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Japanese Doll Maker: Anne Cox (Interview)

Creator:
Smithsonian Education  Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2011-02-02T13:36:23.000Z
YouTube Category:
Education  Search this
Topic:
Education  Search this
See more by:
SmithsonianEducation
Data Source:
Smithsonian Education
YouTube Channel:
SmithsonianEducation
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:yt_6fzjnolxAAY

Burt Chernow papers

Creator:
Chernow, Burt  Search this
Names:
Housatonic Community College (Bridgeport, Conn.)  Search this
Housatonic Museum of Art  Search this
Westport Schools Permanent Art Collection  Search this
Westport-Weston Arts Council (Westport, Conn.)  Search this
Arman, 1928-2005  Search this
Avery, Milton, 1885-1965  Search this
Christo, 1935-  Search this
Hendricks, Barkley L., 1945-  Search this
Jeanne-Claude, 1935-2009  Search this
Johnson, Lester, 1919-2010  Search this
Peterdi, Gabor  Search this
Woodham, Jean, 1925-  Search this
Zúñiga, Francisco, 1912-1998  Search this
Extent:
21.8 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Interviews
Transcriptions
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Photographs
Date:
1930-2002
Summary:
The papers of Burt Chernow measure 21.8 linear feet and consist mainly of research materials gathered and produced in the course of writing Christo and Jeanne-Claude: A Biography over an extensive period of close contact with the subjects, from the early 1980s until Chernow's death in 1997. Research materials for the biography include photocopies of personal documents of the Christos, hundreds of recorded interviews with Christo, Jeanne-Claude, their family members, and their associates, transcripts of interviews and research on interview subjects, other collected research material compiled chronologically, drafts of the biography written by Chernow, drafts of the biography and its epilogue produced after Chernow's death, and business records related to the book's production, which include significant correspondence with the Christos. Also found are the published German and U.S. editions of the biography, printed materials and photographs related to the book's subject matter, and fabric samples from five of the Christos' projects undertaken during Chernow's association with them. Chernow's career as an art critic, writer, educator, and arts advocate, primarily in Southern Connecticut, is documented in Chernow's other writings, organizational records, printed materials, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Burt Chernow measure 21.8 linear feet and consist mainly of research materials gathered and produced in the course of writing Christo and Jeanne-Claude: A Biography over an extensive period of close contact with the subjects, from the early 1980s until Chernow's death in 1997. Research materials for the biography include photocopies of personal documents of the Christos, hundreds of recorded interviews with Christo, Jeanne-Claude, their family members, and their associates, transcripts of interviews and research on interview subjects, other collected research material compiled chronologically, drafts of the biography written by Chernow, drafts of the biography and its epilogue produced after Chernow's death, and business records related to the book's production, which include significant correspondence with the Christos. Also found are the published German and U.S. editions of the biography, printed materials and photographs related to the book's subject matter, and fabric samples from five of the Christos' projects undertaken during Chernow's association with them.

Chernow's career as an art critic, writer, educator, and arts advocate, primarily in Southern Connecticut, is documented in Chernow's other writings, organizational records, printed materials, and photographs. Other writings include drafts of articles, lectures, exhibition reviews, and catalog essays, some of which include research material gathered on the subjects. Artists written about by Chernow include Arman, Milton Avery, Barkley Hendricks, Francisco Zuñiga, Lester Johnson, Gabor Peterdi, and Jean Woodham, among many others, and including many Connecticut artists. A recorded interview with Arman, as well as transcripts of multiple interviews with Zuñiga, are filed with these writings. Also found are many writings and lectures related to the value of visual art in public life and in elementary and higher education. Numerous lectures by Chernow about several of the Christos' large-scale projects are also found, one of which, on the Wrapped Reichstag, is recorded on video.

Organizational records document Chernow's involvement in various art education organizations, his years of teaching at Housatonic Community College, his development of the Housatonic Museum of Art collection, and his work with several local arts organizations in Westport, Conn., including the Westport Arts Advisory Council, the Westport Arts Center, the Westport Schools Permanent Art Collection Committee, and the Westport Weston Arts Council. Types of documents found include correspondence, clippings, photographs, flyers, and notes.

Printed material includes many of the books written by Chernow, and monographs and magazines which included essays on specific artists by Chernow. A file of clippings about Chernow spanning his career is also found. Photographs include prints, negatives, and contact sheets, and consist mainly of photographs of artists, many of which were taken by Chernow, and many of which are signed by the artists with a personal note to the Chernows. A handful of personal photographs of the Chernows are also found.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged as 5 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Research Material for -- Christo and Jeanne-Claude: A Biography -- , 1930-2002 (17.1 linear feet; Boxes 1-17, 23, OV 24)

Series 2: Other Writing, 1962-1999 (1.5 linear feet; Boxes 17-19)

Series 3: Organizational Records, 1963-2000 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 19-20, 23, OV 24)

Series 4: Printed Material, 1960-2002 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 20-21, 23)

Series 5: Photographs, 1950-1997 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 21-23, OV 24)
Biographical / Historical:
Burt Chernow was an art historian, writer, educator, collector, and dealer who founded the Housatonic Museum of Art in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and who, upon his retirement from Housatonic Community College, became the authorized biographer of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, which he researched through close contact with the Christos from 1984 until his death in 1997. Although he had not completed the biography when he died, his wife Ann Chernow saw the manuscript through to publication, and the biography, Christo and Jeanne-Claude: A Biography, was first published in Germany in 2000, and then in the United States in 2002.

