out of the box: the archives of american art’s lawrence a. fleischman gallery
DESCRIPTION
Presentation delivered by Mary Savig, Archives of American Art, Archives Specialist, at the Smithsonian Archives Fair on October 22, 2010 in Washington, DC. With over 16 million items—from passionate love letters to liquor store receipts—the Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary source material on the history of American art. It presents three thematically centered exhibitions each year in the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery, located in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Mary Savig will provide an overview of the Archives’ exhibition program, including how staff continue to address the challenge of engaging visitors with archival material.TRANSCRIPT
Out of the Box
Alexandra Darrow holiday card to Prentiss Taylor, ca. 1951 Prentiss Taylor papers, 1885-1991
Exhibiting Primary Source Material at the Archives of American Art
Lucy Lippard papers
16,000 linear feet
About 6,000 collections
16 million documents
WHAT IS IN THE BOXES?
200 years of primary sources
Jennifer Snyder, 2010
16,000 linear feet
About 6,000 collections
16 million documents
Over 2,000 oral history interviews
WHAT IS IN THE BOXES?
200 years of primary sources
April 4, 2006
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
Gallery during DWRC renovation, April 4, 2006
April 30, 2004
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
Joan Lord readying for the first exhibition: Artists in their Studios
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
• Inspire visitors to understand the value of historical records and primary source material
• Teach a nuanced history of American art
• Narrate relatable personal histories of American artists
• Encourage further exploration beyond the gallery
Our goal is to create understandable, informative, and engaging exhibitions as a portal to our collections
Robert Scull's East Hampton residence, ca. 1968 Clock-wise from top: Lucas Samaras, George Segal, Robert Rauschenberg, Patty Mucha, and Claes Oldenburg
A Thousand Kisses: Love Letters from the Archives of American Art
Frida Kahlo to Nickolas Muray, February 16, 1939. Nickolas Muray papers, 1911-1978.
Patti Warashina valentine to Robert Sperry, February 14, 1966. Robert Sperry papers, 1951-2002.
Moses Soyer to David Soyer, ca. 1940. Moses Soyer papers, circa 1905-1974.
AAA Visitor SurveyAdvised by Zahava Doering, Office of Policy & Analysis
Phase 1: Observation• Conducted over 2 exhibitions, July and September 2009• Observed visitors in 15 minute segments, 3 times daily• Reported number of visitors who walked into gallery vs. number
who walked past but did not enter
Findings• 70% of visitors in the NPG corridor walk into the gallery• About 15 people every 15 minutes• On average, 500 visitors a day walk
Phase 2: Conversation• Conducted 50 interviews over 3 exhibitions• Casually asked a set of open-ended questions about a visitor’s
impressions of the gallery• Surveyor noted gender and locality of visitor
Findings• Visitors learned most about items that resonated personally
with them, even if the artist was less known• Visitors frequently asked for more information about the
Archives, the artists, or the documents
AAA Visitor SurveyAdvised by Zahava Doering, Office of Policy & Analysis
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists’ Enumerations
Margaret De Patta’s list of orders, 1946. Margaret De Patta papers, 1944-2000.
Franz Kline’s liquor store receipt, December 31, 1960. Elisabeth Zogbaum papers
regarding Franz Kline, 1928-1965.
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists’ Enumerations
Oscar Bluemner’s illustrated list of works of art, May 18, 1932 May 18. Oscar Bluemner papers,
1886-1939, 1960. Eero Saarinen’s to Aline Saarinen, 1954Aline and Eero Saarinen papers, 1906-1977
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists’ Enumerations
Hard Times: 1929–1939
Hard Times: 1929–1939
Summer Interns, Delia Murphy and Leah Rand
William Bunn’s Sketchbook #4, 1937William Edward Lewis Bunn papers, 1935-1986
Bunn painting post office mural in Minden, Neb., between 1937 and 1939. Photographer unknown.
William Edward Lewis Bunn papers, 1935-1986.
Hard Times: 1929–1939
Season’s Greetings: Holiday Cards from the Archives of American Art
Even More Out of the Box
Ding Ren, July 2, 2010. Photograph by Page Carr.
Even More Out of the Box
Even More Out of the BoxLet’s get this party started
October 29, 2010 to February 13, 2011
Guest-curated by Jonathan Weinberg
A compliment to the National Portrait Gallery’s, Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture
Lost and Found: The Lesbian and Gay Presence in the Archives of American Art
George Tooker, Daniel Maloney, and William Christopher, 1951. Photographer unknown. William Christopher papers, 1946-1972.
Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Civil War exhibition
Armory Show 100th Anniversary
Oral History Clips
Even More Out of the BoxLet’s get this show on the road
More Than Words: Illustrated Letters
Artists in their Studios
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artist’s Enumerations
Traveling Exhibitions
George Luks to Everett Shinn, May 18, 1900. Everett Shinn collection, 1894-1953.
Thank YouFind us At:
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery1st floor, DWRC
www.aaa.si.edu
facebook.com/ArchivesAmericanArt
Twitter.com/ArchivesAmerArt
Talk by Mary Savig, [email protected]
Happy Halloween