GB 0000 Schwitters - SCHWITTERS, Kurt (1887-1948)

3 boxes

GB 0000 Schwitters [1919-1993] Collection (fonds) 3 boxes Schwitters , Kurt , 1887-1948 , German artist
Born Hanover, 1887; attended the Akademie der Künste, Dresden, 1909-1914; began military service, 1914; studied architecture at the Technische Hochschule, Hanover; influened by Kandinsky and the Dadaists began to experiment with abstract pictures in 1918 using collages, one piece had the letters MERZ and he subsequently described his assemblages as Merz; first exhibition, 1918; began his first Merzbau, a huge construction nearly filling a house (destroyed 1943); participated in the Weimar Dada Congress, 1922; edited Merz magazine, 1923-1932; first performance of Ur-Sonata, non-semantic sound collage, 1924; worked as a commercial designer and typographer for several companies, 1920s; a founder of 'circle of new commercial designers', 1927; member of Abstraction-Création, 1932; emigrated to Norway, 1937; made his second Merzbau (destroyed 1951); escaped Norway to Britain, 1940; began a third Merzbau at Ambleside, Cumbria (unfinished and moved to Newcastle University, 1965); died, 1948.
Publications include: Die Blume Anna. Die neue Anna Blume. Eine Gedichtsammlung aus den Jahren 1918-1922 (Berlin, [1923]); Merz FOLIO poems translated by Jerome Rothenburg and Pierre Joris (Morning Star Publications, Edinburgh, 1991); Die Scheuche. Märchen. typographisch gestaltet with Käte Steinitz (1975) facsimile reprint of Hannover, Aposs-Verlag, 1925.

Papers relating to Kurt Schwitters, [1919-1993], comprising catalogues of exhibitions of Schwitters' work, largely in Britain and Germany, 1961-1986; invitations to exhibitions, 1963, 1985; pamphlets concerning Schwitters, 1948-1986; press cuttings relating to Schwitters and his work, 1985-1999; recording of Schwitters reading his poem 'An Anna Blume' and 'Die Sonatein Urlauten', 1943; Lord's Gallery exhibition catalogue, 1958; Private view invitations, Lord's Gallery Exhibition, 1958;
coloured getochromes by Schwitters, including from exhibitions, 1919-[1980]; photographs of Schwitters' work from exhibitions in Europe, 1944-1963, including from Lord's Gallery exhibition, 1958;
invoices, letters and price lists relating to exhibitions, 1958-1960; correspondence with Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Museum concerning Schwitters' work, 1993.

The items are arranged chronologically.

By written application to the Site Librarian, Manresa Road, London, SW3 6LS. Researchers from the London Institute may visit by appointment.

Photocopying is at the discretion of the Librarian.
English

A list is available at Chelsea College of Art and Design Manresa Road Library.

Correspondence and files of Schwitters' partner Edith Thomas relating to him, 1920-1990, (reference: TGA 9510), and papers relating to him collected by Klaus Hinrichsen (reference: TGA 959), held by the Tate Gallery Archives.

Sources: Prestel Dictionary of Art and Artists in the 20th Century (Prestel, Munich, London, New York, 2000); Dictionary of Art and Artists Peter and Linda Murray 7th edition (Penguin, 1997); Historical Manuscripts Commission On-line National Register of Archives. Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997. August 2002 Artists Arts Art styles Contemporary art Exhibitions Fine arts Literary forms and genres Literature Newspaper press Photographs Poetry Press Press cuttings Schwitters , Kurt , 1887-1948 , German artist Visual materials Works of art Movable cultural property Cultural property Cultural heritage

Papers relating to Kurt Schwitters, [1919-1993], comprising catalogues of exhibitions of Schwitters' work, largely in Britain and Germany, 1961-1986; invitations to exhibitions, 1963, 1985; pamphlets concerning Schwitters, 1948-1986; press cuttings relating to Schwitters and his work, 1985-1999; recording of Schwitters reading his poem 'An Anna Blume' and 'Die Sonatein Urlauten', 1943; Lord's Gallery exhibition catalogue, 1958; Private view invitations, Lord's Gallery Exhibition, 1958;
coloured getochromes by Schwitters, including from exhibitions, 1919-[1980]; photographs of Schwitters' work from exhibitions in Europe, 1944-1963, including from Lord's Gallery exhibition, 1958;
invoices, letters and price lists relating to exhibitions, 1958-1960; correspondence with Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Museum concerning Schwitters' work, 1993.

The items are arranged chronologically.

By written application to the Site Librarian, Manresa Road, London, SW3 6LS. Researchers from the London Institute may visit by appointment.

Photocopying is at the discretion of the Librarian.

• English

• Latin

English

A list is available at Chelsea College of Art and Design Manresa Road Library.

Correspondence and files of Schwitters' partner Edith Thomas relating to him, 1920-1990, (reference: TGA 9510), and papers relating to him collected by Klaus Hinrichsen (reference: TGA 959), held by the Tate Gallery Archives.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

• English