Born in New York City in 1933, Chernow earned a master's degree in art education at New York University in 1960, and began his career as an art teacher in the Westport, Connecticut public schools, later joining the faculty of the Art Department at the Housatonic Community College, where he eventually became the department's director. He also taught at the Museum of Modern Art, organizing the Children's Art Carnival in Harlem through the museum, and at Silvermine School of the Arts, the A.B.C.D. Arts Center in Bridgeport, Conn., and the Stamford Museum. While on the faculty at Housatonic Community College, he began collecting original artworks, mainly through donations directly from the artists, for what eventually became the Housatonic Museum of Art. Over the course of nearly 30 years he amassed over 4000 works for the collection, the largest of its kind for a community college, and remained the museum's Emeritus Director until his death. He remained active in civic arts organizations in Westport as well, where he was a founding member of the Westport Arts Center, served on the Westport Arts Advisory Council, and helped to establish the annual Westport Arts Awards.

Upon his retirement from the Housatonic faculty in 1984, Chernow approached Christo and Jeanne-Claude about becoming their authorized biographer. He had participated in their project Surrounded Islands in Miami in 1983, and had played a role in exhibitions and artist talks by Christo at the Aldrich Museum (1981) and the Wadsworth Atheneum (1978) as well. He and his wife Ann Chernow attended and helped to document the Wrapped Pont Neuf (1985) in Paris, and then visited Christo's family in Bulgaria in 1986. It was after their Bulgarian trip that Christo and Jeanne-Claude agreed to authorize him to write their biography, and Chernow's research began in earnest. He conducted hundreds of interviews with them, their family, and associates, participated in the major large-scale projects that took place between 1985 and 1995, and completed a draft of the biography up to the year 1982 before he died suddenly in 1997. After his death, his wife Ann Chernow saw the biography through to publication. It was published with an epilogue by Wolfgang Volz, the Christos' official photographer, bringing the Christos' story up to date from where Chernow had left off, first in Germany, and later in the United States and Italy.

Chernow wrote many books, catalogs, and articles about other artists as well, including Milton Avery, Francisco Zuniga, Gabor Peterdi, Will Barnet, Jean Woodham, and Lester Johnson, among others, and published and lectured widely on the subjects of art education and public art.
Provenance:
Donated 2002 by Ann Chernow, the widow of Burt Chernow.
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:
Art historians -- Connecticut  Search this
Art critics -- Connecticut  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Authors -- Connecticut  Search this
Educators -- Connecticut  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Transcriptions
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Photographs
Citation:
Burt Chernow papers, 1930-2002. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.cherburt
See more items in:
Burt Chernow papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b0f96b06-f802-418f-9058-619da6096571
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-cherburt
Online Media:

Philip Pearlstein papers

Creator:
Pearlstein, Philip, 1924-  Search this
Names:
WBAI Radio (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
WRFM (Radio station : New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Barnet, Will, 1911-2012  Search this
Blaine, Michael  Search this
Cantor, Dorothy  Search this
Close, Chuck, 1940-  Search this
Downes, Rackstraw  Search this
Dückers, Alexander, 1939-  Search this
Field, Richard  Search this
Haas, Richard, 1936-  Search this
Hampleman, Jean  Search this
Kelly, W. J.  Search this
Levine, Jack, 1915-2010  Search this
McCarthy, David, 1960-  Search this
Shaman, Sanford Sivitz  Search this
Storr, Robert  Search this
Tamburini, Fernando  Search this
Tsao, Vivian, 1950-  Search this
Updike, John  Search this
Viola, Jerome  Search this
Wallin, Leland  Search this
Ward, John  Search this
Warhol, Andy, 1928- -- Photographs  Search this
Witkin, Jerome  Search this
Yezzi, David  Search this
Extent:
31.8 Linear feet
16.68 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Interviews
Motion pictures (visual works)
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Sketches
Slides (photographs)
Sound recordings
Transcripts
Video recordings
Date:
circa 1940-2008
Summary:
The papers of New York artist Philip Pearlstein measure 31.8 linear feet and 16.68 GB and date from circa 1940 to 2008. The collection is comprised of biographical material, correspondence, interviews and transcripts, writing projects and lectures, personal business records, printed material, three scrapbooks, photographs and moving images, documentary production material, digital records, sound and video recordings, and motion picture film that documents Pearlstein's career as a painter and educator.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York artist Philip Pearlstein measure 31.8 linear feet and 16.68 GB and date from circa 1940 to 2008. The collection is comprised of biographical material, correspondence, interviews and transcripts, writing projects and lectures, personal business records, printed material, three scrapbooks, photographs and moving images, documentary production material, digital records, sound and video recordings, and motion picture film that documents Pearlstein's career as a painter and educator.

Biographical material includes appointment books, several awards, annotated calendars, a catalogue raisonné working list, identification card, membership files, resumes, and one sound recording. Correspondence is with Will Barnet, Chuck Close, Rackstraw Downes, Richard Haas, Jack Levine, Robert Storr, John Updike, Leland Wallin, Jerome Witkin, family, galleries and museums, students, colleagues, artists, arts organizations, and includes a digital recording.

