Philip Pavia Papers

The Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library is a place of discovery. All are welcome to visit and explore our unique holdings, whether as a researcher or an observer. The breadth and depth of our collections are vast, and it is nearly impossible to investigate every nook and cranny. We invite you this year, through our blog, to tour some of those places you didn't know existed, and get acquainted with collections you might not have previously explored. Check back in with us weekly over the course of 2013 as we offer you a delightful look into some of the favorite, but perhaps lesser-known, corners of our collections. These pieces are visually interesting, come attached with fascinating stories, and are often 3D objects you might not have realized are part of what makes up The Extraordinary World of MARBL.

If you've ever wished to be at the heart of American Abstract Expressionism, the Philip Pavia papers will come as close to fulfilling your fantasy as possible.  A selection of the Pavia papers is currently on display in MARBL, viewable from Monday-Saturday, 9am-5:30 pm.  

Philip Pavia was a sculptor, an organizer, and a central figure in the cast of characters who would become known as "Abstract expressionists" in the 1950s and 1960s.  A prime mover behind the "Club," a regular gathering of intellectuals and artists in New York City that took the lead in defining Abstract expressionism, he was also the publisher of It Is, a magazine that contained images of art works, essays, and statements from prominent artists.