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Irwin (Robert) Papers
940081
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Title: Robert Irwin papers
Date (inclusive): circa 1940-2011, bulk
1970-2011
Number: 940081
Creator/Collector:
Irwin, Robert, 1928-
Physical Description:
346 Linear Feet
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles 90049-1688
Business Number: (310) 440-7390
Fax Number: (310) 440-7780
reference@getty.edu
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10020/askref
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: Robert Irwin is a California artist
associated with the Light and Space movement. His papers document many of Irwin's
site-specific, primarily public artworks from the 1980s with correspondence, writings,
clippings, drawings, photographs, models, and sound and video recordings. Additions
(1999-2011) to the archive include papers, photographs, and drawings relating to the Getty
central garden and other projects (ca. 1992-2011).
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Language: Collection material is in
English.
Robert Irwin is a Southern California artist and a founder of the Light and Space
movement.
Open for use by qualified researchers. Boxes 121-124 contain legal documents and are sealed
pending review in 2032.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Getty Research Institute. Contact
Library Reproductions and Permissions .
Robert Irwin papers, ca. 1940-2011, bulk 1970-2011, Getty Research Institute, Research
Library, Accession no. 940081.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa940081
The papers were acquired in 1994. Additions to the archive were received in 1994, 1995,
1996, and 1997. Subsequent additions were received in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007,
2008, 2010, and 2011.
Lynda Bunting unpacked and minimally processed the collection in the Fall of 1994. From
July 1995 to March 1996, the oversize material was processed. Kelly Nipper helped identify
and organize the photographs.
In July 1997 a supplement consisting of correspondence and project files dating from the
1990s was interfiled.
In 2012 Teresa Soleau incorporated additions into the finding aid but kept the materials
housed separately.
The 1999 addition includes boxes 76-86, flatfiles 5-7 and 23, boxed rolls 1, 2, 4, 6, 7,
18, 21-25, video item number V23, audio item number C22, and digital item number D2.
The 2001 addition includes boxes 87-98, flatfiles 24-26, boxed rolls 5, 8, 10-12, 16, 19,
video item numbers V24 and V25, and audio item number C23.
The 2003 addition includes boxes 99-101, flatfile 28, model 133, and video item number
V26.
The 2004 addition includes boxes 102-106, flatfiles 8-22 and 29, boxed rolls 3, 9, 13-15,
17, 20, 26, 29, and digital item number D3.
The first addition from 2005 includes boxes 107-110, flatfile 30, and digital item number
D4.
The second addition from 2005 includes boxes 111-112, and flatfiles 31-38.
The 2007 addition includes boxes 113-118, flatfiles 39-44, rolls 45-46, and digital item
numbers D5-D6.
The 2008 addition includes boxes 119-126, flatfiles 45 and 53-56, and digital item numbers
D1 and D7.
The 2010 addition includes boxes 127-130, flatfiles 46 and 48, and digital item number
D8.
The 2011 addition includes box 131-132, flatfile 47, and digital item number D9.
Selected audiovisual recordings are available online:
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/940081s6
For additional material related to Robert Irwin's design for the Central Garden at the
Getty Center, see the related collection in the Institutional Archives of the J. Paul Getty
Trust:
Getty Center Central Garden design
plans
, Robert Irwin. The Getty Research Institute (IA40020).
75 titles were separated to the library 1995 June 27. Some were duplicates.
Five titles were separated July 1997 from the supplement.
85 titles were separated February 2012 from additions 1999-2011.
Materials can be found by searching the library catalog for "Robert Irwin Papers" as the
source collection.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Robert Irwin papers are comprised of correspondence, personal writings, clippings, and
audiovisual and digital materials, as well as project files, photographs, drawings, and
models pertaining to his environmental works. The material dates from 1970, the year he sold
the contents of his Venice, California studio, to 2011. The project files, photographs, and
drawings present a comprehensive view of his site-specific, primarily public, artworks, both
executed and unrealized, from the 1980s. Particularly well documented are
48 Shadow Planes, 1983, Old Post Office, Washington, D.C.; Arts
Enrichment Master Plan, proposed 1986, Miami International Airport;
Two Architectural Towers, proposed 1989, City Front Plaza, Chicago; Dia:Beacon,
1996-2003, New York; and the Getty central garden, 1992-ca. 2008, Los Angeles.
The papers are organized in nine series:
Series I. Correspondence, 1975-2010;
Series
II. Personal writings, ca. 1940-1999, undated;
Series III. Project files, 1970-2009,
undated;
Series IV. Clippings and ephemera, ca. 1960-2011, undated;
Series V. Photographs, ca. 1969-2003, undated;
Series VI. Audiovisual and digital
material, 1971-2010, undated;
Series VII. Project drawings, ca. 1970-2007, undated;
Series VIII. Project models, ca. 1979-ca. 1993;
Series IX. Miscellaneous, undated
City Front Plaza (Chicago, Ill.)
Dia:Beacon (Art
museum)
Getty Center (Los Angeles,
Calif.)
Miami International
Airport
Old Post Office and Clock Tower (Washington, D.C.)
Exhibitions
Landscape architecture
Art, Modern -- 20th century
Sculpture, Modern -- 20th century
Building sites -- Planning -- United States
Public sculpture -- United States
Environment (Art)
Public art -- United States
Light in art
Getty Center Gardens (Los Angeles,
Calif.)
Video recordings
Printed ephemera
Safety film
Manuscripts
DVDs
Clippings (information artifacts)
Study models
Correspondence
CD-ROMs
Photographs, Original
Photographic prints
Hard disks
Color photographs
Color slides
Color negatives
Compact discs
Architectural drawings (visual works)
Sound recordings
Videotapes
Irwin, Robert, 1928-
City Front Plaza (Chicago, Ill.)
Dia:Beacon (Art
museum)
J. Paul Getty Trust
Miami
International Airport
Old Post Office and Clock Tower (Washington,
D.C.)