As I browsed the literature on artist files, it became increasingly apparent that the only thing they have in common is that they are nearly unlimited as to the format their contents may take. The articles almost invariably include at least one long list (and are peppered with mentions of the ephemeral mayfly), to drive home the point: its name may be humble, but an artist file is a fundamentally inclusive, diverse and ambitious grouping of materials.
Many files contain some or all of the following items: newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures, correspondence, images (such as photographs), small exhibition catalogues, exhibition documentation (i.e. invitations, announcements, or checklists), press releases, artists' statements and resumes, postcards, slides, journal articles or citations to articles, and bibliographic references. Other less common items might include videotapes, monographs, and sales or auction catalogues. (Wilson, 45)In its online publication "Artist Files Revealed," the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) provides this list of file contents:
Announcements, architectural drawings, artist statements, artworks, auction catalogs, brochures, checklists, commercial gallery catalogs, clippings, cultural artifacts, diaries, digital files, exhibition catalogs, institutional publications, interviews, invitations, journals, mail art, manifestos, manuscripts, maps, memorabilia, microform, negatives, oral histories, pamphlets, photographs, postcards, posters, press releases, price lists, prints, private view cards, resumes, scripts, serials, slides, and transcripts. (http://www.arlisna.org/resources/onlinepubs/artists_files_revealed.pdf)Not content to stop there, ARLIS/NA continues:
Subject of Artist Files
The subject of artist files represented in most collections encompasses, but is not limited to, the following:
Individuals Administrators, architects, artists, authors, bookbinders, collectors, connoisseurs, critics, conservators, craftsmen, curators, dealers, designers, educators, filmmakers, historians, journalists, patrons, printers, publishers, scholars, etc.
Institutions Academic institutions, architectural firms, archives, auction houses, commercial galleries, foundations, foundries, galleries, governmental bodies, historic sites, institutes, kunsthalles, libraries, monuments, museums, publishers, religious organizations, research centers, private collections, societies, etc. (http://www.arlisna.org/resources/onlinepubs/artists_files_revealed.pdf)A more apt question might be, what won't I find in an artist file?
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The literature is in general agreement on the use of the overarching term "ephemera" to describe the contents of artist files, also called vertical files or sometimes document files (Wilson, 44), but the definitions of ephemera vary. Elizabeth Lawes and Vicky Webb, in "Ephemera: An Undervalued Resource in the Art Library," state "Art ephemera is material which has been created and conceived by an artist or the gallery representing them to publicise (sic) an exhibition or event." (Lawes, 2). Clive Phillpot waxes lyrical in "Flies in the Files," with "The Greek word ephemeros means 'lasting only for a day,'....just as the ancient but ephemeral mayflies continue to be part of our contemporary ecosystems... so too are such items as exhibition announcements an important component in the art historical food chain...". (Phillpot, 13) Wilson and Dowell weigh in as well: "Generally, any printed documentation not seen as substantial enough for cataloging into a regular collection ends up residing in a library's vertical file." (Wilson, 44)
Generally, ephemera is not created to be long-lived, not designed for perpetuity, not printed on acid-free archival paper. Ephemera is a creation of its moment in time, and its nature is transient. However, Phillpot notes that libraries "are perpetually engaged in contesting ephemerality." (Phillpot, 13) We as librarians want to collect and preserve information which might otherwise disappear; we seek to make the transient stable.
The methods by which these materials have been accumulated have been characterized by Phillpot and Wilson as "passive", meaning these materials often have been sent to the library by art organizations and galleries in the community, rather than acquired as part of a coherent collection policy. Inevitably, the collection can blossom at an "alarming rate" (Lawes, 3) and become unmanageable, incoherent and of greatly reduced value. Institutions with a sound collection policy in place are in an excellent spot to receive and effectively process ephemera for artists' files (Wilson, 48). These institutions know their audience and their mission statement and are already asking the difficult question: do we keep this?
Many of the factors that make the files containing these materials valuable also make them difficult to access, catalog and organize. A consequence of this is that the best finding aid for artist files will often be the librarian who works with them (Wilson, 52).
Why Can't I Just Read the Book?
Artist files may contain material from before an artist achieved prominence, giving valuable information about that artist's early career and influences. Even more importantly, they may contain information on artists who never made it to the big reference publications, who never made it out of local or regional shows and who would otherwise be missing from the artistic record altogether. They are essential to documenting the art world outside of the glossy magazines and luxurious coffee-table books, the culturally defined and accepted symbols of artistic success. In that sense they are vital research resources. Philpott notes the "extraordinary significance" of ephemera for researchers of contemporary art, for which monographs and exhibition catalogs may not exist (Philpott, 13).
Ephemera may contain information on "movements that took place outside of traditional galleries" (Cooke, 3) or created as part of an art practice based not on object but on concept. Movements in which the artist takes control of distribution of her work are uniquely suited to ephemera, particularly when the ephemeron serves as art in and of itself, and obscures the clean line separating artist from curator (Cooke, 3).
We have material which is both visual and textual, has everyday, direct qualities from being produced at the time of events by those involved, is fragmentary but a valuable source both in its individual fragments and as a critical mass, can be produced as art, or as a side-effect of art and art's contextualisation. (Cooke, 3)
In that sense, the information contained in artist files is priceless. They subvert the canon that determines who succeeds, and whose ongoing success is ensured by being listed in the major reference sources. They also function as a commentary on such a system.
