Preservation and Conservation of Artists’ Films

Saturday 16 July 2005
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Artists’ films constitute a separate category in the collections of museums for modern and contemporary art.. They require a special approach in terms of preservation and conservation. An artist's film is not only a museum object; it is entitled to specific rights where ownership, reproduction and viewing are concerned. On June 16, 2005 the SBMK held a session on this subject in the auditorium of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The main focus comprised examples and questions from the field, and the views of experts.

The afternoon proved to be the start of a further investigation into a specific, common problem: the development of a general contract between museums and film preserving/conserving institutions that would benefit both parties. The SBMK is working on this in the study group Film, Photography and New Media.