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Archives of American Art
A Finding Aid to the Maxine Kim Stussy Papers, circa 1930-2018, bulk 1956-1999, in the Archives of American Art
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.stusmaxi
- Creators:
-
Stussy, Maxine Kim, 1923-2020
- Dates:
-
circa 1930-2018bulk 1956-1999
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
2.7 Linear feet
- Repository:
The papers of sculptor Maxine Kim Stussy measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1930-2018, bulk 1956-1999. Included is biographical material; a transcript of an interview of Stussy conducted by Gregory Cloud, May 12, 1972; transparencies, photographs, negatives and slides of works of art, Maxine Kim Stussy, Jan Stussy and others; writings by Maxine and Jan; printed material; scrapbook pages; lists of works of art and price lists; exhibition planning documents; and correspondence.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The papers of sculptor Maxine Kim Stussy measure 2.7 linear feet and date from circa 1930-2018, bulk 1956-1999. Included is biographical material comprised of a transcript of an interview of Stussy conducted by Gregory Cloud, May 12, 1972, and resumes, and correspondence, the bulk of which are letters and an unofficial will from Jan Stussy. Also found are letters from colleges and universities and Decker Studio, an art foundry. Writings contain poems and screenplay: Sam and Dellah written by Maxine Kim Stussy; artist statements and priced sculpture descriptions. Also found is a copy of the book Burnt Icarusemph> by Virginia Murrell with cover illustration done by Stussy. Photographic materials make up the bulk of the papers and consist of photographs, negatives and slides of Maxine Kim Stussy, her artwork, family and colleagues including Jan Stussy, her home and exhibitions, notably a joint show with Jan Stussy at Everett Ellis Gallery, circa 1985 and solo exhibition at Sindin Gallery, 1986. The papers also include printed material; magazine articles and news clippings; scrapbook pages; lists of works of art and price lists; an artist portfolio and exhibition planning documents.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged as seven series.
- Series 1: Biographical Material, 1957-2001 0.1 Linear feet (Box 1)
- Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1957-2001 0.1 Linear feet (Box 1)
- Series 3: Writings, circa 1940-2009 0.1 Linear feet (Box 1)
- Series 4: Professional Files, circa 1958-2018 0.1 Linear feet (Box 1)
- Series 5: Printed Materials, circa 1957-2017 0.3 Linear feet (Box 1, 4)
- Series 6: Scrapbooks, circa 1956-1986 0.1 Linear feet (Box 4)
- Series 7: Photographic Material, circa 1930-2018 2 Linear feet (Boxes 1-4)
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Maxine Kim Stussy (1923-2020) was a native Los Angeles modernist sculptor and painter. Stussy studied at University of California, Los Angeles, earning her B.A. in 1947. During her studies at UCLA she met painter Jan Stussy whom she married in 1949. The couple often exhibited together in the late 1950s and 60s. Her sculptural work is comprised of many forms of materials ranging from ceramic to wood, bronze, and wood cast in bronze. She created an enormous body of work, with subjects including horses, abstract figures and towering human figures over six feet tall. Over the past sixty years, Stussy exhibited at galleries and museums throughout the United States and in Europe, such as the Esther Robles Gallery and Ceeje Gallery. In addition to her fine arts, Stussy also wrote poetry. In 1982, she married her long-time friend Raymond Frankel, Jr. They moved to New York for 16 years before returning to Los Angeles where she continued her artistic pursuits. Maxine Kim Stussy passed away in March of 2020.
Administration
Author
Sabine Lipten
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated in 1977 by Maxine Stussy. 84 of the slides of her art work were donated in 1985 by her ex-husband, Jan Stussy, with his papers. Additional material donated in 2022 by Belinda Frankel, Maxine's stepdaughter.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Sabine Lipten in 2022.
Using the Collection
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.
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.
Preferred Citation
Maxine Kim Stussy papers, circa 1930s-2018, bulk 1956-1999. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
Related Materials
Related Materials
Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Jan Stussy papers, 1943-1989.
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- Los Angeles | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Interviews | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Sculptors -- California -- Los Angeles | Occupation | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Women artists | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Women sculptors | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| American poetry | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Animals in art | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Stussy, Jan, 1921-1990 | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
Archives of American Art
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