Kurt Schwitters: The Pinacotheca, 1948

New York: The Pinacotheca, 1948 (01), 19,6×12 cm (folded). Threefold. Exhibition catalogue. Features texts in English by Katherine S. Dreier, N. Gabo and Charmion Wiegand along with full list of the 26 exhibited artworks.

Extremely scarce document from the first solo exhibition of Schwitter’s work in the United States. An exhibition in preparation since late 1946. [letter to Katherine Dreier dated 31.12.46 (Nündel, op. cit., p 258) where Schwitters declares he would agree to visit New York only after the essential planned trip to Hanover. He proposes a fourteen day visit to New York, including recitals in English of poems and the `Ursonate’.] Meanwhile, on June 20th, 1947, his sixtieth birthday, he received an award from the Museum of Modern Art, New York worth $1,000 `to proceed with your plans for continuing your work in creative fields, including such such restoration of the Merzbau as is possible.’ […] As early as July, 1947, Schwitters drafted his last will and testament. In constant correspondence with the Museum of Modern Art, Schwitters was also in touch with the preparations for his New York exhibition at the Pinacotheque [sic]. Unfortunately Schwitters, already of frail health, which in any case would have prevented the semi-planned US trip, dies on January 8th, only days before the exhibition’s opening.