwan. Many of these exhibition files include full-sized posters and panoramic photos showing installations.

Also found are records created by a consulting firm hired by the Dwan Gallery to inventory the exhibition files prior to donation to the Archives of American Art. These guides appear at the beginning of each series and outline a chronology of exhibitions held at each branch.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into two series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Los Angeles Exhibition Files, 1959-1967, after 1981 (Box 1-2, 5, OV6, OV8; 1.3 linear feet)

Series 2: New York Exhibition Files, 1965-1971, after 1982 (Box 2-4, OV7; 1.0 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
In 1959, Virginia Dwan opened her first gallery on 1091 Broxton Avenue in the Westwood Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Her independent wealth allowed her to open a gallery without worrying about business and sales. Three years after opening, the Dwan Gallery moved into a new Westwood Village space especially designed to express the gallery's contemporary aesthetic. In 1965, Virginia Dwan moved to New York City and founded an east coast branch of the Dwan Gallery at 29 West 57th Street.

Early exhibitions at the Dwan Gallery showed Abstract Expressionist artists and works of art from New York which Dwan consigned from other galleries. After traveling to New York and France, Virginia Dwan's interests and tastes manifested in exhibitions by 1961 with Yves Klein. Through Klein, Dwan made connections to other Nouveaux Réalistes artists that the gallery featured in solo and group shows. Later exhibitions featured Land and Minimilist artists. Dwan recognized that many of her shows were not considered salable but continued to show the avant-garde. She saw the gallery as an opportunity to expose the public to different styles of art.

Virginia Dwan maintained a close and personal relationship with many of her artists. She allowed large stipends to gallery artists and invited them to spend time at her home in Malibu, California. When working with artists concentrating on found objects, Dwan would accompany them on scavenger hunts and shopping trips. In the case of Robert Smithson and other Land Art artists, she traveled to offsite locations to visit works of art in progress. Dwan relied on her longtime gallery director, John Weber to interact with collectors as she preferred to maintain her connection with the artists.

The Dwan Gallery Los Angeles closed in mid-1967 but the New York branch remained open. By 1971, Virginia Dwan felt pressure to support her thirteen artists through a period of economic insecurity. She decided to close the gallery secretly and only informed her artists at the last minute. The final exhibition at Dwan Gallery New York closed in June of 1971.
Related Materials:
Also found within the Archives of American Art is an interview with Virginia Dwan conducted March 21 through June 1, 1984 by Charles Stuckey.
Separated Materials:
Dwan Gallery exhibition catalogs that were donated to the Archives in 1989 were transferred to the Smithsonian Institution American Art and National Portrait Gallery Library.

Bard College's Center for Curatorial Studies and Art in Contemporary Culture holds Dwan Gallery materials related to exhibitions in the Library and Archives.
Provenance:
The Dwan Gallery records were donated in 1996 by Virginia Dwan, the former owner of the gallery.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers 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:
Art -- New York (State) -- New York -- Exhibitions  Search this
Art -- California -- Los Angeles -- Exhibitions  Search this
Earthworks (Art)  Search this
Minimal art  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Artists -- United States  Search this
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- California
Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State)
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Slides (photographs)
Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.dwangall
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94e337be1-1336-40b7-a8a2-03c8589bab03
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-dwangall
Online Media:

New York Exhibition Files

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Extent:
1 Linear foot (Box 2-4, OV7)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1965-1971, after 1982
Scope and Contents note:
Found within this series may be lists of exhibited works, price lists, photographs, slides or color transparencies of installations, invitations, full-size posters, magazine and newspaper clippings and exhibition catalogs. Noteworthy exhibitions include artists Arakawa, Anastasi, Kenneth Snelson, Sol LeWitt, Robert Smithson, Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, and Walter De Maria. Other important exhibitions include 10 (1966), Language to be Looked at and/or Things to be Read (1967-1970), and Earth Works (1968).
Arrangement note:
This series is arranged in chronological order according to the opening date of each exhibition. Exhibition posters have been placed into oversized folders.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.dwangall, Series 2
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw936d92379-e9da-4b6d-ac61-e4bbae03589d
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref100

Guides to New York Exhibitions

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 31
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
after 1982
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9595ba379-f61e-41da-919d-096f54dac2f0
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref101

Edward Kienholz: The Beanery

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 32
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1965 November 23
Scope and Contents:
Oversized material housed in OV7
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9fe17092b-c8e9-4d2d-b355-1f8e1166afcb
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref102

Arakawa: For Instance, Instant

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 33
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966 January 4
Scope and Contents:
Oversized material housed in OV7
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9cba6212b-1aea-4e92-9ecc-24f6b3cfe7f5
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref103

Anastasi: Sound Object

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 34
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966 February 1
Scope and Contents:
Oversized material housed in OV7
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw941965f21-17e8-4ef2-9af7-88379c867426
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref104

Tom Doyle

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 35
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966 March 1
Scope and Contents:
Oversized material housed in OV7
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw943b7cf1f-6dff-45e0-b118-087e7da87918
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref105

Kenneth Snelson

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 36
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966 April 12
Scope and Contents:
Oversized material housed in OV7
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9442c42ed-8376-4f09-91cd-2f51535223ad
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref106

Sol LeWitt

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 37
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966 May 10
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e454e9f5-1962-4f6e-93bb-6fdb5413d198
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref107

10

Collection Creator:
Dwan, Virginia  Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 38
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1966 October 4
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Collection 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.
Collection Citation:
Dwan Gallery records, 1959-circa 1982, bulk 1959-1971. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Dwan Gallery records
Dwan Gallery records / Series 2: New York Exhibition Files
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9bb4e6e18-a215-4696-a77c-2f5157320798
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-dwangall-ref108

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