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Swetzoff Gallery Records, 1941-1968

Creator:
Swetzoff Gallery  Search this
Subject:
Tovish, Harold  Search this
Zóbel, Fernando  Search this
Swetzoff, Hyman Wulf  Search this
Redon, Odilon  Search this
Stewart, Reba  Search this
Ohashi, Yutaka  Search this
Pineda, Marianna  Search this
Hillsmith, Fannie  Search this
Conner, Bruce  Search this
Boyce, Richard  Search this
Eshoo, Robert  Search this
Kepes, Gyorgy  Search this
Boghosian, Varujan  Search this
Type:
Scrapbooks
Gallery records
Photographs
Citation:
Swetzoff Gallery Records, 1941-1968. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art, American -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Theme:
Art Gallery Records  Search this
Art Market  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)8759
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210941
AAA_collcode_swetgall
Theme:
Art Gallery Records
Art Market
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210941
Online Media:

Swetzoff Gallery Records

Creator:
Swetzoff Gallery  Search this
Names:
Boghosian, Varujan  Search this
Boyce, Richard, 1920-  Search this
Conner, Bruce, 1933-2008  Search this
Eshoo, Robert  Search this
Hillsmith, Fannie, 1911-2007  Search this
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Ohashi, Yutaka, 1923-1989  Search this
Pineda, Marianna, 1925-1996  Search this
Redon, Odilon, 1840-1916  Search this
Stewart, Reba, 1930-1971  Search this
Swetzoff, Hyman Wulf, 1920-1968  Search this
Tovish, Harold, 1921-2008  Search this
Zóbel, Fernando  Search this
Extent:
18.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Gallery records
Photographs
Date:
1941-1968
Summary:
The records of the Boston, Massachusetts Swetzoff Gallery measure 18.6 linear feet and date from 1941 to 1968. Materials include administrative files, scattered general correspondence, named files, exhibition files, financial records, printed material, a scrapbook of printed material, photographs, and the personal papers of Hyman Swetzoff.
Scope and Contents:
The records of the Boston, Massachusetts Swetzoff Gallery measure 18.6 linear feet and date from 1941 to 1968. Materials include administrative files, scattered general correspondence, named files, exhibition files, financial records, printed material, a scrapbook of printed material, photographs, and the personal papers of Hyman Swetzoff.

Administrative records include twenty day books, mailing lists, leases, and shipping records. Correspondence is scattered but includes holiday cards and general correspondence between other institutions, galleries, and clients. Named files are a mix of artist, subject, and client files and relate to Gallery's relationships with artists, buyers and clients, and institutions and galleries. Files may include correspondence from or about the named individual. Substantial materials are found for Varujan Boghosian, Richard Boyce, Bruce Connor, Robert Eshoo, Fannie Hillsmith, Gyorgy Kepes, Yutaka Ohashi, Marianna Pineda, Odilon Redon, Reba Stewart, Harold Tovish, and Fernando Zóbel.

Exhibition files document exhibitions at the Swetzoff Gallery, events at other galleries for which Swetzoff loaned works, and for larger art fairs and exhibitions in which the gallery participated. Financial records include artist account ledgers, appraisals, consignments, accounts receivable and payable, price lists, receipts, records of purchases, sales statements, and other general financial records. Ledgers may include artist name, title of work of art, buyer, and price.

Printed material is scattered and includes some exhibition material and clippings. There is one scrapbook of printed materials. Photographs are of artists, gallery employees, installations, and of works of art.

The Hyman Swetzoff papers include biographical material of Swetzoff and his family, correspondence, business records, writings, photographs, and artwork.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 9 series.

