The document provides information about exhibitions held at the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery located at the Archives of American Art. It discusses the goals of the exhibitions which are to educate visitors about primary sources in the archives' collections and inspire them to further explore the archives. It also summarizes the results of a visitor survey which found that most visitors learned about artists that resonated with them personally and wanted more information about the archives, artists, and documents. The document promotes upcoming exhibitions at the gallery focused on illustrated letters, artists in their studios, and lists/enumerations created by artists.

1. Out of the Box
Alexandra Darrow holiday card to Prentiss Taylor, ca. 1951 Prentiss Taylor papers, 1885-1991
Exhibiting Primary Source Material at the Archives of American Art

2. Lucy Lippard papers
16,000 linear feet
About 6,000 collections
16 million documents
WHAT
IS IN THE
BOXES?
200 years of primary sources
Jennifer Snyder, 2010

3. 16,000 linear feet
About 6,000 collections
16 million documents
Over 2,000 oral history
interviews
WHAT
IS IN THE
BOXES?
200 years of primary sources

4. April 4, 2006
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
Gallery during DWRC renovation, April 4, 2006

5. April 30, 2004
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
Joan Lord readying for the first exhibition:
Artists in their Studios

6. Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
• Inspire visitors to understand the
value of historical records and
primary source material
• Teach a nuanced history of
American art
• Narrate relatable personal histories
of American artists
• Encourage further exploration
beyond the gallery
Our goal is to create understandable, informative, and engaging
exhibitions as a portal to our collections
Robert Scull's East Hampton residence, ca. 1968
Clock-wise from top: Lucas Samaras, George Segal,
Robert Rauschenberg, Patty Mucha, and Claes Oldenburg

7. A Thousand Kisses: Love Letters from the Archives of American Art

8. Frida Kahlo to Nickolas Muray, February 16, 1939.
Nickolas Muray papers, 1911-1978.
Patti Warashina valentine to Robert Sperry, February 14,
1966. Robert Sperry papers, 1951-2002.
Moses Soyer to David Soyer, ca. 1940.
Moses Soyer papers, circa 1905-1974.

9. AAA Visitor Survey
Advised by Zahava Doering, Office of Policy & Analysis
Phase 1: Observation
• Conducted over 2 exhibitions, July and September 2009
• Observed visitors in 15 minute segments, 3 times daily
• Reported number of visitors who walked into gallery vs. number
who walked past but did not enter
Findings
• 70% of visitors in the NPG corridor walk into the gallery
• About 15 people every 15 minutes
• On average, 500 visitors a day walk

10. Phase 2: Conversation
• Conducted 50 interviews over 3 exhibitions
• Casually asked a set of open-ended questions about a visitor’s
impressions of the gallery
• Surveyor noted gender and locality of visitor
Findings
• Visitors learned most about items that resonated personally
with them, even if the artist was less known
• Visitors frequently asked for more information about the
Archives, the artists, or the documents
AAA Visitor Survey
Advised by Zahava Doering, Office of Policy & Analysis

11. Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts,
and Other Artists’ Enumerations

12. Margaret De Patta’s list of orders, 1946.
Margaret De Patta papers, 1944-2000.
Franz Kline’s liquor store receipt,
December 31, 1960. Elisabeth Zogbaum papers
regarding Franz Kline, 1928-1965.
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts,
and Other Artists’ Enumerations

13. Oscar Bluemner’s illustrated list of works of art,
May 18, 1932 May 18. Oscar Bluemner papers,
1886-1939, 1960. Eero Saarinen’s to Aline Saarinen, 1954
Aline and Eero Saarinen papers, 1906-1977
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts,
and Other Artists’ Enumerations

14. Hard Times: 1929–1939

15. Hard Times: 1929–1939
Summer Interns, Delia Murphy and Leah Rand

16. William Bunn’s Sketchbook #4, 1937
William Edward Lewis Bunn papers, 1935-1986
Bunn painting post office mural in Minden, Neb.,
between 1937 and 1939. Photographer unknown.
William Edward Lewis Bunn papers, 1935-1986.
Hard Times: 1929–1939

17. Season’s Greetings: Holiday Cards from the Archives of American Art

19. Even More Out of the Box
Ding Ren, July 2, 2010. Photograph by Page Carr.

20. Even More Out of the Box

21. Even More Out of the Box
Let’s get this party started
October 29, 2010 to February 13, 2011
Guest-curated by Jonathan Weinberg
A compliment to the National Portrait
Gallery’s, Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in
American Portraiture
Lost and Found:
The Lesbian and Gay Presence
in the Archives of American Art
George Tooker, Daniel Maloney, and William Christopher, 1951.
Photographer unknown. William Christopher papers, 1946-1972.
Smithsonian American Art
Museum’s Civil War exhibition
Armory Show 100th
Anniversary
Oral History Clips

22. Even More Out of the Box
Let’s get this show on the road
More Than Words: Illustrated
Letters
Artists in their Studios
Lists: To-dos, Illustrated
Inventories, Collected Thoughts,
and Other Artist’s Enumerations
Traveling Exhibitions
George Luks to Everett Shinn, May 18, 1900. Everett Shinn
collection, 1894-1953.

23. Thank You
Find us At:
Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery
1st
floor, DWRC
www.aaa.si.edu
facebook.com/ArchivesAmericanArt
Twitter.com/ArchivesAmerArt
Talk by Mary Savig, savigm@si.edu
Happy Halloween