About the Margarita Cano papers

A Finding Aid to the Margarita Cano Papers, 1982-1985, in the Archives of American Art, by Rosa M. Fernandez (Download PDF Version, 66 KB )

Biographical Information | Description of the Collection | How to Use the Collection | Series Descriptions

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Biographical Information

Born in 1932 in Havana, Cuba, Margarita Cano began her studies at the University of Havana. She left Cuba in 1962 to settle in Miami and later became director of arts for the Miami-Dade County Public Library. The arts programs she initiated focused on the work of African-American and Cuban-American artists and eventually led to the establishment of a permanent collection at the library. An artist herself, Cano's artwork focuses on Cuban scenes painted on wood in a miniature style. In 1983 she served as project director for the exhibition The Miami Generation: Nine Cuban-American Artists (La Generacion de Miami: Nueve Artistas Cubano Americanos), curated by Latin American curator and scholar, Guilio Blanc.

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Description of the Collection

Overview - Scope and Contents

Margarita Cano's papers measure 0.2 linear feet and date from 1983-1985. The collection primarily concerns the 1983 exhibition The Miami Generation, 9 Cuban-American Artists; an exhibition organized by The Cuban Museum of Art in Culture in cooperation with the Miami-Dade Public Library System for which Cano served as Project Director. Curated by Guilio V. Blanc, the exhibition included work by Mario Bencomo, Maria Brito-Avellana, Humberto Calzada, Pablo Cano, Emilio Falero, Fernando Garcia, Juan Gonzalez, Carlos Macia, and Cesar Trasobares. The exhibition traveled to Meridian House International in Washington, DC and, later, to Philadelphia at the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 1985. Found are two files of correspondence, exhibition planning and publicity files, a catalog, checklist, and photocopied news clippings. Most of the documents are photocopies. There is also one folder of slides and photographs of works of art in the exhibition.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged into one series:

• Series 1: Exhibition Files, 1983-1985 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

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Subjects

This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Archives of American Art under the following index terms. People, families and organizations are listed under "Names" when they are creators or contributors and under "Subjects" when they are the topic of collection contents.

• Subjects:
  
  • Cuban Museum of Arts and Culture (Miami, Fla.)
  • Miami-Dade Public Library

• Subjects-Topical:
  
  • Art, Cuban -- Florida -- Miami -- Exhibitions
  • Expatriate artists -- Florida -- Miami
  • Cuban American artists -- Exhibitions
  • Artists -- Cuba
  • Cuban American art -- Florida -- Miami -- Exhibitions
  • Art, Modern -- 20th century -- Florida -- Miami -- Exhibitions

• Types of Materials:
  
  • Photographs
  • Slides (photographs)

Provenance

Margarita Cano donated her papers in 1997 to the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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How the Collection was Processed

The Margarita Cano papers were processed by Rosa M. Fernandez, December, 1998. The finding aid was completed in 2000.

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How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Margarita Cano papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Use requires an appointment.

How to Cite this Collection

Margarita Cano papers, 1982-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Series Descriptions

Series 1: Exhibition Files, 1983-1985 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Box
1 (pam)		Photocopied Correspondence, 1982-1983
1 (pam)		Photcopied Correspondence, 1984-1985
1 (pam)		Planning Notes, Budget, Insurance, 1983-1984
1 (pam)		Photocopies of Design and Installation Sketches and Photographs, 1983
1 (pam)		Photocopy of a Typescript of Catalog Essay by Cynthia Jaffee McCabe, circa 1984
1 (pam)		Catalog, Checklist, and Invitations for Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Venue, 1984-1985
1 (pam)		Press Releases and Announcements, 1983-1985
1 (pam)		Photocopies of News Clippings, 1983-1985
1 (pam)		Photographs and Slides of Works of Art, undated

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