Description

Description: We offer a small, but fascinating, group of papers related to the disposition of a painting by noted French-American painter and sculptor Arman. The file has a signed “Exchange Agreement” between the artist Arman and qallerist Andrew Crispo who exchanged the painting, “Rich Brawl”, for 2 black sofas (November 19, 1976); an unsigned gallery note about the exchange (November 15, 1976); the receipt of consignment of the painting to the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas for an exhibit (January 18, 1979); a letter of thanks from the curator of the Museum to the Gallery (March 21, 1979); and a letter from the editorial assistant of Museum seeking a b/w photograph of “Rich Brawl”, as well as, permission for a single use of the image in the scholarly publication, The Register, in conjunction with a lecture series . . . entitled “Musing in Museums” (December 11, 1981); a copy of the Crispo Gallery’s response is attached to the assistant’s original letter. File also includes a negative of the photograph; a copy of the invoice for b/w photograph (16 December 1981); and a copy of The Register; a brochure for the 1979 show; and a catalog for Art 77 at Hamilton College which featured contemporary artists, including Arman (exhibiting the above painting), Richard Anuszkiewicz, Paul Cadmus, Lowell Nesbitt, etc. (The Crispo Gallery which  promoted new artists contributed 18 of the 81 works in the show).

A dozen items total.

The correspondence is all on imprinted stationery approximately 11” x 8 ½”. Item #A01857

Armand Pierre Fernandez (1928-2005), aka Arman, a French-born American artist, began painting using a multiplicity of objects in his painting, which evolved into using a group of similar objects welded together…Accumulations. He is represented in numerous prestigious art institutions, including: The Museum of Modern Art (NY), The Detroit Institute of Art, The Hirshhorn Museum (Washington D.C.), etc.

Andrew Crispo (1945-2024) was an infamous American art dealer who opened the Andrew Crispo Gallery in New York City in 1973. He is best remembered for the multiple crimes and scandals he was associated with–most notably the “S&M/death mask murder” of a young Norwegian fashion student in 1985.

Condition: Mailing fold lines, a spot or two of soil, generally very good condition.