Hi Melinda,
Back when I worked in a New York museum in the 1990s and early 2000s, here’s one way people approached it:
* Already owned: "Private collection, Berlin" or "Collection of Alan Rickman, London" or "Museum Ludwig, Budapest"
* Not for sale: "NFS"
* Maybe for sale: "Collection of the artist"
* Definitely for sale: "Courtesy of Barbara Gladstone Gallery, New York"
For emerging artists without gallery representation, a work for sale would have either no creditline (eg, in a catalogue) or a price (eg, in a gallery checklist).
If the artist is dead you can say "Estate of the artist" instead of "Collection of the artist."
I don’t know what the conventions have become for selling works online, as I moved to the Internet precisely to avoid that economy. Hope this helps—
jon
> On Jan 13, 2016, at 7:00 PM, NEW-MEDIA-CURATING automatic digest system ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2016 12:16:00 +1030
> From: Melinda Rackham <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: "collection of the artist"
>
> Hi there for 2016,
> not coming from a Museological/Gallery/Commercial background, I’m hoping the list can enlighten me on a few basic assumptions and terms..
>
> I'm writing monograph on an jeweller/object maker who has been embedded in scientific research laboratories for the past decade.. -
>
> In referring to her objects/installations/videos etc does “Collection of the Artist” mean:
>
> a) not for sale the - artist holds it dear and doesn't want to let go of it/ is an important part of their development/ has sentimental value etc
> b) is available for acquisition/sale - make an offer now...
>
> Im sure thats not quiet the terminology used.
>
> How then does one define objects held in commercial galleries/museums etc that are available for purchase?
> or indeed held by the artist for sale?
> of does one just not mention it at all and the assumption is unless a museum /private collection is specified, it is available for sale
>
> Thanks a lot..
>
> Melinda
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