Search Results

Interviewee:

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Interviewer:

Cummings, Paul, 1933-1997  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Irving Blum, 1977 May 31-June 23. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- Interviews  Search this

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)13182

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)212544

AAA_collcode_blum77

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_212544

Interviewee:

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Interviewer:

Cummings, Paul  Search this

Extent:

81 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1977 May 31-June 23

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Irving Blum conducted 1977 May 31-June 23, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art.

Biographical / Historical:

Irving Blum (1930- ) is an art dealer and collector from New York, New York.

General:

Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 3 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 53 min.

Provenance:

These interviews are 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:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- Interviews  Search this

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Identifier:

AAA.blum77

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90c9bddf0-ace9-4104-9eb1-414078ab41e9

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-blum77

Interviewee:

Coplans, John  Search this

Interviewer:

Cummings, Paul  Search this

Names:

Artforum  Search this

Alloway, Lawrence, 1926-1990  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Fried, Michael  Search this

Hopps, Walter  Search this

Leider, Philip, 1929-  Search this

Rose, Barbara  Search this

Extent:

133 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1975 April 4-1977 August 4

Scope and Contents:

An interview of John Coplans conducted 1975 April. 4-1977 August 4, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art, in New York City.

Coplans speaks of his educational background; the founding and development of ARTFORUM magazine; ARTFORUM staff writers including Lawrence Alloway, Michael Fried, Philip Leider, and Barbara E. Rose; and the influence of Irving Blum and Walter Hopps on California artists and collectors. Coplans also discusses the art market in New York and in California, and talks about his career as a teacher, editor, gallery director, critic, and museum curator.

Biographical / Historical:

John Coplans (1920- 2003) was an art administrator, editor, photograph, and educator of New York, New York. Born in London, England; died in Manhattan, New York.

General:

Originally recorded on 4 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 8 digital wav files. Duration is 8 hr., 6 min.

Provenance:

These interviews are 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:

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Occupation:

Editors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Topic:

Art publishing -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Arts administrators -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Educators -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Museum curators -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Gallery directors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Identifier:

AAA.coplan75

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ade983e1-5d0e-470f-9cec-7583edf9c27e

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-coplan75

Interviewee:

Asher, Betty  Search this

Interviewer:

Garver, Thomas H.  Search this

Names:

Asher & Faure  Search this

Los Angeles County Museum of Art  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Landau, Felix, 1924-2003  Search this

Robles, Esther  Search this

Tuchman, Maurice  Search this

Extent:

59 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1980 June 30 and 1980 July 7

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Betty M. Asher conducted 1980 June 30 and 1980 July 7, by Thomas H. Garver, for the Archives of American Art.

Asher speaks of her family; education; her marriage to Dr. Leonard Asher; buying her first prints and painting from the Associated American Artists Gallery; and early purchases at the Little, Bowinkle, and Green Galleries in Los Angeles. She discusses her interest in abstract expressionism; buying art in Mexico and New York; dealers including Irving Blum, Virginia Dwan, Paul Kantor, Felix Landau, Ernest Raboff, Esther Robles, and Ileana Sonnabend; activities and members of the Modern and Contemporary Art Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; her work for Maurice Tuchman; Walter Hopps and the Pasadena Art Museum; and exhibitions and funding of the Asher/Faure Gallery.

Biographical / Historical:

Betty M. Asher (1914-1994) was an art collector and art dealer of Beverly Hills, California.

General:

Originally recorded on 4 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 8 digital wav file. Duration is 3 hr., 30 min.

Provenance:

These interviews are 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.

Occupation:

Art dealers -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Collectors -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Collectors and collecting  Search this

Women art dealers  Search this

Function:

Art museums -- California

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Sponsor:

This interview was made possible by funds from the California Arts Council, The L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, and the Bothin Helping Fund.

