The archive of avant-garde dancer Martha Graham found a new home in the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts. Ranging from audio and film recordings to choreography notes and correspondence, the archive includes tintype family portraits; photographs by Barbara Morgan and Soichi Sunami; and set drawings by Isamu Noguchi.
Swann Galleries held a successful sale of African Americana prints and manuscripts. The sale was led by an 1848 broadside offering a monetary reward for the return of three runaway slaves; this historical document sold for $37,500, rocketing over its presale estimate of $7,000–10,000. A map of Harlem night clubs made by E. Simms Campbell in 1933 also significantly surpassed expectations, selling for $27,500 against an estimate of $10,000–15,000.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino has acquired the archive of Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong, members of one of the earliest high-profile Chinese American families in Los Angeles. The collection features architectural drawings, hand-drawn menus, portrait photographs, and passports.
At the behest of her late son and estate manager Lin Jammet, 29 sculptures, drawings, and prints by English sculptor Elisabeth Frink joined the collection of the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich. Notable works include large-scale sculptures Mirage I and Mirage II (1969), which were inspired by flamingos, and the Goggle Heads series (1967–69), imposing busts of men sporting goggles.
This Week in the Art World
The Design Trust for Public Space appointed Matthew Clarke as its new Executive Director. | Via press release
The Define American Immigrant Artist Fellowship announced its 2020 Fellows. | Define American
The Baltimore Museum of Art appointed Kathy Rothkop to the newly endowed position of the Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Director of the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies. | Artforum
Allan Schwartzman, Sotheby’s chair of fine art, has left the auction house to become an independent consultant. | Art Market Monitor
The inaugural M+ Museum’s Sigg Prize was awarded to Hong Kong-based artist Samson Young. | ARTnews
Los Angeles and Tucson-based photographer Mark McKnight has joined the roster at Los Angeles gallery Park View/Paul Soto. | Via email announcement
Hong Kong-based photographer Kam Wa Magus Yuen is the winner of the Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize. | The Art Newspaper
The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation awarded the 2019 Biennial Grants to 20 artists. | ARTFIX Daily
Phillips Hong Kong announced that Jonathan Crockett has been appointed the Chairman of Asia. | Via email announcement
Lauren Richman is the new Assistant Curator of Photography at Indiana University’s Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art. | Artforum
In Memoriam
Satish Gujral (1925–2020), Indian artist and architect | The New York Times
Motoko Fujishiro Huthwaite (1927–2020), “Monuments Woman” and educator | The New York Times
Abraham Palatnik (1928–2020), Brazilian kinetic artist | ARTnews
Little Richard (1932–2020), “King and Queen” of rock & roll | NPR
Jaquelin Taylor Robertson (1933–2020), architect and urbanist | Architectural Digest
Alan Shestack (1938–2020), former director of the National Gallery of Art, D.C. | CultureGrrl
Thomas Sokolowski (1950–2020), former director of the Andy Warhol Museum | ARTnews
Paul L. Vasquez (1962–2020), “Double Rainbow Guy” | CNN
Betty Wright (1953–2020), American Soul and R&B singer | Billboard