Search Results

Creator:

Artists Talk on Art  Search this

Names:

Barnet, Will, 1911-2012  Search this

Bourgeois, Louise, 1911-2010  Search this

Christo, 1935-  Search this

De Niro, Robert, Sr., 1922-1993  Search this

Denes, Agnes  Search this

Goldberg, Michael, 1924-2007  Search this

Jeanne-Claude, 1935-2009  Search this

Longo, Robert  Search this

Mendieta, Ana, 1948-1985  Search this

Morris, Robert, 1931-2018  Search this

Murray, Elizabeth, 1940-  Search this

Neel, Alice, 1900-1984  Search this

Pavia, Philip, 1915-2005  Search this

Sleigh, Sylvia  Search this

Wilke, Hannah  Search this

Wojnarowicz, David  Search this

Extent:

64.4 Linear feet

317.43 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Photographs

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Transcripts

Video recordings

Date:

circa 1974-2018

Summary:

The records of Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) measure 64.4 linear feet and 317.43 gigabytes and date from circa 1974-2018. The bulk of the records consist of extensive video and sound recordings of events organized by the group featuring artists, critics, historians, dealers, curators and writers discussing contemporary issues in the American art world in hundreds of panel discussions, open screenings, and dialogues held in New York City. Events began in 1975 and continue to the present; recordings in the collection date from 1977 and 2016. A smaller group of records include administrative files, panel flyers, three scrapbooks, as well as photographs, slides, and negatives of panel discussions and participants.

Scope and Contents:

The records of Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) measure 64.4 linear feet and 317.43 gigabytes and date from circa 1974-2018. The bulk of the records consist of extensive video and sound recordings of events organized by the group featuring artists, critics, historians, dealers, curators and writers discussing contemporary issues in the American art world in hundreds of panel discussions, open screenings, and dialogues held in New York City. Events began in 1975 and continue to the present; recordings in the collection date from 1977 and 2016. A smaller group of records include administrative files, panel flyers, three scrapbooks, as well as photographs, slides, and negatives of panel discussions and participants.

ATOA's recordings chronicle the American art world, covering critical discussions and significant art world issues over five decades. Thousands of artists such as Will Barnet, Louise Bourgeois, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Robert De Niro, Agnes Denes, Michael Goldberg, Robert Longo, Ana Mendieta, Robert Morris, Elizabeth Murray, Alice Neel, Philip Pavia, Howardena Pindell, Larry Rivers, Sylvia Sleigh, Kahinde Wiley, Hannah Wilke, David Wojnarowicz, and others speak about their work. The original recordings exist in a variety of formats, including U-Matic and VHS videotape, MiniDVs, sound cassettes and sound tape reels. ATOA digitized most of the video and sound recordings prior to donating the collection.

The collection also includes printed histories, board and program committee meeting minutes, financial statements, general correspondence files of the president and chair, attendance statistics, grant files, panel participant release forms, sixteen panel transcripts, a complete set of panel flyers (many are annotated) and other printed materials, three dismantled scrapbooks, as well as photographs, slides, and negatives of panels and panel participants.

Arrangement:

The records are arranged into nine series.

Series 1: Adminstrative Files, 1974-2013 (0.4 linear feet, Box 1)

Series 2: Director's and Chairman's Correspondence, 1977-2006 (0.4 linear feet, Box 1)

Series 3: Grant Files, 1977-2009 (1 linear foot, Boxes 1-2)

Series 4: Panel Release Forms, 1978-2012 (1 linear foot, Boxes 2-3)

Series 5: Panel Transcripts, 1981, 1986, 1988, 2017-2018 (1 folder, Box 3; 0.002 GB, ER01)

Series 6: Printed Materials, 1975-2015 (0.8 linear feet, Boxes 3-4; 0.434 GB, ER02)

Series 7: Scrapbooks, 1975-1989 (0.2 linear feet, Box 4)

Series 8: Photographic Materials, circa 1975-circa 2000 (1 linear foot, Boxes 4-5)

Series 9: Video and Sound Recordings of Events, 1977-2016 (59 linear feet, Boxes 6-65; 317.43 GB, ER03-ER04)

Biographical / Historical:

Established in 1974 and still active in New York, Artists Talk on Art is the art world's longest running and most prolific aesthetic panel discussion series organized by artists for artists. Founded by Lori Antonacci, Douglas I. Sheer, and Robert Wiegand, the forum has presented 6,000 artists in nearly 1,000 documented panels or dialogues. ATOA held its first panel, "Whatever Happened to Public Art," on January 10, 1975 and it drew a "crowd" of 77 people. In the decades that followed, ATOA presented dozens of panels or dialogues a year, tackling such diverse topics as "What is Happening with Conceptual Art," with Louise Lawler and Lawrence Weiner; "Painting and Photography: Defining the Difference," with Sarah Charlesworth, Jack Goldstein, Joseph Kosuth, Barbara Kruger, and Robert Mapplethorpe; "Organizing Arts Activism," with Lucy Lippard; "The Artist and the Epidemic—an information panel about AIDS"; "Cross-generational Views of Feminism"; and hundreds more.

Provenance:

The Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) records, including digital files of the video and sound recordings, were donated to the Archives in 2016 by Douglas Sheer, Chairman of ATOA.