Missing Title

Series 1: Administrative Files, 1949-1968 (1.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1951-1965 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 2-3)

Series 3: Named Files, 1949-1968 (8.4 linear feet; Boxes 3-12, OV 20-21)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1946-1966 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 12-13)

Series 5: Financial Records, 1941-1968 (3.4 linear feet; Boxes 12-16)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1949-1968 (0.3 linear feet; Box 16)

Series 7: Scrapbook, 1948-1950 (0.3 linear feet; Box 16)

Series 8: Photographs, 1950s-1960s (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 16-17)

Series 9: Hyman Swetzoff Papers, 1950-1968 (2.0 linear feet; Boxes 17-19)
Biographical / Historical:
The Swetzoff Gallery operated in Boston, Massachusetts from the late-1940s to 1968.

Brothers Hyman and Seymour Swetzoff opened the Frameshop Gallery in Boston around 1948. Later, they expanded the business to include the sale of art and renamed the business Swetzoff Gallery. Hyman took sole-ownership of the gallery, which he ran until he was murdered by an unknown assailant in 1968.

The Swetzoff Gallery worked with many artists, dealers, galleries, and collectors including Albert Alcalay, Hyman Bloom, Varujan Boghosian, Richard Boyce, James Ensor, Robert Eshoo, Fannie Hillsmith, Gyorgy Kepes, Elie Nadelman, Yutaka Ohashi, Bradley Phillips, Marianna Pineda, Reba Stewart, Jean Tock, and Hugh Townley among many others.
Provenance:
The records of the Swetzoff Gallery were donated by Sidney Swetzoff in 1968.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
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.
Topic:
Art, American -- Massachusetts -- Boston  Search this
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- Massachusetts
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Gallery records
Photographs
Citation:
Swetzoff Gallery records, 1941-1968. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.swetgall
See more items in:
Swetzoff Gallery Records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9ea32a40a-c21a-4508-95fb-9363858ec4d6
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-swetgall
Online Media:

Geometries

Artist:
György Kepes, American, b. Selyp, Hungary, 1906–2001  Search this
Medium:
Gelatin silver photograph
Dimensions:
sheet: 19 15/16 × 15 15/16 in. (50.6 × 40.5 cm) image: 19 7/16 × 13 11/16 in. (49.4 × 34.8 cm)
Type:
Photograph
Date:
c. 1937
Credit Line:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Herbert Lust, 2021
Accession Number:
2021.125
See more items in:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Collection
Data Source:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/py2837effa3-5731-4fe7-86bd-828d1fcf8d08
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:hmsg_2021.125

Mirrored Eyes

Artist:
György Kepes, American, b. Selyp, Hungary, 1906–2001  Search this
Medium:
Gelatin silver photograph
Dimensions:
sheet: 11 5/16 × 8 15/16 in. (28.7 × 22.7 cm)
Type:
Photograph
Date:
1940
Credit Line:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of Herbert Lust, 2021
Accession Number:
2021.128
See more items in:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Collection
Data Source:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/py215d36b52-455f-453c-af74-ac78314cc4c3
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:hmsg_2021.128

