Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America
Archives related to: Galerie Paul Maenz (Cologne, Germany)
| title | Galerie Paul Maenz records, 1956-1991 (bulk 1970-90). | repository | The Getty Research Institute |
| description | Organized in 9 series: Series I. General correspondence; Series II. Artists’ correspondence; Series III. Loans; Series IV. Photograph permission requests. Series V. Financial; Series VI. Artists’ biographies; Series VII. Clippings and miscellaneous ephemera; Series VIII. Gallery publications and printed matter; Series IX. Photographs. Papers and photographs collected in conjunction with the exhibition and publishing activities of Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany, the bulk of which date from the opening of the gallery in 1970 to 1990, the year it closed. The collection documents the gallery’s extensive involvement with artists working in Conceptualism, the Trans-avantgarde, and German Neo-Expressionism. Paul Maenz corresponded with numerous artists, museum directors and other personnel, gallery owners collaborating with the Maenz gallery, private collectors throughout Europe and North America, and art critics. Most letters relate to artists’ works, exhibitions, installations and theories; private and public acquisitions; loan and consignment agreements, recording a dynamic loan program; and photograph permission requests. A small series of financial papers almost fully document the gallery’s finances for 1979-1980. Also includes reference material in the form of artists’ biographies, press clippings, and other printed matter. Approximately half the collection consists of photographic materials documenting works by artists and almost all of the gallery’s exhibitions. Series I, General correspondence (7 lin. ft.): Letters concerning the gallery’s daily operations from 1970-1990, accumulated and generated by Paul Maenz, also some by partner Gerd de Vries and assistants Elke Ctortnik and Claudia Bäz. Arranged alphabetically, with each alpha letter divided chronologically and arranged by correspondent within given years (except 1980-1981 and 1982, which are in loose chronological order). Institutions are filed by location (usually city, occasionally country). Correspondents and topics include: museum and gallery personnel regarding exhibition loans and consignment arrangements (see Series III for additional loan forms and post-1982 correspondence); museums and private collectors about acquisitions; photograph permission requests prior to 1986 (see Series IV for post-1986); correspondence with artists who showed with Maenz regarding exhibitions, their work and sales (see Series II for those represented by or exhibited with Maenz from 1970-1980); well-known artists advising Maenz on his new gallery (1970-1971); unknown artists seeking representation; art fair organizers about shows and installations; magazines regarding ads; book orders for gallery publications; and farewell letters sent to Maenz upon the closing of the gallery. Many letters are annotated by Maenz with notes or instructions. Series II, Artists’ correspondence (1 lin ft.): Letters to and from artists whom Maenz represented or exhibited from 1970-1980, arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Artists include Art & Language artists, David Askevold, Robert Barry, Jean-Marie Bertholin, Mark Boyle, Daniel Buren, Victor Burgin, Hanne Darboven, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Hans Haacke, John Hilliard, Will Insley, Joseph Kosuth, Anne and Patrick Poirier, Dave Rushton, Claude Rutault, and Marthe Wéry. Topics include exhibitions, financial arrangements, sales at Maenz and other galleries, publications, production of new works, artistic theories and the then-current art scene. (See Series I for post-1980 letters.) Series III, Loans (2.5 lin. ft.): Documentation of loans with museums and galleries from 1975-1990 (bulk 1982-1990). Includes letters requesting loans, loan request forms, shipping and insurance documents, and some correspondence about exhibitions. Also contains consignment agreements with other galleries, checklists and prices of works on loans, and discussions of financial arrangements. (See also Series I for additional correspondence about loans.) Series IV, Photograph permission requests (1 lin. ft.): Letters and forms from magazines, museums, galleries, publishers, and private individuals requesting transparencies and photographs during the years 1983-1990 (bulk 1987-1989). Arranged alphabetically by institution or individual and chronologically within each alpha letter. Requests usually are for publications such as articles, reviews, exhibition catalogs and monographs, but also for sales and galleries interested in showing an artist’s work. Also contains letters of compliance and return reminders from Maenz and some photocopies of transparencies sent. (See Series I for pre-1987 requests and Series IX for annotated transparency folders.) Series V, Financial (1.5 lin. ft.): Receipts, Deutsche Bank transaction receipts, tax records and gallery bookkeeping ledgers for 1979-1980 only. Series VI, Artists’ biographies (1 lin. ft.): Research files of photocopied articles and reviews, clippings, ephemera, and biographies compiled by both Maenz and other galleries. Arranged alphabetically by artist. Includes a few copies of manuscripts by various authors about the artists, exhibition checklists and complimentary book lists. Series VII, Clippings and miscellaneous ephemera (1.5 lin. ft.): Newspaper and magazine clippings and photocopies of reviews of shows at Maenz and elsewhere involving Maenz-represented artists, interviews with Maenz and artists, announcements and invitations, dating from 1956-90 (bulk 1973-90). Arranged in loose chronological order. Series VIII, Gallery publications and printed matter (3 lin. ft.): Production material for the publication Paul Maenz Köln 1970-1980-1990, gallery publicity, posters, and a complete set of invitation mailers. Series IX, Photographs (ca. 23.5 lin. ft.): Ca. 9,350 color transparencies, b&w and color prints, negatives and contact sheets in 3 albums, and slides. The prints are arranged alphabetically by artist, with their original file folders annotated as to who borrowed the item, for what purpose, and when. The 3 albums contain a complete set of b&w negatives and corresponding contact sheets documenting exhibitions and installations at the gallery and elsewhere; one album is arranged alphabetically by artist (1971-1979) and two are chronological by exhibition date (1971-1983 and 1983-1989). |
| extent | ca. 40 linear ft. |
| formats | Photographs Correspondence Financial Records Clippings Exhibition Catalogs |
| access | Open for use by qualified researchers. |
| record link | http://archives2.getty.edu:8082/xtf/view?docId=ead/910066/910066.xml;query=;brand=default |
| record source | http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cat322245 |
| finding aid | Finding aid available in the repository and on repository's Web site; folder-level control. |
| updated | 03/16/2023 10:29:45 |
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