Archives of American Art

Jack Greenbaum scrapbook and interviews

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.greejack
Creators:
Greenbaum, Jack
Dates:
1961-1978
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.3 Linear feet
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Scrapbook compiled by Greenbaum relating to various artists; and untranscribed interviews, including two of Herman Somberg conducted by Greenbaum, ca. 1965; two of Greenbaum conducted by Vivienne Wechter, 1961 and 1978; and one of Greenbaum conducted by Hilda Weltman, 1968.
Scope and Contents
The scrapbook contains photographs of Greenbaum and artists George Segal, Miles Forst, and Willem de Kooning; photographs of works of art by Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning, Chryssa, Isamu Noguchi, Will Barnet, Barbara Hepworth, and Ilya Bolotowsky; sketches by Herman Somberg and Henry Pearson; a sketch of Greenbaum by Hugo Weber; a catalog, "The 30's -- Painting in New York"; clippings; and printed miscellany.
Scope and Contents
The interviews of Somberg conducted by Greenbaum include one (5 5" tapes) in which Somberg discusses Pop and Op movements; artist's motivations; realism vs. reality and tradition vs. modern art; the elements of structure, texture, composition and pigment in modern art; social commentary in painting; "pure painting"; Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, and Willem de Kooning; happenings; and Somberg's disdain for art history. In the second interview (1 5" tape), painter Raymond Hendler is also present; they discuss their favorite television shows, an Op exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, and the meanings of the words "good," "like," "taste," and opinion" in relation to contemporary art.
Scope and Contents
The interviews of Greenbaum, include: one (on 2 5" tapes), conducted by Hilda Weltman, July 13 & 20, 1968 in which Greenbaum speaks of the conflicts and opportunities of American artists and his views on Pop art, strobe lights, civil rights, religion, existentialism, the Catholic Church, Vietnam, technology, hippies, and demonstrations at Columbia University; one (on 1 7"tape) conducted by Viviene Wechter, 1961 wherein Greenbaum speaks of collecting, art and affordability, abstract art, the arrangement of paintings on walls, his collection, and artists as personalities independent of their aesthetic; and the third, conducted in 1978, also by Wechter (on 1 cassette) for a radio program entitled "Today's World" on FM radio station WFUV.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Jack Greenbaum: collector and dentist; New York, N.Y. and an intimate friend of Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Hugo Weber. He did their dental work and was given their paintings in payment.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
Scrapbook: 35mm microfilm reel 1425 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1978 by Dr. Jack Greenbaum.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Microfilmed portion (scrapbook) must be consulted on microfilm. Use of untranscribed interviews requires an appointment and is limited to AAA; Washington, D.C. office.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art -- Collectors and collecting Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
De Kooning, Willem, 1904-1997 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Forst, Miles, 1923- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kline, Franz, 1910-1962 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pollock, Jackson, 1912-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Segal, George, 1924-2000 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pearson, Henry, 1914-2006 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Somberg, Herman Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Weber, Hugo, 1918-1971 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hendler, Raymond, 1923- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wechter, Vivienne Thaul Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Weltman, Hilda Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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