Documentation of modern fine arts

Abstract

Referring to the experiences of the Modern Fine Arts Department, established in the year 1945 within the Institute of the Arts, the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, the author discusses problems concerning documentation of modern fine arts. Underlying the value of the Department’s collection, he focuses on problems regarding development of such documentation – i.e. files of the artists, galleries and museums, press cuttings, selected locations and sessions, artist groups, and the file of Polish monumental sculpture. These problems include: adequate selection and level of completion of gathered materials, limitations in cooperation with the artists, organisational (personal, financial, local) problems, as well as development of general rules of registration and documentation of fine arts, including specifics and diversified of forms of collected documents: press cuttings, catalogues of exhibitions, photos, sound or audiovisualrecordings. Concluding, the author postulates development of the specialty of documentation of fine arts at the library and information science studies. Its graduates would be very welcomed not only in the galleries or museums, but also in library departments of the ephemeras.