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Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985

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

Correspondence represents almost one quarter of the collection and relates to all aspects of Kepes's career including his relationships and collaborations with artists, architects, and writers; his ideas and achievements as an educator and aesthetic theorist; the publication of his writings; and exhibitions which featured both his artwork and his designs.
Artists, architects, writers, and colleagues represented here include Josef Albers, Rudolf Arnheim, Marcel Breuer, Alexander Calder, Henry Dreyfuss, Charles and Ray Eames, Clive Entwhistle, R. Buckminster Fuller, Walter Gropius, S. W. Hayter, Jean Helion, Laszlo and Sibyl Moholy-Nagy, Lev Nussberg, Robert Osborn, George Rickey, Saul Steinberg, Kenzo Tange, Robert Jay Wolff, Jekabs Zvilna, and various colleagues and fellows at M.I.T.
M.I.T. correspondence documents the early planning stages for CAVS from 1963 on, including details of Kepes's vision for the program and his efforts to gain support for its funding. Also documented are events and ongoing activities at CAVS and in the visual arts department at M.I.T. , including the organization of symposia and other events, and Kepes's interactions with fellows including Margaret Mead, Otto Piene, Athena Tacha, Vassilakis Takis, Philip Thiel, Harold Tovish, and Wen-Ying Tsai.
Correspondence with publishers such as George Braziller, Inc., Paul Theobald and Company, M.I.T. Press, and others document the publication of Kepes's writings including the publication of The New Landscape in Argentina and Japan, and foreign language editions of Vision + Value. Also documented are Kepes's submissions to various periodicals including Daedalus, Design, Domus, Leonardo, Time and Life magazines, and Transignia, as well as correspondence with artists and others who contributed to the Vision + Value series, including Michael Blee, Kazuhiko Egawa, Jean Hélion, and others.
There is correspondence with many universities and other educational institutions, often in regard to visits by Kepes for exhibitions, lectures, and other programs, including universities throughout the United States and abroad in countries such as Columbia and Mexico. Also found is a small amount of scattered correspondence with galleries who showed and sold artwork by Kepes, including Saidenberg Gallery.
The series includes 3 motion picture films, including what appears to be an early version of the Charles and Ray Eames film Powers of Ten.
Description Container Select
Addison Gallery of American Art (Sara Weeks), 1966-1968
1
10
Adrian, Marc, 1962-1971
1
11
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1970
1
12
Albers, Josef, 1943-1960
1
13
Alexander, Christopher, 1965
1
14
Alfieri, Bruno, 1960
1
15
Alliance Graphique Internationale, 1963-1964
1
16
Allphin, Willard, 1967
1
17
American Academy in Rome, 1966-1974
1
18
American Academy of Arts and Letters, 1972-1981
1
19
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1946-1976
1
20-22
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1969-1972
1
23
American Federation of Arts, 1961-1968
1
24
American Heritage, 1968
1
25
American Institute of Architects, 1967-1969
1
26
Aquinas College, 1970-1971
1
27
Archives of American Art, 1965-1973
1
28
Arnheim, Rudolf, 1963-1974
1
29
Art College of Ontario, 1969-1974
1
30
Art Institute of Chicago, 1942-1973
1
31
Arts and Crafts Center, 1971
1
32
ArtsCanada, 1968-1969
1
33
Athens Technological Institute/Athens Center of Ekistics, 1967-1974
1
34-39
A, General, 1962-1979
1
40
A, General, 1943-1972
2
1-2
Balieu, Joost, 1962
2
3
Bank Street College of Education, Arts in Education Committee, 1968
2
4
Bauhaus Archiv, 1965-1974
2
5
Beinart, Julian, 1959-1974
2
6
Belluschi, Pietro, 1963-1974
2
7
Bennington College, 1946-1956
2
8
Benthall, Jonathan, 1973
2
9
Bernhard, Ruth, 1961-1962
2
10
Beverly Tercentenary Celebration Committee, 1968
2
11
Bill, Max, 1953-1968
2
12
Bihalji-Meri, O., 1967
2
13
Blee, Michael, circa 1943-1974
2
14
Boston 200: Office of the Boston Bicentennial, 1973
2
15
Boston University, 1968-1974
2
16
Brambilla, Robert, 1973-1974
2
17
Braziller, George/George Braziller, Inc., 1967-1974
2
18
Brighton College of Art (Jean M. Creedy), 1965-1969
2
19
Brockton Art Center, 1968-1969
2
20
Bronowski, Jacob, 1957-1967
2
21
B, General, circa 1943-1974
2
22-24
Calder, Alexander and Louisa, 1950-1973
2
25
Cambridge Art Association, 1966-1972
2
26
Cape Cod Art Association Gallery, 1969
2
27
Cape Cod Conservatory of Music and Arts, 1973-1974
2
28
Carnegie-Mellon University, 1968-1971
2
29-31
Cauman, John, 1973
2
32
Centro y Arte y Comunicacion, 1972-1973
2
33
Chermayeff, Serge, 1947-1967
2
34
City of Cambridge, 1960-1966
2
35
Claus, Juergen, 1970-1972
2
36
Cleveland Museum of Art, 1961-1973
2
37
Club of Rome, 1970-1974
2
38-43
Cole, & Weber, Inc., 1970
2
44
Commission on the Humanities in the Schools, 1967-1969
2
45-46
Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1964-1965
2
47
Cornell University, 1965-1969
2
48
C, General, 1942-1974
2
49-51
Daedalus, 1959-1974
2
52
Davis, Douglas, 1973
2
53
DeCordova and Dana Museum and Park, 1961-1969
2
54
DeMarco, Richard, 1972-1973
2
55
Design (Elio Cenci), 1972-1973
2
56
Domus (Gio Ponti), 1961-1973
2
57
Dreyfuss, Henry, 1970-1972
2
58
duCharme, Louis A. (Young & Rubicam, Inc.), 1970-1971
2
59
D, General, 1947-1974
2
60-61
Eames, Charles and Ray, 1950-1973
Includes 2 film reels.
Includes a report to M.I.T. President Howard Johnson from Charles Eames as a member of the 1969-1970 Arts Commission with recommendations written by Eames.
Correspondence includes two motion picture films: "Powers of Ten," (circa 1968) which is possibly an earlier version of the 1977 film by Charles and Ray Eames; and "Farming the Sea" (1967). Film reels stored separately in film cans numbered 39-40.
2
62
Education Development Center, 1972
2
63
Egawa, Kazuhiko, 1965
2
64
Elek, Paul (Elek Books Ltd.), 1968-1974
2
65
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1972
3
1
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 1964
3
2
Entwistle, Clive, 1965
3
3
Everson Museum of Art, 1963, 1973
3
4
Experiments in Art and Technology, Inc. (Billy Kluver), 1966-1972
3
5
E, General, 1958-1974
3
6
Fallani, Mario, 1965-1968
3
7
Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, 1971-1972
3
8
Flocon, Albert, 1961-1974
3
9
Flores, Ricardo, 1971-1971
Oversized material housed in OV 33
3
10
Ford Foundation, 1968-1969
3
11
Frontiers of Learning Lecture Series, 1967-1968
3
12
R. Buckminster Fuller, 1967-1974
3
13
F, General, 1949-1978
3
14-15
Galerie Moos, Inc., 1970-1974
3
16
Galerie Parnass/R. Jahrling, 1958-1959
3
17
Gibson, James J., 1964-1967
3
18
Giedion, Siegfried, 1951-1966
3
19
Glaser, Esther, 1962-1965
3
20
Goeritz, Matias, 1967-1973
3
21
Greene-Mercier, Zoe, 1970-1974
3
22
Gregotti, Vittoria (Edilizia Moderna), 1964-1966
3
23
Gropius, Walter, 1937-1973
3
24
Gropius Foundation/Lecture, 1969-1970
3
25
Gutman, Judith Maria, 1971
3
26
G, General, 1950-1973
3
27-28
Haacke, Hans, 1968-1971
3
29
Haar, Charles , 1965-1972
3
30
Haar, Francis, 1968-1974
3
31
Hampshire College, 1967
3
32
Hanson, Bill, 1962-1969
3
33
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1967-1971
3
34
Harvard Business Review, 1970
3
35
Harvard University, 1947-1974
3
36-39
Harvard University, Fogg Art Museum, 1954-1974
3
40
Harvard University Press, 1963-1966
3
41
Hayter, S. W. , 1967-1969
3
42
Hélion, Jean, 1950-1972
3
43
Hiler, Hilaire, 1962-1963
3
44
Hill, Anthony, 1964-1969
3
45
Hodin, J. P., 1961-1973
3
46
Hofer, Philip, 1963-1973
3
47
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1962-1968
3
48
Holter, Patra, 1971-1972
3
49
Holton, Gerald, 1963-1971
3
50
Honkavaara, Sylvia, 1966-1971
3
51
House and Garden, 1970-1973
3
52
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1963-1973
3
53
Hudson, Tom, 1963-1964
3
54
H, General, 1955-1974
3
55-57
Ihara, Michio, 1973-1974
3
58
Illinois Arts Council, 1969-1972
3
59
Indiana University, 1968-1973
3
60
Institute of Contemporary Art, 1960-1974
3
61
Institute of Design of Illinois Institute of Technology, 1969-1973
3
62
Institute of International Education, 1970-1974
3
63
International Center for Integrative Studies, 1967-1973
3
64-67
International Association for Cultural Freedom, 1969-1970
3
68
Internationales Design Zentrum, 1973-1974
4
1
International Fund for Concerned Photography, Inc., 1967-1974
4
2-6
Itten, Johannes, 1961-1962
4
7
I, General, 1936-1974
4
8
Jakobson, Ronan, 1970-1972
4
9
Japan Pottery Design Center, 1972-1973
4
10
John Dewey Society Lecture, Ward Madden, 1966-1969
4
11
Joint Center for Urban Studies, 1965-1970
4
12
Jones, Cranston, 1961-1969
4
13
J, General, 1959-1973
4
14
Katzen, Lila, 1971
4
15
Kepes, Gyorgy and Joan White, 1968-1971
4
16
KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, 1959-1965
4
17
Koch, Erik, Lord's Gallery, 1963-1973
4
18
Kostrisky, George E. , 1966-1969
4
19
Kowalski, Piotr, 1973-1974
4
20
Kupferberg, C. A. (Florian Kupferberg Verlag), 1970-1971
4
21
K, General, 1950-1974
4
22-23
Lacerda, Carlos, 1972-1973
4
24
Lehigh University, 1972
4
25
Loyola University, 1969-1972
4
26
L, General, 1947-1974
4
27
MacDonald, Angus, 1965-1971
4
28
Malina, Frank L., Leonardo, 1969-1974
4
29
Massachusetts College of Art, 1964-1972
4
30
M.I.T. Alumni Association, 1969
4
31
M.I.T. Center for Advanced Visual Studies, 1963-1973
4
32
M.I.T. General, circa 1943-1974
4
33-37
M.I.T. Press, 1961-1974
4
38-39
Meyer, Howard R., 1969
4
40
Meyer, John R., 1968
4
41
Michael Berger Gallery, 1971
4
42
Michigan State College, 1947
4
43
Moholy-Nagy, László (publications about), 1948-1973
4
44
Mondadori Publishing Company, Inc., 1964-1969
4
45
Morris, Charles, 1951-1958
4
46
Morton, James, Urban Training Center for Christian Mission, 1965-1974
4
47
Mumford, Lewis, 1961-1970
4
48
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1968-1973
4
49
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, School of, 1947-1972
4
50
Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, 1970-1974
4
51
Museum of Modern Art, 1948-1973
5
1
M, General, 1961-1974
5
2-3
National Academy of Design, 1972-1974
5
4
National Endowment for the Arts, 1972-1974
5
5
National Endowment for the Humanities, 1974
5
6
National Institute of Arts and Letters, 1967-1974
5
7-12
New England School of Art, Inc., 1971-1973
5
13
New Orleans Museum of Art, 1972-1974
5
14
New York State Teachers Association, 1964-1969
5
15
New York Studio School, 1972-1973
5
16
Nicoletti, Manfredi, 1960-1974
5
17
Nusberg, Lev, 1970-1974
5
18
N, General, 1949-1973
5
19-21
Ohio State College, 1970
5
22
Ohio State University, 1950-1973
5
23
Ong, Walter J., 1966-1967
5
24
Ontario College of Art, 1973-1974
5
25
Osborn, Robert, 1961-1973
5
26
Oster, Gerald, 1965-1967
5
27
Osze, Andrew, 1964-1965
5
28
Otto Maier Verlag Ravensburg, 1962
5
29
O, General, 1961-1973
5
30
Palmer & Dodge (Raya S. Dreben), 1973-1974
5
31
Pan Am Building, 1962-1963
5
32
Paul Theobald and Company, 1961-1973
5
33
Phillips Exeter Academy, 1966-1967
5
34
Phoenix Art Museum, 1964-1967
5
35
Photographic Society of Japan, 1960
5
36
Provincetown Art Association, 1971-1973
5
37
P, General, 1951-1974
5
38-39
Rand, Paul, 1960-1965
5
40-41
Richards, I. A., 1962-1972
5
42
Richmond, Norman, 1962
5
43
Richter, Hans, 1963-1967
5
44
Rickey, George, 1962-1971
5
45
Rockford Art Association, 1965-1968
5
46
R, General, 1955-1974
5
47
Saidenberg Gallery, 1960-1973
5
48
Sarabhai, Vickram, 1962-1970
5
49
Schnebli, Dolf, 1966-1973
5
50
Scripps College, 1970-1973
5
51
Sert, Jose Luis, 1971-1973
5
52
Smith College, 1965-1969
5
53
Smithsonian Institution, 1968-1974
5
54
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1957-1973
5
55
Southeastern Community College, 1969
5
56
Southern Illinois University , 1972
5
57
Stanford University, 1964-1973
5
58
State University of New York at Binghampton, 1970-1972
5
59
State University of New York at Stony Brook, 1971-1972
5
60
Steinberg, Saul, 1961-1963
5
61
Structurist, 1973-1974
5
62
Szépmuvészeti Múzeum, 1970
5
63
S, General, 1940-1984
Oversized material housed in in Box 28 Folder 2
5
64-65
S, General, 1940-1984
6
1
Tange, Kenzo, 1960-1971
6
2
Terrazas, Eduardo, 1970-1972
6
3
Thiel, Phiip, 1957-1973
6
4
Time/Life Magazines/Building, 1961-1971
6
5
Tokyo Cinema Inc., 1963-1966
Includes 1 film reel.
Correspondence includes 1 motion picture film: a documentary by Tokyo Cinema, Inc., "Life is Born" (circa 1963). Film reel stored separately in film can numbered 41.
6
6
Toledo Museum of Art, 1972-1973
6
7
Transigna, 1970-1971
6
8
Townley, Hugh, 1965-1972
6
9
Tulane University, 1971-1974
6
10
Tulbert, David (White Ox Films), 1968-1973
6
11
T, General, 1944-1973
6
12
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 1971-1974
6
13
United States Government and White House, 1964-1973
6
14
Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajura, 1972
6
15
Universidad de los Andes, 1971-1973
6
16
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, 1969-1971
6
17-18
Università Internazionale Dell'Arte di Firenze e Venezia, 1972
6
19
University Center in Virginia, Inc., 1970-1971
6
20
University of California, 1952-1973
6
21
University of Cincinnati, 1965-1974
6
22
University of Connecticut, 1971-1974
6
23
University of Delaware, 1968
6
24
University of Hartford, 1968-1971
6
25-26
University of Hawaii, 1955-1977
6
27-28
University of Illinois, 1950-1973
6
29
University of Iowa, 1972-1974
6
30
University of Kansas, 1973-1974
6
31
University of Manitoba, 1969-1970
6
32
University of Massachusetts, 1948-1974
6
33
University of New Hampshire, 1962-1969
6
34
University of North Carolina, 1961-1965
6
35
University of Oregon, 1964-1965
6
36
University of Rhode Island, 1967
6
37
University of Rochester, 1972-1973
6
38
University of South Florida, 1968-1974
6
39
University of Toronto, H. Marshall McLuhan, 1959-1972
6
40
University of Virginia (includes publication Modulus), 1966-1973
6
41
University of Washington, 1951-1967
6
42
University of Wisconsin, 1963-1972
6
43
U, General, 1942-1979
6
44-45
Vancouver Art Gallery, 1972-1973
6
46
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1969-1973
6
47
V, General, 1949-1973
6
48
Wadsworth Atheneum, 1972-1974
6
49
Walls, Michael, 1967-1971
6
50
Washington University, 1945-1970
6
51
Weeks, Edward (Ted), 1962-1973
6
52
Weiss, Jack (Low's Incorporated), 1964
6
53
Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, 1967-1969
6
54
Werner, Heinz, 1951-1969
6
55
Weslyan University/Press, 1962-1969
6
56
Western Michigan University at Kalamazoo, 1970-1971
6
57
Wheaton College, 1947-1971
6
58
Whyte, Lance, 1957-1967
6
59
Willet Stained Glass Studios, 1967-1972
6
60
Wolff, Robert Jay, 1961-1972
6
61
Workman, Lillian Garrett, 1965-1967
6
62
Wurster, William W., 1961-1970
6
63
W, General, 1948-1974
6
64-66
X, General, 1973
6
67
Yaddo, 1965
6
68
Yale University, Jack Tworkov, 1965-1971
6
69
York University, 1970-1972
6
70
Y, General, 1957-1974
6
71
Zvilna, Jekabs, 1961-1974
6
72
Z, General, 1960-1982
6
73
First Names Only, circa 1950s-circa 1974
7
1
Illegible/Unidentified, circa 1950s-1985
7
2
Publication of Foreign Language Editions of Books by Kepes, 1960s
7
3-5
Publication Permissions, 1973-1974
7
6-7
Oversized from S, General from Box 5, Folder 63-64
28
2
Oversized Flores, Ricardo from Box 3, Folder 10
OV 33
Film Reel from Box 2, Folder 62
FC 39
Film Reel from Box 2, Folder 62
FC 40
Film Reel from Box 6, Folder 6
FC 41

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.