?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 5,000 - $ 7,000
Edelson, Mary Beth (1933-2021) Artist's Archive of Working Files & Correspondence.
Consisting of five banker's boxes containing photos of the artist's work, some works in progress, correspondence, and other material; together with a box of books formerly belonging to Edelson; of particular interest an archive of correspondence with other artists including a typed letter signed by Georgia O'Keeffe in 1973 flatly refusing to supply "a clear photograph of [herself] face front," with a carbon of Edelson's original letter; working files for poster projects that include lists of women artist's names, slogans and text, press releases in progress and other material related to her works: Some Living American Women Artists/Last Supper; Death of the Patriarchy/Heresies; Happy Birthday America; Death of the Patriarchy/A.I.R. Anatomy Lesson; and Bringing Home the Evolution; together with negatives of each poster; also included are hundreds of photographs of the artist's work, from 8 x 10 inch images to contact sheets of two-dimensional work, along with stills from performance pieces; images of her bronzes; record of traveling exhibitions, and much more; a trove of the artist's own working files.
"In [Some Living American Women Artists, 1972, a] poster mockup referencing Leonardo da Vinci's painting he Last Supper, Edelson collaged over the faces of Jesus and his disciples with those of her friends and idols, including artists Alma Thomas, Yoko Ono, Faith Ringgold, Agnes Martin, and Alice Neel. According to Edelson, she had 'the double pleasure of presenting the names and faces of many women artists, who were seldom seen in 1972 [...] while spoofing the male exclusivity of the patriarchy.' Aside from Georgia O'Keeffe in the role of Jesus, all the other women are randomly placed, and in a gesture of solidarity, Edelson opted not to have any of her peers in the traitorous role of Judas." (Quoted from https://www.moma.org/collection/works/117141?artist_id=34727&page=1&sov_referrer=artist)
