ARTISTS QUESTIONS
1. I’ve already got a web site, what good is OVRA Archives?
A personal web site should only contain the latest works and special highlights, otherwise the
advertising effect is useless and visitors don’t usually return. The OVRA Archives project is focused on a
continual documentation of an artists work as a whole and the further promotion of the artist and works.
It serves as an accompaniment to the personal homepage and delivers a structured, organized and informative
overview of the artist and his work. Once the works are registered, they are electronically archived and can
also be exchanged and used for further purposes. The database is secured daily.
2. Can I design the site myself?
www.ovra-archives.com is a database and not just a web site. Momentarily it gives an overview of the work
of an artists and serves as a visual plattform of the work internationally. For these reasons,
the presentation of the artist is always the same. www.ovra-archives.com is unpretentious and without
extra grafics, colors or advertising, so that the individual artist is always shown to his or her best advantage.
3. Developing an archive is very time consuming. Why should I do it?
Every professional artist documents their work in some form. This documentation is mainly
used for portfolios or the individual homepage. Archiving a body of work should be continuous
and is only time consuming when it is not practiced regularly.
The artists receive an easy-to-use Microsoft Excel - File. One to compile personel data, the
other for the work related data. The wide range of information surrounding individual works of
art such as digital images, videos, sound files, layouts and links can even be imported into the
databases of other museums, galleries and institutions with the help of these files.
4. I have no time for image editing. My pictures are intended for cataloges and too big
for the web.
Image data does not have to be compressed. It can be left in almost any form it exits in.
The eMuseumPlus-software formats all images for the web without reducing the original
image file!
5. How much does a membership cost and what does it include?
The Membership costs 100.00 € per calender year (8.30 € / month). Each artist receives
his/her own password for their private account on our FTP-server. The volume of data is
unlimited and available anywhere the internet is. The collected artist files are then uploaded
to the new account together with image, video, sound and all other work related files.
OVRA Archives strives to network artists with curators, museums galleries and other
institutions. Members have the possibility to attend workshops to learn how to optimize their
knowledge in using our database. OVRA Archives Members also receive free consultations
on what and how to archive their work.
6. How do I apply for membership?
Applicants are expected to be professional accredited artists, having an independent body
of work with documented exhibition activities. The artist is evaluated on the following criteria:
The artist has
- completed a professional artistic education and/or
- has received awards, scholarships, grants, residencies and/or
- has artwork represented in private or public collections and institutions and/or
- has completed projects and/or exhibitions, documented by various publications.
An artist interested in applying for a membership to OVRA Archives is requested to submit a
digital documentation of his or her work to: info@ovra-archives.com
The documentation should contain a complete biography with images of new works including
descriptions.
In General, the jury of OVRA Archives will review applications within 14 working days upon
receipt. OVRA Archives does not comment a negative decision. Artists may reapply after 2
years.
7. Can I send a portofolio in the mail?
OVRA Archives does not accept portfolios on CD or any other physical form.
8. What is the difference between OVRA Archives and other archiving sites and programs?
The emphasis of OVRA Archives is recording and registering the individual works of the artist and at
the same time, providing an internetplatform, an exchange of information and a network. Because the
demands on todays artists have increased, OVRA Archives enables artists to save time by archiving
their work once with multiple usages for later.
9. What are the advantages compared to other artists web sites?
OVRA Archives is not a web site but an online database, based on the MuseumPlus software
application. For each object important core data as well as extensive additional data can be
entered. The artists themselves can decide about how detailed object entries should be.
Once entered, the data is electronically archived and can be further transfered and exchanged
The data is then uploaded to our FTP-server where it is available at any time, in any place
around the world.
The online database enables the user to see and hear video and audio files.
Data concerning objects can easily be connected to other data: artist biography, literature,
exhibition references, historical dates and events, archives, digitized images, audio-, video
and text files etc.
The database can be used in different ways:
- The information can be used for printed portfoliosand publications.
- The database can be searched by individual criteria, specific categories and fields.
- The PORTFOLIO function sorts and lists the collected information, making it available for electronic distribution.
- Artist information is available internationally for inquiries and research for curators,galleries, museums and other institutions.
CURATORS QUESTIONS
1. Why should I use OVRA Archives?
OVRA Archives complies with world wide archiving standards. The artistic works are not only
archivied from the artists point of view, but include internationally accepted attributes as well.
A specific search for an artwork is possible. Artworks can be found through key words,
exhibitions and collections in addition to established search fields such as year, medium
or technique.
The original MuseumPlus application was designed for Image archiving as well as for
press and public relations. That is why information can be quickly allocated and collected.
Copyrights, earlier exhibition participations (including individual artwork participation) can
be self-researched or assigned to be edited as PDF or Word document.
The PORTFOLIO function sorts and lists the collected information, making it available
for electronic distribution. The lists can be printed directly from the website.
Artist information is available internationally for inquiries and research for curators, galleries,
museums and other institutions.
COLLECTORS QUESTIONS
1. Does OVRA Archives process collections?
Developed from an artists initiative, OVRA Archives emphasizes the artist and the artists work.
A collector can comission OVRA Archives to process all or selected artists of the collection,
to be registered completely or only specific details. With the MuseumPlus application a
trouble-free exchange of data exists between the artist, the work, the collector and the
museum.
Please direct inquiries to: renee.magana@ovra-archives.com