Diógenes Ballester papers
name: label: Creator
content: Ballester, Diógenes, 1956-
topic: label: Occupation
content: Artists -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Artists -- Puerto Rico
label: Occupation
content: Graphic artists -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Occupation
content: Educators -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Latino and Latin American artists
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated in 2022 by Diógenes Ballester.
creator: label: Creator
content: Ballester, Diógenes, 1956-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Diógenes Ballester papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of Diogenes Ballester measure 6.0 linear feet, and date from 1973 to 2020. The papers document his career as an artist, educator, and writer through correspondence with family friends, and various museums and galleries; notes, drafts of articles, drafts of lecture and presentation transcripts, and other writings; inventories, price lists, ledger books, and other personal business records; resumes, artist statements, exhibition files, and other professional activity files; clippings, articles, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs and slides of Ballester, some of his family and friends, and of some of his artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Diógenes Ballester (1956- ) is an artist based in New York City, with deep roots in Puerto Rico, where he is also regularly present. His studio in El Barrio has operated since 1987 and he is a prominent artist, teacher, and writer particularly in Puerto Rican and Nuyorican artistic communities.

Ballester works in different artistic media including painting, printmaking, drawing, new media, and installation art and is recognized as a master of encaustic painting and printmaking. He has received numerous honors for his artistic work and has exhibited widely in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1973-2020
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.balldiog
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into six series.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1984-2016 (0.5 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Writings, 1983-2020 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)

Series 3: Personal Business Records, 1983-2018 (0.4 linear feet; Box 2)

Series 4: Professional Activity Files, 1973-2018 (2.5 linear feet; Boxes 2-5)

Series 5: Printed Material, 1975-2020 (1.1 linear feet; Boxes 5-6)

Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1990-2011 (0.6 linear feet; Box 6)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2022.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of Diogenes Ballester measure 6.0 linear feet, and date from 1973 to 2020. The papers document his career as an artist, educator, and writer through correspondence with family and friends, and various museums and galleries; notes, drafts of articles, drafts of lecture and presentation transcripts, and other writings; inventories, price lists, ledger books, and other personal business records; resumes, artist statements, exhibition files, and other professional activity files; clippings, articles, exhibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material; and photographs and slides of Ballester, some of his family and friends, and of some of his artwork.

Correspondence includes letters from his wife, Maria Boncher, artist Marshall Weber, cover letters, letter of recommendation, and letters with various museums and galleries. Also included is a booklet of letters and drawings from students at Project YES, an arts program for children.

Writings include drafts for articles written by Ballester, articles written by Shifra Goldman, drafts for a book on Ballester and drafts lectures and presentations given by Ballester. Also included are a number of notepads and miscellaneous notes.

Personal business records consist of inventories and price lists, invoices, two ledger books, copies of checks and receipts, and proposals and blueprints for the establishment of an artist-in-residency program in Puerto Rico.

Professional activity files consist of exhibitions that Ballester participated in at various biennials in graphic arts around the world. Some of these locations include San Juan, Puerto Rico; Krakow, Poland; and Taipei. Among the materials on biennials are a number of files pertaining to the San Juan Biennial on Printmaking from 1986 to 2010. These files contain lecture transcripts, clippings, articles by Ballester and others, draft exhibition catalogs, and notes. Also included are some exhibition files for exhibitions held at museums in the United States, proposals for exhibitions, artist statements, resumes, and binders documenting his professional career. The binders contain resumes, artist statements and narratives, some exhibition announcements and press releases, and photographs of artwork. Also included are some sketches by Ballester.

Printed material consists of articles on and written by Ballester, clippings, newsletters, exhibition announcements, exhibition catalogs, press releases, and posters.

Photographic material consists of photographs of Ballester, photographs of Ballester with friends and family, photographs of an exhibition, and photographs and slides of artwork.