Cambridge -- Morse School Garden

Creator:
Metropolitan District Commission  Search this
Hirschi, Jane  Search this
Beggy, Patricia  Search this
Architect:
Koch, Carl  Search this
Renovation architect:
Design Partnership of Cambridge  Search this
Artist:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Kepes, Juliet  Search this
Arai, Tomie  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Digital images
Place:
Morse School Garden (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Middlesex County -- Cambridge
Scope and Contents:
1 folder and 25 digital images. The folder includes worksheets, photocopies of reference prints and other images.
General:
The Morse School is a Cambridge Modern style single-story modular structure with large windows and doors that open to the outdoors from individual classrooms, built in 1955. One-quarter acre of the schoolyard has gardens that are a major learning facility for the elementary school's students, and a resource for the neighborhood. The entry garden has a gravel path bordered on one side with raspberry bushes, with annual tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and cucumbers on the other side, and an open bed for digging dirt. A painted arbor opens to the main garden which features an alphabet garden along a chain link fence. Each year students plants annual flowers and vegetables for each letter, such as asters for "A" and zinnias for "Z". A pollinator garden attracts butterflies, other pollinating insects and birds with milkweed, Shasta daisies, geraniums, catmint, phlox, and grapevines growing on two trellises against the wall of the building. About ten beds of various sizes and shapes in the center of the main garden grow seasonal vegetables, beginning with leafy green vegetables, moving on to root crops such as carrots, potatoes and beets, followed by corn and peas and beans on a string trellis. There are two herb beds, more beds with strawberries, onions, sunflowers, cabbage, zucchini, chard, watermelon, and a companion planting of marigolds. Annual flowers are grown in two small whiskey barrels.
Other facilities include compost bins for food scraps and garden thinnings and a vibrantly painted shed for storing tools and supplies. A grassy gathering area has two fruit trees including an apple tree planted in the 1950's, and a large sycamore tree with six tree stumps nearby, seating for teaching, discussion, reading, singing and playing music. The community holds a Garden Expo in August and a cider pressing in October in the grassy gathering area. Age-appropriate curricula uses the gardens to teach urban children where food comes from, the life-cycle of growing plants, introductory botany and genetics. Other subject areas including art, math, food preparation and healthy eating derive from the students' gardening experiences.
CitySprouts, a local non-profit organization, partners with Morse School and provides workers, tools and garden supplies. CitySprouts has a plant list it recommends for garden-based learning along with suggestions for environmental subjects. Morse School had an empty front yard that was dug up and planted with red, white and blue spring bulbs in the shape of an American flag following September 11, 2001. The learning garden was developed afterwards.
Persons associated with the garden include Metropolitan District Commission (playground, Victory Garden, 1953- ); City of Cambridge (Morse School, 1953- ); Carl Koch (1912-1998) (architect, 1955); Design Partnership of Cambridge (renovation architects, 1999); Jane Hirschi, Director of City Sprouts (non-profit assisting in creating and maintaining school garden, 2001- ); Patricia Beggy (Morse school principal, 2004- ); Juliet and György Kepes (enamel panels artists, 1957); Tomie Arai (silk-screened mural artist, 1999).
Related Materials:
Additional materials also located in CitySprouts, 678 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- Massachusetts -- Cambridge  Search this
Genre/Form:
Digital images
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File MA638
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Massachusetts
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb61d0410ed-1591-4343-a5f3-be06c9c5bc05
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref32668

Skyline and Street Scenes, Boston, MA

Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Type:
Motion Picture Film
Date:
ca. 1950s-1960s
Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes. Skyline and Street Scenes, Boston, MA, ca. 1950s-1960s. Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)24172
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_24172

Reflections Off a Grid of Discs

Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Type:
Motion Picture Film
Date:
ca. 1960s
Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes. Reflections Off a Grid of Discs, ca. 1960s. Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)24175
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_24175

Squares Forming Patterns 1

Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Type:
Motion Picture Film
Date:
ca. 1965
Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes. Squares Forming Patterns 1, ca. 1965. Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)24173
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_24173

Squares Forming Patterns 2

Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Type:
Motion Picture Film
Date:
ca. 1965
Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes. Squares Forming Patterns 2, ca. 1965. Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Record number:
(DSI-AAA)24174
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_item_24174