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 born-digital records or 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:

Art critics  Search this

Art dealers  Search this

Art historians  Search this

Artists  Search this

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Historians  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Sound recordings

Scrapbooks

Transcripts

Video recordings

Citation:

Artists Talk on Art records, circa 1974-2018. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.artitalk

See more items in:

Artists Talk on Art records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c4de66ef-397b-4e6e-9fde-d6deca12fa3a

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-artitalk

Creator:

Kainen, Jacob, 1909-2001  Search this

Kainen, Ruth Cole, 1922-2009  Search this

Subject:

Acton, David  Search this

Jordon, Jim  Search this

Agee, William C.  Search this

Butler, Bryce  Search this

Tejera, V. ((Victorino))  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Gorky, Arshile  Search this

Kalonyme, Louis  Search this

Hopps, Walter  Search this

Frohlich, Newton  Search this

Powell, Richard J.  Search this

Cole, Phoebe  Search this

Holladay, Wilhelmina Cole  Search this

Broun, Elizabeth  Search this

Gilkey, Gordon  Search this

Fine, Ruth  Search this

Berman, Avis  Search this

Thornton, Valerie  Search this

Rand, Harry  Search this

Taylor, Joshua Charles  Search this

Fort Wayne Museum of Art  Search this

Halasz, Piri  Search this

Lunn, Harry  Search this

Jackson, John Baptist  Search this

Harrison, Carol  Search this

Purcell, Ann  Search this

Weber, Joanne  Search this

Solman, Joseph  Search this

Nordland, Gerald  Search this

Ries, Martin  Search this

Pollack, Jerome  Search this

Reynolds, Jock  Search this

Steinberg, Leo  Search this

Holden, Donald  Search this

Taylor, Prentiss  Search this

Morse, Peter  Search this

Addison Gallery of American Art  Search this

Brooklyn Museum  Search this

Australian National Gallery  Search this

Baltimore Museum of Art  Search this

Middendorf Gallery  Search this

Smithsonian American Art Museum  Search this

Corcoran School of Art (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

National Gallery of Art (U.S.)  Search this

Corcoran Gallery of Art  Search this

British Museum  Search this

Type:

Photographs

Diaries

Transcripts

Videotapes

Visitors' books

Lectures

Prints

Greeting cards

Interviews

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Jacob Kainen papers, 1905-2009, bulk 1940-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Painting, Modern -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Painting, Abstract -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Printmakers -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Theme:

Lives of artists  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)9025

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)211214

AAA_collcode_kainjaco

Theme:

Lives of artists

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_211214

Creator:

Kainen, Jacob  Search this

Kainen, Ruth Cole (1922-2009)  Search this

Names:

Addison Gallery of American Art  Search this

Australian National Gallery  Search this

Baltimore Museum of Art  Search this

British Museum  Search this

Brooklyn Museum  Search this

Corcoran Gallery of Art  Search this

Corcoran School of Art (Washington, D.C.)  Search this

Middendorf Gallery  Search this

National Gallery of Art (U.S.)  Search this

Smithsonian American Art Museum  Search this

Acton, David, 1953-  Search this

Agee, William C.  Search this

Berman, Avis  Search this

Broun, Elizabeth  Search this

Butler, Bryce  Search this

Cole, Phoebe  Search this

Fine, Ruth, 1941-  Search this

Fort Wayne Museum of Art  Search this

Frohlich, Newton, 1936-  Search this

Gilkey, Gordon  Search this

Gorky, Arshile, 1904-1948  Search this

Halasz, Piri  Search this

Harrison, Carol  Search this

Holden, Donald  Search this

Holladay, Wilhelmina Cole, 1922-  Search this

Hopps, Walter  Search this

Jackson, John Baptist, 1701-1780?  Search this

Jordon, Jim  Search this

Kalonyme, Louis  Search this

Lunn, Harry, 1933-1998  Search this

Morse, Peter  Search this

Nordland, Gerald  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Pollack, Jerome  Search this

Powell, Richard J., 1953-  Search this

Purcell, Ann  Search this

Rand, Harry  Search this

Reynolds, Jock  Search this

Ries, Martin, 1926-  Search this

Solman, Joseph, 1909-2008  Search this

Steinberg, Leo  Search this

Taylor, Joshua Charles, 1917-  Search this

Taylor, Prentiss, 1907-1991  Search this

Tejera, V. ((Victorino))  Search this

Thornton, Valerie  Search this

Weber, Joanne  Search this

Extent:

33.3 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Photographs

Diaries

Transcripts

Videotapes

Visitors' books

Lectures

Prints

Greeting cards

Interviews

Scrapbooks

Date:

1905-2009

bulk 1940-2001

Summary:

The papers of painter, printmaker, and curator Jacob Kainen measure 33.3 linear feet and date from 1905 to 2009, with the bulk of the material from 1940-2001. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence/subject files including personal correspondence to and from friends and family members and professional correspondence and records concerning Kainen's activities as an artist, curator, teacher, and art collector. The collection also contains biographical material, writings, diaries, calendars, inventories, interview transcripts, printed material, photographs, works of art by other artists, and nine scrapbooks.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of painter, printmaker, and curator Jacob Kainen measure 33.3 linear feet and date from 1905 to 2009, with the bulk of the material from 1940-2001. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence/subject files including personal correspondence to and from friends and family members and professional correspondence and records concerning Kainen's activities as an artist, curator, teacher, and art collector. The collection also contains biographical material, writings, diary and journal entries, calendars, inventories, interview and "dialog" transcripts, printed material, photographs, works of art by other artists, and nine scrapbooks.

Biographical materials include items concerning Kainen's career as a curator and artist, in addition to a useful bibliography, detailed biographical outline, and a copy of an FBI report compiled on him. Also included are five videocassette recordings of Kainen.

