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Alan R. Solomon papers, 1907-1970, bulk 1944-1970

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Series 8: Exhibition Files , 1954-1969
1.42 Linear Feet
Boxes 6-7, 11, OV 12

Series documents Solomon's role as an exhibition director, primarily for six of his most well-known exhibitions, including the American exhibition at the 1964 Venice Biennale and American Painting Now for Expo '67 in Montreal.
Records for each exhibition typically include correspondence, including scattered letters from artists, loan and shipping arrangements and agreements, budget related material, lists and notes, printed material including catalogs and press coverage, and photographs of installations, exhibition related events, and artwork.
Also found are damage reports for damage to artwork incurred during exhibitions and subsequent insurance claims, particularly during American Painting Now, which traveled from Montreal to the Institute of Contemporary Art from December 1967-January 1968. The November 1967 correspondence for this exhibition includes a sketch and instructions by Claes Oldenburg for the installation of his sculpture, Giant Soft Fan. Additional records documenting American Painting Now include photographs of the installation, and correspondence detailing much of the planning and logistics for the exhibition.
Records relating to the 1964 Venice Biennale provide extensive documentation of Solomon's role as United States Commissioner, his vision for the exhibition, the problems that arose in regard to housing it in the confines of the space officially allowed, and the plan for an annex location. Records include plans of the American Pavilion, purchased by the Museum of Modern Art in 1954; correspondence with Marietta Stern, assistant to the Unites States pavilion, and Ileana Sonnabend, European representative for many of the artists in the exhibition; documentation of arrangements with the United States Information Agency and the Department of State; budgetary records; extensive press coverage; Solomon's final report on the Biennale; and records related to problems that arose due to damage to artwork, and subsequent insurance settlements, including letters from Leo Castelli, Andre Emmerich, Giordano Falzoni, Kenneth Noland and Giuseppe Panza. Also of note are photographs of Biennale events, artists, and other individuals, taken by Ugo Mulas and others. Subjects include artwork arriving by plane and canal in Venice; artists, including Claes Oldenburg, and Robert Rauschenberg accepting the Grand Prize; various Biennale officials; Leo Castelli and Alan Solomon; the installation process; and people attending the exhibition and related events.
Other exhibitions documented here include Andy Warhol (1966) at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Dine-Oldenburg-Segal (1967) at the Art Gallery of Ontario and Albright-Knox Gallery; Young Italians (1968) at the Institute of Contemporary Art; and Painting in New York 1944-1969, a major retrospective installed for the opening of the new Pasadena Art Museum in fall, 1969.
Records are arranged alphabetically by exhibition title, and by record type thereafter.
Series is scanned in entirety with the exception of duplicates, the full text of some exhibition catalogs, and photographic negatives for which copy prints exist.
Description Container Select
American Painting Now (1967-1968), Expo '67/Institute of Contemporary Art, 1967
Condition Reports, 1967
6
34
Correspondence, 1965-1966 October
6
35
Correspondence, 1966 November-December
6
36
Correspondence, 1967 January-March
6
37
Correspondence, 1967 April-May
6
38
Correspondence, 1967 June
6
39
Correspondence, 1967 July-October
6
40
Correspondence, 1967 November-December
6
41
Correspondence, 1968
6
42
Correspondence, 1969
6
43
Essay Draft by Solomon, "The Americans at Expo '67", 1967
6
44
Financial Records, 1967
6
45
Lists, 1967
6
46
Loan Agreements, 1967
6
47
Loan Agreements, 1967
6
48
Photographs, 1967
6
49
Photographs, 1967
6
50
Photographs, Color, 1967
6
51
Photographs, Contact Sheets and Negatives, 1967
6
52
Printed Material, Catalog and Press Releases, 1967
6
53
Printed Material, Clippings, 1967-1968
6
54
Andy Warhol (1966), Institute of Contemporary Art, 1966
Correspondence, 1966-1967
6
55
Expenses, circa 1966
6
56
Lists and Notes, 1966
Oversized material housed in OV 12
6
57
Lists and Notes, 1966
Oversized material housed in OV 12
6
58
Lists and Notes, 1966
Oversized material housed in OV 12
6
59
Loan Forms, 1966
6
60
Printed Material and Photograph, circa 1966
6
61
Dine-Oldenburg-Segal (1967), Art Gallery of Ontario/Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1966
7
1
Dine-Oldenburg-Segal (1967), Art Gallery of Ontario/Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1967
7
2
Painting in New York, 1944-1969 (1969-1970), Pasadena Art Museum, 1969 May-June
7
3
Painting in New York, 1944-1969 (1969-1970), Pasadena Art Museum, 1969 July-August
7
4
Venice Biennale (1964)
Budget and Expenses, circa 1963-1964
7
5
Budget and Expenses, 1964 January-June
7
6
Budget and Expenses, 1964 July-December
7
7
Budget and Expenses, 1965
7
8
Correspondence, 1963
7
9
Correspondence, 1964 January-March
7
10
Correspondence, 1964 April-June
7
11
Correspondence, 1964 July
7
12
Correspondence, 1964 August
7
13
Correspondence, 1964 September
7
14
Correspondence, 1964 October-November
7
15
Correspondence, 1965
7
16
Correspondence, 1966-1968
7
17
Floor Plans of U. S. Pavilion, 1954
Oversized material housed in OV 12
7
18
Guest Book from U. S. Pavilion, 1964
7
19
Photographs of Artwork, circa 1960-1964
7
20
Photographs of Artwork, circa 1960-1964
7
21
Photographs of Artwork Arriving, 1964
7
22
Photographs of Biennale Events, 1964
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 4
7
23
Photographs of Biennale Events, Contact Sheets and Negatives, 1964
7
24
Photographs of Installation , 1964
7
25
Photographs of Solomon, 1964
7
26
Printed Material, circa 1964
7
27
Printed Material, 1964 February-May
7
28
Printed Material, 1964 June 3-22
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 4
7
29
Printed Material, 1964 June 23-30
7
30
Printed Material, 1964 July
7
31
Printed Material, 1964 August-1965
7
32
Printed Material, Announcements and Catalogs, 1964-1965
7
33
Printed Material, Press Release and Translated Press Articles, 1964
7
34
Solomon's "Report on the American Participation in the XXXVII Venice Biennale", 1964
7
35
Young Italians (1968), Institute of Contemporary Art
Artist Statements and Biographies, circa 1966-1968
7
36
Artist Statements and Biographies, circa 1966-1968
7
37
Correspondence, circa 1967
7
38
Correspondence, 1967 June-October
7
39
Correspondence, 1967 November-December
7
40
Correspondence, 1968-1970
7
41
Essay Drafts by Solomon (?), circa 1968
7
42
Loan Agreements, 1967-1968
7
43
Photographs of Artists, circa 1966-1968
7
44
Photographs of Artwork and Installation, circa 1966-1968
7
45
Photographs of Artwork and Installation, circa 1966-1968
7
46
Photographs of Artwork and Installation, circa 1966-1968
7
47
Printed Material, 1967-1968
7
48
General Exhibition Material, Lists and Notes, circa 1964-circa 1968
7
49
General Exhibition Material, Lists and Notes, circa 1964-circa 1968
7
50
General Exhibition Material, Lists and Notes, 1964-1969
7
51
General Exhibition Material, Miscellaneous, circa 1960s
7
52
Oversized Venice Biennale (1964), Photographs of Biennial Events scanned with Box 7, Folder 23, 1964
11
4
Oversized Venice Biennale (1964), Printed Material scanned with Box 7, Folder 29
11
4
Oversized Andy Warhol (1966), Lists and Notes scanned with Box 6, Folder 57-59
OV 12
Oversized Venice Biennale (1964), Floor Plans of U. S. Pavilion scanned with Box 7, Folder 18
OV 12

Make a Request

  • To request an appointment to view materials, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reading Room" button. Please note, you will receive the full box.
  • To request reproductions, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reproduction" button.