Meta-archive

How to archive a body of work that is abundant, messy, relational and non-hierarchical? ‘Process’ is central in Sands’ practice, and to keep honouring that, a part of the ‘Gift Science Archive’ project deals with recording (and archiving) the process of the archiving itself: also known as the meta-archive. This is a term MH came up with, and RR was within the ‘Gift Science Archive’ collaboration happy to take up the role of 'meta-archivist'. The meta-archive materials contain snapshots taken during the 18-month Gift Science Archive performance and archiving activities, combined with diary notes. Another aspect is a series of longer recorded conversations initiated by RR (with Sands, with Sands & Amalia Calderón and with Sands & Robin Wassink-Murray), which aimed to capture ideas about value, structure, and care for an artistic practice, as well as providing plenty of space for sharing references, gossip, and ‘information’ – one of Sands’ main materials. These seven hours of interviews – some in Dutch and some in English – are all in their unedited richness part of the meta-archive, both as audio recordings and transcriptions (translations and transcriptions by Martha Jager). Finally, an e-mail thread between MH, RR and SMW from late 2020 gives space to speak about their collaboration and the process (and their feelings) at that time through the medium of an unedited e-mail correspondence. – RR.

Listings connecting to the typology “Meta-archive” (286)

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01419-2020-MaPi-ConversationAmaliaAndSands-0…
  • Title
  • Conversation Amalia and Sands
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 10 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 27.08.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images taken before and after a recorded conversation with Sands and Amalia, featuring materials on the floor, Sands and Amalia holding a painting, and ‘denk aan parfum’ t-shirt at the door.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01335-2020-MaPi-MoreUnrolling-002
  • Title
  • More Unrolling
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 10 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 04.02.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of SMW unpacking, measuring, photographing and ordering rolled-up painting works, featuring Sands standing on a table, a painting with a boa, and an example of bags in bags.

  • Reflection Notes

“I like listening to Sands, also when he speaks in long monologues, because I know he is a very careful listener.” – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01366-2020-MaPi-HangingTime-020
  • Title
  • Hanging Time
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 50 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 25.02.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of installation activities in the studio, with SMW, MH and Roger Cremers who assists with hanging a large vinyl print and the framed work dedicated to Carolee Schneemann. Unpacking materials. Sands holding a drawing with a clock and 'tyranny' text, a gift for Roger. The beginnings of making the horse cloud on the studio wall.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Megan Hoetger

  • Catalog No.
  • 01397-2020-MaPi-HorseCloud-002
  • Title
  • Horse Cloud
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 14 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 04.03.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of working on large horse cloud with SMW, MH and Amalia Calderón. First time GSA meeting with Amalia present, images of Sands and Amalia talking with poster of Hannah Wilke in the background.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Megan Hoetger

  • Catalog No.
  • 01282-2019-MaPi-StudioMove-015
  • Title
  • Studio Move
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 32 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 12.12.19. Location: Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, small studio (in main building) and large studio (in manege). Images of Sands Murray-Wassink, Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping moving studio; from a smaller ‘office-like’ space in the main building of the Rijksakademie, to the larger studio at the manege. Images of paintings, slides, photographs, studio interior, bags to move the materials. Plus a portrait of SMW, MH, RR together.

  • Reflection Notes

“On a very personal note, while moving bags from one studio to the other, this day something small happened that later turned out to be magical. I will keep it to myself, but am now happy to see a picture of that day.” – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01314-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-011
  • Title
  • Meet Your Own Needs
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 12 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 14.01.20. Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of various materials that are unpacked in the studio by SMW and MH. Written caption by Sands on a rolled-up painting ‘meet your own needs’. Two images of a diagram MH has made during a brainstorm about the possible structure of the database.

  • Reflection Notes

“That’s still the case. Consistency.” – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01261-2019-MaPi-FirstMeeting-001
  • Title
  • First Meeting
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 7 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 05.12.19. Location: Studio Sands, Swammerdamstraat 4E, Amsterdam. Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping visit the studio of Sands, with Sands. This is the first meeting they have together. Snapshots of the studio as it is, with a painting 'Listen to yourself' on the wall, and shelves that are full with stacks of paper, drawings and cardboard boxes. Images of the perfume collection. Reflection of MH, RR and SMW in the mirror.

  • Reflection Notes

“We met in Sands’ house, tea, Duman walking around. We looked at the images of Sands and Carolee framed in the pyramid shape frame with hand-carved tulips. What if we would work on a timeline for Carolee? The archive has a practical function (to make space) but also a social/mental/affective function. In the studio we indeed noticed there was not much space to move.” – RR. From the meta-archive process diary. “These images are called ‘first meeting’, because it was the first time MH, RR and SMW met together, to start the GSA collaboration.” – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01293-2019-MaPi-StudioMove-026
  • Title
  • Studio Move
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 32 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 12.12.19. Location: Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, small studio (in main building) and large studio (in manege). Images of Sands Murray-Wassink, Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping moving studio; from a smaller ‘office-like’ space in the main building of the Rijksakademie, to the larger studio at the manege. Images of paintings, slides, photographs, studio interior, bags to move the materials. Plus a portrait of SMW, MH, RR together.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01325-2020-MaPi-ShabbyChic-010
  • Title
  • Shabby Chic
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 18 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 28.01.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of SMW and MH unpacking, measuring, photographing and ordering rolled-up painting works. Images of the large print of e-mail from Adrian Piper with archiving tips on the wall.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01283-2019-MaPi-StudioMove-016
  • Title
  • Studio Move
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 32 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 12.12.19. Location: Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, small studio (in main building) and large studio (in manege). Images of Sands Murray-Wassink, Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping moving studio; from a smaller ‘office-like’ space in the main building of the Rijksakademie, to the larger studio at the manege. Images of paintings, slides, photographs, studio interior, bags to move the materials. Plus a portrait of SMW, MH, RR together.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01315-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-012
  • Title
  • Meet Your Own Needs
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 12 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 14.01.20. Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of various materials that are unpacked in the studio by SMW and MH. Written caption by Sands on a rolled-up painting ‘meet your own needs’. Two images of a diagram MH has made during a brainstorm about the possible structure of the database.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Megan Hoetger

  • Catalog No.
  • 01272-2019-MaPi-StudioMove-005
  • Title
  • Studio Move
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 32 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 12.12.19. Location: Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, small studio (in main building) and large studio (in manege). Images of Sands Murray-Wassink, Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping moving studio; from a smaller ‘office-like’ space in the main building of the Rijksakademie, to the larger studio at the manege. Images of paintings, slides, photographs, studio interior, bags to move the materials. Plus a portrait of SMW, MH, RR together.

  • Reflection Notes

Inventorying session + invited archivist (IA) meeting – 15.09.20. “Bags are like time capsules. I know where they are from.” – SMW. A bag in a bag in a bag in a bag. – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Megan Hoetger

  • Catalog No.
  • 01304-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-001
  • Title
  • Meet Your Own Needs
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 12 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 14.01.20. Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of various materials that are unpacked in the studio by SMW and MH. Written caption by Sands on a rolled-up painting ‘meet your own needs’. Two images of a diagram MH has made during a brainstorm about the possible structure of the database.

  • Reflection Notes

“Figuring out more typologies. How do we call the ‘It’s a Schneemann thing’ mug and other objects that Sands has printed by companies such as Hema? A sculpture. Letters, notes and other texts that have been distributed? Distributed notes. ‘one thing at a time’ ‘better late than never’.” – RR. From the meta-archive process diary. “This is a drawing by MH, thinking about a structure for the archive.” – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01262-2019-MaPi-FirstMeeting-002
  • Title
  • First Meeting
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 7 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 05.12.19. Location: Studio Sands, Swammerdamstraat 4E, Amsterdam. Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping visit the studio of Sands, with Sands. This is the first meeting they have together. Snapshots of the studio as it is, with a painting 'Listen to yourself' on the wall, and shelves that are full with stacks of paper, drawings and cardboard boxes. Images of the perfume collection. Reflection of MH, RR and SMW in the mirror.

  • Reflection Notes

“When describing his studio, Sands’ would often say: ‘I painted myself into a corner’. Literally. This image shows one of the very few corners left in the studio with space to paint.” – RR.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01294-2019-MaPi-StudioMove-027
  • Title
  • Studio Move
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 32 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 12.12.19. Location: Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, small studio (in main building) and large studio (in manege). Images of Sands Murray-Wassink, Megan Hoetger and Radna Rumping moving studio; from a smaller ‘office-like’ space in the main building of the Rijksakademie, to the larger studio at the manege. Images of paintings, slides, photographs, studio interior, bags to move the materials. Plus a portrait of SMW, MH, RR together.

Close