The Legacy
Art is created to be seen. But how to preserve and present your work for the future?
As former head of collections Miriam Windhausen NL has experience with preserving art works. As an independent advisor, she advises artists, heirs and foundations on everything involved in how to preserve and register works of art, artist’s archives and how to manage artist’s legacies and estates.
José Vermeersch (1922-1997, BE) was known for the deep humanity of his his clay figures. His grandson, the artist Robin Vermeersch (1977, BE) explains how the family created the non-profit organization Atelier José Vermeersch, opening the former studio and adjoining exhibition space in Lendelede to the public in 2010.
Join our Zoom Meeting on Monday, 17 April, 20.00 CEST.
After the lectures get together and networking in smaller groups.
Curating and moderation by curator Anne Berk.
The event will be held in English. Participation is free of charge, all you need is a PC, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection. Please register with the button "Register Now" to receive the link to the Zoom meeting.
The Legacy: ‘’It is our moral duty.’’
Every artist has to deal with it: what will happen to my work in the future? Who will take care of it? How can I prepare my legacy?
The artist family of José Vermeersch took care of his legacy, opening the former studio and exhibition space to the public in 2010. ‘’It is our moral duty.’’
In Atelier José Vermeersch his archive can be found. Exhibtions are organised, both of his vulnarable clay figures, as well as of contemporary Belgian artists, to highlight the lasting relevance of his oeuvre. The non-profit organization is supported by the Friends of José Vermeersch.
Since 2018, Miriam Windhausen has been researching the process of estate formation and management. Artists’ legacies are often in the hands of individuals with neither the knowledge and tools for preservation. Often they turn to museums or heritage institutions for support, but number of requests far exceeds their capacity.
Windhausen aims for more cooperation between individuals and institutions and better guidance for those managing an artist’s legacy. She also provides practical information on how to register your work, how to prepare your archive and how to communicate about this process of transmission with your relatives.
