Hubbell Archive Project
The James Hubbell Archive – Sharing the Magic for Generations to Come
Why is the James Hubbell Archive important?
The Ilan-Lael Foundation has the enviable task of creating and maintaining a database of information about artist James Hubbell’s life and career. The records we are assembling document artworks, patterns, plans, photographs, film, video, books and paper records that span Hubbell’s career and life. We are preserving and digitizing this work to make it accessible to collectors and scholars and curators, to help educate future generations, and, to build the provenance that will help increase the value of Hubbell artwork in years to come.
The archive makes exhibits possible. Not only are we categorizing thousands of artworks, but our new archive also keeps them safe for generations to come. What began with a seed donation from our friend and long-time supporter, Deborah Szekely, has grown with a dollar-for-dollar matching grant. This has helped us bring the work of Hubbell and Ilan-Lael to the cities of Tijuana, Los Angeles and most recently, The San Diego Public Library Gallery for the exhibit “James Hubbell: The Architecture of Jubilation.”
Our rich collection of James’ public and private papers continues to surprise, delight, and reveal his rich inner life and his artistic collaborations. From family photos to private diaries and letters to the extensive coverage given him by newspapers, magazines, and tv programs, his life and artistic impact are well documented and preserved in our James Hubbell Archive. These resources document him at many seminal moments including San Diego mid-century art and design, southern California’s organic architecture movement, and 20th century post-modern poetry and written commentary.
Hidden Discipline
The Photography of James Hubbell By Laurel Costa, ArchivistPhotos by James Hubbell “Recent discoveries in the Ilan-Lael archive reveal a trove of photographs taken by James himself.” The world knows James Hubbell as a man of many talents: prolific poet, philosopher, sculptor, painter, designer, and builder. Not surprisingly, he was also a talented photographer....
Brothers In Arts: Part 1
James Hubbell and his brother, nicknamed Bert, shared a remarkably special connection. This spring they both left the earth within weeks of each other, reconnecting in the cosmos. They lived on opposite sides of the vast Pacific Ocean: James in Santa Ysabel and Bert and his wife Hiroko in an extraordinarily beautiful hand-built home in...
Brothers In Art: Part 2
The early years… Harry Hubbell, whose family nickname was “Bert,” was James T. Hubbell’s brother. In 1952 Bert had an opportunity to travel to Africa with Charles Darwin’s great grandson, Quentin Keynes. Both young men were Darwinesque adventurers. After returning home, Bert was drafted into the Army and served until 1955 in a non-combatant role...