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Archives of American Art
A Finding Aid to the Robert Kipniss papers circa 1932-2023, in the Archives of American Art
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.kipnrobe
- Creators:
-
Kipniss, Robert
- Dates:
-
circa 1932-2023
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
3.2 Linear feet
- Repository:
The papers of painter and printmaker Robert Kipniss measure 3.2 linear feet and date from circa 1932-2023. They illustrate his career through biographical material, correspondence, writings, and printed and photographic material.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The Robert Kipniss papers measure 3.2 linear feet and date from circa 1932-2023. Biographical materials consist of Kipniss' CV, awards and honorary degrees, and an interview with WWNO New Orleans in digital format. Correspondence is personal and professional and is to and from Kipniss. Writings include the manuscript of Shine (2017) and Kipniss' thesis, as well as Kipniss' poetry. Printed materials consist of exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and materials about two exhibitions in digital format. Photographic materials consist of photographs of Kipniss, his exhibitions, and his artwork.
Arrangement
Arrangement
This collection consists of five series.
- Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1979-2021 (.1 Linear feet: Box 1)
- Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1989-2017 (.2 Linear feet: Box 1)
- Series 3: Writings, circa 1954-2017 (.2 Linear feet: Box 1)
- Series 4: Printed Materials, circa 1952-2023 (1.9 Linear feet: Boxes 1, 2, 4, and 5)
- Series 5: Photographic Materials, circa 1932-2007 (.8 Linear feet: Boxes 3, 5, and 6)
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Robert Kipniss (1931-) is a painter and printmaker who works mainly in New York.
Kipniss was born in Brooklyn, New York. During his childhood he attended New York's Art Students League when he was sixteen on Saturdays and he began college in 1948, attending Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio for two years before transferring to the University of Iowa. After graduating with a B.A. in English Kipniss stayed at the university and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1954. After gaining this degree he, and his former wife Jean, moved to Manhattan and Kipniss was drafted into the United States Army in 1956 where he used his talent to create training aids.
Kipniss has written poetry, published books, and illustrated two volumes of poetry. He is known for his paintings, lithographs, and mezzotints. His early work was with paintings focusing on abstracts, biomorphic forms, landscapes, still lifes, and figures. The lithographs he later created followed this style. Kipniss did not fully focus on mezzotints until 1990 and had his first solo mezzotint show in 1992.
Since 1965 Kipniss has had more than twenty-two museum exhibitions around the world and his work is held by more than eighty-eight museums and institutions.
Kipniss currently maintains a studio on the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York and is married to his second wife Laurie Lisle.
Administration
Author
Allessandra Liberati
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Papers donated in 2013 by Robert Kipniss and in 2024 by Laurie Lisle, Kipniss' spouse.
Processing Information
This collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared, by Allessandra Liberati in 2024.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing 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.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Preferred Citation
Robert Kipniss papers, circa 1932-2023 Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrapbooks | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Printmakers -- New York (State) -- New York | Occupation | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Painters -- New York (State) -- New York | Occupation | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-7950
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions
