Sonsbeek 71, small archival collection of Wim Beeren, including photos, letters and drawings

by Robert Smithson, Ed Ruscha, Claes Oldenburg, Snelson et al. Contains: (1) Robert Smithson, 4 pp. undated handwritten letter to R. Oxenaar, with initial proposals for Sonsbeek. With 2 full page pencil sketches, one signed and dated '69 by the artist, the other monogrammed R.S. Unfortunate rust stains of paperclips on all sheets. (2) Ed Ruscha, typed and hand signed letter to Wim Beeren May 13 1971. 'My ideas have still not reached comprehension yet (...) I prefer to wait until I get to Groningen'. (3) Claes Oldenburg, typed letter to Wim Beeren, Aug. 17 1971, hand signed. (4) Sketch by Oldenburg, black ink on brown cardboard, 13 x 20.2 cm, with handwritten note on back (not by the artist) 'ontwerp Oldenburg Sonsbeek 70'.

(5) Vintage postcard with collaged element, drawings and text by Kenneth Snelson, signed Snelson '71 Sonsbeek on front. Sent to Wim Beeren from St. Anton (Austria) March 15 1971, where the artist took a break between exhibitions, 'resting on skis for a week'. With 2 punched holes for filing. (6) Miniature cut-out design by Snelson, 6 x 1 cm, which resembles his sculpture produced for Sonsbeek. (7) 2 sheets of Sonsbeek beyond borders stationary paper designed by Wim Crouwel, which lists the board and work committee members. (8) Ten original b/w photos of Sonsbeek installations, probably used for catalogue or press purposes. All with descriptive text on back, some with Sonsbeek stamp. Featured are works by Sol Lewitt, Claes Oldenburg (2x), Donald Judd, Kenneth Snelson, Ronald Bladen, Klaus Rinke, Tony Smith, Robert Grosvenor and Ulrich Ruckriem. (total 18) Wim Beeren (1928 -2000) curated several landmark exhibitions such as 'Op losse schroeven' (1969) and Sonsbeek 71. He was director of the Boijmans van Beuningen from 1978 to 1985 and headed the Stedelijk Museum from 1985 to 2000. These documents derive from his personal archive.