Peter Plagens papers
name: label: Creator
content: Plagens, Peter
topic: label: Occupation
content: Art critics -- California
label: Occupation
content: Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York
label: Topic
content: Art, Modern -- California
label: Topic
content: Art criticism
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated in 1985 by Peter Plagens.
creator: label: Creator
content: Plagens, Peter
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Peter Plagens (1941-) is an art critic, painter, and writer living in New York City. Plagens studied studied painting at the University of Southern California and did graduate work at Syracuse University. In 1965, he returned to Southern California, where he worked as a curator and became a regular contributor to Artforum. His paintings were exhibited in such landmark exhibitions as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's "24 Young Los Angeles Arts," in 1971, and the following year, the Whitney Biennial. He is best known for his first book, "Sunshine Muse: Modern Art on the West Coast, 1945-1970," published in 1974. In the mid 1970s, Plagens served as chair of the board of the fledgling Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art. In the late 1980s, Plagens moved to New York, where he continued to paint and where he contributed art criticism to Newsweek. He has taught at numerous universities, including California State University, Northridge, University of Southern California, and University of North Carolina.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4.9 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1941-1985
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.plagpete
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Interviews
label: Type
content: Drawings
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of art critic and painter Peter Plagens measure 4.9 linear feet and date from 1941-1985. Included are personal and professional correspondence; diaries; an interview of Plagens conducted by Mike Lloyd, 1977 (80 p.); photographs of Plagens, his family, studio, and art work; files on lectures, grants, fellowships, exhibitions, and a petition against the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; drafts of writings; files on Plagen's book, Sunshine Muse: Contemporary Art on the West Coast (1974); and 20 ink drawings and several drawings by Plagen's young son, Paul.