Also found are sound recordings and transcripts of interviews with Pearlstein by Vivian Tsao, Michael Blaine, Sanford Sivitz Shaman, David McCarthy, and broadcast stations WRFM and WBAI. Writing projects and lectures by Pearlstein consist of student work, numerous articles and essays, sound and video recordings of lectures and speeches, letters, memorials, miscellaneous manuscripts and notes, and a U.S. and U.S.S.R. Workshop Exchange project proposal. Writings by others about Pearlstein are by W.J. Kelly, Alexander Dückers, Richard Field, John Ward, Jerome Viola, Robert Storr, and David Yezzi.

Personal business records contain agreements, consignment and loan documents, donations, financial material, exhibition files, insurance and inventories, recommendations written by Pearlstein, reproduction permissions, digital recordings, and teaching files for various institutions. Art reproductions, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for exhibitions of artwork by Pearlstein and others, magazines and journals, newsletters, postcards, and publicity files that include one digital recording are in printed materials.

Two scrapbooks are of Egyptian and Roman architecture and objects accompanied by notes and a small amount of sketches, and one scrapbook is printed material regarding Pearlstein's work and exhibitions. Artwork is by Jean Hampleman, Fernando Tamburini, and unidentified artists. Photographs and moving images that include video recordings and motion picture film of Pearlstein in the studio, portraits, and candids; personal photographs of family, travel, and classmates including Andy Warhol and Dorothy Cantor; artist's models; events and exhibitions; and works of art.

Completed and unedited video and sound recordings, computer graphics footage, soundtrack material, and administrative records for the 1985 documentary video production Philip Pearlstein Draws the Artist's Model are also in this collection.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 10 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1964-2008 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 1, 36, OV42)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1955-2008 (8.5 linear Feet; Boxes 1-10, OVs 42-43, 0.168 GB; ER01)

Series 3: Interviews and Transcripts, 1957-2003 (0.5 linear Feet; Box 10)

Series 4: Writing Projects and Lectures, circa 1945-2008 (2.5 linear Feet; Boxes 10-13, 37-38, 8.26 GB: ER02-ER13)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1955-2007 (1 linear Feet; Boxes 13-14, 3.77 GB: ER14-ER15)

Series 6: Printed Materials, 1946-2008 (3.0 linear Feet; Boxes 14-21, 36, OVs 42-43)

Series 7: Scrapbooks, circa 1953-1970s (0.4 linear Feet; Box 22)

Series 8: Artwork, undated, 1967-2004 (0.2 linear Feet; Box 22, OV 42)

Series 9: Photographs and Moving Images, 1940s-2008 (3.3 linear Feet; Boxes 22, 37, 39-41, 4.18 GB; ER16-ER18)

Series 10: Philip Pearlstein Draws the Artist's Model, Documentary Production Material, 1983-1991 (8.5 linear Feet; Boxes 23-30, SAV 31-35)
Biographical / Historical:
Philip Pearlstein (1924- ) is a painter and educator based in New York, N.Y.

Pearlstein was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he attended classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art as a child. While still in high school, his paintings were reproduced in Life magazine after winning Scholastic magazine's high school art competition. After graduating from high school Pearlstein enrolled in the Carnegie Institute of Technology's (CIT) art school, but left after a year to serve in the Army during World War II. He gained knowledge of printing, drafting, and sign painting while stationed in Florida and Italy. After the war he returned to CIT as a student and became art editor of the engineering school's Carnegie Technical magazine. During this time Pearlstein met his wife, Dorothy Cantor, and became close friends with Andy Warhol, both classmates at CIT. Pearlstein moved to New York City with Warhol after receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1949. In 1955, he completed his thesis on Francis Picabia and received a Master of Arts in art history from New York University's Institute of Fine Arts.

As Pearlstein's career evolved, he became known for his realistic nudes and landscapes. Many of Pearlstein's paintings were inspired by his travels to the western United States, Peru, Egypt, and to Italy as a 1958 Fulbright Grant recipient. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally, and he has worked closely with the Tanager and Alan Frumkin Galleries in New York. In addition to his painting career, Pearlstein was an instructor at Pratt Institute from 1959 to 1963 and at Brooklyn College from 1963 to 1988. He is also a member of the National Academy of Design and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, serving as president from 2003 to 2006.

Pearlstein continues to work and live in New York, N.Y.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Philip Pearlstein conducted by Paul Cumming, June 8 to August 10, 1972.
Provenance:
The papers were donated in multiple installments by Philip Pearlstein from 1975 to 2009.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and born-digital records with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Rights:
Audio visual material "Philip Pearlstein Draws the Artists' Model": Authorization to quote or reproduce for purposese of publication requires written permission from Pearlstein or his heirs. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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:
Art teachers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Architecture -- Egypt  Search this
Architecture, Roman  Search this
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Motion pictures (visual works)
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Sketches
Slides (photographs)
Sound recordings
Transcripts
Video recordings
Citation:
Philip Pearlstein papers, circa 1940-2008. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.pearphil
See more items in:
Philip Pearlstein papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ae8de1cb-660c-49be-b009-d765ed771ebe
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-pearphil
Online Media:

