Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the The New Arts records, 1950-1979, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.newarts
Creators:
New Arts (Art gallery)
Dates:
1950-1979
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.3 Linear feet
Repository:
The New Arts records measure 1.3 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1979. The collection sheds light on the gallery's operations through correspondence, exhibition files, printed material, artists' files, and more.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The New Arts records measure 1.3 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1979. The collection sheds light on the gallery's operations through administrative records and artists' files. Administrative records include artwork authentification records, correspondence with museums, galleries, and private collectors, exhibition files, ephemera from exhibitions held elsewhere, and editions of the Contemporary Arts Council calendar. Artists' files consist of correspondence, price lists, photos of artwork and installations, exhibition ephemera, reviews, some resumes, and more. Artists covered include Forrest Bess, James Boynton, Lawrence Calcagno, Joseph Cornell, Max Ernst, Walter Kuhlman, Peter Plagens, Hassel Smith, Richard Steinberg, and Jean Varda.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as two series.
  • Series 1: Administrative Records, 1952-1970 (Box 1; .4 linear feet)
  • Series 2: Artists' Files, 1950-1979 (Box 1-2, OV 3; .9 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The New Arts was founded in 1956 in Houston, Texas by Kathryn Swenson. The gallery was initially established to exhibit and sell pre-Columbian artwork, the bulk of which came from Andre Emmerich's private collection. Swenson asked friend and museum specialist Jermayne MacAgy to help with the exhibition display, and then sometime in the next two years, the gallery began to show established local artists. Pre-Columbian shows persisted throughout The New Arts' existence, but the gallery shifted its focus towards exhibiting a wide range of contemporary painters and sculptors by the late 1950s. Artists exhibited at The New Arts include Jack Boynton, Forest Bess, Hassel Smith, Max Ernst, Walter Kuhlman, Lawrence Calcagno, Joseph Cornell, Peter Plagens, and Jean Varda.
The New Arts closed in 1974.

Administration

Author
Christopher DeMairo
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
The collection was donated in 1979 by gallery owner and director Kathryn Swenson.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 2242-2244 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Portions of the collection are available on microfilm at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and through interlibrary loan.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Christopher DeMairo in 2022.

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
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Preferred Citation
The New Arts records, 1950-1979. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Marc Moldawer, Kathryn Swenson, and Robert Wilson conducted by Sandra Curtis Levy, August 15, 1984.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art galleries, Commercial -- Texas Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bess, Forrest, 1911-1977 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Boynton, Jack, 1928-2010 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Calcagno, Lawrence, 1913- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cornell, Joseph Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Emmerich, André Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ernst, Max, 1891-1976 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kuhlman, Walter Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Plagens, Peter Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smith, Hassel, 1915-2007 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Steinberg, Richard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Varda, Jean Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives of American Art
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Business Number: Phone: 202-633-7950
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