Collection Information
Size: 11.2 Linear feet; 27.94 Gigabytes
Summary: The papers of African American art historian Judith Wilson measure 11.2 linear feet and 27.94 GB and date from 1966 to 2010. Wilson's career is documented through correspondence with friends, colleagues, artists, universities, and art organizations; notebooks; files on writing projects, conferences, lectures, symposia and other professional activities; and a small amount of printed material. Also found is research material on artist Bob Thompson, including photographs, printed material, correspondence, notebooks and a documentary video recording. Additionally, the collection includes 124 cassette tapes of sound recordings of interviews of artists and art collectors, panel discussions and Wilson's lectures, and six video recordings. Some of the materials are in digital format.
Biographical/Historical Note
Judith Wilson (1952- ) is an African American art historian in San Francisco, California. Wilson began her career as an editor for Ms. Magazine in 1975. In 1979 she wrote a profile of Alma Thomas for that magazine, after which she began writing regularly about visual art and cultural politics, reviewing exhibitions, writing feature articles, and serving as guest editor for several publications. Her research interests included African American art and black visual culture. She received her Ph.D. in art history from Yale University with a dissertation on the artist Bob Thompson. Her teaching career included full-time positions in art history at University of Virginia, Yale, and the University of California, Irvine, as well as part-time and visiting professorships at several other schools. In 2006 she retired from the University of California, Irvine after eight years. During her career Wilson served on editorial and advisory boards for art publications and wrote many catalog essays, contributed to anthologies, and presented numerous conference papers, many of which were later published.
Provenance
The collection was donated in 2012 by Judith Wilson-Pates.
Language Note
Collection is in English.