“Your arts inventory management system is the single source of truth regarding your artwork and will serve as a directory for all activities related to each work.” (Neckles-Ortiz, S. & Takeda, K., 2022, p.70)
As well as drawing up an inventory of the archive, it is recommended to do the same thing with the artist’s oeuvre. The oeuvre is a complete collection of all the works that the artist made in their lifetime. An important step towards managing the legacy, and maybe also one of the challenges, is drawing up an inventory of all the works of art and then preserving and managing them. Creating an inventory of the work is a way to bring all the right information together in a single place. The inventory will also play a primary role in your artistic career and the running of the estate, for example in the further development of ongoing projects or the organisation of exhibitions.
“Inventorying your artwork helps to organize, strengthen and streamline your art business.” (Artwork Archive, 2019, p.14)
There are several reasons why an inventory of your work is important. It can help you with your artistic practice and increase productivity. Gathering information and studying the creation process can offer inspiration to make new work or engage with new and ongoing projects. Furthermore, it provides a clear overview of what has been preserved of the oeuvre and helps you to make and justify decisions, to make choices and to explore the various possibilities for the artistic legacy.
Interested to read more? Go to the next page: Search for a good system.