Alphabetical correspondence/subject files comprise the bulk of the collection and include both Jacob's and Ruth's correspondence with family, friends, colleagues, artists, art critics, curators, museums, arts organizations, galleries, and many others. There is a significant amount of correspondence with David Acton, the Addison Gallery of Art and Jock Reynolds, William Agee, Australian National Gallery, Baltimore Museum of Art, Avis Berman, the British Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Elizabeth Broun and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bryce Butler, Pheobe Cole, the Corcoran Gallery and School of Art, Richard Field, Ruth Fine, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Newton Frohlich, Gordon Gilkey and the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Arshile Gorky, Piri Halesz, Carol Harrison, Donald Holden, Wilhelmina Holladay, John Baptist Jackson, Jim Jordon, Lou Kantor, Harry Lunn Jr., Middendorf Gallery, National Gallery of Art, Peter Morse, Gerald Nordland, Francis O'Connor, Jerome Pollack, Richard Powell, Ann Purcell, Harry Rand, Martin Ries, Joseph Solman, Leo Steinberg, Prentiss Taylor, Victorino Tejera, Valerie Thornton, Joanne Weber, and numerous family members.

Writings are by and about Jacob Kainen. Kainen's writings include articles, lectures, exhibition catalog essays, notes, travel notebooks, short stories, poems, and written statements about his artistic motivations and justifications. There are writings about Kainen by Avis Berman, Ruth Cole Kainen, and others. The bulk of the numerous diary entries are from Ruth Cole Kainen's diaries, many of which concern Jacob and their family. There are also annotated and revised diary entries. There is one folder of diary entries and one folder of journal entries by Jacob Kainen and two dismantled journal-like notebooks. The papers include daily calendars and travel itineraries from 1972 through 2001.

The papers include transcripts of formal interviews and informal conversations with Jacob Kainen. Transcripts are of informal dinner, telephone, and general conversations between friends, colleagues, artists, and Ruth Cole Kainen. Included are conversations with Avis Berman, Walter Hopps, Harry Rand, Joshua Taylor, and several others. Many of these transcripts were also annnotated by Jacob and Ruth Kainen. Also found are numerous transcripts of more formal interviews with Kainen by art historians, art critics, and students.

There are inventories, appraisals, and lists of sold and not sold paintings, as well as color photographs of some of Kainen's works of art. Also found are inventories of the Kainens' art collection. Printed materials include Kainen's exhibition catalogs and announcements, clippings of articles by and about Jacob Kainen, and an exhibition guestbook.

Photographs are of Kainen with his family and friends, at exhibition openings, and working in his studios. Works of art by others includes handmade greeting cards, limited edition prints, and portfolios given to Jacob Kainen. Nine scrapbooks containing news clippings and exhibition publications document the entirety of Kainen's career as an artist.

Arrangement:

The Jacob Kainen papers are arranged into 11 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1938-2001 (Boxes 1, 32; 0.8 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence/Subject Files, 1936-2003 (Boxes 1-12, 32-33; 11.8 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1920s-2002 (Boxes 12-13, 33; 1.6 linear feet)

Series 4: Diaries, circa 1952-2002 (Boxes 13-18, 33-38; 10.0 linear feet)

Series 5: Calendars, 1953-2008 (Boxes 18-20, 38; 1.7 linear feet)

Series 6: Transcripts, circa 1975-1994 (Boxes 20-21, 38; 1.4 linear feet)

Series 7: Inventories, 1927-2001 (Boxes 21-22; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1938-2003 (Box 22, 38, OV 31; 0.6 linear feet)

Series 9: Photographs, 1905-2000 (Boxes 22-25, 38, OV 31; 3.3 linear feet)

Series 10: Works of Art by Others, 1942-2000 (Boxes 25-26, OV 31; 1.2 linear foot)

Series 11: Scrapbooks, 1936-1998 (Boxes 27-30, 38; 1.3 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Jacob Kainen (1909-2001) was a painter, printmaker, and curator who worked primarily in Washington, D.C.

Born on December 7, 1909 in Waterbury, Connecticut, Jacob Kainen moved with his family to New York City in 1918. Kainen studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn from 1927 until 1930, and at the Art Student's League. In the early 1930s, Kainen became involved in social causes and formed close friendships with the early abstractionists, including John Graham, Arshile Gorky, and Stuart Davis. He joined the Artists' Union and a contributor to its journal, Art Front, along with Stuart Davis and Harold Rosenberg. Jacob's participation in the Artists' Union was later investigated by the FBI.

From 1935 until 1942, Kainen worked for the Graphic Arts Division of the Works Progress Administration in New York City and began exhibiting with the New York School. It was during this period that he married Bertha Friedman. Jacob and Bertha had two sons together, Dan and Paul, and divorced in 1968.

In 1942, Kainen made a life-changing decision to leave New York City and move to Washington, D.C. to accept what he thought would be a temporary position as a scientific aide in the Division of Graphic Arts at the Smithsonian Institution. Kainen quickly became Assistant Curator and Curator in 1946. He served as Curator for twenty years, completely reshaping the department and building the graphic arts collection. His print exhibitions brought the work of S.W. Hayter, Josef Albers, Adja Yunkers, Louis Lozowick, Karl Schrag, José Guerrero, Louis Schanker, Werner Drewes, and Boris Margo to Washington audiences - graphic work that might not have been shown that early in the area.