James Brooks and Charlotte Park papers

Creator:
Brooks, James, 1906-1992  Search this
Names:
Kootz Gallery (N.Y.)  Search this
New York University -- Students  Search this
Southern Methodist University -- Students  Search this
United States. Army  Search this
Bolotowsky, Ilya, 1907-1981  Search this
Gottlieb, Adolph, 1903-1974  Search this
Guston, Philip, 1913-1980  Search this
King, William, 1925-2015  Search this
Park, Charlotte  Search this
Extent:
20.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sketchbooks
Sound recordings
Transcripts
Interviews
Drawings
Photographs
Diaries
Date:
1909-2010
bulk 1930-2010
Summary:
The papers of Abstract Expressionist painters James Brooks and Charlotte Park measure 18.7 linear feet and are dated 1909-2010, bulk 1930-2010. Correspondence, subject files, personal business records, printed material, and a sound recording document his painting career, interests, professional and personal activities. Also found are biographical materials, interviews, writings, and art work. The collection also includes papers of his wife, Abstract Expressionist painter Charlotte Park, regarding her painting career, personal life, activities as executor of James Brooks' estate, and some material concerning the James Brooks and Charlotte Park Brooks Foundation. There is a 1.4 linear foot addition to this collection donated in 2017 that includes 58 "week-at-a-glance" appointment books, three journals and one address/ telephone book of Charlotte Park; a hand written chronology with significant dates and notes; postcards and exhibition announcements sent to Charlotte and James; doodles; and a sketch, possibly by Don Kingman.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Abstract Expressionist painters James Brooks and Charlotte Park measure 18.7 linear feet and are dated 1909-2010, bulk 1930-2010. Correspondence, subject files, personal business records, printed material, and a sound recording document his painting career, interests, professional and personal activities. Also found are biographical materials, interviews, writings, and art work. The collection also includes papers of his wife, Abstract Expressionist painter Charlotte Park, regarding her painting career, personal life, activities as executor of James Brooks' estate, and some material concerning the James Brooks and Charlotte Park Brooks Foundation. There is a 1.4 linear foot addition to this collection donated in 2017 that includes 58 "week-at-a-glance" appointment books, three journals and one address/ telephone book of Charlotte Park; a hand written chronology with significant dates and notes; postcards and exhibition announcements sent to Charlotte and James; doodles; and a sketch, possibly by Don Kingman.

Biographical materials include biographical notes and documents such as copies of birth and death certificates, curricula vitae, family history. Educational records are from Southern Methodist University and documentation of flight training courses at New York University. Brooks' military service in World War II is well documented by United States Army records with related correspondence. Also found is extensive documentation of his death and funeral.

Professional and personal correspondence is addressed to Brooks, the couple, and to Charlotte Park during the later years of Brooks' life when she managed his affairs. A significant amount of correspondence is categorized as art, autograph requests, personal, and teaching; also include is general correspondence that overlaps all categories. Art correspondence with museums, galleries, collectors, artists, and friends concerns exhibitions, Brooks' work, and invitations to exhibit, speak, or serve as a juror. Of note is the correspondence with Samuel M. Kootz Gallery. The personal correspondence is mainly social, and teaching correspondence consists largely of requests that he teach in summer programs, serve as a visiting artist/critic.

Six interviews with James Brooks are in the form of published and unpublished transcripts; a seventh is a sound recording with no known transcript. Charlotte Park participates in one interview.

Writings by Brooks are statements about his work and a tribute to Ilya Bolotowsky. Among the writings by others about Brooks are a catalog essay, academic papers, and lecture; also found are a few short pieces on miscellaneous topics. Three diaries include brief entries regarding his work, exhibitions, and activities.

Subject files maintained by Brooks concerning organizations, exhibitions, mural projects, a commission and teaching document his professional activities, relationships and interests. Personal business records concern appraisals, conservation, gifts, insurance, loans, sales, shipping, and storage of artwork. Gallery records include agreements, consignments, lists, and receipts. Also, there are accounts for lettering work and personal income tax returns.

Printed material is mostly exhibition announcements, invitations, catalogs, and checklists, as well as articles and reviews. The majority are about/mention Brooks or include reproductions of his work; some concern artist friends, former students, and others.

Artwork by Brooks consists of pencil and ink drawings, two sketchbooks, and "telephone doodles." Other artists include Adolph Gottlieb (ink drawing of sculpture), Philip Guston (three pencil drawings of Brooks), and William King (two silhouettes of Brooks).

Photographic materials (photographs, digital prints, negatives, slides, and color transparencies) provide extensive documentation of Brooks' artwork and, to a lesser extent, exhibitions.There are pictures of Brooks as a very young boy, though the most views of him date from the 1930s through 1980s, and with friends. Places include Brooks' homes and studios in Montauk, New York and the Springs, East Hampton, New York; travel to Maine, Oregon and California. Views of the Middle East from World War II show Brooks with colleagues, local people engaged in daily activities, and scenery. Also of note are a copy print of "The Irascibles" by Nina Leen, and attendees at the dedication of Flight dining in view of Brook's LaGuardia Ariport mural.

Charlotte Park papers document the professional career and personal life of the Abstract Expressionist painter, art teacher, and wife of James Brooks through correspondence, personal business records, exhibition records, printed material, and photographs. In addition, this series documents artwork in the estate of James Brooks and posthumous exhibitions. Twelve years younger than her husband, Park began handling business matters for him as he aged and developed Alzheimer's disease. She also served as his executor. In the 1990s, a curator assumed management of the artwork and loans for exhibitions. After the James Brooks and Charlotte Park Brooks Foundation was established in 2000, its director handled most business activities. Some copies of Foundation minutes and correspondence are found among Park's papers.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in 11 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1924-1995 (Box 1, OV 19; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1928-1995 (Boxes 1-3; 1.7 linear feet)

Series 3: Interviews, 1965-1990 (Box 3; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 4: Writings, 1952-1999 (Box 3; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 5: Diaries, 1975-1984 (Box 3; 0.1 linear feet)

