Abstract
The Robert Beckmann Photographs contain photographic slides, prints, and negatives of the paintings, murals, and commercial projects of American artist Robert Beckmann from 1964 to 2009. The collection includes photographs of Beckmann's paintings and murals from around the United States, including works commissioned for casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, banks, schools, and government buildings. Other photographs document Beckmann's research subjects, models, and art installations.
Finding Aid PDF
Date
Extent
Related People/Corporations
Scope and Contents Note
The Robert Beckmann Photographs contain photographic slides, prints, and negatives of the paintings, murals, and commercial projects of artist Robert Beckmann from 1964 to 2009. Materials include slides, photographs, sketches, negatives, and portfolios that depict Beckmann's paintings and murals in Nevada and across the United States. The photographs primarily depict works commissioned for casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, banks, schools, and government buildings. The collection also contains photographs of Beckmann's research subjects, models, unfinished projects, and photographs of Beckmann working, as well as photographs of Beckmann's work with Artrain, a nonprofit organization that showcases art around the United States.
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged into four series:
Series I. Commissions and commercial project photographs, 1979-2005;
Series II. Painting and installation photographs, 1964-2002;
Series III. Research, models, and reference photographs, 1977-2000;
Series IV. 2018 Addition, 1970-2009.
Biographical / Historical Note
American artist Robert Beckmann was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1942, and grew up in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio in 1964. He went on to earn a Master of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. He taught at Northern Illinois University for four years, leaving in 1971 to pursue a career as a professional artist.
Robert Beckmann arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1977 and was selected as the project artist and director of the Las Vegas Community Murals Project, the first public art project of its kind in Las Vegas. The project involved Beckmann working with local high school students to paint murals on public buildings across Las Vegas.
Beckmann stayed in Las Vegas while continuing his career. He has had work exhibited in museums around the world, and over 200 of his murals exist in both public and commercial spaces across the United States. He is best known for an exhibition of large-scale paintings entitled The Body of a House, which is permanently housed in the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, Nevada. Beckmann was awarded the Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in the Arts from the State of Nevada in 1996. As of 2020, Robert Beckmann resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sources:
Cling, Carol. “Artist Robert Beckmann Incorporates Las Vegas Into His Works.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, February 14, 2017. https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/artist-robert-beckmann-incorporates-las-vegas-into-his-works/
Robert Beckmann. "Robert Beckmann Biography." Accessed February 14, 2020. https://robertbeckmann.com/bio_full.html
Smallworks Press. “Robert Beckmann Biography.” Accessed February 14, 2020. http://www.smallworksgallery.com/beckmannbio.html
Preferred Citation
Robert Beckmann Photographs, 1964-2009. PH-00381. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 2014 and 2018 by Robert Beckmann; accession numbers 2014-032 and 2018-023.
Processing Note
Materials were processed by Lindsay Oden and Tom Sommer in 2014. Lindsay Oden wrote the finding aid and entered the data into ArchivesSpace. In 2018 Maggie Bukowski accessioned, rehoused, and organized the 2018 addition and entered the data into ArchivesSpace.