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Pedro Cuperman Papers

A description of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives


Finding aid created by: Anna E. Shuff
Date: 2025

Biography

Pedro Cuperman (1936-2016) was an Argentinian artist, scholar, professor at Syracuse University and the founder of the arts journal Punto de Contacto, also known by its English name Point of Contact. Cuperman was raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied at the University of Buenos Aires and the Jose Manuel Estrada Institute where he received degrees in philosophy. Upon his graduation, Cuperman received a two-year fellowship to study at Banaras Hindu University. In 1968, Cuperman moved to the United States and took a teaching position at the University of Connecticut. In 1970, he began teaching at New York University, where he founded the arts journal Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact in 1975. In 1976, Cuperman accepted a position as an associate professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at Syracuse University, where he would teach for over 40 years. Point of Contact moved to Syracuse with Cuperman, where it became known for publishing works in the visual and verbal arts by up-and-coming artists. Point of Contact expanded to include the Corresponding Voices poetry series and an art gallery in 2005. Over the course of his career, Cuperman wrote or edited 10 books, and served as the editor for both the Point of Contact arts journal and the Corresponding Voices series. He also helped found the Syracuse International Film Festival with his colleague and collaborator Owen Shapiro, a film professor at Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. Cuperman’s contributions to Syracuse University have continued after his death in 2016. Point of Contact celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025 and continues to publish the Corresponding Voices poetry series as well as host exhibitions and educational programming in its gallery space at Syracuse University’s Nancy Cantor Warehouse.

Scope and Content Note

The Pedro Cuperman Papers contain materials related to Cuperman's scholarly career, personal life, and his work as the founder and editor of the arts journal Point of Contact. These materials include correspondence, course materials, typescripts, manuscripts, notes and printed materials pertaining to Cuperman's time as a professor at both New York University and Syracuse University, as well as correspondence, layouts, proofs, artwork and other materials related to the creation and publication of Point of Contact. The collection also includes transcripts of interviews carried out by Cuperman of notable arts and literary figures including Jorge Luis Borges, Saú Yurkiévich, and Amy Tan.

The Media series consists of CD-Rs containing images produced or collected by Cuperman for use in Point of Contact as well as a DVD containing a video recording reproduced from a VHS tape.

The rest of the collection is unprocessed, not included in the inventory, and unavailable for research.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Access to audiovisual media requires advance notice to produce a listening copy.

Only the media portion of this collection has been processed. Unprocessed materials are closed to researchers.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Additional materials related to Pedro Cuperman and Point of Contact can be found in the Point of Contact/Punto de Contacto Records and the Syracuse University Clipping Files.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Cuperman, Pedro.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Associated Titles

Punto de contacto/point of contact.

Subjects

Art and literature.
Art.
Literary theory.
Poetry.
College teachers.
Higher education.
Periodical editors.

Types of Material

Artists' periodicals.
CD-Rs.
Children's books.
Correspondence.
Diplomas.
Exhibition catalogs.
Fliers (printed matter)
Interviews.
Layout (composition)
Manuscripts (documents)
Notebooks.
Notes (documents)
Official documents.
Photographs.
Posters.
Proofs (printed matter)
Résumés (personnel records)
Screenplays.
Serials (publications)
Sketchbooks.
Typescripts.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Pedro Cuperman Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Point of Contact Gallery/Punto de Contacto in 2025.

Processing Information

Only the media portion of this collection has been processed. Unprocessed materials are not open to researchers.

Arrangement

Media is arranged in alphabetical order.

Table of Contents

Media

Inventory