Series 6: Subject Files, 1926-2001 (Boxes 3-5, OV 20; 2.0 linear feet)

Series 7: Personal Business Records, 1932-1992 (Boxes 5-6; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1928-1992 (Boxes 6-11, OV 21-OV 22; 4.8 linear feet)

Series 9: Artwork, 1930s-1992 (Box 11; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 10: Photographic Materials, 1909-2000s (Boxes 11-15; 4.1 linear feet)

Series 11: Charlotte Park papers, 1930s-2010 (Boxes 15-18, OV 23; 3.6 linear feet)

Series 12: Unprocessed Additition, circa 1930-2010 (Boxes 25-26; 1.4 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
James Brooks (1906-1992) and Charlotte Park (1919-2010) were Abstract Expressionist painters in East Hampton, N.Y. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Brooks spent his childhood in Colorado, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Texas. He begn drawing as a young boy, finding inspiration in magazine illustrations and comic strips. Before moving to New York City in 1926, he studied at Southern Methodist University (1923-1924) and at the Dallas Art Institute.

In New York, Brooks studied illustration at the Grand Central Art School. After exposure to museums led him to differentiate between illustration and fine art, Brooks enrolled at Art Students League. During this period he supported himself by doing lettering for magazine advertisements. From 1936-1942 he participated in the WPA Federal Art Project, executing murals at Woodside Library, Queens, New York (destroyed); the Post Office, Little Falls, New Jersey; and his famous Flight at LaGuardia Airport's Marine Air Terminal (painted over in the 1950s and restored in 1980).

During World War II Brooks served in the United States Army as an art correspondent in Cairo. When at the Office of Special Services, Washington, DC, he met Charlotte Park who worked there as a graphic artist and later became his wife. The couple moved to New York City in 1945 and married in 1947. Brooks resumed friendships with artists he knew from the WPA including Philip Guston, Bradley Walker Tomlin, and Jackson Pollock. Brooks and Park were especially close with Pollock and Lee Krasner; after they moved to Long Island, Brooks and Park, soon followed, first to Montauk and later to the Springs, East Hampton, New York.

By the late 1940s, Brooks had turned away from figural painting in the social realist style and moved toward abstraction. In the early 1950s, he was experimenting with enamel, gouache, and diluted oil paints, staining various grounds in ways that produced interesting shapes, adding spontaneous splashes of color over which he painted more deliberately. In the 1960s he switched to acrylics, leading to wider use of color and broader strokes.

Peridot Gallery presented Brooks' first solo exhibition in 1949. He helped organize and participated in the famous Ninth Street Show of 1951, earning critical acclaim. This assured him a place in two of the Museum of Modern Art's most important exhibitions of the period, Twelve Americans (1956) and New American Painting (1958). He showed at the Stable Gallery, Kootz Gallery, Martha Jackson Gallery and others. During his lifetime Brooks enjoyed five traveling retrospective exhibitions.

Prizes and awards included Carnegie Institute's Pittsburgh International Exhibition 5th prize for painting (1952), The Art Institue of Chicago's 62nd American Exhibition Logan Medal and Prize for Painting (1957) and 64th American Exhibition Harris Prize (1961), The National Arts Club Medal (1985), and a citation of appreciation for Flight from The North Beach Club Marine Air Terminal, LaGuardia Airport (1986).

Brooks taught for nearly three decades: drawing at Columbia University (1947-1948) and lettering at Pratt Institute (1948-1955); was a visiting critic, Yale University (1955-1960), University of Pennsylvania (1971-1972), and Cooper Union (1975); and served on the Queens College faculty (1966-1969). In addition, he was an artist-in-residence at The American Academy in Rome (1963), the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (1969), and a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant (1973).

Brooks developed Alzheimer's disease around 1985 and died in East Hampton, New York in 1992.

Charlotte Park graduated from the Yale School of Fine Art (1939) and during World War II, when working in Washington, D.C., she met James Brooks. They moved to New York City in 1945, where she studied with Australian artist Wallace Harrison. Park taught children's art classes at several private schools in the early 1950s and at the Museum of Modern Art, 1955-1967.

Park's approach to Abstract Expressionism featured curved or linear shapes with vibrant colors and dynamic brushstrokes. Tanager Gallery presented her first solo show in 1957 and her work was included in numerous group exhibitions from the 1950s through 2000s, mainly in New York City and Long Island. After Park's second solo exhibition, held in 1973 at Elaine Benson Gallery, Bridgehampton, New York, interest in her work revived; other one-person shows followed at Guild Hall (1979), Ingber Gallery (1980), and paired with James Brooks at Louise Himelfarb Gallery. The National Institute of Arts and Letters honored Park with its Art Award in 1974. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Parrish Art Museum, Guild Hall Museum, Telfair Museum of Art, and in many private collections.

