WORKSHOP – art archive do’s and don’t’s

CKV and Nucleo vzw., a few artists, researchers and archive lovers were guests of the Kunsthal Gent on 28/01/2020, where we discussed what makes an archive an archive, the reason/s for archiving, structuring and organising processes and methods, acid-free packaging, digitising and much more!

Whether an artist is consciously aware of it or not, archives are fundamentally important to them. An archive is where a wide variety of information coalesces. This can range from images and texts that provide inspiration, to photos, correspondence and an inventory/overview of their artworks, invoices and e-mail traffic. Physical, paper documents and digital files make up the archive. What’s more, these documents are inextricably linked to the heart of the artistic practice – the works of art.

What things might be relevant to keep up to date and why? And what is the best way to store these documents? The Flemish Centre for Art Archives (CKV) provides an introduction to the do’s and don’t’s of archiving along with an introduction to how you can get started archiving with a selection of simple, convenient methods.

The archiving workshop consists of an introduction to the how and why of archiving and archive management. Next, we partner to come up with and test the potential steps to be taken towards good archival care. We use practical examples and situations to demonstrate how you can conserve, sort, describe and make an art archive accessible to others.
Number of participants: maximum 20. The introduction is accessible to all ages and regardless of artistic practice, from sculpture, painting and photography to performance, video art and installations. We also like to reserve some time at the end for Q&A with the participants, to exchange experiences, and encourage group discussions.

For contact and more info: CKV@muhka.be