Gyorgy Kepes papers

Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Names:
Center for Advanced Visual Studies  Search this
Illinois Institute of Technology  Search this
Saidenberg Gallery  Search this
Triennale di Milano (Milan, Italy)  Search this
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Bertoia, Harry  Search this
Blee, Michael  Search this
Boghosian, Varujan  Search this
Brazdys, Konslancija  Search this
Burgess, Lowry, 1940-  Search this
Burnham, Jack, 1931-  Search this
Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976  Search this
Chermayeff, Serge, 1900-  Search this
Dreyfuss, Henry, 1904-1972  Search this
Eames, Charles  Search this
Eames, Ray  Search this
Egawa, Kazuhiko  Search this
Entwhistle, Clive  Search this
Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-  Search this
Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969  Search this
Hayter, Stanley William, 1901-1988  Search this
Hélion, Jean, 1904-1987  Search this
Johnson, Philip, 1906-2005  Search this
Kepes, Juliet  Search this
Kowalski, Piotry  Search this
Lynch, Kevin, 1918-1984  Search this
McLuhan, Marshall, 1911-1980  Search this
Mead, Margaret, 1901-1978  Search this
Moholy-Nagy, László, 1895-1946  Search this
Moholy-Nagy, Sibyl, 1905-  Search this
Nusberg, Lev, 1937-  Search this
Osborn, Robert Chesley, 1904-1994  Search this
Piene, Otto, 1928-  Search this
Read, Herbert Edward, Sir, 1893-1968  Search this
Richards, I. A. (Ivor Armstrong), 1893-1979  Search this
Rickey, George  Search this
Saarinen, Eero, 1910-1961  Search this
Sonfist, Alan  Search this
Steinberg, Saul  Search this
Tacha, Athena, 1936-  Search this
Takis, Vassilakis  Search this
Tange, Kenzō, 1913-  Search this
Thiel, Philip  Search this
Tovish, Harold, 1921-2008  Search this
Tsʻai, Wen-ying, 1928-  Search this
Wolff, Robert Jay, 1905-  Search this
Wurster, William Wilson  Search this
Zvilna, Jēkabs, 1913-1997  Search this
Faculty:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology  Search this
Extent:
21.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Caricatures
Designs
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Sketches
Sound recordings
Place:
Times Square (New York, N.Y.)
Date:
1909-2003
bulk 1935-1985
Summary:
The papers of Hungarian-born artist, art theorist, and educator, Gyorgy Kepes, measure 21.2 linear feet and date from 1909-2003, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1935-1985. The papers document Kepes's career as an artist and educator, and as founder of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), through biographical material, correspondence, writings by Kepes and others, project files, exhibition files, printed material, sketchbooks, artwork, sound recordings and motion picture films, and photographic material.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of Hungarian-born artist, art theorist, and educator, Gyorgy Kepes, measure 21.2 linear feet and date from 1909-2003, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1935-1985. The papers document Kepes's career as an artist and educator, and as founder of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), through biographical material, correspondence, writings by Kepes and others, project files, exhibition files, printed material, sketchbooks, artwork, sound recordings and motion picture films, and photographic material.

Correspondence provides a wide range of documentation on all aspects of Kepes's career including his collaborations and friendships with artists, architects, writers, scientists, and fellow educators including Rudolf Arnheim, Alexander Calder, Henry Dreyfuss, Charles and Ray Eames, Clive Entwhistle, R. Buckminster Fuller, Walter Gropius, S. W. Hayter, Jean Hélion, Laszlo and Sibyl Moholy-Nagy, Lev Nussberg, Robert Osborn, George Rickey, Saul Steinberg, Kenzo Tange, Robert Jay Wolff, and Jekabs Zvilna. Correspondence also documents the evolution of Kepes's vision for the Center for Advanced Visual Studies, which he established in 1967, and his subsequent leadership of CAVS at M.I.T. Records document his collaborations with students and fellows including Lowry Burgess, Jack Burnham, Piotry Kowalski, Margaret Mead, Otto Piene, Alan Sonfist, Athena Tacha, Vassilakis Takis, Philip Thiel, Harold Tovish, and Wen-Ying Tsai. Correspondents also include people who contributed to Kepes's Vision + Value series, including Michael Blee, Kazuhiko Egawa, Jean Hélion, and others. Correspondence includes three motion picture films, including what appears to be an early version of Powers of Ten by Charles and Ray Eames.

Writings include notes and manuscripts for articles and essays in which Kepes explored ideas evident in his books The New Landscape and Language of Vision, and submitted to publications such as Daedalus, Design, Domus, and Leonardo. Writings also include manuscripts for lectures, and draft manuscripts documenting Kepes's collaborative work with fellow M.I.T. professor Kevin Lynch on city planning, which culminated in Lynch's research project "The Perceptual Form of the City."

A small group of "Times Square Project" files documents Kepes's proposal for a lightscape in Times Square that was ultimately not realized.

Teaching files include sound recordings of circa five symposia and discussions held at M.I.T., the Illinois Institute of Technology, and elsewhere, some featuring Kepes and including Philip Johnson, Eero Saarinen and others.

Exhibition files include documentation of three exhibitions, including Light as a Creative Medium (1968) and a Kepes exhibition at Saidenberg Gallery (1968). They also record Kepes's involvement in designing the 1968 Triennale di Milano.

Printed material includes a substantial collection of announcements and catalogs for Kepes exhibitions, lectures, and other events, and includes catalogs and announcements for scattered exhibitions of his wife, artist and illustrator, Juliet Kepes. Clippings from newspapers and magazines include articles about Kepes, and contain some copies of published writings and designs by him. The series also includes sound recordings and motion picture films containing original material for a CBS television series "The 21st Century," probably as part of the episode "Art for Tomorrow," which appear to feature M.I.T. fellows Jack Burnham and Vassilakis Takis. Another motion picture film of an Italian documentary "Operazione Cometa" can also be found here.

Two sketchbooks contain pen and ink and painted sketches by Kepes. Artwork by Kepes includes original poster designs, caricatures, and many pencil, and pen and ink sketches and paintings on paper and board, including designs for stained glass. Artwork by others includes ink on mylar sketches by D. Judelson and Konstancija Brazdys, and a sketch by Harold Tovish. Also found are circa seventeen motion picture films and four sound recordings, the majority of which are untitled and by unidentified artists, but include films by M.I.T. fellows Otto Piene, Vassilakis Takis, Philip Thiel, Harold Tovish, Wen-Ying Tsai, and others.

Photographs are of Kepes, Juliet Kepes, and other family members; students, colleagues, and friends, including R. Buckminster Fuller, Serge Chermayeff, Harry Bertoia, Varujan Boghosian, Alexander Calder, Marchall McLuhan, Margaret Mead, Herbert Read, I. A. Richards, Saul Steinberg, and William Wurster; and of Kepes in his studio. There are also photos of exhibition installations in which Kepes's work appeared or which he designed, and photos of his artwork and of images for publications which he wrote or edited. Photos by others include artwork by established artists and work by students, as well as photographs arranged by subjects such as cityscapes, forms found in nature, light patterns, mechanical devices, and photomicrographs. A collection of lantern slides with similar content to the photos of artwork and photos by subject is also found in this series and includes a lantern slide of Picasso creating a design with light.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as eleven series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1940-circa 1980 (0.25 linear feet; Boxes 1, 28)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1936-1984 (5.7 linear feet; Boxes 1-7, 28 OV 33, FCs 39-41)

Series 3: Interviews and Transcripts, 1954-1970 (4 folders; Box 7)

Series 4: Writings and Notes, 1948-circa 1980s (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 7-8, 28)

Series 5: Times Square Project Files, 1972-1974 (6 folders; Box 9)

Series 6: Teaching Files Sound Recordings, circa 1953-1972 (0.7 linear feet; Box 9)

Series 7: Exhibition Files, 1958-1973 (0.4 linear feet; Boxes 9-10)

Series 8: Printed Material, circa 1922-1989 (3.6 linear feet; Boxes 10-12, 28-29, OVs 35, 37, FCs 42-49)

Series 9: Sketchbooks, circa 1940s-circa 1970s (2 folders; Box 12)

Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images, circa 1924-2003 (2.5 linear feet; Boxes 12, 13, OVs 33-36, 38, FCs 50-62)

Series 11: Photographs, 1909-1988 (10.4 linear feet; Boxes 13-32)
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, designer, art theorist, and educator, Gyorgy Kepes (1906-2001), was born in Selyp, Hungary, and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest. He worked with Moholy-Nagy in Berlin and London before joining him at the New Bauhaus (later the Chicago Institute of Design) in 1937.

Kepes taught courses at the New Bauhaus from 1937 to 1945, and published Language of Vision in 1944, summarizing the educational ideas and methods he had developed during his time at the institute. In 1946 he accepted a teaching position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) where he initiated a program in visual design.

In 1956 Kepes published The New Landscape in Art and Science, in which he presented images from nature that were newly accessible due to developments in science and technology, and explored his ideas for a common language between science and the visual arts.

In 1965, these ideas were apparent in Kepes's proposal of an expanded visual arts program at M.I.T., which would "build new as yet undetermined bridges between art and engineering and science," according to the minutes of an M.I.T. Art Committee meeting in March of that year. Kepes's vision dovetailed with M.I.T.'s vested interest in promoting the arts, and faculty and administrators were open to the argument that "The scientific-technical enterprise needs schooling by the artistic sensibilities." In 1967, they appointed Kepes Director of M.I.T.'s Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS).

Kepes retired from the regular faculty at M.I.T. in 1967, to focus on his role as director of CAVS, where he worked to provide artists with opportunities for exploring new artistic forms on a civic scale through a working dialogue with scientists and engineers. Early fellows of the center included Maryanne Amacher, Joan Brigham, Lowry Burgess, Jack Burnham, Piotry Kowalski, Otto Piene, Vassilakis Takis, and Wen-Ying Tsai.

In 1965-1966 Kepes edited a six-volume series entitled Vision + Value, published by George Braziller, Inc. Each volume featured essays that centered around a core theme: The Education of Vision; Structure in Art and Science; The Nature and Art of Motion; Module, Symmetry, Proportion, Rhythm; Sign, Image, Symbol; and Man-Made Object. Contributions came from prominent artists, designers, architects, and scientists of the time including Rudolf Arnheim, Saul Bass, Marcel Breuer, John Cage, R. Buckminster Fuller, Johannes Itten, Marshall McLuhan, and Paul Rand.

Kepes experimented widely with photography, producing abstract images through the application of fluids and objects to photographic paper. He also took commercial work throughout his career, producing designs for all kinds of objects, including books and stained glass windows for churches. He returned to painting in the 1950s, and his development as a painter continued throughout his career at M.I.T., where he remained until his retirement in 1974, and beyond. His paintings, which were abstract and often incorporated organic shapes and hints of landscapes, can be found in museums such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Kepes received many awards during his lifetime, including a Guggenheim Fellowship (1958); the Gold Star Award of the Philadelphia College of Art (1958); the National Association of Art Colleges Annual Award (1968); the California College of Art Award (1968); and the Fine Arts Medal from the American Institute of Architects (1968). In 1973 he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an associate member, and became a full academician in 1978. He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Related Materials:
Additional papers of Gyorgy Kepes can be found at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Advanced Visual Studies Special Collection.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel 1211) including ninety-eight letters to Kepes from colleagues, 1946-1974. Lent materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Gyorgy Kepes lent papers for microfilming in 1974 and donated material to the Archives of American Art in a series of gifts between 1974 and 1993.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Topic:
Art -- Philosophy  Search this
Artists' studios--Photographs  Search this
City planning  Search this
Educators--Massachusetts--Cambridge  Search this
Motion pictures (visual works)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Caricatures
Designs
Photographs
Sketchbooks
Sketches
Sound recordings
Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.kepegyor
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9f863f285-f429-48f1-ba6e-fb74702c12ba
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-kepegyor

Reflections Off a Grid of Discs

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
1 Film reel (8mm)
Container:
Item FC 57
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images [31027000383378]
Film reels
Date:
circa 1960s
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images / 10.2: Artwork by Others
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw919522ad5-b22a-4019-bbda-c27cf0fc04cb
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref661

Skyline and Street Scenes, Boston, MA

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
1 Film reel (16mm)
Container:
Item FC 60
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images [31027000383733]
Film reels
Date:
circa 1950s
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images / 10.2: Artwork by Others
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw99c35fd4e-76ab-4671-b8ad-0c46300dcb14
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref664

