Baxter Art Gallery records
name: label: Creator
content: Baxter Art Gallery
label: Names
content: California Institute of Technology
label: Names
content: Pasadena Gallery of Contemporary Arts
label: Names
content: Belloli, Jay
label: Names
content: Schwartz, Lillian
label: Names
content: Smith, David R. (David Rodman), 1923-
topic: label: Topic
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
label: Topic
content: Space photography
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The records were donated in 1986 by the Baxter Art Gallery via David Smith and Jay Belloli, Directors, and in 1991 by David Grether, chair of the Division of Humanities at the California Institute of Technology. Additional records were donated in 2011 and 2019 by Jay Belloli.
creator: label: Creator
content: Baxter Art Gallery
setName: label: See more items in
content: Baxter Art Gallery records
abstract: label: Summary
content: The records of the Baxter Art Gallery measure 17 linear feet and date from 1962 to 1997. The collection documents the activities of the gallery founded by Professor David Smith in 1971 on the campus of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. Documentation includes administrative records, business correspondence, programs and events, exhibition files, and printed material, as well as three films by artist Lillian Schwartz shown at the gallery. The bulk of the collection (9.7 linear feet) consists of Exhibition Files, which document nearly every exhibition held at the gallery from 1971 to 1985. Of note are detailed records regarding "25 Years of Space Photography," the last exhibition held at Baxter Art Gallery in 1985 which toured internationally through 1997. Also included are records of the Pasadena Gallery of Contemporary Arts, which was founded by former director Jay Belloli after Baxter Art Gallery closed.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Baxter Art Gallery (1971-1985) was an art exhibition space at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California founded by Professor David Smith. 

David R. Smith, professor of Literature, established an exhibition program for Caltech in 1968 as part of the Institute Programs Committee. In 1971 Baxter Art Gallery was formally established as part of the new Donald E. Baxter Hall of the Humanities and Social Sciences. The majority of the exhibitions focused on contemporary art, with a special interest in Southern California artists and art and technology. David Smith became the first gallery director. After years of struggling to find funding for exhibitions, in 1977 the gallery received sponsorship from the Pasadena Art Alliance. The establishment of Friends of the Baxter Art Gallery around this time allowed for more educational programs around the exhibitions, such as lectures, informal talks, films, tours, and performances. 

Michael H. Smith served as director from 1977 to 1982, followed by Jay Belloli, director from 1982 to 1985. In 1984 the closing of the gallery was announced, despite outcry from faculty and the public. The last exhibition "25 Years of Space Photography" was held at the gallery from May 22 to September 2, 1985. That exhibition continued to tour internationally to over 50 museums under the curatorship of Jay Belloli. 

After Baxter Art Gallery closed Belloli established the Pasadena Gallery of Contemporary Arts and worked to find a new exhibition space. This gallery in collaboration with the Pasadena Arts Workshop became the Armory Center for the Arts in 1989 and Belloli served as Director of Gallery Programs.
function: label: Function
content: Art galleries, University and college -- California
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 17 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1962-1997
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.baxtart
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as 7 series.

Series 1: Administrative Records, 1970-1987 (Boxes 1-4, Box 21; 3.4 linear feet)

Series 2: Business Correspondence, 1969-1988 (Box 4, Box 21; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 3: Programs and Events, 1971-1986 (Boxes 4-5, Box 21; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 4: Exhibition Files, 1968-1997 (Boxes 5-14, Box 21, FC 17; 9.7 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1962-1989 (Box 14, Box 21, OV 16, OV 23; 0.7 linear feet)

Series 6: Pasadena Gallery of Contemporary Arts Records, 1981-1990 (Boxes 14-15, Boxes 21-22, OV 23; 1.6 linear feet)

Series 7: Motion Picture Film, circa 1970, circa 1975 (FC 18-20; 0.4 linear feet)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was minimally processed in 2013 by Erin Kinhart. Motion picture film reels were inspected and re-housed in 2016-2017 with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund. The 2019 addition was minimally processed and integrated into the collection by Rayna Andrews in 2019 with funding from Gerald and Bente Buck.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The records of the Baxter Art Gallery measure 17 linear feet and date from 1962 to 1997. The collection documents the activities of the gallery founded by Professor David Smith in 1971 on the campus of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. Documentation includes administrative records, business correspondence, programs and events, exhibition files, and printed material, as well as three films by artist Lillian Schwartz shown at the gallery. The bulk of the collection (9.7 linear feet) consists of Exhibition Files, which document nearly every exhibition held at the gallery from 1971 to 1985. Of note are detailed records regarding "25 Years of Space Photography," the last exhibition held at Baxter Art Gallery in 1985 which toured internationally through 1997. Also included are records of the Pasadena Gallery of Contemporary Arts, which was founded by former director Jay Belloli after Baxter Art Gallery closed.