Let’s dive into the Database discourse!

Two categories emerge when discussing the stewardship of an art collection:  digital organization and physical care. The former is often referred to as Inventory Management, the latter as Collections Care.  This March we turn our focus to the all-important… database.

• The user interface is visually pleasing, not overwhelming or distracting.
• Intuitive navigation.
• Connectivity of Contact records and Artwork records.
• ArtLogic offers a powerful yet simple system; with effective functionality without overcomplicating the user experience.
• Permissions per user login; the ability to restrict access to various tabs or functions within the database per user login.
• ArtLogic’s support staff are incredibly responsive, patient, communicative, and successful in their help.  Replies are prompt, clearly communicated, and directly address the question or issue.  Regardless of how far-fetched, or conversely how simple, my questions have been I have never felt criticized or judged.
• The ArtLogic engineers continuously design and build new functionality based on clients’ requests, feedback, and user experience.
• Integration opportunities with other art tech software and products, such as Artsy and Articheck.
• My favorite function(!), is the ability to create and save – bespoke, detailed, malleable – custom lists, for export from the database in both Excel and Word formats.
• Often, I will talk about the ‘Life of the Artwork’ or the ‘Narrative of the Artwork.’  Each record whether it be a Contact record, or an Artwork record offers the ability to upload documents (Jpeg, Docx, PDF) in various fields.  Thus, one may click into an Artwork record to review invoices, shipping documents, and condition reports throughout the history of the work.

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Images courtesy of Artlogic.net.

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The Database & Insurance:

The topic of databases is also relevant when discussing insurance coverage.

Knock on wood, if your organization or collection were to experience a catastrophic event or total loss at a Named Location, prior to awarding a claim, underwriters will require proof of claimed value.

The method by which this process would be the least painful and most successful is to have at-the-ready a complete, accurate, and current list of inventory with insurance value. 

This may be supplied via two elements:

• A current asset evaluation such as an appraisal.
• A complete and accurate database.  This essential tool will enable you to instantaneously supply underwriters with a complete inventory list of the artwork and objects stored or exhibited at the affected Named Location.

How many times have we heard, “That is what insurance is for.”

Correct.  However, when a weather event takes place and there is catastrophic loss (not being an alarmist, I worked through Super Storm Sandy in a Chelsea gallery), and the value must be proven, the single most helpful tool is your database. 

In this pivotal moment, if your collection, gallery, or institution’s inventory is accurately included in a user-friendly database, proving the value of the loss will not be the factor inhibiting an awarded claim. 

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Marvin Gardens

Opening Reception: March 26, 2023, 1:00 – 5:00 pm

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