1947 marked the opening of the Washington Workshop Center for the Arts, where Kainen served as a teacher and guide to several important artists, helping to make the workshop a magnet for new talent and instrumental in furthering the careers of several artists. Although Kainen taught Gene Davis and Alma Thomas and introduced Morris Louis to Leon Berkowitz, he never considered himself a member of the "Washington Color School."

In 1949, the Corcoran Gallery of Art held a retrospective of Kainen's prints and three years later Kenneth Noland organized Kainen's first painting retrospective at Catholic University. Kainen's paintings from the 1940s illustrated a shift away from social realism toward abstract expressionism. In 1956, Jacob Kainen received a grant from the American Philosophical society to conduct research in Europe for his monograph on the English woodcut artist, John Baptist Jackson. He traveled to Europe again in 1962 to study paintings and prints from the Mannerist Period.

From 1966 until 1970, Kainen worked as the Curator of prints and drawings at the National Collection of Fine Arts (now the Smithsonian American Art Museum). He married Ruth Cole in February of 1969. Kainen retired from the Smithsonian a year later to devote himself full-time to his art, but continued to serve as a special consultant to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for nineteen years. In 1971 and 1972, Kainen taught painting and the history of printmaking at the University of Maryland. A retrospective of Kainen's paintings was held in 1993 at the National Museum of American Art (SAAM).

Throughout his artistic career, Kainen experimented with different mediums and explored different styles, yet he identified himself as a painter. Jacob Kainen participated in at least twenty-five one man shows and several group exhibitions. His works are in collections across the United States and abroad, including the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the British Museum. He worked in his studio up until the time of his death on March 19, 2001 at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Related Material:

Found among the holdings of the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of Jacob Kainen conducted by Avis Berman in 1982 for the Archives' "Mark Rothko and His Times" oral history project. Also found are microfilm copies of Bertha Kainen's correspondence with Avis Berman regarding Berman's essay about Jacob Kainen.

Separated Material:

The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reels 565, 2147-2149, and 2200) including correspondence, writings by Kainen, and papers relating to the Smithsonian Institution Loyalty Board's investigation of Jacob Kainen from 1942-1954. Most, but not all, of the loaned materials were included in later gifts. Loaned materials not donated at a later date remain with the lender and are not described in the container listing of this finding aid.

Provenance:

Jacob and Ruth Kainen first lent the Archives of American Art material for microfilming from 1973-1981, the bulk of which was included in the later gifts. Papers were then donated in multiple accretions between 1981-2007 by Jacob and Ruth Kainen, and in 2009 from the estate of Ruth Kainen via executor Teresa Covacevich Grana. Also in 2003, eight photographs of Jacob and Ruth Kainen were transferred from the National Portrait Gallery to the Archives of American Art.

Restrictions:

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

Painters -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Curators -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Art teachers -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Topic:

Painting, Modern -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Painting, Abstract -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this

Art -- Collectors and collecting -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Printmakers -- Washington (D.C.)  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs

Diaries

Transcripts

Videotapes

Visitors' books

Lectures

Prints

Greeting cards

Interviews

Scrapbooks

Citation:

Jacob Kainen papers, 1905-2008, bulk 1940-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

AAA.kainjaco

See more items in:

Jacob Kainen papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw974ec158d-d417-4d06-931d-44a4af17ab27

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-kainjaco

Collection Creator:

Kainen, Jacob  Search this

Kainen, Ruth Cole (1922-2009)  Search this

Container:

Box 8, Folder 48-49

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1967-1997, undated

Collection Restrictions:

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

Jacob Kainen papers, 1905-2008, bulk 1940-2001. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Jacob Kainen papers

Jacob Kainen papers / Series 2: Correspondence/Subject Files

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9938fa84d-7fb2-43ed-9fb2-e41ba2ae00ad

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-kainjaco-ref303

Creator:

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Names:

Federal Art Project  Search this

National Endowment for the Arts  Search this

United States. Work Projects Administration  Search this

United States. Works Progress Administration  Search this

Extent:

23.4 Linear feet

0.001 Gigabytes

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gigabytes

Date:

1920-2009

Summary:

The papers of New York art historian Francis O'Connor measure 23.4 linear feet and 0.001 GB and date from 1920-2009. Found within the papers are artist and exhibition files, questionnaires, transcripts, writings, project files, and printed and digital material that pertain to O'Connor's research and publications on the New Deal and the Federal Arts Project of the Works Progress Administration.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of New York art historian Francis O'Connor measure 23.4 linear feet and date from 1920-2009. Found within the papers are artist and exhibition files, questionnaires, transcripts, writings, project files, and printed and digital material that pertain to O'Connor's research and publications on the New Deal and the Federal Arts Project of the Works Progress Administration.

The "NCFA Library" consists of research materials collected, created, and compiled during the course of O'Connor's research project supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities for his books Federal Support for the Visual Arts (1969) and Art for the Millions (1973). Files contain administrative records, artists' files, and questionnaires and essays that document the administration of New Deal art projects. The files were collated by O'Connor into a set that remains intact.

The publications series consists of additional research and administrative materials specifically related to O'Connor's four publications on the WPA/FAP and New Deal artists: Federal Support for the Visual Arts: The New Deal and Now (1969), New Deal Art Projects: An Anthology of Memoirs (1972), Art for the Millions (1973), and Federal Art Patronage Notes (newsletter, 1974-1984).

New Deal research files are more general research materials collected by or sent to O'Connor in the course of his academic career. These include information on New Deal administrators and state specific WPA projects; photocopies of original WPA activity and reports; and New Deal scholarship, academic symposia, and conferences.

New Deal exhibitions include announcement and catalogs of contemporary New Deal art exhibitions in the U.S. from the 1960s to the 1990s. Project files are related to three publically and privately funded New Deal research projects O'Connor directed or participated in. Printed materials consists of press coverage of federal arts patronage in the United States dating from the 1960s to 2008.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 6 series. There is some overlap in series reflecting O'Connor's original order.

Missing Title

Series 1: NCFA Library, 1920-1974 (6.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-7, OV 28)

Series 2: Publications, 1939-1985 (4.3 linear feet; Boxes 7-11, BV 25-26, OV 27)

Series 3: New Deal Research Files, 1930-2009 (5.6 linear feet; Boxes 11-16)

Series 4: New Deal Exhibitions, 1961-1997 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 17-18)

Series 5: Project Files, 1935-1999 (2 linear feet; Boxes 18-20, ER01; 0.001 GB)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1963-2008 (3.4 linear feet; Boxes 20-24)

Biographical / Historical:

New York art historian and poet Francis O'Connor (1937- ) is best known for his research and writings on the New Deal art programs of the Depression and the Roosevelt Administration. O'Connor received his Ph. D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1965 and taught contemporary European and American art history at the University of Maryland from 1964 to 1970. While at Maryland, he organized the country's first comprehensive exhibition of New Deal art programs since their ending in 1943. From 1967 to 1968, he also headed a research program for the National Endowment for the Arts to analyze the effectiveness of New Deal art patronage, which eventually led to the publication of Federal Support for the Visual Arts: The New Deal and Now (1969), New Deal Art Projects: An Anthology of Memoirs (1972), Art for the Millions (1973).

In addition to his work on New Deal art patronage, throughout the 1980s and 1990s, O'Connor continued to teach and lecture at universities, consulted on federally and privately funded research projects, and published critical essays for exhibition catalogs, anthologies and academic journals. He is a member of the College Art Association, International Association of Art Critics, and founded the Association of Independent Historians of Art in 1982.

Separated Materials:

Bound assemblies of periodicals were transferred to the Smithsonian Art Libraries in 2010, which retained relevant volumes and made final decisions regarding disposition of any remaining items.

Provenance:

The papers were donated by Francis O'Connor to the National Collection of Fine Arts, now the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which subsequently transferred the papers, with O'Connor's permission, to the Archives of American Art in 1974. In 2010, O'Connor donated an additional 15.8 linear feet of papers to the Archives.

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 and born-digital records in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

The Artists' Questionanaires require permission from each artist before publishing, quoting, or reproducing. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Rights:

Items created by Francis V. O'Connor: copyright held by Avis Berman. Artists' questionnaires: Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from the individual artist. 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 historians  Search this

Topic:

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

New Deal, 1933-1939  Search this

Transcripts  Search this

Citation:

Francis V. O'Connor papers, 1920-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.oconfran

See more items in:

Francis V. O'Connor papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw928830ed7-4840-4fdf-a797-217fa306c1e7

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-oconfran

Collection Creator:

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 18

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1936-1939

Collection Restrictions:

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

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings and born-digital records in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

The Artists' Questionanaires require permission from each artist before publishing, quoting, or reproducing. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Collection Rights:

Items created by Francis V. O'Connor: copyright held by Avis Berman. Artists' questionnaires: Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from the individual artist. 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.

Collection Citation:

Francis V. O'Connor papers, 1920-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Francis V. O'Connor papers

Francis V. O'Connor papers / Series 1: NCFA Library / 1.1: WPA/FAP New York Administrative Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c0074651-7eac-4b5f-b7b7-e27405113245

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-oconfran-ref104

Artist:

Jackson Pollock, American, b. Cody, Wyoming, 1912–1956  Search this

Medium:

Oil, enamel, and cigarette fragment on canvas mounted on fiberboard

Dimensions:

62 x 37 1/4 in. (157.5 x 94.6 cm)

Type:

Painting

Date:

1949

Credit Line:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1972

Accession Number:

72.235

See more items in:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Collection

School:

Abstract Expressionism (First Generation)

Data Source:

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/py23a0e72b1-1137-4d13-9ff4-b9e2ed8071e2

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:hmsg_72.235

Collection Creator:

Neel, Alice, 1900-1984  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 1

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1968-1973

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment.

Collection Rights:

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

Collection Citation:

Alice Neel papers, 1933-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Alice Neel papers

Alice Neel papers / Series 1: Letters

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c45ff411-63e7-4018-a9ee-9b82d5fda973

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-neelalic-ref16

Creator:

Bengelsdorf, Rosalind, 1916-1979  Search this

Names:

American Abstract Artists  Search this

Browne, Byron, 1907-1961  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Extent:

3.2 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Interviews

Date:

1910s-1980

Summary:

The papers of painter and critic Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne measure 3.2 linear feet and date from the 1910s to 1980. The papers document Browne's career through biographical materials including sketches and photographs, correspondence with friends, artists, and institutions, writings, professional files, and printed material.

Scope and Contents:

The papers of painter and critic Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne measure 3.2 linear feet and date from the 1910s to 1980. The papers document Browne's career through biographical materials including sketches and photographs, correspondence with friends, artists, and institutions, writings, professional files, and printed material.

