William Wilson (1934-2013) was an actor and art critic for the
The papers of art critic William Wilson measure 3.7 linear feet and date from 1942 to 2013. The papers document Wilson's career through correspondence; manuscripts, lectures, and other writings; research files, resumes, exhibition material, and other records relating to professional activities; clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for researched artists, and other printed material; artwork consisting of sketches and sketchbooks; and photographs of Wilson, his family and friends, and some of his artwork.
Correspondence includes personal family letters and correspondence with friends, and professional correspondence related to articles Wilson wrote including from art institutions for which he wrote catalog essays and other content.
Writings consist of articles, manuscripts, some poetry, lectures, and a number of notebooks containing diary entries and notes on topics for articles Wilson was preparing to write. Also among the material are two binders of writings by Wilson.
Professional activity files consists of address books, a resume, a commission to write a museum guide to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and research files on artists Wilson was commissioned to write about.
Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for other artists, publications for Barn Stages Theater, and three binders primarily housing clippings.
Artwork consists of some sketches, prints, and a number of sketchbooks.
Photographic material consists of photographs of Wilson, Wilson with family and friends, and some of Wilson's artwork. Among the materials are a photo album and two binders of primarily personal photographs.
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This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Donated 2014 and 2022 by Diane Leslie, William Wilson's friend and executor.
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2022.
William Wilson Papers, 1942-2013. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection is arranged into six series.
Also found in the Archives of American Art is the Jonathan Katz Interview with William Wilson, 2012.
Correspondence consists of letters to and from family and friends and with organizations considering hiring Wilson to write articles on artists or sections on artists for exhibition catalogs. Included in the correspondence are letters from the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, the Museum of Cultural History at the University of California Los Angeles, letters from Wilson's wife, Ruth Wilson, and letters from Wilson to friends.
Writings include articles, manuscripts, some poetry, lectures, and a number of notebooks containing diary entries and notes on topics for articles Wilson was preparing to write. Also found here are two binders of writings by Wilson including for his "Drug Culture Art" film essay, a manuscript for "Treasures in California Art Museums", a lecture on Orientalization, and a lecture given at California State University Fullerton.
Series includes address books, a resume, a commission to write a museum guide to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and research files on artists Wilson wrote about. Research files include notes, correspondence, clippings, and exhibition announcements and catalogs on artists such as Richard Graham, Stephen Von Huene, and Jeffrey Wallace.
Printed material consists of clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for other artists, publications for Barn Stages Theater, and three binders of clippings.
Artwork consists of some sketches, prints, and a number of sketchbooks.
Photographic material consists of photographs, a photo album, and two binders of photographs of Wilson, Wilson with family and friends, and some of his artwork.