Although the artist interview is recognized as an important tool to gather information about contemporary artworks, how this source is used and implemented in museum practice for conservation and presentation issues has not been investigated fully, nor of how the information obtained through artist participation during installation moments. Interactions between artists, curators and conservators can and should be valued for presentation and conservation purposes. Hence, systematic analysis of oral and visual sources of crucial moments of interaction for the artwork, need to be developed and implemented in museum practice. The aim of this research project is to further develop the theory and methodology for using artist interviews and framing artist participation in museum practices as new source materials. Moments of interaction will be recorded and analysed to understand their significant features and to assess their value for the conservation and curatorial practices of several case studies.

The researcher will study oral history theory and practices and apply these in a museum context. She will assist in or carry out a conservation treatment or reinstallation of a complex artwork from the museum collection. Interviews will be conducted and analysed; the process of participation during conservation / reinstallation of the artwork and (self-)reflection of the researcher on his/her practice will be captured in documentation according to newly established parameters. An analysis will be made of the impact of this process on the identity of the artwork and an outline will be made of future scenarios in relation to the potential use of the co-constructed sources.

Researcher(s)

• Aga Wielocha

Supervisors

Prof. dr. Selma Leydesdorff, University of Amsterdam
Prof. dr. Christa-Maria Lerm-Hayes, University of Amsterdam
Prof. dr. Ella Hendriks, University of Amsterdam
Dr. Sanneke Stigter, University of Amsterdam

Project Partners

Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen