Smithsonian Institution Archives

Dexter Cirillo Papers, 1991-1998

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FA18-165
Creators:
Cirillo, Dexter
Dates:
1991-1998
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
1 cu. ft. (1 record storage box)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
Dexter Cirillo received her B.A. and M.A. in English from San Diego State University and a Ph.D. in English from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Her early career focused on teaching and researching the literature and culture of minority groups in the United States. In 1981, Cirillo left the world of academia and pursued her interest in American Indian art as an independent scholar, art dealer, and curator. Among her publications are Southwestern Indian Jewelry (1992), Across Frontiers - Hispanic Crafts of New Mexico (1998), and Southwestern Indian Jewelry - Crafting New Traditions (2008).
Cirillo's association with the National Museum of American Indian (NMAI) started in New York City where she and Wahleah Davis (Cherokee) organized the first cocktail reception for W. Richard West (founding NMAI Director) and John Colonghi (Director, NMAI National Campaign) to meet some potential donors to the museum in 1991. Alice Burnette, Assistant Secretary for Institutional Advancement, had contacted Wahleah, who then contacted Cirillo to help organize the reception since she ran Gallery 10, a high end gallery of Native American art in New York City, in the mid-1980s and knew many of the collectors of Indian art. Additionally at the time, Cirillo was doing research for her book, Southwestern Indian Jewelry, and had done some of her doctoral research at the Museum of the American Indian's library in the Bronx and was one of its supporters urging for a new home to be found for the museum's collection.
From that initial cocktail party, a fundraising committee was launched in New York. When it came time to plan the fundraisers for NMAI, Cirillo was asked to curate the art auctions in 1992, 1994, and 1998, because she knew many of the artists and gallery owners personally. Of note was that a number of the people who attended that first reception in 1991 went on to become members of the NMAI Board and donors to the museum: Valerie and Charles Diker, John L. and Margot Paul Ernst, and James A. and Barbara H. Block.
The Cirillo Papers include correspondence related to each of the auctions, including correspondence with the artists and with the collectors, as well as from W. Richard West and Alice Burnette and other Smithsonian staff members. Also include are the auction catalogs, gala invitations, guest lists, images of auction items, brochures, and clippings.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 18-165, Dexter Cirillo Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Cirillo, Dexter Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
West, W. Richard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Colonghi, John Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Burnette, Alice Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Davis, Wahleah Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diker, Charles Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Diker, Valerie Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ernst, Margot Paul Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ernst, John L. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Block, James A. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Block, Barbara H. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of the American Indian (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Benefit auctions Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fund raising Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indian arts -- North America Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indians of North America -- Museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brochures Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Color photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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