The Artist Interview As A Platform For Negotiating An Artwork’s Possible Futures
The Artist Interview As A Platform For Negotiating An Artwork’s Possible Futures

Summary/Abstract: The artist interview as a platform for negotiating an artwork’s possible futures The artist interview for conservation purposes is acknowledged, discussed and widely used within the field of contemporary art conservation, both as a tool for documentation and as a basis for conservation decision-making. There are numerous publications on the subject, including guidelines for best practices and descriptions of its practical applications. This article takes a very different approach to the artist interview. Firstly, by framing it as one of several museum practices related to documentation of the collection, and secondly by analysing its application as a tool for negotiating an artwork’s possible futures. Drawing on one particular case-study, this paper examines an instance of preparing and conducting an artist interview regarding an artwork from the collection of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. The work in question is a spatial installation by Barbara Kruger, which due to its ephemeral character poses challenges to traditional collection-related practices. The article will follow step by step various phases of the artist interview, from reconstructing the artwork’s history, through investigating its nature, to the encounter with the artist. It will conclude with a critical evaluation of the process, and will propose a framework for including the artist when constructing the basis for future decision-makers.

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