Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Masami Teraoka Papers, 1966-2017, in the Archives of American Art

Summary
Collection ID:
AAA.teramasa
Creators:
Teraoka, Masami, 1936-
Dates:
1966-2017
Languages:
This collection includes materials in English and Japanese.
Physical Description:
6.3 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of painter Masami Teraoka measure 6.3 linear feet and date from 1966 to 2017. The collection includes biographical material, correspondence, writings, personal business records, project and exhibition files, printed material, and photographic material. Much of the collection documents Teraoka's association with Catherine Clark Gallery.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The papers of painter Masami Teraoka measure 6.3 linear feet and date from 1966 to 2017. The collection includes biographical material, correspondence, writings, personal business records, project and exhibition files, printed material, and photographic material. Much of the collection documents Teraoka's association with Catherine Clark Gallery.
Biographical material includes copies of Masami Teraoka's resume, an appointment book, and assorted documents.
Correspondence is primarily business related, with some personal correspondence scattered throughout. Much of this collection appears to have been compiled by Catharine Clark Gallery, where Teraoka has exhibited since 1998, on behalf of the artist. Of the professional correspondence regarding Teraoka's work and upcoming exhibitions present in this series, a significant portion does not appear to be directly to or from the artist.
The writings series is arranged as two subseries: general writings and Masami Teraoka book project. The first subseries includes artist statements, article and essay drafts, lists, and notes. Many of the notes present in this series appear to be from Catherine Clark Gallery gallery regarding Teraoka projects and exhibitions. The second subseries includes correspondence, contracts, drafts of essays, notes and lists, and images related to the production and publication of the book Ascending Chaos: The Art of Masami Teraoka 1966-2006, published by Chronicle Books.
Personal business records include consignment and loan agreements, reproduction requests, inventory and price lists, and sales records. Also included is a "Mega Binder" compiled by Catharine Clark Gallery, which consists primarily of consignment, loan, and sale information and related correspondence.
Project and exhibition files include such material as correspondence, notes, lists, financial information, printed material, and photographic material related to Masami Teraoka exhibitions and projects. Also included in this series are VHS videos related to a documentary and to exhibitions.
Printed material includes books; a course pack from the University of Southern California which includes an essay about Masami Teraoka; exhibition announcements, invitations, and catalogs; magazines, newspapers, and clippings; museum brochures; posters; and press releases. Some printed material is in Japanese.
Photographic material includes personal photographs and snapshots, photographs and photocopies of works of art, and photographs documenting shipping damage.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged as seven series.
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1970, 1980-2005 (Box 1; 4 folders)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1975-2017 (Box 1; 0.9 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Writings, 1966-2012 (Box 2; 1 linear foot)
  • Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1976-2015 (Box 3; 0.7 linear feet)
  • Series 5: Project and Exhibition Files, 1976-2010 (Boxes 3-4; 0.9 linear feet)
  • Series 6: Printed Material, 1973-2017 (Boxes 4-7, OV 8-12; 2.5 linear feet)
  • Series 7: Photographic Material, circa 1976-2008 (Box 7, 5 folders)
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Masami Teraoka (1936- ) is a Japanese American, Hawaii-based painter known for his paintings created in the style of traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e prints. Teraoka studied aesthetics from 1954 to 1959 at Kwansei Gakuin University in Kobe, Japan. In 1961 he moved to the United States where he attended Otis Art Institute (now Otis College of Art and Design) in Los Angeles from 1964 to 1968, earning both a Bachelors of Fine Art and a Masters of Fine Art. He has exhibited widely, including at the Oakland Museum, the Indiana Museum of Art, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Yale University Art Gallery, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Queensland Art Gallery, and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Masami Teraoka lives and works in Hawaii.
Administration
Author
Rayna Andrews
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by Gerald and Bente Buck.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Masami Teraoka papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Masami Teraoka in 2018.
Processing Information
The collection was minimally processed and a finding aid prepared by Rayna Andrews in 2018.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Use of audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Preferred Citation
Masami Teraoka papers, 1966-2017. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Videorecordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American printmakers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Hawaii Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Printmakers -- Hawaii Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions