There are several artist archives throughout the country, for example the Archives of American Art that was folded into the Smithsonian in 1970, but they do not include the actual artworks and instead focus on collateral materials such as exhibition announcements, artist notebooks, personal correspondence, etc. The problem is that there is no institutional safety net to archive art like we archive books and other forms of documentation. Unless most of an artist’s work has been purchased or acquired by an institution by the time of their death, any archived collateral materials are without reference. Entire bodies of artistic output are in danger of being lost to future generations. History shows that all too often important creative work goes unrecognized in the creator’s lifetime.
Interestingly, Hauser & Wirth, a major international string of galleries, has been representing previously under-recognized African-American artists, aging artists who have never been in the gallery and auction system, and estates of artists. In addition, they have set up the Hauser & Wirth Institute, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) private operating foundation dedicated to art historical scholarship and to the preservation and accessibility of artists’ archives. This demonstrates that there is much of value to discover that is under the radar of the art marketplace.
While many Los Angeles artists will become commercially viable in their lifetime and their work acquired by collectors and institutions, many works will remain unsold and unrepresented by the commercial marketplace. We need to preserve the work of artists unrecognized in their lifetimes and make this work available to the public in similar ways that public parks make nature available to urban dwellers and libraries make books available to those who cannot avail themselves of bookstore merchandise.
There needs to be a network of ad hoc preservation for artwork spread around the City – Artchives or Artbanks – housing the artwork produced in that neighborhood. Simply digitizing a work of art is grossly inadequate to convey its full meaning and impact. The essence of art and its humanistic value lies in its physicality and cannot be adequately conveyed in other modalities. For starters there is scale, texture, nuance, and dimensionality in an in-person experience that digital reproduction can only approximate or symbolically indicate. There is also the experience of repeated physical encounters, such as if a work were installed in a school setting, that cumulatively can impact understanding and appreciation.
These works can be loaned or rented to local businesses (like LACMA once had an Art Rental Gallery), placed in public buildings, and displayed on a rotating basis in the area’s schools (perhaps with study guides prepared by curators-in-residence). They can be a resource for scholars and loaned for exhibition at very little cost. The art might find its way into a museum or private collection if the managers make work available for sale.
The management of these Artchives provides internship and employment opportunities for conservatorship, curatorial development, experience in exhibition management and curriculum development, and artist residencies. Depending on the configuration and location of the site, exhibitions and events can provide easy access and first-hand encounters for children, their families, and the public with authentic artwork produced by artists from their own communities. So much of modern life is shifting to virtual replication. We need to hold onto the experiential level of engagement when encountering art.