Charlotte Park died in 2010.
Related Materials:
Also among the Archives of American Art's holdings are letters from James Brooks and Sean Scully, 1980-1989 addressed to Theodora ["Teddy"] S. Greenbaum, and an oral history interview with James Brooks conducted by Dorothy Seckler, 1965 June 10 and June 12.
Separated Materials:
Correspondence, interview transcripts, photographs, and printed material were loaned by James Brooks for microfilming in 1969 (reel N69-132). With the exception of an address book, a scrapbook, and a few photographs, Brooks donated almost all of the loan in 1979.
Provenance:
The majority of the collection was donated in 2013 by the James Brooks and Charlotte Brooks Foundation and an additional 1.4 linear feet donated 2017 by the Foundation. In 1979 James Brooks donated most of the material lent for microfilming in 1969.
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.
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.
Topic:
World War, 1939-1945  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sketchbooks
Sound recordings
Transcripts
Interviews
Drawings
Photographs
Diaries
Citation:
James Brooks and Charlotte Park papers, 1909-2010, bulk 1930-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.broojame
See more items in:
James Brooks and Charlotte Park papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw948fd3af3-1ae9-4a9a-af05-4ef35e505b4a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-broojame
Online Media:

Burt Chernow papers, 1930-2002

Creator:
Chernow, Burt, 1933-1997  Search this
Subject:
Peterdi, Gabor  Search this
Hendricks, Barkley L.  Search this
Johnson, Lester  Search this
Arman  Search this
Avery, Milton  Search this
Christo  Search this
Zúñiga, Francisco  Search this
Woodham, Jean  Search this
Jeanne-Claude  Search this
Westport-Weston Arts Council (Westport, Conn.)  Search this
Housatonic Community College (Bridgeport, Conn.)  Search this
Housatonic Museum of Art  Search this
Westport Schools Permanent Art Collection  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Transcriptions
Video recordings
Sound recordings
Photographs
Citation:
Burt Chernow papers, 1930-2002. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Authors -- Connecticut  Search this
Educators -- Connecticut  Search this
Theme:
Research and writing about art  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)6021
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)235373
AAA_collcode_cherburt
Theme:
Research and writing about art
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_235373
Online Media:

"American Abstract Expressionists - Conrad Marca-Relli"

Creator:
Marca-Relli, Conrad, 1913-2000  Search this
Herskovic, Thomas  Search this
Type:
Videorecording
Date:
1991
Citation:
Conrad Marca-Relli and Thomas Herskovic. "American Abstract Expressionists - Conrad Marca-Relli", 1991. Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)24997
See more items in:
Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991-1992
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_24997

Rudy Pozzatti papers, 1951-1982

Creator:
Pozzatti, Rudy O., 1925-  Search this
Subject:
Eichenberg, Fritz  Search this
Ernst, Jimmy  Search this
Harak, Rudolph de  Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sketchbooks
Sound recordings
Place:
Soviet Union -- description and travel
Citation:
Rudy Pozzatti papers, 1951-1982. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Theme:
Diaries  Search this
Sketches & Sketchbooks  Search this
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)8947
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211134
AAA_collcode_pozzrudy
Theme:
Diaries
Sketches & Sketchbooks
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211134

John Steuart Curry and Curry family papers, 1848-1999

Creator:
Curry, John Steuart, 1897-1946  Search this
Subject:
Curry, Kathleen  Search this
Type:
Scrapbooks
Video recordings
Photographs
Sketches
Interviews
Citation:
John Steuart Curry and Curry family papers, 1848-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching  Search this
Art -- Technique  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Regionalism  Search this
Muralists -- Wisconsin  Search this
Illustrators -- Wisconsin  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)9459
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211657
AAA_collcode_currjohn
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211657
Online Media:

Oral history interview with Constance Lebrun Crown and David Lebrun

Interviewee:
Crown, Constance Lebrun  Search this
Lebrun, David  Search this
Interviewer:
Karlstrom, Paul J.  Search this
Names:
Baskin, Leonard, 1922-2000  Search this
Lebrun, Rico, 1900-1964  Search this
Warshaw, Howard  Search this
Extent:
64 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1974 November 23
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Constance Lebrun Crown and David Lebrun conducted 1974 November 23, by Paul Karlstrom, for the Archives of American Art.
Constance Lebrun Crown and David Lebrun speak of Rico Lebrun; living in Mexico, Los Angeles, and New Haven, and traveling to Italy. Both speak of Lebrun's work methods, and daily habits; subject matter that inspired him; his mural paintings; and images of suffering in Lebrun's work. They recall Howard Warshaw and Leonard Baskin.
Biographical / Historical:
Constance Lebrun Crown (1916-2010) was the wife of the sculptor and painter Rico Lebrun (b. Naples, Italy, 1900, d. Malibu, California, 1964). David Lebrun is their son.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav file. Duration is 1 hr., 32 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 others.
Restrictions:
Transcript: Patrons must use microfilm copy.
This interview is open for research. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Art teachers -- California  Search this
Topic:
Sculptors  Search this
Italian American artists  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Identifier:
AAA.crown74
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw95a78573e-5ddf-4d3e-8d4b-37938576641a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-crown74
Online Media:

Interview with Alton Pickens

Creator:
Pickens, Alton, 1917-1991  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1976 April 17
Citation:
Alton Pickens and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with Alton Pickens, 1976 April 17. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)14035
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_14035

Interview with Andrew Stasik

Creator:
Stasik, Andrew J., 1932-  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1975 September 15
Citation:
Andrew J. Stasik and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with Andrew Stasik, 1975 September 15. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)14081
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_14081

Interview with Joseph Solman

Creator:
Solman, Joseph, 1909-2008  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1971 December 21
Citation:
Joseph Solman and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with Joseph Solman, 1971 December 21. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Painters  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)19618
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_19618

Interview with Al Held

Creator:
Held, Al, 1928-2005  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1975 July 11
Citation:
Al Held and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with Al Held, 1975 July 11. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Painters  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)19663
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_19663

Interview with Elaine de Kooning

Creator:
De Kooning, Elaine, 1918-1989  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Subject:
De Kooning, Elaine  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1971 March 12
Citation:
Elaine De Kooning and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with Elaine de Kooning, 1971 March 12. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)16818
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_16818

Interview with James Weeks

Creator:
Weeks, James, 1922-1998  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1971 November 13
Citation:
James Weeks and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with James Weeks, 1971 November 13. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)22406
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_22406

Interview with Philip Guston

Creator:
Guston, Philip, 1913-  Search this
Fortess, Karl E. (Karl Eugene), 1907-1993  Search this
Type:
Sound Recording
Date:
1966 April 24
Citation:
Philip Guston and Karl E. (Karl Eugene) Fortess. Interview with Philip Guston, 1966 April 24. Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)21144
See more items in:
Karl E. Fortess interviews with artists, circa 1963-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_21144

Oral history interview with Georgia M. Jessup

Interviewee:
Jessup, Georgia Mills, 1926-2016  Search this
Names:
Carver Theater (Washington, DC)  Search this
Dale, Almore M., 1911-1984  Search this
Jessup, Georgia Mills, 1926-2016  Search this
Mayo, James E.  Search this
Prue, Alvin Eugene  Search this
Thomas, Larry Erskine  Search this
Collection Creator:
Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound cassette
Type:
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1991 July 24
Scope and Contents note:
Georgia Mills Jessup discusses how she came to serve as an artist-in-residence for the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now Anacostia Community Museum). She recalls how the museum became a central gathering point and source of pride for Anacostia neighborhood residents, how it provided historical exhibits and education that were locally relevant, and how it generally brought positive attention to the area. She describes John Kinard's leadership, devotion, and engagement with the neighborhood and the museum. She also describes how many of her artist friends appreciated the exhibition space and designers, and how many wanted to become involved in supporting or exhibiting artwork at the museum. The interview was recorded on July 17, 1991. There is background noise which muffles the audio at some points, but the interview can generally be heard clearly throughout the recording.

Exhibitions mentioned: The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction, Blacks in the Westward Movement.
Biographical / Historical:
Georgia Mills Jessup (1926-2016) was born in Washington DC. She earned a BA in art from Howard University in 1959, and an MFA from Catholic University of America in 1969. She became an art teacher and art administrator in DC public schools, and taught at Eliot Junior High School, Eastern and Western High Schools, and Sidwell Friends School. She held a solo show at The Potter's House in 1964 and became the first artist-in-residence for the Anacostia Community Museum in 1968. In the 1970s, she became Supervisor of Art for the DC public schools. She received awards from the Research Club of Washington, DC, the Urban League, and the American Red Cross. She passed away in Columbia, Maryland on December 24, 2016. 
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Collection Citation:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
ACMA.09-034, Item AV001619
See more items in:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa78632c26b-ad6e-41d3-8444-22402eafb005
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-09-034-ref181

Oral history interview with Joseph Falletta

Interviewee:
Falletta, Joseph  Search this
Names:
Brooklyn Museum of Art  Search this
Carver Theater (Washington, DC)  Search this
Pratt Institute  Search this
School of Visual Arts (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Falletta, Joseph  Search this
Ripley, S. Dillon (Sidney Dillon), 1913-2001  Search this
Collection Creator:
Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound cassette (original)
1 Sound cassette (copy)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1991 July 22
Scope and Contents note:
Joseph Falletta describes the early days of the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now Anacostia Community Museum), where he served as an art teacher and exhibit designer. He recalls working to prepare the original site, the Carver Theater, for opening, and how the residents of the neighborhood came to know and trust the museum's leadership. He talks about the silk-screening and illustration classes he taught for inner city youth. He discusses the museum's relationship to the Smithsonian Institution in the early days, and the influence of the museum over time. 

The interview was conducted on July 22, 1991. The audio quality is clear throughout the recording.

Exhibition mentioned: The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction.
Biographical / Historical:
Joseph Falletta was an artist and teacher who worked for the Anacostia Community Museum from 1967 to 1969. He worked on exhibit design and taught silk-screening and illustration classes to inner city youth. 
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Topic:
Vietnam War, 1961-1975  Search this
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Collection Citation:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
ACMA.09-034, Item AV001527, AV001678
See more items in:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa70df97527-4a28-4494-8904-cd98fbcf7064
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-09-034-ref31

Oral history interview with Elaine Heumann Gurian

Interviewee:
Gurian, Elaine Heumann, 1937-  Search this
Names:
Carver Theater (Washington, DC)  Search this
Gurian, Elaine Heumann, 1937-  Search this
Collection Creator:
Anacostia Community Museum  Search this
Extent:
1 Sound cassette (original)
1 Sound cassette (original)
1 Sound cassette (copy)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound cassettes
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1991 December 11
Scope and Contents note:
Elaine Heumann Gurian discusses how she first became involved with the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now Anacostia Community Museum) in 1986, when she served as the Deputy Secretary of Museums for the Smithsonian Institution. She describes her many conversations with John Kinard, and the assistance she provided in transitioning to new leadership after he passed away in 1989. She also describes the extraordinary impact the original museum had on the museum community, the early exhibits, and how the museum changed after relocating to the Fort Stanton site. 

The interview was conducted on December 11, 1991. There is static throughout the recording, but the interviewee can be heard clearly.