Biographical material includes a transcript of an interview with Susan C. Larsen. Correspondence includes letters from Ethel Baziotes, Romare Bearden, Sid Gotcliffe, and Philip Evergood. Writings include sound recordings of a monologue by Browne concerning her husband Byron Browne and Sam Kootz. Professional files may include correspondence, printed material, writings, and agreements relating to Browne's various roles as a critic, an artist, and an educator. Of note are files on the American Abstract Artists organization and the WPA Federal Art Project.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as 5 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1910s-1980 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1929-1979 (Box 1, 0.6 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings and Notes, 1934-1978 (Box 2; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 4: Professional Files, 1930-1978 (Boxes 2-3; 1.7 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1930-1979 (Box 4; 0.2 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical:

Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne (1916-1979) was an abstract painter, critic, educator, and writer active in New York City, New York.

Born in New York City in 1916, Rosalind Bengelsdorf studied at the Art Students' League as a teenager. She continued her study of art under her mentor Hans Hofmann, developing her artistic beliefs and style of abstract painting. In 1936, she became a founding member of the American Abstract Artists of New York City. That same year, she joined the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Arts Project and completed murals at the Central Nurses Home on Welfare Island under Burgoyne Diller.

In 1940, Bengelsdorf married fellow artist Byron Browne, and the couple decided that she would end her art career to focus on teaching and writing. Browne subsequently worked as an art critic for Pictures on Exhibit, The New York Star, and Woman's Day and taught at the New School for Social Research until the late-1970s. After her husband's death in 1961, she returned to painting.

Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne died in Manhattan in 1979.

Related Materials:

The Archives of American Art also holds an interview of Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne conducted 1968 January 29, by Irving Sandler. Also found are the papers of Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne's husband: the Byron Browne papers, 1930-1963.

Provenance:

The collection was donated in 1978 and 1979 by Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne and her son, Stephen B. Browne.

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 born-digital records or 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

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

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

Topic:

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women art critics  Search this

Women educators  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne papers, 1910s-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Processing of this collection received federal support from the Collections Care Initiative Fund, administered by the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative and the National Collections Program

Identifier:

AAA.bengrosa

See more items in:

Rosalind Bengelsdorf Browne papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d379ef78-e5f2-47df-97f7-cc14b08a0c14

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-bengrosa

Collection Creator:

Catlin, Stanton L. , 1915-1997  Search this

Container:

Box 5, Folder 53

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1974-1994

Collection Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington, D.C. Research Center.

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:

Stanton L. Catlin papers, 1911-1998, bulk 1930-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Collections Care and Preservation Fund

See more items in:

Stanton L. Catlin papers

Stanton L. Catlin papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94bd48f57-9095-4b9b-9757-2162fcda3654

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-catlstan-ref169

Creator:

Cohn, Max Arthur, 1903-  Search this

Names:

Federal Art Project  Search this

Barr, Norman, 1908-  Search this

Gottlieb, Harry, 1895-  Search this

McCausland, Elizabeth, 1899-1965  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Extent:

1,000 Items ((on 1 microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Scrapbooks

Date:

1928-1978

Scope and Contents:

The papers of Max Arthur Cohn document his career as a painter and printmaker; significantly, pertaining to the WPA Federal Art Project, as well as other art organizations and galleries. Includes:

biographical material, undated and 1956; correspondence, undated and 1933-1978, includes letters from Norman Barr, Elizabeth McCausland, Harry Gottlieb and Francis O'Connor; notes, undated and 1942-1977, includes lists of exhibitions and art works; an address by Cohn before the "Artist Coordinating Committee and Associated Organizations at the Art Students League", 1935; business records, undated and 1940-1970;

a scrapbook of printed material, undated and 1928-1947; exhibition announcements and catalogs; miscellaneous printed material relating to the National Serigraph Society and the WPA Federal Art Project; a book SILKSCREEN TECHNIQUES by Cohn and J. I. Biegeleisen; and photographs of Cohn, his family, and his works of art.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter, printmaker; New York, N.Y.

Provenance:

Donated 1976 and 1978 by Max Arthur Cohn.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Printmakers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painters  Search this

Serigraphers  Search this

Genre/Form:

Scrapbooks

Identifier:

AAA.cohnmax

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw90f63eadf-bda2-4c91-88bb-2d7c7acaacaa

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-cohnmax

Collection Creator:

Casas, Mel, 1929-2014  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 17

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1982

Collection Restrictions:

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

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:

Mel Casas papers, 1963-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

The processing and digitization of this collection received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. Additional funding for the digitization of the papers was provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation.

See more items in:

Mel Casas papers

Mel Casas papers / Series 3: Writings

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9db9da8b9-f317-4565-b88b-92af72115005

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-casamel-ref17

Creator:

Mark, Bendor, 1912-1995  Search this

Names:

Federal Art Project (N.Y.)  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Extent:

0.4 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 1 reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1930-1984

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence; writings; sketches; photographs; and clippings.

REEL 141: Papers, ca. 1930-1971, relating to Mark's work with the WPA-FAP, New York, including correspondence with Francis V. O'Connor, National Collection of Fine Arts; essays and notes from the late 1930's, including a recollection of other project artists; sketches and photographs of paintings from that period; and a review of the Artists' Union exhibit, A.C.A. gallery, from ART FRONT, Feb. 1936.

UNMICROFILMED: Papers, ca. 1940-1981, including: writings by Mark about influences on his art work; two essays by Mark, "A masterwork and the creative process" and "'Guernica' and 'Death to the Invader' - a personal view"; photographs of works of art; and clippings.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter; New York, N.Y. and La Jolla, Calif. Also known as Bernard Marcus.

