Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
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:
Exhibition records of the Contemporary Study Wing of the Finch College Museum of Art, 1943-1975. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources' Hidden Collections grant program. Funding for the digitization of two motion picture films was provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee, and for the remaining sound and video recordings from the Smithsonian's Collection Care Pool Fund. Funding for the digitization of the collection, not including audiovisual materials, was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.
An exhibition exploring artistic expression, poetry, and performance created by Lorton Reformatory inmates. The exhibit was held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from October 1970 to November 1970. These records document the planning, organizing, execution, and promotion of the exhibition. Materials include correspondence, research files, exhibit scripts, administrative records, brochures, press coverage, education packets, loan agreements, floor plans, and catalogues.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Exhibition records
Date:
undated
Scope and Contents:
An exhibition exploring artistic expression, poetry, and performance created by Lorton Reformatory inmates. The exhibit was held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from October 1970 to November 1970.
These records document the planning, organizing, execution, and promotion of the exhibition. Materials include video and sound recordings.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Narration
Place:
Lorton (Va.)
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
circa 1970
Scope and Contents:
For the exhibition Lorton Reformatory: Beyond Time, the narrator provides a short history as well as a description of the architectural look and feel of Lorton Reformatory. The dormitories, dining halls, barber shop, chapel, art studio, infirmary, arts and crafts building, ball field, miniature golf course, educational building, and maximum security cells are described. The narrator speaks of the marketable skills the inmates acquire in the barber shop, print shop, tag shop, garment shop, and car maintenance shop. The artistic pursuits of the inmates through the Inner Voices group, theatrical and band performances, and arts and crafts are also described.
Narration. Part of Lorton Reformatory: Beyond Time Audiovisual Records. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition, Lorton Reformatory: Beyond Time, explored the artistic expression, poetry, and performance created by Lorton Reformatory inmates. The exhibit was held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from October 1970 to November 1970.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003328-2
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution. Anacostia Community Museum Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (open reel, 1/4 inch)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Narration
Place:
Lorton (Va.)
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Date:
circa 1970s
Scope and Contents:
Narrator provides a history of Lorton Reformatory and describes the architectural look and feel of Lorton. descibes the buildings - dormatory, dining hall, barbershop, chapel, art studio He talks about the buildings built and maintained by the inmates talks about the artwork acreated by the inmates, and the duties inmates performs for the district and federal government. Skills inmates learn at Lorton. Drama group, band musicians
Narration. Part of Lorton Reformatory: Beyond Time Exhibition Records. AV003328-2: consistent beeps throughout recording. Undated.
Biographical / Historical:
The exhibition, Lorton Reformatory: Beyond Time, explored the artistic expression, poetry, and performance created by Lorton Reformatory inmates. The exhibit was held at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum from October 1970 to November 1970.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003328-2
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Tom Ray letters from Henry Bridgewater measures 0.2 linear feet and consists of forty-five letters to Tom Ray from Henry Bridgewater dating from 1992-1999, written during his incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Bridgewater writes about his works of art, in particular, lamps he created that he would send to Ray for him to trade and sell to other folk art collectors.
Scope and Contents:
Tom Ray letters from Henry Bridgewater measures 0.2 linear feet and consists of forty-five letters to Tom Ray from Henry Bridgewater dating from 1992-1999, written during his incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Bridgewater writes about his works of art, in particular, lamps he created that he would send to Ray for him to trade and sell to other folk art collectors.
Arrangement:
Due to its small size, this collection is arranged into one series.
Series 1: Tom Ray Letters From Henry Bridgewater, 1992-1999 (0.2 Linear Feet: Box 1)
Biographical / Historical:
Henry Bridgewater (1925-2001) was a sculptor and outsider artist in Angola, Louisiana known for his wood-carved lamps of iconic figures and celebrities including cowboys, Wyatt Earp, Dolly Parton, Madonna, and Tina Turner. Tom Ray was a patron and informal art dealer for Bridgewater after befriending him in the early 1990s, while Bridgewater served two live sentences at the Lousiana State Penitentiary, Angola.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2019 by Tom Ray.
Restrictions:
Use of 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.
Schippers, Huib and Featherstone, Johanna. 2018. "Unlocked: Poetry as a key to engaging inmates." In Performing Arts in Prisons: Creative Perspectives. Balfour, Michael, Bartleet, Brydie-Leigh, Davey, Linda, Rynne, John, and Schippers, Huib, editors. London: Intellect Books.
