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Finding lost relations: identifying our ephemera files

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

Jacqueline Cooke*
Affiliation:
Visual Arts & Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths, University of London, Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW
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Abstract

Art ephemera are an evocative resource that can document innovative art and convey diverse histories. This article looks at the relationship between such ephemera and contemporary art practices, and at the relative values given to ephemera by artists, curators and librarians and, in this context, considers integrated catalogues and online guides as methods of re-contextualising art ephemera in the library. Recent collaborative initiatives, and projects that identify and locate artists’ files are reviewed here and three themes are identified: the biographical approach, interfaces for distributed catalogues and the integration of art and its documentation.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Art Libraries Society 2006

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