Tsai Wen-Ying Kinetic Sculptures

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
1 Film reel (16mm)
Container:
Item FC 61
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images [31027000383790]
Film reels
Date:
1960s-1970s
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images / 10.2: Artwork by Others
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9c5dada12-7214-4831-9854-ebf2a2dd7b75
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref665

Untitled Film by Woolf & Lau

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
1 Film reel (8mm)
Container:
Item FC 62
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images [31027000383436]
Film reels
Date:
1964
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images / 10.2: Artwork by Others
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw93e4f0572-8e84-414a-baf0-972add479b5e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref668

Squares Forming Patterns 1

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
1 Film reel (16mm)
Container:
Item FC 58
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images [31027000383550]
Film reels
Date:
circa 1965
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images / 10.2: Artwork by Others
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9b7e46cc5-ea74-4d93-9c6a-6dfe803ce149
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref662

Squares Forming Patterns 2

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
1 Film reel (16mm)
Container:
Item FC 59
Type:
Archival materials
Moving Images [31027000383675]
Film reels
Date:
circa 1965
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images / 10.2: Artwork by Others
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9d8379f6c-5502-4292-99c4-593381497b45
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref663

Artwork and Moving Images

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Extent:
2.5 Linear feet (Boxes 12, 13, OVs 33-36, 38, FCs 50-62)
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1924-2003
Arrangement:
Series is arranged as two subseries.

10.1: Artwork by Kepes, circa 1930s-circa 1970s

10.2: Artwork by Others, circa 1924-2003
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.kepegyor, Series 10
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw92c4b7cf0-627f-4b2b-ac65-8831d9f18418
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref10

Artwork by Others

Collection Creator:
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1924-2003
Scope and Contents:
Artwork by others includes a portrait sketch of Kepes by Joe Fener, Budapest, 1924; an ink on mylar sketch by Konstancija Brazdys; a folder of ink on mylar sketches by D. Judelson; and a sketch by Harold Tovish.

The remainder of the series consists of motion picture films and sound recordings by various artists, including several who were colleagues of Kepes and fellows at M.I.T. and CAVS, including Otto Piene, Vassilakis Takis, Harold Tovish, and Wen-Ying Tsai. Some of these recordings may be related to the CBS television series "21st Century Art" recordings found in Series 8.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.kepegyor, Subseries 10.2
See more items in:
Gyorgy Kepes papers
Gyorgy Kepes papers / Series 10: Artwork and Moving Images
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw91fc1dfa4-5dec-44b5-a564-2e9d017e1c21
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aaa-kepegyor-ref439

Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998

Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf, 1904-2007  Search this
Subject:
Albers, Josef  Search this
Kepes, Gyorgy  Search this
Sheldon, Alice Bradley  Search this
Harvard University  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
New School for Social Research (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Sarah Lawrence College  Search this
University of Michigan  Search this
Type:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Diaries
Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching -- United States  Search this
Art--Study and teaching--Germany  Search this
Authors -- Massachusetts  Search this
Educators -- Massachusetts  Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Theme:
Diaries  Search this
Research and writing about art  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)8318
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)210490
AAA_collcode_arnhrudo
Theme:
Diaries
Research and writing about art
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_210490
Online Media:

Rudolf Arnheim papers

Creator:
Arnheim, Rudolf  Search this
Names:
Harvard University  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
New School for Social Research (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Sarah Lawrence College  Search this
University of Michigan  Search this
Albers, Josef  Search this
Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001  Search this
Sheldon, Alice Bradley, 1915-1987  Search this
Extent:
9.6 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Interviews
Diaries
Date:
1919-1998
Summary:
The papers of art historian, educator, writer and psychologist Rudolf Arnheim measure 9.6 linear feet and date from 1919 to 1998. The papers document his career in New York, Michigan, and abroad through biographical material, correspondence, writings, lectures, diaries, printed material, and sound recordings.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of art historian, educator, writer and psychologist Rudolf Arnheim measure 9.6 linear feet and date from 1919 to 1998. The papers documents his career in New York, Michigan, and abroad through biographical material, correspondence, writings, lectures, diaries, printed material, and sound recordings.

