Beverley Simmons research papers.

Collection

Identifier: MSS-Archives-FA 2009/01

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection represents a professional art critic and writer’s accumulation of research materials on various artists and aspects of New Zealand art and the artistic community, focusing mainly on the Auckland region during the 1960s and early 1970s.

It includes draft notes, correspondence, press clippings, exhibition catalogues and invitations, and photographs. Many local artists feature in the files such as Milan Mrkusich, Para Matchitt, Stanley and Noelle Palmer, Barry Cleavin, Alan Thornton, Ted Bracey and David Barker.

The collection has been arranged into two series, Series 1: Artists files, and Series 2: Subject files. The artist files contain material on specific artists, while the Subject files focus on group shows, or specific topics.

In 2008 due to the fragile nature of portions of the collection, the newspaper clippings in particular, a set of reference photocopies were produced for the use of researchers. The degraded originals were disposed of once copied.

Dates

1957 - 1993

Creator

Simmons, Beverley (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Not restricted

Conditions Governing Use

COTTON GLOVES MUST BE WORN WHEN HANDLING PHOTOGRAPHIC ITEMS.

Biographical / Historical

Beverley Simmons (nee Bryant) was a professional Auckland art critic. From 1957-1965 she wrote a regular column for the New Zealand Herald, and then for the Sunday Herald from 1965-1973. Her long-running Picture of the Week column covered local and international artists, with most of the works being sourced from the collection of the Auckland City Art Gallery; others coming from dealer galleries in the Auckland region.

Throughout her career she was also an active member of a number of societies including the Auckland Festival Society, the Auckland Operatic Society, and the Auckland Opera Company.