American Abstract Artists records
name: label: Creator
content: American Abstract Artists
label: Names
content: Albers, Josef
label: Names
content: Archipenko, Alexander, 1887-1964
label: Names
content: Billings, Henry, 1901-
label: Names
content: Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976
label: Names
content: Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956
label: Names
content: Gurin, Ruth
label: Names
content: Hasegawa, Saburō, 1906-1957
label: Names
content: Holtzman, Harry
label: Names
content: Mason, Alice Trumbull, 1904-1971
label: Names
content: Mondrian, Piet, 1872-1944
label: Names
content: Rabkin, Leo
label: Names
content: Rousseau, Irene
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters
label: Topic
content: Sculptors
label: Topic
content: Art, Abstract -- United States
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Archives of American Art acquired the American Abstract Artists records in three installments by Presidents Emeriti of the American Abstract Artists. Alice Trumball Mason first lent papers for microfilming in 1959, and she later gifted the majority of this material in 1969. Following, Leo Rabkin donated records in 1969, and Irene Rousseau gave more papers in 1983.
creator: label: Creator
content: American Abstract Artists
setName: label: See more items in
content: American Abstract Artists records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The records of the American Abstract Artists measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1936 through 1983.  The records document the founding of the organization in 1936, membership activities, general administration, and  exhibitions via correspondence, member writings, financial and legal records, printed materials, and photographs.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The American Abstract Artists group was established in 1936 in New York, New York by a group of painters and sculptors. The American Abstract Artists contributed to the introduction of abstract art to the American public through exhibitions, publications, and lectures. 

During the era of the formation of the American Abstract Artists, abstraction was not critically accepted. In 1937, the American Abstract Artists held their first exhibition at the Squibb Galleries in New York City. It received negative reactions from both the press and the public - the exhibition had a high attendance but poor reviews. The American Abstract Artists addressed the role of the critic through their publications, specifically the 1940 pamphlet "The Art Critics! How Do They Serve the Public? What Do They Say? How Much Do They Know?—Let's Look at the Record!"

The group was most active from 1937 to 1942, and supported the critical success of Abstract Expressionism in later decades.
function: label: Function
content: Arts organizations -- New York (State)
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.6 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1936-1983
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.amerabst
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The arrangement and description in this finding aid refer to unmicrofilmed portions of the collection. Legacy microfilm arrangement is not reflected. 

The collection is arranged as 6 series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1937-1982 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Administrative Records, 1937-1982 (Box 1; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 3: Member Writings, 1938-1954 (Box 1; 4 folders)

Series 4: Financial and Legal Records, 1942-1983 (Box 1-2; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Materials, 1936-1982 (Box 2-3, OV 4; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 6: Photographs, 1963 (Box 3; 1 folder)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was preliminarily processed by Carly Dorca in 2012, and more fully processed and a finding aid prepared by Megan Bean in June 2016.
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Portions of the collection and material lent for microfilming are available on 35mm microfilm reels D539, N59-11, N69-72, N69-96, N69-97, N69-137, and N70-48 at the Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The records of the American Abstract Artists measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1936 through 1983.  The records document the founding of the organization in 1936, membership activities, general administration, and  exhibitions via correspondence, member writings, financial and legal records, printed materials, and photographs.

Correspondence mainly relates to the exhibitions and member activities of the American Abstract Artists.  There are letters from Josef Albers, Alexander Archipenko, Alexander Calder, Lyonel Feininger, Harry Holtzman, Piet Mondrian, and Irene Rousseau, President Emeritus of the American Abstract Artists.  Official bulletins sent to members are also found among the correspondence. 

Administrative records include founding prospectus, meeting minutes, lists of members, and drafts and amendments to the American Abstract Artists constitution. 

Member writings are by Saburo Hasegawa, Henry Billings, Leo Rabkin, and Ruth Gurin. Financial and legal records include ledger books, insurance documents, and other financial material. Printed materials include announcements for the American Abstract Artists' annual exhibitions, as well as exhibition posters.  Finally, there are two photographs of collage paintings by members.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Among the holdings of the Archives of American Art are the Ruth Bowman Interviews of American Abstract Art members, 1963-1965, and Susan C. Larsen's Interviews of American Abstract Art members, 1973-1978.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming available on 35 mm microfilm reels D539, N59-11, N69-72, N69-96, N69-97, N69-137, and N70-48. Much of this material and the papers on reels N70-48 and N59-11 were included in subsequent gifts, and may have been microfilmed again. Loaned materials not donated later are not described in the collection container inventory.