Collection ID: IULC038
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Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Siegmann, William
Abstract:
William Siegmann was the leading expert on the arts in Liberia and Sierra Leone. His collection contains an exhaustive lists of resources, both primary and secondary, pertaining to the arts, culture, language, and history of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Also included are materials from his various projects, espeically those from his "Aesthetics of Power: African Art Along the Windward Coast." Correspondence with various museums and universities, personal and teaching materials are also in this collection.
Extent:
34.5 cubic feet; (35 records cartons)
Language:
Materials are mostly in English
Preferred citation:

[item], The William Siegmann Collection. Bloomington, IN: Liberian Collections, Indiana University Libraries, 2015.

Background

Biographical / Historical:

William C. Siegmann (1943-2011) was a leading expert on the arts of Liberia and Sierra Leone and was particularly associated with West African masking traditions and performance. His interest was not only in their aesthetics, but in understanding the cultural meanings and context of these arts, including their relationship with cosmology, music and dance. During his career, Siegmann served as a curator at the Africana and National Museums in Liberia, Museum of the Society of African Missions African Art (NJ), Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the Brooklyn Museum. He wrote and lectured extensively on the art of masquerades in Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as on issues in museology, collecting, interpretation and connoisseurship. Siegmann shared his skills in collections development broadly, conducting frequent seminars on museum management and curatorial training in Europe, Africa, and South America. Both Siegmann’s papers and photographs are held by the Indiana University Liberian Collections.

Scope and Content:

The Correspondence series contains mostly personal exchanges with friends and colleagues. Prominent names in this series include Svend Holsoe , Warren d'Azevedo, and Andreas Massing.

The Projects series is divided into further subseries: "Aesthetics of Power: African Art Along the Windward Coast", Art of the Cavalla River, Brooklyn Museum, Louisiana World Expo, SMA Fathers, and Subject Files. "Aesthetics of Power: African Art Along the Windward Coast" was an exhibition Siegmann worked on while he served as Research Associate in the Department of Africa, Oceania & The Americas at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. It consists of correspondence with museums, galleries, and individuals concerning the African art works in their holdings, grant proposals to the National Endowment for the Humanities, and funding proposals to private institutions. Files may also include photographs, or photocopies of photographs, and collection appraisals and inventories.

The Research series encompasses all areas of interest for Siegmann. Most of this series is divided into subseries and includes extensive materials on art, linguistics, secret societies, education, culture, and politics.

The Subject Files series includes published materials (magazines, etc), personal ephemera, conference information, materials about the Liberian civil war and other miscellaneous materials.

The Teachings series has materials from Cuttington College, where Siegmann taught, as well as student papers.

The Writings series includes published materials, drafts, and reviews of Siegmann's work.

Acquisition information:
Donated by William Siegmann
Custodial history:

Copyright interests for this collection have been transferred to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, contact the Indiana University Liberian Collections

Processing information:

Megan MacDonald, Steve Collins, and Danielle Emerling

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into six series: Correspondence, Projects, Research, Subject Files, Teachings, and Writings. Many of the materials in the Research series are photocopies of original materials dating back to the 16th century. When possible the original date is inlcuded in parenthesis with the title

Online content

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

There are no restrictions for this collection.

Open to research.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

All reserach at the Liberian Collections is by appointment only.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[item], The William Siegmann Collection. Bloomington, IN: Liberian Collections, Indiana University Libraries, 2015.

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
Herman B Wells Library
1320 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
BEFORE YOU VISIT:
Processed Liberian Collections are open to researchers with advance notice. However, the African Studies Librarian position is currently vacant and because of this, reference and research support is limited.
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
afstlib@iu.edu