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Identifier:

AAA.asher80

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9e306823f-b84e-4442-ab93-df65b9f45f7c

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-asher80

Creator:

Herbert, David, 1920-1995  Search this

Names:

Betty Parsons Gallery  Search this

David Herbert Gallery  Search this

Graham Gallery  Search this

Robert Fraser Gallery  Search this

Sidney Janis Gallery  Search this

Stewart Neill Gallery  Search this

Andrade, Jaime, 1931-  Search this

Berman, Aaron  Search this

Blaszko, Martin, 1920-  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Carrington, Leona  Search this

Carsman, Jon, 1944-  Search this

Cotsen, Lloyd E.  Search this

Draper, William F., 1912-2003  Search this

Feigen, Richard L., 1930-  Search this

Fraser, Robert  Search this

Hoffman, Martin  Search this

Hopps, Walter  Search this

Johnson, Ray, 1927-  Search this

Kelly, Ellsworth, 1923-  Search this

Kline, Franz, 1910-1962  Search this

Lukin, Sven  Search this

McKelvy, Douglas  Search this

Merck, Josephine  Search this

Namuth, Hans  Search this

Negret, Edgar, 1920-2012  Search this

Nevelson, Louise, 1899-1988  Search this

Ossorio, Alfonso, 1916-1990  Search this

Padovano, Anthony  Search this

Ramirez, Eduardo  Search this

Reynal, Jeanne, 1903-  Search this

Smith, Leon Polk, 1906-1996  Search this

Sorel, Paul  Search this

Still, Clyfford, 1904-1980  Search this

Extent:

5.8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Place:

Greece -- description and travel

Ecuador -- Description and Travel

Puerto Rico -- description and travel

Japan -- Description and Travel

Iwo Jima (Japan)

Date:

circa 1909-1996

bulk 1945-1995

Summary:

The papers of New York gallery owner and art dealer David Herbert measure 5.8 linear feet and date from circa 1909-1996, with the bulk of the material dating from 1945-1995. Herbert's papers document his years working for Betty Parsons Gallery, Sidney Janis Gallery, Graham Gallery, and others; the operation of the David Herbert Gallery from 1959-1962; Herbert's partnerships and agreements with Richard Feigen and others; and his activities as an independent dealer. Records include biographical material, correspondence, notebooks, subject files, artist files, exhibition files, business records, printed material, and photographs.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of New York gallery owner and art dealer David Herbert measure 5.8 linear feet and date from circa 1909-1996, with the bulk of the material dating from 1945-1995. Herbert's papers document his years working for Betty Parsons Gallery, Sidney Janis Gallery, Graham Gallery, and others; the operation of the David Herbert Gallery from 1959-1962; Herbert's partnerships and agreements with Richard Feigen and others; and his activities as an independent dealer. Records include biographical material, correspondence, notebooks, subject files, artist files, exhibition files, business records, printed material, and photographs.

Biographical material includes address books and calendars, educational records, records of Herbert's military service in the United States Naval Construction Battalion in Japan, and resume's charting his career.

Correspondence is with Herbert's parents, friends, business colleagues, and artists. It includes documentation of Herbert's partnership with Richard Feigen, and his cooperative work with Irving Blum and Walter Hopps of Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, and Robert Fraser in London. Also documented are Herbert's relationship with Jaime Andrade and Andrade's family, and a lawsuit Herbert brought against Aaron Berman relating to the ownership of an Ellsworth Kelly drawing. There are scattered letters and postcards from artists and collectors, including Martin Blaszko, Lloyd Cotsen, Martin Hoffman, Ray Johnson, Josephine Merck, Alfonso Ossorio, Paul Sorel, and Clyfford Still.

Notebooks provide brief notes on Herbert's day-to-day business dealings. Subject files, consisting primarily of printed material, document Herbert's interests in several art world figures, subjects such as ancient art, and travel to locations such as Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Greece.

Exhibition files include installation shots and catalogs for many of the exhibitions held at the David Herbert Gallery between 1959 and 1962.

Artist files document Herbert's interest in individual artists, such as William Draper, Ellsworth Kelly, Franz Kline, Sven Lukin, Edgar Negret, Louise Nevelson, Anthony Padovano, Eduardo Ramirez, and Jeanne Reynal, through printed material, photographs of artwork, scattered artist letters, and sales documentation.

Business records document the financial details and overall goals of Herbert's various business ventures. There is a sales book for Betty Parsons Gallery and Sidney Janis Gallery; Herbert's appraisal, consignment, commission, sales, and loan records; Herbert's business plans and projections; financial statements from the David Herbert Gallery; sales records for Graham Gallery; and records of Herbert's partnership with Douglas McKelvy.

