CCS Bard Archives
Center for Curatorial Studies
Bard College
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
Phone: 845.758.7567
Fax: 845.758.2442
Email: [email protected]
Guide to the Bruce W. Ferguson Papers
MSS.023
Published in 2020
© CCS Bard Archives
Table of Contents
Summary Description
- Repository
- Center for Curatorial Studies Library & Archives
- Creator
- Ferguson, Bruce W., 1946-2019
- Source
- Ferguson, Bruce W., 1946-2019
- Title
- Bruce W. Ferguson Papers
- ID
- MSS.023
- Date [inclusive]
- 1976-2019
- Date [bulk]
- 1978-2019
- Extent
- 4 Linear Feet in 5 boxes
- Language
- English .
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Bel Simek and Hannah Mandel, 2019; collection processed by Bel Simek and Hannah Mandel, 2019.
- Abstract
- The Bruce W. Ferguson Papers consists of the collected, published writings of Bruce W. Ferguson. Spanning his decades long career as a critic and curator, the collection includes catalogues, magazines, and essay anthologies in which Ferguson was a contributor or the sole author. Beginning in 1976 and continuing through 2019, the collection provides published documentation of Ferguson's work as a writer, critic, and curator of contemporary art. In addition to the broader body of his work, the collection reflects his work in the contemporary art world in Canada, as well as his work as a curator with national and international biennials of São Paulo, Sydney, Kyiv and others.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form: Identification of item, date (if known); Bruce W. Ferguson Papers; MSS.023; [box number]; [folder number], Center for Curatorial Studies Library and Archives, Bard College.
Biographical / Historical
Bruce Willis Ferguson (1946-2019) was a curator, critic, and academic well known for his work curating dozens of national and international exhibitions, as well as for his leadership roles in numerous art institutions.
Ferguson was born in Canada and received his B.A. in Art History from the University of Saskatchewan, and his M.A. in Communication from McGill University in Montreal. He received an honorary doctorate from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2006. From 1989-1990 Ferguson worked with Marieluise Hessel, art collector and co-founder of the Center for Curatorial Studies and Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College, in developing a video and film component of her art collection. Ferguson advocated for the pedagogical importance of including works in these formats in an art collection utilized by curatorial studies students. Ferguson was also involved in some of the early planning meetings for the development of the MA program in curatorial studies at CCS Bard. In 1992 Ferguson received a Getty Senior Research Fellowship grant alongside Reesa Greenberg and Sandy Nairne. Using the grant they published the seminal essay anthology on exhibition theory and curatorial studies, Thinking About Exhibitions (Routledge: 1996). He was the founding director and first biennial curator of SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico (1993). In 1999 Ferguson was named dean of Columbia University School of the Arts in New York. Ferguson taught at numerous institutions, such as the sculpture department at Yale University, and the Graduate School of Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania. He was the former president and executive director of the New York Academy of Art. In the 2000s Ferguson led the formation of Future Arts Research (F.A.R.) at the University of Arizona where he commissioned works by numerous artists, including choreographer Elizabeth Streb's 2010 performance, STREB: BRAVE, facilitated dialogue across disciplines and amongst the university and the greater community in Phoenix, and helped realize a vision for international arts research and cultural dialogue through symposia and artists' residencies.
In 2010 Ferguson left his position as director of F.A.R. work as dean of humanities and social sciences at the American University in Cairo where he worked until 2013. In 2013 he left Cairo when he was named vice chairman at Louise Blouin Media. While on the board there he provided editorial oversight for publications such as Art + Auction and Modern Painters. In 2015 Ferguson was named president of Otis College of Art and Design. He stepped down from his position as president in 2019.
In addition to his work in institutions, Ferguson was a critic, writer, and curator for more than thirty years. He curated over 35 exhibitions for institutions such as the Louisiana Museum in Copenhagen, the Winnipeg and Vancouver Art Galleries in Canada, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. He organized exhibitions in the international biennales of São Paulo, Sydney, Venice, and Istanbul. His writing was published in numerous art publications, including Canadian Art, Artforum, Art in America, Art + Text, Flash Art, Bomb Magazine, Art Press,and Parachute.
Scope and Contents
The Bruce W. Ferguson Papers contains copies of exhibition catalogues, magazine issues, and other published materials within which Ferguson is the sole author or his writing appears. The collection includes some unique materials such as inscribed copies of publications and drafts of Ferguson's writing. The collection especially reflects Ferguson's work in the contemporary art world in Canada, especially in Vancouver. Ferguson's national and international reputation is well reflected in the wide-ranging scope of the publications included. In addition to the published materials, the collection contains manuscript materials related to Ferguson's work.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into four series.
Series I: Published Materials
Series II: Manuscripts Accretion 1, September 2019 Accretion 1, September 2019, Oversized Series I
All series are arranged alphabetically by title in chronological order in order to emphasize that the collection serves as a reference aid for Ferguson's body of work.
Information for Users
Publication Information
Center for Curatorial Studies Library & Archives
Bard College
Annandale-on-Hudson 12504-5000
[email protected]
URL: http://www.bard.edu/ccs/library/
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers without restrictions. Appointments are necessary to consult manuscript and archival materials. Access copies for media materials may not be available yet. Please contact the CCS Archivist for further details.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of the Library and Archives at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Dalhousie Art Gallery
- Mendel Art Gallery
- Site Santa Fe (Gallery)
- Vancouver Art Gallery
Genre(s)
- Books
- Brochures
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Exhibition catalogs
- Magazines (periodicals).
Geographic Name(s)
- Nova Scotia (province)
- Saskatchewan (province)
- Toronto (inhabited place)
Personal Name(s)
- Campbell, Colin, 1942-2001
- Diao, David, 1943-
- Ferguson, Bruce W., 1946-2019
- Taylor-Johnson, Sam, 1967-
Subject(s)
- Art -- 20th century -- Exhibitions
- Art -- 21st Century -- Exhibitions
- Art -- Periodicals.
- Art, Modern -- 20th century
- Art, Modern -- 21st Century
- Artists' writings
- Arts, Canadian--20th century
- Biennials (Art fairs)
- Curatorship
Contents List
Series I |
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box | ||||
"Introduction" in Messages from Southern Saskatchewan 1976 PublisherDalhousie Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia Page Numbersunnumbered |
1 | |||
"Forward" in 3rd Dalhousie Drawing Exhibition: Januardy 3-January 29. 1978 1978 PublisherDalhousie Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia Page Numbers1 |
1 | |||
"Introduction" in Decorated Nova Scotia Furnishings 1978 PublisherDalhousie Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia Page Numbers1 |
1 | |||
"Introduction" in Canada Video Biennale di Venezia, Canadian Pavilion, 34th International Viennale, Venice Italy 1980 PublisherNational Gallery of Canada Page Numbers9-13 |
1 | |||
George Sawchuk by Bruce Ferguson 1980 PublisherMendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
1 | |||
"Suzy Lake: Are you talking to me?" in Suzy Lake: Are you talking to me? 1980 PublisherMendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"Acknowledgements; Introductions" in Correspondences 1981 PublisherBanff Centre School of Fine Arts, Banff, Alberta Page Numbers5-18 |
1 | |||
"A Natural Politic: George Sawchuk" in Vanguard, Volume 10, No. 3 April 1981 PublisherRussell Keziere, Vancouver, British Columbia Page Numbers10-17 |
1 | |||
Vision and Disbelief, 4th Biennale of Sydney, 1982 1982 PublisherArt Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Page Numbers5 ReferenceFerguson is thanked in the acknowledgements as representative of the Canada Council. |
1 | |||
"Appearing" in Appearing 1983 PublisherArt Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia Page Numbers3-5 |
1 | |||
"Victor Cicansky: The Garden as Vessel" in Cicansky 1983 PublisherNorman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan Page Numbers2-27 |
1 | |||
"Introduction" in 1984 Ottawa International Festival of Video Art 1984 PublisherSAW Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario Page Numbers5-6 |
1 | |||
"Making Airwaves" in Prime Time Video 1984 PublisherMendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Page Numbers15-20 |
1 | |||
"Corrupting Realism: Four Probes Into a Body of Work" in Eric Fischl Paintings 1985 PublisherMendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Page Numbers18-30 |
1 | |||
"Space Invaders" in Space Invaders 1985 PublisherMackenzie Art Gallery, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan Page Numbers108-114 |
1 | |||
"Video 84" in Vanguard, Volume 14, No. 1 February 1985 PublisherRussell Keziere, Vancouver, British Columbia Page Numbers24-26 |
1 | |||
"Wordsmith: An Interview with Jenny Holzer" in Art in America, Vol. 74, No. 12 December 1986 PublisherSandra J. Brant, NY, NY Page Numbers108-115 |
1 | |||
"Return of a Native Son: Or Home-town Boy Makes Good Art" in Five Families: An exhibition of Family Portraits by Allan Harding MacKay 1986 PublisherConfederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"Wordsmith: An Interview with Jenny Holzer by Bruce Ferguson" in Jenny Holzer: Signs 1986 PublisherDes Moines Art Center/ICA, London Page Numbers73-85 |
1 | |||
"Tony Brown: Unnatural Acts" in Tony Brown: Day Dreams 1986 PublisherWinnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Page Numbers26-30 |
1 | |||
"When the Yuppies Come Marching Home" in C Magazine, No. 15 Fall 1987 PublisherRichard Rhodes, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers40-45 |
1 | |||
"Acknowledgements; Northern Noises" in Northern Noises: the 19th São Paulo International Biennial 1987 PublisherWinnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Page Numbers2; 9-13 |
1 | |||
"Notes on a Local History" in Toronto: A Play of History 1987 PublisherThe Power Plant, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers54-57 |
1 | |||
"Northern Noises" in Vanguard, Volume 16, No. 6 December 1987-January 1988 PublisherRussell Keziere, Vancouver, British Columbia Page Numbers10-14 |
1 | |||
"Cinema of Silence" in Public Work: John McEwen 1988 PublisherSouthern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta Page Numbers9-22 |
1 | |||
"Nomad is an Island: Roland Brener" in Vanguard, Volume 17, No. 3 Summer 1988 PublisherRussell Keziere, Vancouver, British Columbia Page Numbers24-27 |
1 | |||
"Paradoxical Images" in Abstraction in Question 1989 PublisherThe John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida Page Numbers25-30 |
1 | |||
"Marginal Modernisms: Local History Models" in The Aerial Kit 1989 PublisherKalejdoskop, Stockholm, Sweden Page Numbers4-9 |
1 | |||
"Camera Ready: Snapshots of Eric Fischl" in Border Crossing, Vol. 8, No. 9 Fall 1989 PublisherEd. Robert Enright, Winnipeg, Manitoba Page Numbers70-75 |
1 | |||
"The Eiffel Tower, Only Morceaux" in C Magazine, No. 21 Spring 1989 PublisherRichard Rhodes, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers12-34 |
1 | |||
"From vision to text: a re-action" in David Diao 1989 PublisherMusee d'Arte Moderne Saint Etienne, Saint Etienne, France Page Numbers6-39 |
1 | |||
"Klaus Vom Bruch: Do not paint this surface" in Klaus vom Bruch: Surface to Surface 1989 PublisherModerna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden Page Numbers5-17 |
1 | |||
"Word Trade Center" in The New Urban Landscape 1989 PublisherOlympia and York Company Page Numbers40-41 |
1 | |||
"The Art of Memory: the Memory of Art" in Of a Place, Solitary, of a Sound, Mute 1989 PublisherArtists's Space, New York, NY Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"The Art of Memory: Barbara Steinman" in Vanguard, Volume 18, No. 3 Summer 1989 PublisherRussell Keziere, Vancouver, British Columbia Page Numbers10-15 |
1 | |||
"Mel Kendrick and the Well-Adjusted Object" in Art in America, Vol. 78, No. 2 February 1990 PublisherSandra J. Brant, NY, NY Page Numbers146-155 |
1 | |||
"Modernism's Many Lives: David Diao" in Artforum May 1990 PublisherArtforum, NY Page Numbers178-182 |
1 | |||
"Klaus vom Bruch: Do not paint this Screen" in C Magazine, No. 25 Spring 1990 PublisherC Magazine, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers48-57 |
1 | |||
"Colin Campbell: Otherwise Worldly" in Colin Campbell: Media Works 1990 PublisherWinnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Page Numbers8-23 |
1 | |||
"The Importance of Being Ernie: Taking a Close Look (and Listen)" in Illuminating Video: An Essential Guide to Video Art 1990 PublisherAperture, Bay Area Video Collective Page Numbers349-365 |
1 | |||
"Works by Jana Sterbak" in Jana Sterbak 1990 PublisherNew Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"A New History: David Diao's Paintings" in New Works for Different Places: TWSA Four Cities Project 1990 PublisherOrchard Gallery, Derry, Ireland Page Numbers143-145 |
1 | |||
"Vikky Alexander: Glass (Not) Sculpture" in Vikky Alexander: Glass Sculpture 1990 PublisherKunsthalle Bern, Switzerland Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"A New History: David Diao's Paintings" in David Diao: Selections 1972-1991 1991 PublisherCherng Pin Gallery Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"Eric Fischl: A Cinematic Artist" in Eric Fischl: A Cinematic View 1991 PublisherGuild Hall Museum, East Hampton, NY Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"Of and By Rroses ReRead" in Sherrie Levine: Fountain 1991 PublisherMary Boone Gallery, New York, NY Page Numbers5-9 Unique AttributesIncludes draft of "Of and By Rroses ReRead" |
1 | |||
"Curatorial Methodologies/Curatorial Conversations: Museum Speech Acts" in Art as Knowledge/the Artist as Construct: the New Ontology 1992 PublisherUNESCO and AIAP Turkish National Committee Association of Plastic Arts, Istanbul, Turkey Page Numbers31-64 |
1 | |||
"ForeNotes on Four Friendships, by a Notable Four-Eyed Friend" in Four Friends 1992 PublisherAldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"In the Realm of the Senses" in Mirabella, No. 35 April 1992 PublisherMurdoch Magazines Page Numbers62-64 |
1 | |||
"Jac Lernier: Short Circuits and Mini-Systems" in Viewpoints: Jac Lernier 1992 PublisherWalker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
1 | |||
"On a Detour from Language" in Ann Hamilton: Tropos 1993 PublisherDia Art Center, New York, NY Page Numbers103-114 |
2 | |||
"Going for Baroque: A Mismannerist Guide" in Culture Lab 1 1993 PublisherPrinceton Architectural Press, Princeton, NJ Page Numbers39-48 |
2 | |||
"Introduction" in Collecting Edmonton: A Passion Show 1994 PublisherEdmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta Page Numbers3-6 |
2 | |||
"Déjà vu and Déjà lu (already seen et already read)" in Gary Hill 1994 PublisherHenry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Page Numbers15-21 |
2 | |||
"AmerefierycontemplationonthesagaofJoanJonas" in Joan Jonas: Works 1968-1994 1994 PublisherStedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands Page Numbers13-21 |
2 | |||
"Northern Noises" in SightLines 1994 PublisherArtextes Editions, Montreal, Quebec Page Numbers66-73 |
2 | |||
"Andres Serrano: Invisible Power" in Andres Serrano: Body and Soul 1995 PublisherTakarajima Books, New York Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
2 | |||
"Conceal/Reveal" in Conceal/Reveal 1996 PublisherSite Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
2 | |||
"Objects on the Border" in Haim Steinbach 1996 PublisherArt Gallery of York University, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers7-16 Unique AttributesIncludes notes |
2 | |||
"Walking and Thinking and Walking" in Nowhere Louisiana 1996 PublisherLouisiana Museum, Humlebaek, Denmark Page Numbers39 |
2 | |||
"Colin Campbell: Otherwise Worldly; Left Beholding the Promised Land: Ardele Lister in America" in Video Re/View 1996 PublisherArt Metropole and V Tape, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers293-306; 371-380 |
2 | |||
"Mapping International Exhibitions (with Reesa Greenberg and Sandy Nairne)" in Art & Design Magazine, Curating: The Contemporary Art Museum and Beyond, No. 52 1997 PublisherAcademy Group Ltd., London Page Numbers30-37 |
2 | |||
"Beverly Semmes: Location, Location, Location" in Beverly Semmes: New and Recent Sculptures 1997 PublisherIrish Museum of Modern Art Page Numbers6-14 |
2 | |||
"Sam Taylor-Wood" in Bomb Magazine, No. 65 Fall 1998 PublisherBomb Magazine, New York, NY Page Numbers42-48 |
2 | |||
"Objects on the Border" in Haim Steinbach 1998 PublisherMuseum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien 20er Haus Page Numbers114-121 |
2 | |||
"Postmark: An Abstract Effect" in Postmark: An Abstract Effect 1999 PublisherSite Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico Page Numbers9-19 |
2 | |||
"Sam Taylor-Wood, The Eyes and Ears of History" in Sam Taylor_Wood 1999 PublisherFondazione Prada, Milan, Italy Page Numbers9-21 |
2 | |||
"Clay Ketter: Labors of love. Love's labors lost" in Clay Ketter: Labors of love. Love's labors lost 2000 PublisherPre Press Center, Lund, Sweden Page Numbers13-87 |
2 | |||
"Objects on the Border" in Haim Steinbach: North South East West 2000 PublisherNeuer Berliner Kunstverein Page Numbers94-106 |
2 | |||
"Raúl Cordero: Video without Video Equipment" in Raúl Cordero 2000 PublisherIturralde Gallery, Los Angeles, California Page Numbers5-12 |
2 | |||
"Cornelia Parker Interviewed by Bruce Ferguson" in Cornelia Parker 2001 PublisherThe Institute of Contemporary Art Boston Page Numbers45-61 |
3 | |||
"Thinking along these lines" in Eric Fischl 2001 PublisherJablonka Galerie, New York, NY Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
3 | |||
"Magnetic Fields: The Quality of Looking" in Andrew Bick 2002 PublisherEdition Galerie Von Bartha Basel Page Numbers5-9 Unique AttributesInscribed by artist |
3 | |||
untitled selection in Marcelo Toledo: Sound Object 2004 PublisherColumbia University School of the Arts Page NumbersUnnumbered pages |
3 | |||
"Blind White" in William Steiger: Under a Telephone Pole 2006 PublisherMargaret Thatcher Projects, New York, NY Page Numbers5-9 |
3 | |||
"Robots R Us" in The Robotic Chair 2007 PublisherChildren's Museum and Kitchener-Waterloo, Art Gallery Waterloo, Ontario Page NumbersNo page numbers Unique AttributesIncludes draft |
3 | |||
"Where There Is a Will There Is a Way" in Will Gorlitz: nowhere if not here 2009 PublisherKitchener-Waterloo Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario Page Numbers3-23 Unique AttributesInscribed by artist |
3 | |||
"Talking and Thinking About Biennials: The Potential of Discursivity, with Milena M. Hoegsberg" in The Biennial Reader 2010 PublisherBergen Kunsthalle, Bergen, Norway Page Numbers360-375 |
3 | |||
"Desert Aesthetics: The Way of Water" in 17th Biennial of Sydney: The Beauty of Distance: Songs of Survival in a Precarious Age 2010 PublisherArt Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Page Numbers112-113 |
3 | |||
"On Laughing at Works of Art" in Once Upon A Time: A Clock Watcher During Overtime Hours: Ahmet Ögüt 2011 PublisherFondazaione Giuliani Per L'Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Italy Page Numbers9-13 |
3 | |||
"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength" in The Best of Times the Worst of Times: 1st Kyiv Biennale of Contemporary Art 2012 PublisherArsenale, Kyiv, Ukraine Page Numbers66-77 |
3 | |||
"Introduction-Improbus Materia: Maybe" in Cornelia Parker 2013 PublisherThames and Hudson, London, UK Page Numbers11-15 Unique AttributesAP 6/10, inscribed by artist |
3 | |||
"Not in the Age of Pharaohs" in Prefix Photo, Vol 14, No 2, Issue 28 2013 PublisherPrefix Photo, Toronto, Ontario Page Numbers38-61 |
3 | |||
"Defeating the Labyrinth" in David Deutsch: Works 1968-2017 2019 PublisherRadius Books, Santa Fe, New Mexico Page Numbers11-15 |
3 | |||
"Layers of the Loom" in LALA Magazine 2019 PublisherLALA Magazine, Los Angeles, California Page Numbers96-105 |
3 | |||
Series II |
||||
box | ||||
Postcard for the exhibition "Devices" organized by Bruce Ferguson; October 12-November 16, 1991; Josh Baer Gallery October 12, 1991 Unique AttributesIncludes handwritten note from Bruce Ferguson about the show |
3 | |||
Accretion I, September 2019 |
||||
box | ||||
Laserdisc, Persistence of Vision Volume One: Monitoring the Media, produced by Bruce Ferguson 1988 PublisherVoyager Press Scope and ContentsIntroductory text on back cover |
4 | |||
Laserdisc, Persistence of Vision Volume Two: Outside the Lines, produced by Bruce Ferguson 1989 PublisherVoyager Press Scope and ContentsIntroductory text on back cover |
4 | |||
Laserdisc, Persistence of Vision Volume Three: New Narrative, produced by Bruce Ferguson 1988 PublisherVoyager Press Scope and ContentsIntroductory text on back cover |
4 | |||
untitled selection in Colin Campbell: Media Works 1972-1990 1991 PublisherNational Gallery of Canada, Ottawa |
4 | |||
"Arnaud Maggs at the Hotel Langue" in Hotel / Arnaud Maggs 1993 PublisherCo-published by Art Metropole, Toronto and Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver Page Numbers5-14 |
4 | |||
Accretion 1, September 2019, Oversize Series I |
||||
box | ||||
"Introduction" in The First Dalhousie Drawing Exhibition, January 9-28, 1976 1976 PublisherDalhousie University Art Gallery Page numbers1 |
5 | |||
"Marginal Modernisms: Local History Models" in The Aerial kit : bland människor emellan, 1809-1989 : ett projekt 1990 PublisherVAVD Editions Page numbers4-9 Scope and ContentsEdition 1 of 5 AP. Edition of 55 with 5 AP. Limited edition box set. |
5 | |||