Provenance:

Donated 1973-1982 by Bendor Mark (Bernard Marcus).

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Painters -- California -- La Jolla  Search this

Topic:

Painting, American  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.markbend

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw989e16bf4-6c3e-4b2c-863f-38a36823d158

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-markbend

Creator:

Laning, Edward, 1906-1981  Search this

Photographer:

Peter A. Juley & Son  Search this

Names:

United States. Dept. of the Treasury. Section of Fine Arts  Search this

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1889-1975  Search this

Lucioni, Luigi, 1900-1988  Search this

Marsh, Reginald, 1898-1954  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Extent:

2.2 Linear feet ((on 3 microfilm reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Interviews

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Date:

1880-1983

Scope and Contents:

Identification cards and a resume; an eleven page Laning family genealogy; correspondence with Francis V. O'Connor and others, undated and 1925-1983; photographs of family members and ancestors, of Laning, including one of him with his self-portrait taken by Peter A. Juley & Son, ca. 1943, and of his work; writings, including lecture notes, articles on Reginald Marsh and on Thomas Hart Benton, and an account of his experiences as a muralist for the Treasury Section; Laning's sketchbook; a print by Luigi Lucioni; business and financial records, memberships in organizations; awards and certificates; typescript of an interview with Laning; and printed matter.

Biographical / Historical:

Painter and muralist, died in 1981. Born in Petersburg, Ill. Studied at Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Chicago, and the Arts Students League with Max Weber, Boardman Robinson, and John Sloan. Worked extensively on the WPA Federal Art Project and the Treasury Section.

Provenance:

Material donated in 1972 by Edward Laning, and in 1973, 1983 and 1984 by his widow, Mary Fife Laning, through Laning executor Jack Henderson.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Painters  Search this

Topic:

Art, American  Search this

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century  Search this

Painting, Modern -- 20th century  Search this

Muralists  Search this

Genre/Form:

Interviews

Scrapbooks

Sketchbooks

Identifier:

AAA.laniedwa

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9eeb6759b-00a2-4ce0-ad3d-07368160c7ff

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-laniedwa

Creator:

Smith, David, 1906-1965  Search this

Names:

Blake, William J. (William James), 1894-1968  Search this

Dehner, Dorothy, 1901-1994  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Stead, Christina, 1902-  Search this

Extent:

4 Items ((on partial microfilm reel))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

[ca. 1940]-1964

Scope and Contents:

Writings; printed material, including an exhibition catalog, Medals for Dishonor, for an exhibition of Smith's antiwar and violence medals and writings at the Willard Gallery, November, 1940, including a forward by authors William Blake and Christina Stead and a photograph of Smith; a typescript of Smith's essay, "Modern Sculpture and Society"; and a copy of Smith's essay, edited, as it appeared in Francis V. O'Connor's book, Art for the Millions; a 1942 press photograph of Smith at work on a marble sculpture; and a note written by Dorothy Dehner explaining the photograph.

Biographical / Historical:

Sculptor; Bolton Landing, N.Y. Smith's Medals for Dishonor, completed in 1940, were explicit statements of protest against the horrors of war and violence. Smith befriended the writers, Williams Blake and his wife Christina Stead, after having read and been influenced by Blake's novel, THE PAINTER AND THE LADY. Dorothy Dehner, painter and sculptor, was Smith's first wife. They were married in 1927 and divorced in 1952. ART FOR THE MILLIONS, edited by Francis V. O'Connor, was originally intended to be published by the Federal Art Project but went unfinished. O'Connor took up the project and completed it in 1972.

Provenance:

Material on frames 54-89 provenance unknown. Material on frames 89-96 donated by Katharine Kuh, art critic, consultant, and friend of Dorothy Dehner.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Occupation:

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- Bolton Landing  Search this

Topic:

Sculpture, Modern -- New York (State)  Search this

Medals -- United States  Search this

Metal-work  Search this

Identifier:

AAA.smithdav

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9a93ee656-1268-441c-8916-e59210ab7d7f

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-smithdav

Creator:

New Pacific Productions  Search this

Names:

New Pacific Productions  Search this

Bell, Michael S., 1946-  Search this

Chessé, Ralph  Search this

Howard, John Langley, 1902-  Search this

Jewett, Masha Zakheim, 1931-  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Zakheim, Bernard Baruch, 1898-1985  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (videocassette (VHS) (ca. 20 min.), sd., col., 1/2 in.)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Video recordings

Date:

c1986

Scope and Contents:

Reviews the history of the San Francisco Coit Tower from its building, the commissioning of the often controversial murals by the Public Works of Art Project in 1933, and their significance in both artistic and political terms, through to the more recent problems of restoration and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the murals in 1984. Appearing in the video are Coit Tower muralists, Ralph Chessé, John Langley Howard and Bernard Zakheim. Offering commentary and analysis are: Masha Zakheim Jewett, author of COIT TOWER, Michael Bell, Assistant Director, San Francisco Art Commission, and art historian Francis V. O'Connor.

Publication, Distribution, Etc. (Imprint):

San Francisco, Calif. : New Pacific Productions [production company], c1986.

Provenance:

Donated 1986 by David Bolt.

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:

To be used for research purposes only. 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.

