Archives of American Art

Peter Plagens papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.plagpete
Creators:
Plagens, Peter
Dates:
1941-1985
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4.9 Linear feet
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of art critic and painter Peter Plagens measure 4.9 linear feet and date from 1941-1985. Included are personal and professional correspondence; diaries; an interview of Plagens conducted by Mike Lloyd, 1977 (80 p.); photographs of Plagens, his family, studio, and art work; files on lectures, grants, fellowships, exhibitions, and a petition against the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; drafts of writings; files on Plagen's book, Sunshine Muse: Contemporary Art on the West Coast (1974); and 20 ink drawings and several drawings by Plagen's young son, Paul.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Peter Plagens (1941-) is an art critic, painter, and writer living in New York City. Plagens studied studied painting at the University of Southern California and did graduate work at Syracuse University. In 1965, he returned to Southern California, where he worked as a curator and became a regular contributor to Artforum. His paintings were exhibited in such landmark exhibitions as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's "24 Young Los Angeles Arts," in 1971, and the following year, the Whitney Biennial. He is best known for his first book, "Sunshine Muse: Modern Art on the West Coast, 1945-1970," published in 1974. In the mid 1970s, Plagens served as chair of the board of the fledgling Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art. In the late 1980s, Plagens moved to New York, where he continued to paint and where he contributed art criticism to Newsweek. He has taught at numerous universities, including California State University, Northridge, University of Southern California, and University of North Carolina.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated in 1985 by Peter Plagens.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- California Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art criticism Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art critics -- California Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art critics -- 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
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions