Robert Sobieszek archive

The Robert Sobieszek collection consists of papers and materials associated with Robert A. Sobieszek’s career as curator of photography at George Eastman House and LACMA. The bulk of the collection is contained within the first three series: Research Files, Activity Files, and Publications.

Research Files spans from the year 1840 to 2004 and is arranged by subject. The series includes Sobieszek’s research materials related to photography, art, writing, physiognomy, science fiction, advertising, and new media. Sobieszek’s files document prominent figures as well as themes and topics associated with the subject. Materials within this series include newspaper and magazine articles, photocopied chapters of books, images, and some notes by Sobieszek.

Sobieszek’s files documenting his work as a curator, renowned scholar, and teacher have been collected in Activity Files, bulk 1844-2004. These materials include artist files, research materials, newspaper clippings, and institutional information (budgets, planning strategies, promotional material, etc.) related to Sobieszek’s projects, including his work related to William S. Burroughs, “Ghost in the Shell: Photography and the Human Soul: 1850-2000”, and 19th century photography. Sobieszek’s work outside of George Eastman House and LACMA is documented within this series and includes files documenting various lectures and classes taught by Sobieszek.

Publications, bulk 1964-2004, includes books with texts written by Robert Sobieszek as well as books, exhibition catalogs, and related ephemera connected to Sobieszek’s work. Sobieszek’s interest in William S. Burroughs, physiognomy, and science fiction is specifically documented within this series. This series also contains some periodicals collected by Sobieszek, including almost a complete run of the Evergreen Review spanning from 1964-1971.

Photographic Materials, bulk circa 1945-2000 largely consists of slides used by Sobieszek in his lectures as well as negatives, and photographic equipment related to his curatorial work. This series also includes images from Sobieszek’s personal slide collection documenting various vacations.

19th and Early 20th Century Materials, bulk 1836- circa 1927, consists of Sobieszek’s collection of materials such as photo albums, cigarette cards, etchings, stereographs and other items. The series also contains publications collected by Sobieszek, including a first edition copy of Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animal by Charles Darwin and copies of 19th Century newspapers bound together by Sobieszek.

AV Materials, bulk 1977-2004, is largely made up of Sobieszek’s CD and VHS collections. These materials document Sobieszek’s work related to William S. Burroughs as well as the work of various other photographers. This series also contains a small amount of microfilm, moving image film, and Sobieszek’s computer disks.

Diaries includes Robert Sobieszek’s planning diaries from the years 1967, 1975-1990.

Artwork and Ephemera includes Sobieszek’s personal collection of postcards, both blank and addressed to Sobieszek, holiday greetings from photographers such as Thomas Barrow and John Pfahl, and various exhibition announcement. The series also includes several framed posters related to Sobieszek’s major exhibition projects including “Masterpieces of Photography from the George Eastman House Collection by Robert Sobieszek,” “Ghost in the Shell: Photography and the Human Soul 1850-2000,” and “Ports of Entry: William S. Burroughs and the Arts.” The series also includes a significant amount of artwork created by Thomas Barrow, 19th century etchings collected by Sobieszek, and photographs taken by artists such as Bert Stern.