Printed material includes announcements and catalogs from galleries Herbert worked for or collaborated with, including Graham Gallery, Betty Parsons Gallery, Feigen/Herbert Gallery, Stewart Neill Gallery, and Robert Fraser Gallery. Also found are obituaries and other new clippings of interest to Herbert.

Photographs are of Herbert, family members, and friends and colleagues, including his companion, Jaime Andrade, Leona Carrington, William Draper, Jon Carsman, Hans Namuth, and Leon Polk Smith. Many are color snapshots collected in two photographs albums. Also found are photographs taken in Japan and Iwo Jima in 1945-1946 of street scenes, Naval Construction Battalion facilities, and Herbert's army colleagues and friends.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as nine series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1920-circa 1995 (0.7 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1942-1996 (1 linear foot; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Notebooks, circa 1950s-circa 1995 (0.3 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Subject Files, 1950s-1992 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 5: Exhibition Files, 1959-1963 (0.25 linear feet; Box 3)

Series 6: Artist Files, 1950s-1993 (0.75 linear feet; Boxes 3-4)

Series 7: Business Records, 1950s-1992 (0.6 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1949-circa 1995 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 5-7)

Series 9: Photographs, circa 1909-circa 1990 (0.4 linear feet; Box 7)

Biographical / Historical:

New York gallery owner and art dealer David Herbert (1920-1995, born David Herbert Schmerer), worked for a number of important galleries in New York, had his own eponymous gallery from 1959-1962, operated as a private dealer, and was in partnership with dealer Richard Feigen from 1962-1964.

Herbert served in the United States Naval Construction Battalion from 1943-1946 and was posted to Japan in 1945-1946. After receiving a BA in art history from Syracuse University in 1951, he worked for Betty Parsons Gallery (1951-1953) and Sidney Janis Gallery (1953-1959), selling the work of contemporary American painters and sculptors, handling publicity, and installing exhibitions.

Herbert forged strong connections with artists and collectors alike, and was instrumental in launching the careers of a number of important artists. One such artist was Ellsworth Kelly, whom he recommended to Parsons, triggering Kelly's New York career. He opened the David Herbert Gallery in 1959, with investment from Douglas McKelvy, promoting the works of artists including Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock, and Louise Nevelson, to leading collectors and museums.

Herbert often worked in cooperation with colleagues Irving Blum and Walter Hobbs in Los Angeles, and Robert Fraser in London. After closing his gallery in 1962, Herbert entered a partnership with dealer Richand Feigen, operating the Feigen/Herbert Gallery from 1962-1964. From 1964-1969 he worked as a private dealer specializing in twentieth century works of art and serving as a consultant to collectors, museums, artists, and corporate interests. From 1969-1975 he was Director and Art Salesman of contemporary and 19th Century American Art at Graham Gallery. Herbert subsequently continued as a private dealer from 1975 until his death.

Herbert traveled extensively, visiting museums, collectors, and galleries in England, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Hawaii, and Japan. Through Edgar Negret, whom Herbert represented, he met Jaime Andrade, who became his assistant at the Feigen/Herbert Gallery in 1963. In turn Andrade shared with Herbert an interest in pre-Columbian art and contemporary Spanish and Latin America art, hosting multiple visits to his native Ecuador by Herbert and others, including artist William Draper.

Andrade served as executor of Herbert's estate, following Herbert's death in 1995.

Provenance:

The David Herbert papers were given to the Archives of American Art by Jaime Andrade, Herbert's companion, in 1999.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D. C. Research Center. Contact Reference 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:

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Topic:

Art, Modern -- 20th century -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Citation:

David Herbert papers, circa 1909-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.herbdavi

See more items in:

David Herbert papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9be75a48b-8da9-4d68-9952-9de8b2091c80

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-herbdavi

Creator:

DeFeo, Jay, 1929-1989  Search this

Names:

Berman, Wallace, 1926-1976  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Conner, Bruce, 1933-2008  Search this

Hedrick, Wally, 1928-2003  Search this

Terrill, Ruth  Search this

Extent:

1.5 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Drawings

Date:

circa 1940s-1979

Summary:

The papers of California painter Jay DeFeo measure 1.5 linear feet and date from circa 1940s to 1979. The collection provides scattered documentation of DeFeo's career, and details on her seminal work, The Rose, through biographical material, correspondence with friends and colleagues, personal business records, writings by others, printed material, photographs highlighting DeFeo's prominent role in her community, and artwork.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of California painter Jay DeFeo measure 1.5 linear feet and date from circa 1940s to 1979. The collection provides scattered documentation of DeFeo's career, and details on her seminal work, The Rose, through biographical material, correspondence with friends and colleagues, personal business records, writings by others, printed material, photographs highlighting DeFeo's prominent role in her community, and artwork.

Correspondence, while scattered, contains some significant and illuminating letters. The series includes documentation of Bruce Conner's assistance in managing the moving and conservation of The Rose, correspondence with the Pasadena Art Museum regarding the first public showing of the work, and correspondence with the San Francisco Museum of Art and Tony Rockwell regarding its conservation. Other correspondents of note include Wallace Berman, Irving Blum and Ferus Gallery, Mark Green, Frank Lobdell, Fred Martin, David Simpson, Ruth Terrill, and Eleanor (Nell) Sinton. Throughout the series letters both to and from DeFeo provide details on her thoughts about her work, personal and professional challenges and decisions at various stages of her career, and her artistic growth as she developed her interest in photography and other media.

Writings are by others and include reflections by Fred Martin on art and travel, and poems from Wallace Berman's self-published journal, Semina. Personal business records contain significant documentation of preservation costs for The Rose, the purchase of DeFeo's work, Incision, and the lease of the flat that was the site of DeFeo's personal and artistic growth and community for over a decade. Printed material includes scattered articles on artwork by DeFeo and others, posters announcing DeFeo's group and solo exhibitions at Ferus Gallery, and announcements and catalogs for others.

Photographs provide important documentation of DeFeo's pivotal role in the San Francisco art community and include some of the most reproduced images of her and others including Wally Hedrick and Joan Brown, taken by photographers such as Jerry Burchard, Wallace Berman, Wally Hedrick, and DeFeo. Many other personal photographs of group trips to the beach and parties at the Fillmore Street flat capture the camaraderie and vitality of the community to which DeFeo belonged.

Also found are several collages made by DeFeo, and artwork by others including Wallace Berman, and sketches by Al Wong.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 7 series

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical material, 1948-1969 (2 folders; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1950-1979 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1, OV 3)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1950s-circa 1960s (0.1 linear feet; Box 1, OV 3)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1955-1974 (3 folders; Box 1)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1956-1975 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1, OV 3)

Series 6: Photographs, circa 1940s-circa 1970s (0.5 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, OV 3)

Series 7: Artwork, circa 1950s-circa 1960s (0.3 linear feet; Box 2)

Biographical / Historical:

Expressionist and symbolist painter, photographer, and educator Jay DeFeo (1929-1989) was a central figure in the progressive community of artists, poets, and musicians of the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1950s-1960s. She devoted eight years to producing her most celebrated painting, The Rose, and was known for her endlessly experimental cross-disciplinary work in painting, drawing, photography, and collage.

DeFeo was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, and was three years old when her family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. She attended the University of California Berkeley and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in studio art in 1950-1951. She then traveled for eighteen months on a scholarship to France, Spain, North Africa, and Italy and spent six months in Florence producing her first significant body of work.

DeFeo returned to San Francisco in 1953 and married fellow artist Wally Hedrick in 1954. The couple rented a Victorian flat at 2322 Fillmore Street and actively participated in Beat counterculture, throwing large parties for their friends including artists, musicians, painters, poets, and photographers. Joan and Bill Brown were neighbors and the four artists shared ideas and space to such an extent that they cut a door in an adjoining wall so they could come and go between their two apartments with ease.

DeFeo's first solo exhibition was held at the Dilexi Gallery in 1959, and Dorothy Miller selected her work for her landmark Sixteen Americans exhibition the same year. After an exhibition at Ferus Gallery in 1960, DeFeo turned down other gallery affiliations to work almost exclusively on The Rose. Completed in the Fillmore Street flat in 1966, DeFeo's monumental work was first exhibited at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1969, and was later moved to the San Francisco Art Institute to await conservation.