Topic:

Coit Memorial Tower (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this

Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Mural painting and decoration, American -- California -- San Francisco  Search this

Public Works of Art Project (Calif.)  Search this

Genre/Form:

Video recordings

Identifier:

AAA.newpacif

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw988208547-d33c-4b7e-bfc0-c6a2ddd4e122

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-newpacif

Creator:

Benson, Emanuel, 1904-1971  Search this

Names:

Federal Art Project  Search this

Index of American Design  Search this

Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this

Davis, Stuart, 1892-1964  Search this

Greene, Balcomb, 1904-1990  Search this

Grosz, George, 1893-1959  Search this

Kandinsky, Wassily, 1866-1944  Search this

Knaths, Karl, 1891-1971  Search this

Lipchitz, Jacques, 1891-1973  Search this

Machen, Arthur, 1863-1947  Search this

Marin, John, 1870-1953  Search this

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946  Search this

Watkins, Franklin Chenault, 1894-1972  Search this

Wolff, Gustave, 1863-1935  Search this

Extent:

0.8 Linear feet ((on 2 microfilm reels))

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Date:

1924-1967

Scope and Contents:

Material relating to the Federal Art Project; and correspondence.

REEL D/NDA/B: Reports; directives; articles; lectures; speeches; clippings; publications; the mock-up of a projected book on the project; and essays written for the book by Stuart Davis and Balcomb Greene. Papers were kept by Benson as consultant to the Federal Art Project and are mostly related to the Community Art Centers and the Index of American Design.

REEL 2384: 482 cards and letters from artists and friends; lecture notes and writings; and a photograph (unidentified). Correspondents include Karl Knaths, Alexander Calder, Gustav Wolff, Alfred Stieglitz, Jacques Lipchitz, George Grosz, Arthur Machen, John Marin, Franklin Watkins, Wassily Kandinsky, and others.

Biographical / Historical:

Educator, writer, and lecturer; Philadelphia, Pa. Was a consultant for the WPA Federal Art Project. Began a book on the project and died before it was finished. Francis V. O'Connor edited and completed the book, ART FOR THE MILLIONS.

Provenance:

Donated 1964-1978 by Benson and his widow, Elaine Benson.

Restrictions:

Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Topic:

Federal aid to the arts  Search this

Function:

Art centers

Identifier:

AAA.benseman

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw960776a18-9814-45f7-81ff-a884d74b09d5

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-benseman

Collection Creator:

Krasnow, Peter, 1886-1979  Search this

Container:

Box 1, Folder 33

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1932 January 7 - 1964 June 5, undated

Scope and Contents note:

O'Connor, Francis V.

Otterström, Thomas

Collection Restrictions:

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:

Peter and Rose Krasnow papers, 1914-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

See more items in:

Peter and Rose Krasnow papers

Peter and Rose Krasnow papers / Series 2: Correspondence

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99c872f49-931c-4fb0-ad6f-b1b70f2a4094

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-kraspete-ref63

Collection Creator:

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

1936-1973

Scope and Contents:

Files are of artists, Index of American Design personnel, teachers, administrators, and supervisors employed by the FAP, TRAP, and Treasury Section divisions. These employment forms were made for O'Connor's FSVA project by the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. The records were compiled from microfilmed employment records and represent an effort to create a complete list of New York WPA artists and administrators. Files of individual names contain additional material on artists including original research notes, resumes, correspondence, and printed material. Printouts of employment transcript data are also included.

Collection Restrictions:

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

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings and born-digital records in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

The Artists' Questionanaires require permission from each artist before publishing, quoting, or reproducing. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Collection Rights:

Items created by Francis V. O'Connor: copyright held by Avis Berman. Artists' questionnaires: Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from the individual artist. 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.

Collection Citation:

Francis V. O'Connor papers, 1920-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Identifier:

AAA.oconfran, Subseries 1.3

See more items in:

Francis V. O'Connor papers

Francis V. O'Connor papers / Series 1: NCFA Library

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ec0bb399-f1ef-4b2f-8f60-54a7e9676931

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-oconfran-ref1

Collection Creator:

O'Connor, Francis V.  Search this

Container:

Box 5, Folder 13

Type:

Archival materials

Date:

circa 1967

Scope and Contents:

Forms for the following artists: Cabanaugh, John; Coloenesco, Aurelio; Campbell, Blendon; Campbell, Rollington; Campton, James S.; Campton, Louis S.; Candell, Victor; Capaldo, Ernest; Capelli, Giancinto; Carano, Vincent; Carles, Jeanne; Carlomango, William; Carlotte, Ida; Carman, Albert; Carney, Wilfred (William); Carpenter, Margaret; Cartier, Ferdinand; Cary, Lucian; Cassell, Lillian M.; Castaing, Camille; Cavalito, Albina (Cavallito, Albino); Cedarquist, Arthur; Celetano, Daniel; Cerney, George; Chalman, Walter V.; Chaney, Ruth; Charlot, Jean; Chase, Ethel; Chavez, Edward A.; Chernoff, Vadim; Chianese, Ralph; Choate, F.

Collection Restrictions:

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

Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings and born-digital records in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.

The Artists' Questionanaires require permission from each artist before publishing, quoting, or reproducing. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Collection Rights:

Items created by Francis V. O'Connor: copyright held by Avis Berman. Artists' questionnaires: Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from the individual artist. 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.

Collection Citation:

Francis V. O'Connor papers, 1920-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

See more items in:

Francis V. O'Connor papers

Francis V. O'Connor papers / Series 1: NCFA Library / 1.3: GSA Artists' Employment History Records

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw94a49c970-49fa-4066-a437-3615e4d3fb56

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aaa-oconfran-ref10