Biographical material includes a bibliography, biographical sketches, contracts and agreements, sound cassettes of interviews, and other miscellaneous material.

Correspondence is with colleagues, editors, publishers, and universities on various subjects. The bulk of the correspondence is arranged by subject such as architects, art historians, dance, and film. There is correspondence with Harvard University, University of Michigan, Museum of Modern Art, and New School of Social Research, as well as various individuals such as Josef Albers, Gyorgy Kepes, and Alice Sheldon.

Writings and lectures include book reviews, articles, lecture drafts and notes, sound recordings of lectures, manuscripts, and copies of published articles.

Arnheim's diaries date from 1919 to 1987 and discuss his early life as a student in Germany and career as an educator and lecturer. Some diaries include draft writings.

Printed material includes lecture announcements, reviews, clippings, programs, brochures, assorted material from Sarah Lawrence College, and two instructional sound cassettes.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 5 series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1939-1991 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1940-1998 (Boxes 1-5; 4.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings and Lectures, 1930-1989 (Boxes 5-8; 2.7 linear feet)

Series 4: Diaries, 1919-1987 (Boxes 8-9; 1.0 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1928-circa 1990 (Boxes 9-11; 1.2 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Rudolf Arnheim (1904-2007) was a writer, educator, art historian and psychologist who was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States where he primarily worked in New York and Massachusetts.

Rudolf Arnheim was born in Berlin, Germany on July 15, 1904. He received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Berlin in 1928. Arnheim worked as a film critic and editor for several magazines and journals after graduation. During this time, he gathered information which would be compiled in his book Film as Art (1932). When the Nazis came into power in 1933, Arnheim moved to Rome where he worked at the Institute for the Educational Film for six years, then moved to London in 1939 and worked as a translator for the British Broadcasting Company.

Arnheim immigrated to the United States in 1940. In 1943, he became a psychology professor at Sarah Lawrence College where he continued to teach until 1968. He also taught at the New School for Social Research during this time. From 1959 to 1960, he was a Fulbright lecturer at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo, Japan. After Sarah Lawrence College, Arnheim became a Professor of Psychology of Art at Harvard University, where he stayed until 1974 when he moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Mary. He was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan from 1974 to roughly 1984.

Among his many publications are Art and Visual Perception, Toward a Psychology of Art, Visual Thinking, Entropy and Art, Picasso's Guernica, and The Power of Center. Arnheim died in Ann Arbor in 2007.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Rudolf Arnheim conducted by Robert F. Brown, May 16, 1972. Additional papers on Rudolf Arnheim related to psychology are available at the Archives of the History of Psychology in Akron, Ohio.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reel 3767) including correspondence with German publishers and editors, 1959-1982; Dumont Buchverlag, 1963-1980; Carl Hanser Varlag, 1974-1981; Helmut Diederich, 1974-1981; Franz Rudolf Knubel, 1971-1981; Werner Korbs, 1976-1982; Jurgen Weber, 1972-1981; and others. The originals were returned to Rudolf Arnheim after microfilming and subsequently donated to the Schiller-Nationalmuseum Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Germany. This material is not described in the collection container inventory or the finding aid.
Provenance:
The Rudolf Arnheim papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several installments between 1974 to 1998 by Rudolf Arnheim. Arnheim also loaned material for microfilming in 1986.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings and electronic records with no duplicate access copies requires advance notice.
Occupation:
Art historians -- Massachusetts  Search this
Art historians -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Art -- Study and teaching -- United States  Search this
Art--Study and teaching--Germany  Search this
Authors -- Massachusetts  Search this
Educators -- Massachusetts  Search this
Educators -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Sound recordings
Interviews
Diaries
Citation:
Rudolf Arnheim papers, 1919-1998. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.arnhrudo
See more items in:
Rudolf Arnheim papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw956011d71-95ed-495e-9e42-c9ae139b89ac
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-arnhrudo

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