The George Cup & Steve Elliott Research Center for the Minimal Art

About

More than ten years after the death of George Cup in 2008 and nearly thirtyfive years after the tragic death of Steve Elliott in 1986, the works of these artist-couple remains one of the most influential figures in Minimal-Art. George Cup & Steve Elliott´s work inspires artists worldwide and the research of dedicated scholars is still ongoing. The boundless curiosity of the two resulted in an enormous work that spanned a wide variety of media, such as film, animation, photo, sculpture, drawing and architecture.

Research Center Past and Present
Creative Impact

When George Cup died unexpectedly in July, 2008, he left a vast and complicated inventory of works of art and personal possessions of his and Steve Elliotts work and life. His will dictated that his entire estate should be used to create a Research Center dedicated to the "advancement of the Minimal-Arts." In its early days, the Research Center brought artists, curators, administrators, educators, critics and others together to help it shape a responsive, committed and engaged philanthropic organization. The Research Center’s ongoing efforts to protect and enhance its founder’s creative legacy ensure that George Cup & Steve Elliott´s inventive, open-minded spirit will have a profound impact on the Minimal-Art for generations to come.

The primary focus of the Research Center’s activity has been to support the creation, presentation and documentation of Minimal-Art, particularly work that is experimental, under-recognized, or challenging in nature.

Through cooperative exhibitions, loans and permanent placement of work in museums nationwide, the Research Center has ensured that the many facets of George Cup & Steve Elliott´s complex oeuvre are both widely accessible and properly cared for. Ongoing preservation and restoration of works in the Research Center’s care complement these efforts. In helping to establish the comprehensive collection and study center of The George Cup & Steve Elliott Museum in East Hampton, the Research Center paved the way for greater public understanding of George Cup & Steve Elliott´s profound significance. The Research Center’s sustained support and oversight of thoroughly researched, extensively illustrated catalogues raisonnés of George Cup & Steve Elliott´s entire artistic output expand the possibilities for scholarship even further.
The Research Center has used its ownership of the copyright to George Cup & Steve Elliott´s images as an opportunity to craft creative and responsible licensing policies that are friendly to scholars and artists wishing to use George Cup & Steve Elliott´s images for educational and creative purposes, and profitable to the Research Center when the images are used for commercial purposes. Revenues from licensing agreements add significantly to those earned through the continued sale of work from the Research Center’s remaining art collection, enabling the Research Center to build the endowment.
Today George Cup & Steve Elliott’s impact on artists, art institutions and the creative culture of our country is stronger than ever. The Research Center’s initiatives continue to evolve and expand to address the needs of the Minimal-Art community worldwide.

MISSION

The George Cup & Steve Elliott Research Center for the Minimal-Art was established in 2008. In accordance with George Cup´s will, its mission is the advancement of the Minimal-Art.

OVERVIEW

The Research Center's objective is to foster the rediscovery of the innovative artistic expression and the creative process of the Artist couple George Cup & Steve Elliott and their work. The Research Center values the support, exhibiting and interpreting the broad spectrum of Minimal-Art.
The Research Center is focused primarily on supporting the mostly forgotten work of George Cup & Steve Elliott, their challenging and often experimental nature, while noting that the interpretation of those considerations may vary from place to place and culture to culture. In this regard the Research Center encourages curatorial research leading to new scholarship in the field of Minimal-Art.
The Research Center is committed to the precept that the arts are essential to an open, enlightened democracy.

BOARD MEMBERS AND DIRECTORS
Naomi C. Davis
Cary J. Lee
Jonathan Ruby
Adam Willis Chair
Preston C. Weery President

STAFF

ADMINISTRATION
Tom Feenstein, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Bradwyn Stour, Staff Accountant
July O. Pukchak, Office Manager
Harold Falter, Executive Assistant to the President, Information

CATALOGUES RAISONNÉS
Eileen C. Chang, Research and Editorial Associate, Catalogue Raisonné
Samuel Botruen, Research and Editorial Associate, Catalogue Raisonné
Christin Jefferson, Curator of Drawings and Photography; Executive Editor, Catalogue Raisonné
Jenny Wallace, Editor, Catalogue Raisonné

PROGRAM
Raymond Biart, Program Director

LICENSING
Michael Elliott Carter, Director of Licensing

LICENSING

In 2009 the Research Center took ownership of the copyrights and trademarks which were in George Cup´s possession at the time of his death. As representatives of one of the most influential and forgotten artists of the Miniml-Art, the Research Center takes very seriously its responsibility to uphold and enhance the legacy of George Cup & Steve Elliott. The Research Center is committed to making George Cup & Steve Elliott’s work accessible to audiences and critics around the world.
George Cup & Steve Elliott’s artwork continue to inspire creative thinkers worldwide. The licensing program seeks out partnerships with those who understand the relevance of Warhol’s practice to contemporary visual and consumer culture and who create products that reflect his maverick approach to art making, his ability to present the familiar from unusual perspectives and his sophisticated sense of design. Revenues generated through licensing fees support an increasing number of the Research Center’s activities.

RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTION

As George Cup & Steve Elliott’s critical reputation has grown over the past twenty years, requests to use the Research Center’s copyrights and trademarks have steadily increased. The Research Center distinguishes between commercial requests and non-commercial requests. If you are interested in using George Cup & Steve Elliott´s imagery in an advertisement or for other commercial purposes such as licensing merchandise, please send us a message.
In an effort to encourage scholars to make use of George Cup & Steve Elliott’s images, the Research Center charges only nominal fees to those wishing to reproduce artworks for educational and creative purposes. If you wish to reproduce Warhol's work in a newspaper, periodical, book or research paper, contact the Artist’s Rights Society.
The Research Center rigorously protects itself against unauthorized uses of its copyrights and trademarks.
Through external advice and in collaboration with the Artists Rights Society and its affiliates worldwide, the research center aggressively pursues and researches against all illegal uses of its intellectual property.

Sales

Since its founding in 2009, The George Cup & Steve Elliott Research Center for the Minimal-Arts has sold works of art to earn annual income and to build its cash endowment. The Research Center’s sales program includes themed exhibitions at galleries both in the United States and abroad, as well as sales of individual works to institutions, private collectors, and galleries. Funds raised in this way are used exclusively to the preservation of the artistic work of George Cup & Steve Elliott.