This small collection of papers of Cuban born sculptor and painter Tomás Oliva measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1969-1996. Found among the papers are a chronology; life documents; exhibition catalogs, including one from the 1993 exhibition of three of the original Los Once Cuban artist's group forty years after their first exhibition in Havana; one letter from Cyndee Levy-Angulo; notes and poetry; a photograph of Oliva with José Antonio Díaz Peláez; photographs of sculpture, two sketchbooks; and loose sketches and doodles.
Scope and Contents:
This small collection of papers of Cuban born sculptor and painter Tomás Oliva measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1969-1996. Found among the papers are a chronology; life documents; exhibition catalogs, including one from the 1993 exhibition of three of the original Los Once Cuban artist's group forty years after their first exhibition in Havana; one letter from Cyndee Levy-Angulo; notes and poetry; a photograph of Oliva with José Antonio Díaz Peláez; photographs of sculpture, two sketchbooks; and loose sketches and doodles.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 1 series.
Missing Title
Series 1: Tomás Oliva Papers, circa 1969-1996 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Tomás Oliva (1930-1996) was a Cuban born sculptor, painter, and printmaker who worked in Havana up to the mid or late 1970s before relocating to Miami, Florida.
Born in 1930 in Havana, Cuba, Oliva graduated from the San Alejandro Academy in Havana in 1952 with a dual degree in painting and sculpture. He also attended the Royal School of Ceramic La Moncloa in Spain and Ecole du Mosaic de Ravene et Ceramique de Faienze in Paris France. He also studied art and film animation with Ivan Zeiler and stage design with Ladislav Vihodil while living in Havana.
Oliva was one of the founding members of the Cuban artists' group Los Once (The Eleven), active in Havana between 1953 and 1955. Los Once consisted of 11 painters and sculptors-Pancho Antigua, René Avila, José Ignacio Bermudez, Agustin Cárdenas, Hugo Consuegra, Viredo Espinosa, Guido Llinás, Fayad Jamís, Tomás Oliva, José Antonio Díaz Peláez, and Antonio Vidal.
In the mid to late 1970s, Oliva relocated to Miami, Florida and regularly exhibited there and across the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Europe, and Japan.
Provenance:
The Tomás Oliva papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Xiomara Almaguer-Levy in 1998.
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.
