Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Jo Hanson Papers, circa 1969-2009, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.hansjo
Creators:
Hanson, Jo
Dates:
circa 1969-2009
Languages:
The collection is in English.
Physical Description:
4.1 Linear feet
1.06 Gigabytes
Repository:
The papers of San Francisco environmental artist and activist Jo Hanson measure 4.1 linear feet and 1.06 GB and date from circa 1969 to 2009. The papers document her professional activities through biographical material, project and exhibition files, printed and digital material, artwork, and photographs. Also found are files regarding her participation in the Women's Caucus for Art.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of San Francisco environmental artist and activist Jo Hanson measure 4.1 linear feet and 1.06 GB and date from circa 1969 to 2009. The papers document her professional activities through biographical material, project and exhibition files, printed and digital material, artwork, and photographs. Also found are files regarding her participation in the Women's Caucus for Art.
Of note within the collection is an oral history interview of Hanson, conducted by Eleanor Dickinson and Barbara Hendrickson in 2006-2007, as well was biographical documentation compiled for the interview. Hanson's installations "Crab Orchard Cemetery" and "Public Disclosure: Secrets From the Street" are also particularly well documented within this collection.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 6 series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1976-2008 (0.6 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Project and Exhibition Files, circa 1973-2009 (0.8 linear feet; Box 1-2)
  • Series 3: Women's Caucus for Art, 1977-2006 (0.4 linear feet; Box 2)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, 1971-2008 (0.4 linear feet; Box 2)
  • Series 5: Artwork, 1969-circa 1990s (0.4 linear feet; Box 3, 5)
  • Series 6: Photographs, circa 1969-2007 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 3-5, 1.06 GB; ER01-ER02)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Jo Hanson (1918-2007) was an environmental artist and activist in San Francisco, California. She was known for turning urban trash into works of art. She exhibited her work at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Fresno Art Museum, and the Oakland Museum of California, among other places. In 1974 her installation "Crab Orchard Cemetery" toured nationally and included a mix of sculpture, printmaking, photography, and sound. During the 1980s she served on the San Francisco Arts Commission and championed the work of underrepresented women and artists of color. In 1996 she helped establish WEAD, the Women Environmental Artists Directory.

Administration

Author
Erin Kinhart
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated in 2011 by Eleanor Dickinson, Hanson's friend.
Processing Information
The collection was processed to a minimal level and a finding aid prepared by Erin Kinhart in 2014. The collection has been minimally rearranged and retains the existing/original folder titles when possible. All materials have been rehoused in archival folders and boxes for long-term stability, but often staples and other fasteners have not been removed. Materials within folders have not been rearranged. Born-digital materials were processed by Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner in 2019 with funding provided by Smithsonian Collection Care and Preservation Fund.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires and appointment. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
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
Jo Hanson papers, circa 1969-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Video recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Transcripts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art -- Political aspects Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Environmental artists -- California -- San Francisco Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dickinson, Eleanor, 1931- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women's Caucus for Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hendrickson, Barbara Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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