Archive

De Appel Archive tells a multitude of stories about De Appel’s living past and lively present through books, ephemera, video, audio, manuscripts, correspondence, witness reports and art.

The documentation centre that the founder of De Appel, Wies Smals, started in 1975 is now known as De Appel Archive. The archive is constantly being expanded with records like books, ephemera, video, audio, manuscripts, correspondence, witness reports and art works of exhibitions and performances, but also of lectures, symposia, informal presentations, conversations and other events.

Books
The Archive contains about 10,000 catalogue and magazine titles that have strong links with the history of De Appel, the artists who exhibited there and the Curatorial Programme. Important collections are:
– Monographs of artists who exhibited in De Appel or who were considered as a possibility.
– The curators’ library: a collection of professional literature, theoretical and philosophical work, collected for the participants in the Curatorial Programme, but which contains a great deal of essential information for every exhibition maker and art lover.
– Special editions, such as the collection of publications from East Central Europe, the collection on feminism and gender in art, the unique artist books and rare documentation material.

Video and Audio
Mainly recordings of performances, events and projects. Most of the video and audio material has been digitalised and can be found on De Appel’s website. Short descriptions and fragments of the videos can also be found on the website of LIMA.

Magazines
AfterAll magazine, Aprior, Art Forum, Art Lies, Art Space Column, Boekman, Cabinet, Casco issues, De Kantlijn, Esopus, Fillip, Frieze, Gonzo circus, HTV de Ijsberg, IMA journal of Art, Kunstforum, MAP, MetropolisM, Mousse magazine, Mr Motley, October, Open, Parkett, Printed project, Rektoverso, Texte zur Kunst, The Happy Hypocrite, and Witte Raaf.

Collection (Unintended)
As an institution that presents art, De Appel does not maintain a collection in the sense of a museum but nevertheless over the years a collection has been built up. Largely from gifts of artists or remains of artists’ projects and exhibitions, mail-art or left-overs from performances.

De Appel by year
De Appel’s year shelves contain all the exhibitions catalogued by year and exhibition number. About ten metres of folders contain the invitations, photographs, press articles, own publications and posters. In addition, the correspondence, financial documents and materials on special projects and publications have been kept.

Purchasing policy
De Appel has a modest budget for purchasing books. The collection mainly expands as a result of donations and exchanges. Gifts are always welcome, particularly publications on Appel artists, possibly in exchange for an Appel publication.

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