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Ricky Gomez
Scope and Contents
The papers of James Magee measure 6.2 linear feet and date from circa 1970 to 2019. The papers document Magee's career as a sculptor through correspondence with friends, colleagues, and art institutions; literary writings associated with certain pieces of sculpture; interviews, video footage of studio and works, audio of literary text written to accompany sculpture pieces, and other recordings; catalogs, book of literary text to accompany sculpture pieces, books on Magee, and other printed material; sketches and numerous sketchbooks; and photographs and negatives of specific sculpture pieces.
Correspondence includes letters from friends and colleagues and letters praising Magee for his "Hill" project outside El Paso, Texas. 2024 addition includes correspondence from Rod McCall.
Writings are primarily literary text (poems) inspired by Magee's pieces of sculpture that Magee had published.
Recordings consist of one video cassette on Magee's "Hill" project, audio cassette interviews for an article published in Mexico, audio cassettes and one audio reel of what appears to be poems inspired by sculpture pieces, and CD's containing audio and some documentation related to his exhibitions. 2024 addition includes one thumb drive with video recordings.
Printed material consists of a book of poems inspired by sculpture pieces that Magee had published, a book written on the life and art of Magee, catalogs, and a book of Goya letters that Magee compiled and edited. Also included with the book of Goya letters is a digital audio version of the book. 2024 addition includes exhibition announcements.
Artwork consists of sketches and numerous sketchbooks belonging to Magee. Sketchbooks contain a mix of watercolor paintings, pencil sketches, and ink sketches. Photographic material is primarily photographs and some negatives and contact sheets of some of Magee's works.
Language
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated in 2016, 2019 and 2024 by James Magee.
Related Materials
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with James Magee conducted by Jason Stieber, September 29-30, 2016.
Funding
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2021.
