Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Tomás Oliva Papers, circa 1969-1996, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.olivtoma
Creators:
Oliva, Tomás, 1930-1996
Dates:
circa 1969-1996
Languages:
English; Spanish
Physical Description:
0.2 Linear feet
Repository:
This small collection of papers of Cuban born sculptor and painter Tomás Oliva measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1969-1996. Found among the papers are a chronology; life documents; exhibition catalogs, including one from the 1993 exhibition of three of the original Los Once Cuban artist's group forty years after their first exhibition in Havana; one letter from Cyndee Levy-Angulo; notes and poetry; a photograph of Oliva with José Antonio Díaz Peláez; photographs of sculpture, two sketchbooks; and loose sketches and doodles.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This small collection of papers of Cuban born sculptor and painter Tomás Oliva measure 0.2 linear feet and date from circa 1969-1996. Found among the papers are a chronology; life documents; exhibition catalogs, including one from the 1993 exhibition of three of the original Los Once Cuban artist's group forty years after their first exhibition in Havana; one letter from Cyndee Levy-Angulo; notes and poetry; a photograph of Oliva with José Antonio Díaz Peláez; photographs of sculpture, two sketchbooks; and loose sketches and doodles.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 1 series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Tomás Oliva Papers, circa 1969-1996 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Tomás Oliva (1930-1996) was a Cuban born sculptor, painter, and printmaker who worked in Havana up to the mid or late 1970s before relocating to Miami, Florida.
Born in 1930 in Havana, Cuba, Oliva graduated from the San Alejandro Academy in Havana in 1952 with a dual degree in painting and sculpture. He also attended the Royal School of Ceramic La Moncloa in Spain and Ecole du Mosaic de Ravene et Ceramique de Faienze in Paris France. He also studied art and film animation with Ivan Zeiler and stage design with Ladislav Vihodil while living in Havana.
Oliva was one of the founding members of the Cuban artists' group Los Once (The Eleven), active in Havana between 1953 and 1955. Los Once consisted of 11 painters and sculptors-Pancho Antigua, René Avila, José Ignacio Bermudez, Agustin Cárdenas, Hugo Consuegra, Viredo Espinosa, Guido Llinás, Fayad Jamís, Tomás Oliva, José Antonio Díaz Peláez, and Antonio Vidal.
In the mid to late 1970s, Oliva relocated to Miami, Florida and regularly exhibited there and across the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Europe, and Japan.

Administration

Author
Elissa L. Jerome
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Elissa L. Jerome in 2016.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Tomás Oliva papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Xiomara Almaguer-Levy in 1998.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Tomás Oliva papers, circa 1969-1996. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Painters -- Cuba -- Havana Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Latino and Latin American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- Cuba -- Havana Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- Florida -- Miami Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cuban American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists -- Cuba Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Expatriate artists -- Florida -- Miami Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cuban American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Florida -- Miami Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Díaz Peláez, José Antonio Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Levy-Angulo, Cyndee Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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