The archive in its many forms. At the Studio of Ricardo Brey.

CKV supports Studio Ricardo Brey in managing the archive and in digitally making accessible the artist’s extensive and multifaceted body of work. Together we explore how the Studio can further structure this rich material and make it accessible. Also we are continuing to map out Ricardo Brey’s artistic practice.

Working on the archive, we have gained an insight into the archival needs within the Studio’s operations, the steps essential to come to a sustainable approach, and how to make the archive accessible for both internal and external use.

Artist Ricardo Brey, in brief

Visual artist Ricardo Brey (b. 1955) has a highly multidisciplinary practice, encompassing drawing, painting, sculpture and installations. His participation in Documenta IX (1992) in Kassel marked a significant turning point in his career and led to his move to Ghent, where he further built on his international reputation. His work is exhibited at venues including the Gerhard-Marcks-Haus (Bremen, Germany), Museum De Domijnen (Sittard, the Netherlands) and the S.M.A.K. (Ghent, Belgium), M HKA (Antwerp, Belgium) and the Centre Pompidou (Paris, France), as well as at the Biennales in São Paulo (Brazil), Havana (Cuba) and Venice (Italy). Furthermore, Ricardo Brey has received various honours and awards, including the Flemish Minister of Culture’s Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship for installation and sculpture.

More information about the artist can be found on the Studio Ricardo Brey website.

An archive spanning two continents

Ricardo Brey’s archive tells the story of an artistic career that began in Cuba in the 1970s – the artist’s country of birth – and later developed further in Europe. The archive contains a wide range of material like photographs, correspondence, notebooks, printed matter like invitations and exhibition documentation. In addition, the Studio also holds an extensive collection of publications and a substantial library. In addition, the Studio also houses an extensive collection of publications and a substantial library, which plays an important role in Brey’s artistic development. This is complemented by various works directly linked to his artistic practice, such as drawings, sketches and multiples.

1. Studio Visits

In 2021, CKV held its first discussions with Ricardo and Isabel Brey regarding the possibilities for documenting the artist’s career. Topics covered included the long-term preservation of the work, the conservation and management of the diverse materials, and the cataloguing of the archive with regard to (digital) access.

Since then, the Studio has been engaging internship students on an annual basis to help address these issues. CKV assists in guiding the students to ensure the archive and body of work are properly cared for.

2. Archive review

To gain an insight into the archive, the Studio organised an archive assessment in collaboration with CKV. Using the ‘placement list’ template, the Studio was able to make an overview of the material in the order in which it is arranged in the various rooms at the Studio in Ghent.

A clear archiving scheme was thus developed for both the physical and digital archive. In doing so, we took into account the documents present in the archive, the Studio’s day-to-day operations, and the (archival) records being created today. It is important to create a system that is clear and well-organised for both the Studio and external parties.

3. Inventory and digitisation

Students then compile an inventory of the archive in Excel, and where possible, items have already been digitised. Interns work closely with Isabel Brey on this, whose recollections and knowledge of the material are essential. Isabel is working on detailed descriptions of the material, whilst the students gather additional information to bring everything together as a single whole in the inventory.

Some findings from cataloguing Ricardo Brey’s archive:

• It was important to consult with one another to develop a clear system that could be applied to the entire archive. In doing so, we had to take into account the evolution of the Studio’s operations, the artist’s own insights and accessibility for external parties.
• Ricardo Brey’s archive consists of a wide variety of material. On the one hand, there are documents directly linked to his artistic practice, such as sketches and drawings. On the other hand, the archive also includes items such as correspondence, exhibition dossiers and administrative documents. The challenge lay in developing a flexible system that could be adapted to different types of media.
• Knowledge sharing proved crucial. As several students are working on this inventory, the transfer of information after was a key focus. We therefore asked the students to draw up a manual or methodology. The Studio also keeps a log of the various steps taken in order to gain an overview of the whole process.
• Checks remain essential, as human error can easily occur.

In parallel with the archive, Ricardo Brey’s body of work is also being systematically catalogued. The focus here is on his paintings, sculptures and installations. A promising next step could be the cataloguing of the drawings, which are stored in a chest of drawers. Of particular interest here is the use of various materials, the different formats and the coherence (series).

4. Database

A major challenge proved to be finding a suitable digital registration system for both the body of work and the archive. In 2024–2025, the Studio made the switch to a new platform that better meets its needs and facilitates communication with researchers, publishers and curators.

The Studio further refined the existing Excel inventory so that it could be integrated directly into the new system. The descriptions of the works were also carefully prepared and transferred. In doing so, the use of intermediate files proved to be a necessary step to ensure the smooth migration of data. Thorough preparation was essential for an efficient and consistent transfer.

CKV looks forward to how the Studio takes care of the archive and oeuvre of the visual artist Ricardo Brey.

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