Untitled(Jasia's Painting)by Peter Schmidt, acrylic on canvas, 1968 .
Jasia Reichardt was an early supporter and friend of Peter's. She is the curator of the Themerson Archives, which can be found here: http://www.themersonarchive.com/. Franciszka and Stephan Themerson were very active in the early days of Warsaw's avant garde film community, and later, after emigrating to London in 1948, in publishing with their Gaberbocchus Press, specializing in illustrated books for children. Peter was friends with them, and one of his "Electrostatic Portraits" is of Stephan. Jasia is very well known and regarded in London's art scene and has had a great interest in cybernetics through the years. She was the curator of the ground breaking exhibition "Cybernetic Serendipity" held at the ICA in 1968, of which Peter was the musical adivsor, and Franciszka Themerson was the designer. The exhibit toured the United States in 1969. She wrote the analytical introduction for Peter's exhibit of Autobiographical Monoprints at Lisson Gallery in 1970, and is also the sublect of one of the "Electrostatic Portraits".
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I visited with Jasia and her partner Nick Wadley at their home in London last winter and took this picture. She was a charming host, and gave me unfettered access to all of her collection of Peter's books and works. Her dedication to the Themerson's and her support have been very important and inspirations for me to follow in establishing Peter Schmidt's archive.
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