DeFeo and Hedrick divorced in 1969, and DeFeo moved to Larkspur in Marin County to regroup from personal set-backs and the draining experience of working on The Rose. She taught part-time at various art institutions in California, and in 1981 moved to Oakland and joined the art faculty at Mills College, becoming a tenured professor in 1986. She worked prolifically as an artist to the end of her life.

The Rose underwent extensive conservation and in 1995 was purchased by the Whitney Museum of American Art for the museum's permanent collection. DeFeo's work has been exhibited extensively in the United States and Europe and can be found in the collections of major museums throughout the United States and abroad.

Related Materials:

The Archives of American Art has an oral history interview with DeFeo conducted 1975 June 3-1976 January 23 by Paul Karlstrom for the Archives of America Art. An 83 page transcript is available online. The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley holds some of DeFeo's archival materials.

Provenance:

Donated between 1975-1981 by Jay DeFeo.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Occupation:

Painters -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Photographers -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Women photographers  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Expressionism (Art)  Search this

Symbolism  Search this

Beat generation  Search this

Genre/Form:

Drawings

Citation:

Jay DeFeo papers, circa 1940s-1970s. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.defejay

See more items in:

Jay DeFeo papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9dff5ea0d-1d76-490d-a136-3ef1e7eeaec4

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-defejay

Creator:

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Herbert, David, 1920-1995  Search this

Type:

Correspondence

Date:

ca. 1959 Jan.

Citation:

Irving Blum. Irving Blum to David Herbert, ca. 1959 Jan.. David Herbert papers, circa 1909-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art galleries, Commercial  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA)6070

See more items in:

David Herbert papers, circa 1909-1996, bulk 1945-1995

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_item_6070

Creator:

Dilexi Gallery  Search this

Names:

Ferus Gallery (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Hopps, Walter  Search this

Newman, James, 1933-  Search this

Extent:

0.9 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1959-1969

Summary:

The Dilexi Gallery records measure 0.9 linear feet and date from 1959 to 1969. The collection sheds light on the gallery's operations through correspondence with artists, museums, and other galleries; several artist and exhibition files; and some photographs and printed material.

Scope and Contents:

The Dilexi Gallery records measure 0.9 linear feet and date from 1959 to 1969. The collection sheds light on the gallery's operations through correspondence with artists, museums, and other galleries; several artist and exhibition files; and some photographs and printed material.

Artist files consist of price lists, resumes, loan records, financial documents, and some printed material. Two photographs and one slide of Jess Collin's artwork, a photograph of Leslie Kerr, and one unknown subject are also present. Correspondence files shed light on gallery sales, exhibitions, and loans of artwork; the careers and personal lives of artists, including Jess Collins, Roy De Forest, Tony DeLap, Norman Kantor, and Wilfrid Zogbaum; and the gallery's relations with other museums and galleries, in particular, Walter Hopps and Irving Blum of Ferus Gallery. Exhibition files include insurance documents, press releases, price lists, and artist instructions; items related to the exhibition, Second International Exhibition of Pilot Galeries (1966), include catalog drafts, shipping information, memos, press releases, and some printed ephemera. The bulk of correspondence related to the Second International Exhibition of Pilot Galeries and Dilexi Gallery's G. O. P. Show (1964) can be found in the collection's correspondence files. Also included are three oversized Dilexi exhibition posters for artists Richard Shaw, William Dubin, and Fred Martin; and one advertising poster by Ron Nagle.

Arrangement:

Due to the small size of this collection the records are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical:

The Dilexi Gallery was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1958 by ethnomusicologist and musician James Newman. The gallery exhibited a wide range of artists in various media, from abstract expressionists to portraitists. From 1962 to 1963, the gallery operated a satellite location in Los Angeles overseen by Rolf Nelson. From its beginning, Dilexi had a loose association with Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, sharing artists, interests, and exhibitions until Ferus' closing in 1966. Artists frequently shown at Dilexi included Hassel Smith, Charles Ross, Roy De Forest, Tony Delap, Sidney Gordin, Wilfrid Zogbaum, and Deborah Remington. Newman closed his gallery in 1969, at which point he started the Dilexi Foundation to support non-traditional artists' projects, happenings, performances, and films.

