http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt8s2036xr Online items available Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Archives Staff Hoover Institution Archives 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA, 94305-6003 (650) 723-3563 hooverarchives@stanford.edu 2010 87038 1
Title: Thomas Sgovio Date (inclusive): 1938-2008 Collection Number: 87038 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 2 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 12 canvas paintings, digital files(2.2 linear feet) Abstract: Memoir, relating to imprisonment in Soviet forced labor camps; photocopies of Soviet arrest records and summaries of judicial proceedings, and of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation reports on interviews after repatriation; and 44 original paintings and drawings depicting living and working conditions in Soviet forced labor camps. Language of Materials note: In English and Russian. Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives Creator: Sgovio, Thomas. The collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Thomas Sgovio, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Archives. Acquisition Information Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 1987. Accruals Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find the collection in Stanford University's online catalog at http://searchworks.stanford.edu/. Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in the catalog is larger than the number of boxes listed in this finding aid. Biographical Note American artist; prisoner in Soviet forced labor camps, Kolyma and Krasnoyarsk regions, 1938-1954. Scope and Content of Collection Memoir, relating to imprisonment in Soviet forced labor camps; photocopies of Soviet arrest records and summaries of judicial proceedings, and of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation reports on interviews after repatriation; and 44 original paintings and drawings depicting living and working conditions in Soviet forced labor camps. Subjects and Indexing Terms Drawings. Forced labor--soviet Union. Paintings. Soviet Union--Pictorial works. Box 1 Paintings and drawings depicting living and working conditions in Soviet forced labor camps Memoir relating to a return visit to the Kolyma forced labor camps in Russia in 1995 Photocopies of arrest records and summaries of judicial proceedings 1938-1996 In Russian with English translations 87038 2
Of the Russian Siberian Paintings by Thomas Sgovio, narrated by Grace Deitch Boogay DVD Celebration of the Century: Parade of Vehicles, on GM's 100th Birthday and the Tonawanda Engine's 70th anniversary DVD 2008 September 12 Box 3 Photocopies of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation memoranda, reports, and interview summaries relating to experiences of Thomas Sgovio in the Soviet Union 1960-1970 Original paintings located on art racks restricted; use copies available in. Paintings are oil on canvas. Many of them depict "Zeks," an abbreviation for "zakluchenni," meaning "prisoners." "Frost Bite" (use copies only) 1963 Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Untitled (use copies only) 1963 Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Depicts the face of corpse with chopped off hands hanging around its neck. From the Sgovio website: "Depicting the winter of 1944-45. In old 'Pobyeda' hands were chopped off frozen corpses for fingerprinting." "The Valley of Death, Kolyma, 1943" (use copies only) 1966 Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Depicts Zek carrying corpse to burial site. "HOAR-FROST" (use copies only) 1967 Depicts Monster Face of Zek covered in hoar frost. Original painting restricted; use copies available in. "Slave Laborer: Kolyma Gold Fields" (use copies only) 1967 Depicts full figure of Zek standing in frost, with a mittened hand pressed to his face. Original painting restricted; use copies available in. 87038 3
"Strip Mining: Winter Work" (use copies only) 1967 Depicts Zeks in a gold field pushing a sledge at night. A fire burns in background to warm a guard. Original painting restricted; use copies available in. "Ballanda" (use copies only) 1971 Depicts Zeks in a canteen. From Sgovio's memoir Dear America!: "'Ballanda' was the 'slop I dare not call soup' served to the prisoners." Original painting restricted; use copies available in. "Somewhere in the Frozen Archipelago" (use copies only) 1976 Depicts Zeks marching to work with a compound in background. Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Untitled [Summer Work] (use copies only) 1976 Depicts Zek pushing a wheelbarrow. Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Untitled (use copies only) circa late 1970s Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Depicts a hammer and sickle and a Soviet soldier with faces of Zeks in the background. Untitled [Zeks behind barbed wire] (use copies only) circa late 1970s Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Untitled [Zeks in canteen] (use copies only) circa late 1970s Depicts Zeks at the mess-barrack at Camp Skritii. Sign at top of painting reads: "продуктивно работать - культурном отдыхать" ["Work Productively - Repose Culturally"] Original painting restricted; use copies available in. Reading room workstation Scrapbook circa 1910-1997 Contains certificate issued by military tribunal, District of Moscow; photographs and photocopies of photographs (family, street scenes, artwork); newspaper clippings and photocopies of clippings; and other printed matter. Some photos have captions in English, Italian, or Russian. (106 digital files) 87038 4
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