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.
  • 01302-2020-MaPi-LavendarChair-003
  • Title
  • Lavender Chair
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 4 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 07.01.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of Megan Hoetger and Sands Murray-Wassink unrolling a naked self-portrait of Sands. Lavender chair with Sands his sequined notebook. Studio with mostly empty shelves.

  • Reflection Notes

“Meanwhile, a horse drawing was sent in a sealed envelope to Elke; ‘all I ever wanted was your friendship’.” From the meta-archive process diary. – RR.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01303-2020-MaPi-LavendarChair-004
  • Title
  • Lavender Chair
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • 4 phone snapshots
  • Object Location
  • Digital
  • Technical Notes

Date: 07.01.20. Location: Rijksakademie, studio manege. Images of Megan Hoetger and Sands Murray-Wassink unrolling a naked self-portrait of Sands. Lavender chair with Sands his sequined notebook. Studio with mostly empty shelves.

  • Reflection Notes

“Starting the new year in the new studio, at a still quiet Rijksakademie. Robin and Sands brought the large print to the studio over the Christmas break: ‘It’s not easy being green’. A coat rack and new sparkly notebook from Flying Tiger also arrived. We found a lavender chair, moved in some furniture. Sands showed us images of the wrap dress by Diane van Furstenberg he ordered, which was quite a production to arrange-thinking of wearing this at the Auto Italia opening. ‘It’s not about how something looks, but how it feels’.” From the meta-archive process diary. – RR.

Close

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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Megan Hoetger

  • Catalog No.
  • 01305-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-002
  • 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

“MH discussed the set-up for an archive, with possibilities for cross-referencing-‘Adrian would be proud’. Names and relations with people can play a big role and become one of the ways to search through the archive (aside from year, typology etc). It would be great if the archive will eventually become public. Our conversation went on about Sands his website and its current list of names (mostly female or feminist artists). Sands mentioned there have been many other websites before, built in collaboration with Robin, including one that had 3500 links (!). The link and reference as a way to give attention to others. Thinking of these websites, and how Sands used social media such as facebook as a ‘process archive’, it’s a reminder Sands has actually been taking care of his archiving for a long time.” From the meta-archive process diary. – RR.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01306-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-003
  • 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

Rijksakademie Internal Open Studios – 07.09.20. “My relationship with money is disastrous.” – SMW. “If you show them (galleries, museums, employers in general) that they can do that to you, they will do it to everyone. We need to get paid for the hours that we put in, not the product. My salary per hour is X much, as per X Artist Association guidelines.” – Anon.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01307-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-004
  • 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

Rijksakademie Internal Open Studios – 07.09.20. “Depression I use as a motor, cause it never leaves me, so I fuel from it.” – SMW. “It’s depressed, but it’s not grey.” – Anon. “The older bodies are also important.” – Anon.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01308-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-005
  • 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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01309-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-006
  • 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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01310-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-007
  • 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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01311-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-008
  • 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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01312-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-009
  • 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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01313-2020-MaPi-MeetYourOwnNeeds-010
  • 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

“It might feel weird to suddenly order archival boxes with acid free paper to store works that have been stored very loosely at the studio before. ‘Is this going to change the way I make work?’. Not wanting to take up too much space. ‘I have no market-value, it’s all about self-worth’. Sands is ‘working against capitalism by overwhelming the market’. But: the value others see in the work (whether market or not) is also a value that can lead to different types of care.” From the meta-archive process diary. – RR.

Close

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.

Close

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.

Close

Image of Studio object

Photographer: Radna Rumping

  • Catalog No.
  • 01316-2020-MaPi-ShabbyChic-001
  • 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.

  • Reflection Notes

“Is it trash or trashy? Trashy can be good, but these rolled paintings were first stored in trash bags, and perhaps that went a bit too far. Can we also let the paintings be trashy, while store them in a more careful way?” – RR.

Close