Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Nancy Kelker Research Material Regarding Mel Casas, 1890-circa 2011, bulk 1968-2005, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.kelknanc
Creators:
Kelker, Nancy L.
Dates:
1890-circa 2011
bulk 1968-2005
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.3 Linear feet
0.001 Gigabytes
Repository:
The Nancy Kelker research material regarding Mel Casas measures 1.3 linear feet and 0.001 GB dates from 1890 to circa 2011 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1968 to 2005. The material includes sound and video recordings of interviews with Casas by Kelker and Vincent Valdez, and a talk by Casas at Georgia Southwestern University; research files that include Casas' business and legal records, correspondence, exhibition records, photographs, and student papers about Casas; and printed materials consisting of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, journals, newsletters, and posters relating to Casas' activities during his career. One interview transcript is in digital format. The material was compiled by Kelker for the book Mel Casas: Artist as Cultural Adjuster.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The Nancy Kelker research material regarding Mel Casas measures 1.3 linear feet and 0.001 GB and dates from 1890 to circa 2011 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1968 to 2005. The material includes sound and video recordings of interviews with Casas by Kelker and Vincent Valdez, and a talk by Casas at Georgia Southwestern University; research files that include Casas' business and legal records, correspondence, exhibition records, photographs, and student papers about Casas; and printed materials consisting of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, journals, newsletters, and posters relating to Casas' activities during his career. One interview transcript is in digital format. The material was compiled by Kelker for the book Mel Casas: Artist as Cultural Adjuster.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as three series.
  • Series 1: Interviews and Talks, 1999-2005 (Box 1; 4 folders, ER01; 0.001 GB)
  • Series 2: Research and Project Files, 1978-2001 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Printed Materials, 1890-circa 2000 (Box 1, OVs 2-4; 0.5 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Nancy Kelker (1951- ) is an art historian in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. and the author of Mel Casas: Artist as Cultural Adjuster.
Mel Casas (1929-2014) was a painter and educator in San Antonio, Texas. Casas was a member of Con Safo, an organization that promoted Chicano concepts and the Chicano art movement. Humanscapes, Casas' series of 150 paintings, was produced between 1965 and 1989 and has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Casas died in San Antonio, Texas. in 2014.

Administration

Author
Sarah Mundy
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Nancy Kelker research material regarding Mel Casas was donated in 2016 by Nancy Kelker.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2018. Born-digital materials were processed by Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner in 2019 with funding provided by Smithsonian Collection Care and Preservation Fund.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Nancy Kelker research material regarding Mel Casas, 1890-circa 2011, bulk 1968-2005. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and born-digital records with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Chicano movement Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mexican American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lectures Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Video recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Latino and Latin American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Casas, Mel, 1929-2014 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Valdez, Vincent Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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