Related Materials:

Also in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview, 1974 May 13, with Dilexi Gallery founder and director James Newman.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 1974 by James Newman, the founder and director of the Dilexi Gallery.

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.

Rights:

The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.

Function:

Art galleries, Commercial -- California

Citation:

Dilexi Gallery Records, 1959-1969. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.

Identifier:

AAA.dilegall

See more items in:

Dilexi Gallery records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b7e37a37-4771-4e28-8d3c-a973040dd772

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-dilegall

Interviewee:

Milant, Jean, 1943-  Search this

Interviewer:

Drohojowska-Philp, Hunter  Search this

Names:

Cirrus Editions  Search this

Cirrus Gallery  Search this

Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art  Search this

Los Angeles Visual Arts (Organization)  Search this

Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

Tamarind Institute  Search this

University of New Mexico -- Student  Search this

University of Wisconsin  Search this

Antreasian, Garo Z., 1922-2018  Search this

Auder, Michel  Search this

Baldessari, John, 1931-  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Burden, Chris, 1946-  Search this

Card, Greg S., 1945-  Search this

Carson, Karen, 1943-  Search this

Cointet, Guy de, 1934-1983  Search this

Egelston, Robert  Search this

Francis, Sam, 1923-1994  Search this

Gehry, Frank O., 1929-  Search this

Goodman, Marian  Search this

Harrison, Newton, 1932-  Search this

Hill, Charles Christopher  Search this

Inch, Terry  Search this

Irwin, Robert, 1928-  Search this

Kanemitsu, Matsumi  Search this

Kauffman, Craig, 1932-2010  Search this

Leiber, Steven  Search this

Marron, Donald B.  Search this

Mizuno, Riko  Search this

Moses, Ed, 1926-  Search this

Nauman, Bruce, 1941-  Search this

Overby, Robert, 1935-1993  Search this

Price, Kenneth, 1935-2012  Search this

Rivière, Alain, 1958-  Search this

Rosen, Gerry  Search this

Ruscha, Edward  Search this

Sturman, Eugene  Search this

Trowbridge, David, 1945-  Search this

Tyler, Kenneth E.  Search this

Viva, 1938-  Search this

Wayne, June, 1918-2011  Search this

Wood, Jonas, 1977-  Search this

de Beauvau-Craon, Minnie  Search this

Extent:

4 Items (Sound recording: 4 sound files (3 hr., 7 min.), digital, wav)

102 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Interviews

Sound recordings

Place:

Europe -- description and travel

France -- description and travel

New York (N.Y.) -- Description and Travel

Date:

2015 July 20

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Jean Milant, conducted 2015 July 20, by Hunter Drohojowska-Philp, for the Archives of American Art at Milant's home in Los Angeles, California.

Jean Milant discusses growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and his French and German heritage; his introduction to art instruction in high school and further studies at the University of Wisconsin; his trips to Europe and New York City as an undergraduate art student; his time as a graduate student at the University of New Mexico, and his work at the Tamarind Institute printmaking program and his introduction to Los Angeles; his work at Tamarind with Ed Ruscha, Sam Francis, Ed Moses, and Ken Price, among others; the beginnings of Cirrus Gallery and Cirrus Editions and his search for backers for the two endeavors; his partnership with Terry Inch as a backer for Cirrus. Mr. Milant also describes the decision to move his gallery and printmaking shop to downtown Los Angeles in 1979; the support of Robert Egelston and the collector Donald Marron and other collectors who first subscribed to his print editions; his experiences in France with Minnie de Beauvau-Craon; the gallery and museum scene in Los Angeles in the early '70s and '80s; his efforts to promote Los Angeles as a vibrant center of art, including trips to Europe in the early '70s to show his artists; the creation of Ed Ruscha's prints using food; working with Bruce Nauman and John Baldessari to create prints; the creation of the Los Angeles Visual Arts group of L.A. art dealers; his involvement with the creation of the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art in 1974; his work with the artist Guy de Cointet and Mr. Cointet's early performances at Cirrus Gallery; the opening of MOCA in 1984; his desire to create a think-tank institute to help create a viable future for art. Mr. Milant also recalls Garo Antreasian, Newton Harrison, June Wayne, Frank Gehry, Robert Irwin, Eugene Sturman, Matsumi Kanemitsu, Ken Tyler, Riko Mizuno, Irving Blum, Gerry Rosen, Robert Overby, David Trowbridge as well as Chris Burden, Greg Card, Karen Carson, Craig Kauffman, Marian Goodman, Alain Rivière, Charles Christopher Hill, Steven Leiber, Viva, Michel Auder, and Jonas Wood, among others.

