Collection Guide
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Swanson (John August) Collection
AR.11
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
William H. Hannon Library, Archives & Special Collections, Art & Artifacts
Title: John August Swanson Collection
creator:
Swanson, John August
Identifier/Call Number: AR.11
Physical Description:
2.73 Linear Feet
: Three Hollinger boxes and eleven map-case folders.
Date (inclusive): 1969-2020
Language of Material: English
Abstract: John August Swanson is a Los Angeles-based artist and printmaker. His art often depicts Biblical scenes as well as messages
of peace and justice. This collection features his works as well as additional material such as promotional material and a
personal postcard collection.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of John August Swanson. Accession numbers: 2017.17; 2018.3; 2018.4; 2018.38; 2019.9; 2019.14; 2019.29; 2022.10; 2022.38;
2022.46.
Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon
Library, Loyola Marymount University.
Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise,
Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher
must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility
for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or
executors.
[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, John August Swanson Collection, AR011, Department of Archives
and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.
John August Swanson was born in 1938 in Los Angeles, California. He paints in oil, watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media, and
is an independent printmaker of limited edition serigraphs, lithographs, etchings, and other prints.
Since 1969, his art has reflected his heritage of storytelling, inherited from his Mexican mother and Swedish father. He addresses
human values, cultural roots, and the quest for self-discovery through visual images. These images include Bible stories and
social celebrations, such as attending circuses, concerts, and operas.
John Swanson studied lettering and printmaking with Corita Kent at Immaculate Heart College. His style is influenced by the
imagery of Islamic and medieval miniatures, and of Russian iconography, the color of Latin American folk art, and the tradition
of Mexican muralists.
Swanson's art is represented in the permanent collections of many museums, including: The Smithsonian Institution's National
Museums of American History, American Art, and Air and Space; his works are in the print collections of the Art Institute
of Chicago, Harvard University's Fogg Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Bibliothèque
Nationale in Paris. His painting, The Procession, is displayed in the Vatican Museums' Collection of Modern Religious Art.
In August 2021, John August Swanson was awarded the Loyola Marymount University President’s Award, the highest non-degree
recognition bestowed by the university. He passed away shortly after on September 22.
Biography adapted from www.johnaugustswanson.com
This collection is organized into four series: Prints, Posters, Postcards & Correspondence, and Promotional Material.
The majority of this collection consists of art works by John August Swanson, including both original prints and digital printed
posters featuring messages of peace. The collection also includes postcards collected by Swanson, often displaying images
of religious art or religious destinations. Additionally, the collection includes material used for promotional purposes such
as postcards or booklets advertising Swanson's works.
Additional processing completed by Pamona Alexander.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Commercial art--Printing
Social justice in art
Catholic Church--In art
Swanson, John August