Exhibition mentioned: The Rat: Man's Invited Affliction.
Biographical / Historical:
Elaine Heumann Gurian (1937-) was born in New York City. She earned a Bachelor in Art History from Brandeis University in 1958, and a Master of Education in Elementary Education and Art Education from the State College of Boston in 1966. She worked as an Art Teacher for the Solomon Schechter School in Newton Massachusetts, an Art Consultant for the Boston Mayor General's Office (1969-1971), and as Director of Education for Instate Contemporary (1969-1972). In 1987, she became the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Museums at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. Then in 1991, she became the Deputy Director for public program planning at the National Museum of the American Indian, followed by a role as Deputy Director for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She continued to work as a senior consultant for projects at a range of institutions. In 2006, she authored the book Civilizing the Museum: The Collected Writings of Elaine Heumann Gurian. She also served as President of the Museum Group, and has received numerous awards and honors, including the Distinguished Service to Museums Award in 2004 from the American Association of Museums. 
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, which includes approximately 100 interviews of residents and influential people of the Anacostia area of Washington, DC.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Genre/Form:
Oral histories (document genres)
Collection Citation:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
See more items in:
ACM 25th Anniversary Oral History Project
Archival Repository:
Anacostia Community Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/qa7929d286b-4c61-4695-b99a-24be46f98e1a
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-acma-09-034-ref66

Ben Cunningham papers

Creator:
Cunningham, Ben, 1904-1975  Search this
Names:
Hiler, Hilaire, 1898-1966  Search this
Extent:
3.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1904-1984
bulk 1930-1975
Summary:
The papers of artist and educator Ben Cunningham measure 2.3 linear feet and date from 1904 to 1989 with the bulk of the material dating from 1930 to 1975. The collection documents his career through professional and personal papers, writings, printed materials, artwork, and photographic materials.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of artist and educator Ben Cunningham measure 2.3 linear feet and date from 1904 to 1989 with the bulk of the material dating from 1930 to 1975. The collection documents his career through professional and personal papers, writings, printed materials, artwork, and photographic materials.

Personal and professional papers include resumes, biographical summaries, audiovisual recordings of two interviews with Cunningham, papers related to the damage of Autumn Nonscape, and handmade cards by Cunningham, his wife, and others. One file concerning artist and psychologist Hilaire Hiler includes several letters by Hiler, correspondence with Hiler's daughter and son after his death, and one print made by Hiler. The series is comprised mostly of professional correspondence between Patsy and Ben Cunningham and collectors, museums, galleries, and others concerning the exhibition and sale of Cunningham's artwork. Personal correspondence includes postcards, letters about friends and current events, christmas cards, and some business topics are discussed as well. Writings include an illustated lecture on color given by Cunningham at the Art Students' League, mixed writings and notes by Cunningham, notes by Patsy on Ben's life, things he once said, his artwork, and bibliographic information. Writings by others about Cunningham, one pamphlet draft from the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts that incorporated Cunningham's ideas and philosophies, and a copy of "The Revision of Vision" by S. I. Hayakawa are also present. Printed materials consist of clippings about Cunningham's career, the death of Jean Varda, exhibition catalogs, announcements, posters, and invitiations, reproductions of Cunningham's artwork, two scrapbooks, and more. Artwork includes glass slides that Cunningham used to create designs, two sketches, one drawing, and a woodcut by Cunningham. Studies include those for Callipycia, Gordon Knot, Topological Conjecture, Escape Velocity, poster work for the John Lindsay's New York mayoral campaign, and more. Photographic materials depict the artist, exhibitions and events, and several snapshots of his studio. The series also includes photographs, slides, and transparencies of Cunningham's artwork; and one file of artwork made by his students at Cooper Union.
Arrangement:
The Ben Cunningham papers are arranged as five series:

Series 1: Personal and Professional Papers, 1941-1984 (1.2 linear feet; Box 1-2, 5)

Series 2: Writing Files, 1950s-1989 (9 folders; Box 2, 5)

Series 3: Printed Materials, 1940-1981 (.8 linear feet; Box 2, 5)

Series 4: Artwork, 1930-1970s (7 folders; Box 3, 5, OV 6)

Series 5: Photographic Materials, 1904-1972 (.6 linear feet; Box 3-5)
Biographical / Historical:
Ben Cunningham (1904-1975) was an artist and educator who worked in San Francisco and New York. He was from Nevada and initially attended the University of Nevada to study architecture. After a year, he moved to California to attend the San Francisco Art Institute. His first one-man show was at the Beaux Arts Gallery in San Francisco in 1931, and for the next decade exhibited in solo and group shows. While in San Francisco, Cunningham also worked as a muralist and was a supervisor of mural paintings under the Federal Art Project. Cunningham moved to New York City in 1944 where he continued his work as an artist, and began teaching at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, Cooper Union, Pratt Institute, and the Art Students' League of New York. He conducted the summer workshop in advanced painting at the University of Minnesota at Duluth. His artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Forth Worth Art Museum, the Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Kolkata, India, and private collections.
Related Materials:
Syracuse University Libraries also holds papers of Ben Cunningham.
Provenance:
Donated 1972-1989 by the estate of Patsy and Ben Cunningham.
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.
Occupation:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Muralists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Art teachers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Citation:
Ben Cunningham papers, 1904-1989, bulk 1930-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.cunnben
See more items in:
Ben Cunningham papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw918af72ce-a92b-462e-bdc5-85b44e03702b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-cunnben

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