Another aspect of artist files that make them invaluable is that each is generally unique, a compilation of ephemera from the institution's community, often including organizations that no longer exist. In that sense, artist files contain information not only about an artist but her world, context, and how she was perceived and supported in the art scene of her time (Lawes, 3).
Physical artist files are very well suited to the accidental discovery, the mother lode a researcher finds when she is looking slantwise, for something else.
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Access
We do not need to attempt completeness. That way lies failure. - Clive Phillpot
There are a number of issues to bear in mind when considering access to these materials. These include the type of materials contained in the files, overlap with existing reference sources, and most importantly, the potential audience for the information contained therein (Wilson, 47), and are hardly unique to the artists' file. The obvious answer, "Digitize!", is often inappropriate. (Lawes, 4). It would be difficult to justify digitizing an artists' file containing mostly magazine clippings from mainstream art publications, as these would be available elsewhere. This approach to digitizing and access capitalizes on and is closely tied to the unique nature of artists' files.
Wilson points out that an intelligent access policy takes into account differing levels of importance of items within an artists' file, rather than an all-or-nothing approach. Her suggested example is a collection of 100 artists' files, 35 of which document regionally important artists who are underrepresented in mainstream reference resources (Wilson, 48). She also suggests differing levels of cataloging, such as providing a list of all the artist files on the institution website but cataloging the smaller group. This is consistent with her argument that it is crucial to understand the demand for the information contained in the files: "Uniqueness is nothing if there is no discernible interest in information you offer." (Wilson, 48) Phillpot states concisely, "We do not need to attempt completeness. That way lies failure." (Phillpot, 14).
Many institutions rely on volunteers, students and interns to assist with organizing, as librarians may be engaged with other tasks. Wilson point out that "there may be some difficulty in finding reliable, knowledgeable individuals to work with vertical file materials. Individuals working with vertical file materials must know the basic concept of subject categorization in order to properly label and file materials and should be familiar with the names of local and regional artists, arts organizations or events." (Wilson, 45).
A further question is, once digitized, does the institution retain the originals? The New York Public Library (NYPL) embarked on a project to microfilm its 70,000 artist files; the originals were subsequently discarded. While the microfilm has increased access greatly, the problems with the project include some illegible information, some documents where the back was mistakenly filmed instead of the front, and black and white reproductions of color documents (Lawes, 4). The information lost has been lost irretrievably. Microform, and digitization, are best used to supplement and enhance a collection, not to replace.
Storage concerns, as with any collection, must be taken into account as well. The Chelsea College of Art and Design (CCAD) actively collects three-dimensional ephemera (Lawes, 5) but this is a rarity: such items pose storage problems. Environmental controls will make the friendliest environment for preserving ephemera.
Many institutions have made efforts to enhance access to their artist files: databases, individual MARC records, lists of artists. Perhaps the most ambitious is the Artist Files Online Directory from ARLIS/NA:
The Truly Transient
Cooke further observes that some formats of contemporary art, such as performance and installation, can be difficult if not impossible to digitize. A recording of a performance can be cataloged as a digital object, but if the reception of the work is part of its form and content, this will not be captured in a digital file. (Cooke, 7).
Last year I visited the contemporary art wing at the Art Institute of Chicago, and observed and participated in an artwork consisting of a waist-high pile of candy in a corner, a plaque and a docent inviting people to eat a piece. The only condition was that the person take one piece, and take the wrapper with them. I stood in a group brimming with expectation, but nobody wanted to approach the pile first. Finally I stepped forward and took a piece of candy. I half expected an alarm to go off, or laughter, but I took my candy and afterward several more people stepped forward.
I understood this as a study in group behavior, when invited in multiple ways to interact with an artwork in a context in which "Look, don't touch" is generally the rule. I cannot imagine a way to record this experience, as it was based on being part of a group of strangers but also my personal experience of not wanting to be the only one reaching for the candy -- but wanting the chocolate more; temptation vied with fear of exposure and won. Everyone's experience with that artwork would be personal, and this is beyond the reach of print or video. However, if and when we do have a method to archive the personal experiences of many, the broad nature of the artist file will make it a natural home.
References
Art Libraries Society of North America. "Artist Files Revealed: Documentation and Access." http://www.arlisna.org/resources/onlinepubs/artists_files_revealed.pdf Retrieved September 24, 2013.
Cooke, Jacqueline. "Finding lost relations, identifying our ephemera files." Art Libraries Journal 31, no. 4 (2006).
Lawes, Elizabeth and Vicky Webb. "Ephemera: An Undervalued Resource in the Art Library." Art Libraries Journal 31, no. 4 (2006).
Lawes, Elizabeth and Vicky Webb. "Ephemera in the Art Library." Art Libraries Journal 28, no. 2 (2003).
Phillpot, Clive. "Flies in the Files: Ephemera in the Art Library." Art Documentation (Spring 1995).
Wilson, Terrie L. and Erika Dowell. "Today's Ephemera, Tomorrow's Historical Documentation: Access Options for Artists Files." Journal of Library Administration,
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