Records from the Office of the Registrar, 1968-
Scope and Contents of the Records
This collection contains the records of the Office of the Registrar at the Clark Art Institute beginning in 1968. The bulk of the material corresponds to Martha Asher, who held the position from 1970 until 1999. Asher’s records contain exhibition files ranging from 1968 to 1995. Included among them are summaries, inventories, and labels for exhibitions at the Clark, as well as print lists from 1972. Asher’s material also includes correspondence and floor plans of galleries, reference materials and documents regarding the establishment of institutional guidelines and policies, legal documents, and instruction manuals and warranties for office equipment.
A 2012 accrual contains additional material from 1971 to 1980, including correspondence from Clark Directors George Heard Hamilton and David Brooke.
The 2026 Accrual consists of files and records of Mattie Kelley, who was the Registrar of the Clark Art Institute. Subseries A include correspondence and records of exhibitions, conferences, and symposia between 1995-2002. Series B include meeting notes, floor plans and inventories related to the expansion project of the Clark Art Institute that took place between 2008-2016.
This is an ongoing departmental collection and subject to future additions. Materials will be periodically added in accordance with the Office of the Registrar’s records retention schedule.
Dates
- 1968
- Majority of material found within 1970
Restrictions on Access
The material in this collection is open to research.
Extent
11.73 Linear feet (17 boxes) ; 7 Paige boxes (letter): 12.9" x 10.4"; 5 Hollinger boxes: 5" x 12.5"; 2 Half Hollinger boxes: 2.5" x 12.5"; 1 custom box: 6" x 5"; 1 custom box: 5.6" x 12.3"
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains records from the Office of the Registrar of the Clark Art Institute.
Arrangement of the Records
The collection is divided into three series:
• Series I: Papers of Martha Asher, 1968-1998 is arranged into Subseries A: Exhibition Files and Print List, arranged chronologically by subject; Subseries B: Policies and Guidelines, arranged alphabetically; Subseries C: Building Documents and Floor Plans, arranged alphabetically; Subseries D: Legal Records, arranged alphabetically; and Subseries E: Working Files, arranged alphabetically.
• Series II: Installation and Collection Photographs
• Series III: 2012 Accrual is arranged chronologically.
• Series IV: 2026 Accrual is arranged Chronologically. This Series consists of files of Mattie Kelley. Subseries A include correspondence and records of exhibitions and conferences that took place between 1995-2002. Series B include meeting notes, floor plans and order summaries of the expansion project of the Clark Art Institute.
Custodial History
These records were housed in the Office of the Registrar until December 2007.
Processing Information
These items were processed in December 2007. Staples were removed and items were place in acid-free folders and boxes.
Mario Cesareo revised this collection in February, 2023. Folders were renumbered and placed into series, and CAI ARC 2012.03 Preliminary Inventory of the Office of the Registrar's Records was added to this collection as Series II: 2012 Accrual.
Phoebe Zhou revised this collection in July 2026. Box 3 was removed from the collection.
- Title
- Records from the Office of the Registrar, 1968-
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Dani Ryan. Revised by Mario Cesareo in February, 2023. Series IV: 2026 Accrual added by Phoebe Zhou in July 8th, 2026.
- Date
- March 31, 2009
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Archives Repository
