Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Nancy Davidson Papers, 1970s-2016, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.davinanc
Creators:
Davidson, Nancy, 1943-
Dates:
1970s-2016
Languages:
Collection is in English.
Physical Description:
5 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of New York based interdisciplinary artist Nancy Davidson measure 5 linear feet and date from 1970s-2016. The collection includes biographical material, correspondence, illustrated notebooks and notes, gallery and exhibition files, printed material, photographic material, and two sketchbooks. Nearly one linear foot of correspondence arranged chronologically is both personal and professional. Notable correspondents include Michiko Itatani, Joyce Kozloff, Eunice Lipton, Sabra Moore, and Nancy Spero. Galleries and museums include Marianne Denson Gallery; Museum of Contemporary, Chicago; N.A.M.E. Gallery, of which Davidson was an artist member; the Walker Art Center; and White Columns. Over thirty notebooks capture Davidson's work process, evolution of ideas, related sketches in pen and pencil, reflections from readings and lectures, and notes from critiques with fellow artists Rosemary Mayer, Joyce Kozloff, Ray Yoshida, and Richard Halstead. A large sequence of printed material includes announcements, books, bulletins, newsletters, calendars, clippings, exhibition catalogs, periodicals, press releases, programs, and a few other items of printed matter relating to Davidson's professional career.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of New York based interdisciplinary artist Nancy Davidson measure 5 linear feet and date from 1970s-2016. The collection includes biographical material, correspondence, illustrated notebooks and notes, gallery and exhibition files, printed material, photographic material, and two sketchbooks. Nearly one linear foot of correspondence arranged chronologically is both personal and professional. Notable correspondents include Michiko Itatani, Joyce Kozloff, Eunice Lipton, Sabra Moore, and Nancy Spero. Galleries and museums include Marianne Denson Gallery; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; N.A.M.E. Gallery, of which Davidson was an artist member; the Walker Art Center; and White Columns. Over thirty notebooks capture Davidson's work process, evolution of ideas, related sketches in pen and pencil, reflections from readings and lectures, and notes from critiques with fellow artists Rosemary Mayer, Joyce Kozloff, Ray Yoshida, and Richard Halstead. A large sequence of printed material includes announcements, books, bulletins, newsletters, calendars, clippings, exhibition catalogs, periodicals, press releases, programs, and a few other items of printed matter relating to Davidson's professional career.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as seven series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1978-2015 (0.9 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1970s-2000s (0.8 linear feet; Box 1-2)
  • Series 3: Illustrated Notebooks and Notes, 1970s-2010 (1.6 linear feet; Box 2-4)
  • Series 4: Gallery and Exhibition Files, 1976-2002 (0.3 linear feet; Box 4)
  • Series 5: Printed Material, 1970s-2010s (1.3 linear feet; Box 4-5)
  • Series 6: Photographic Material, 1990s (1 folder; Box 5)
  • Series 7: Sketchbooks, circa 1980, circa 1990 (2 folders; Box 5)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Nancy Davidson (1943- ) is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily in sculpture and installation in New York, NY. She grew up in Chicago and received a Bachelor's degree from Northeastern Illinois University, a BFA from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After completing her graduate degree in 1975, Davidson began her professional career in Chicago before moving to New York in 1979. While initially working in painting and drawing, Davison has become most well known for her works in sculpture investigating the feminized body. She has exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C., and in numerous galleries across the country. Davidson was a professor at Purchase College SUNY from 1984-2008.

Administration

Author
Hilary Price
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated to the Archives of American Art in 2016 by Nancy Davidson.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Hilary Price in 2017.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Terms of Use
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.
Preferred Citation
Nancy Davidson papers, 1970s-2016. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Installations (Art) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art -- Study and teaching Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women sculptors Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Halstead, Richard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Itatani, Michiko Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kozloff, Joyce Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lipton, Eunice Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mayer, Rosemary Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Moore, Sabra Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Spero, Nancy, 1926-2009 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Yoshida, Ray Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Marianne Deson Gallery Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago, Ill.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
N.A.M.E. Gallery Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Walker Art Center Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
White Columns (Gallery) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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