2RO077 - Offline Filing

As we built Rookery, we continually optimized the folder system we used to store all the archival information for our art collection: photos, receipts, infosheets, etc. As you begin to populate your Rookery account, we recommend that you build a filing system on your computer as well. Here is how we structure ours:

• Each artwork has its own folder, so that all its files are in one place

• The folder is titled with the year, the artist’s name, and the title of the work

• Truncate the artist and title to five letters to keep folder titles manageable

• Ex: 2014 - Johns - Study would be the folder title for Tamara Johnson’s 2014 piece, Study for a Water-hose

• Each folder contains an plain text infosheet and any images or contextual files

• Ideally there are at least three images of the artwork: framed, cropped, and verso

• Frames are typically permanently attached to artworks, so consider them part of the object

• Cropped images, with the frames removed, make computational analysis easier

• The back of the artwork, or verso, is helpful to photograph as a way to note hanging hardware and gallery stamps

• Each infosheet contains year, artist, title, dimensions, and any other official or personal details

• In Situ photos, video, and audio narration are encouraged