Biographical / Historical:

Jean Robert Milant (1943- ) is an art dealer and publisher in Los Angeles, California. Hunter Drohojowska-Philp is an art critic and writer from Beverly Hills, California.

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.

Occupation:

Art dealers -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Publishers -- California -- Los Angeles  Search this

Topic:

Art -- Study and teaching  Search this

Prints -- Technique  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Identifier:

AAA.milant15

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9701ff32d-8750-4c85-8945-ab052ba58fc3

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-milant15

Interviewee:

Helman, Joseph A., 1937-  Search this

Interviewer:

McElhinney, James Lancel, 1952-  Search this

Names:

Blum Helman Gallery  Search this

Sotheby's (Firm)  Search this

St. Louis Art Museum  Search this

Albers, Josef  Search this

Blum, Irving, 1930-  Search this

Castelli, Leo  Search this

Crawford, Ralston, 1906-1978  Search this

Davis, Ronald, 1937-  Search this

Greenberg, Ronald K.  Search this

Johns, Jasper, 1930-  Search this

Kaprow, Allan  Search this

Kelly, Ellsworth, 1923-  Search this

Lichtenstein, Roy, 1923-1997  Search this

Oldenburg, Claes, 1929-  Search this

Pulitzer, Emily Rauh  Search this

Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008  Search this

Saarinen, Eero, 1910-1961  Search this

Scull, Robert C.  Search this

Serra, Richard, 1938-  Search this

Stella, Frank  Search this

Warhol, Andy, 1928-1987  Search this

Extent:

4 Items (Sound recording: 4 wav files (2 hr.,19 min.), digital)

53 Pages (Transcript)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Pages

Interviews

Sound recordings

Place:

Italy -- description and travel

Date:

2010 January 4

Scope and Contents:

An interview of Joseph A. Helman conducted 2010 January 4, by James McElhinney, for the Archives of American Art, at Helman's home in New York, New York.

Helman recalls three major events from his early life--the exhibition "Masterpieces from the Berlin Museums: 1948-1949," the film "Lust for Life," and collecting--that led to his career as an art dealer; buying his first painting, which was a Jasper Johns work; meeting the art dealer Leo Castelli; opening his first gallery in St. Louis in 1969; selling his gallery to Ronald Greenberg and moving to Italy with his family; attending the Sotheby's auction of the Robert C. Scull Collection in 1973; teaming up with Irving Blum to open the Blum Helman Gallery in New York City; organizing exhibitions of established and emerging artists. Helman speaks about his relationship with Emily Rauh Pulitzer and the St. Louis Art Museum; his Happening with Allan Kaprow; the story behind Claes Oldenburg's drawing Tongue Cloud, over St. Louis, 1975; discovering the work of Ralston Crawford; introducing American art to Spain. In addition, Helman discusses the contemporary art market; collectors and the process of collecting; and the redefinition of Pop art to include British and American artists of the 1980s. Throughout the interview Helman mentions the various artists he has represented, exhibited or collected such as Richard Serra, Robert Rauschenberg, Josef Albers, Roy Lichtenstein, Ellsworth Kelly, Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Ronald Davis, and Bryan Hunt.

Biographical / Historical:

Joseph A. Helman (1937- ) is an art dealer and collector in New York, New York.

General:

Originally recorded on 1 sound disc. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr.,19 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.

Topic:

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Art -- Economic aspects  Search this

Art, American -- Spain  Search this

Pop art  Search this

Happenings (Art)  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Sponsor:

Funding for this interview was provided by the Widgeon Point Charitable Foundation.

Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.

Identifier:

AAA.helman10

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9038a91ca-30d6-4b56-9410-8ca0e87c657f

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-helman10