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In addition to Sherman’s response, I received a number of interesting replies directly off-list. They range from “do nothing” to “consult your institution’s legal counsel.” I think I’ll go with time-honored cataloging tradition, and add or correct information when appropriate, e.g. add access points for them to records for group shows, and change their nationality from Russian to American. But we won’t let our catalog become a forum for artist-supplied commentary. They can add a review in WorldCat or Amazon if they want.

Who knows, maybe this effort by the artists is a new art form: Public art cataloging?

Thanks to everyone who responded.

Daniel

********************************

Daniel Starr

Associate Chief Librarian

Thomas J. Watson Library

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10028

212-650-2582

From: Sherman Clarke [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 9:35 PM
To: Starr, Daniel
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARLIS-L] cataloging question - dealing with living artists

Daniel,
It seems to me that our users would want to know about the Kopystiansky catalogs from Rigassi and Eva Poll if they were doing wide-ranging research on the artists. Adding a note would let the user know that the artists had not sanctioned the shows. But don't works get into shows all the time from sources other than the artist? Even for still living artists?

So where to put the note? I don't see a note devoted to this sort of information so I guess I'd put it in a 500. On the other hand, I was shocked recently to discover that one of the libraries I'm working for doesn't provide word access to 500 though it does index 505, 520 and some other 5XX notes. I'm not sure I'd put their whole text into the note but doing so would solve the dilemma of how to word the note.

Sherman Clarke
freelance cataloger
Alfred, NY

On Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 9:02 AM, Starr, Daniel <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

We, and a number of other libraries I believe, have been asked to change our cataloging for a number of publications about or including the artists Igor and Svetlana Kopystiansky. We certainly are willing to correct mistakes and to add information, for example to add their names to records for group shows, but we are not willing to remove information. They specifically ask:

“We asked not to make a link between our name and two gallery catalogues (Rigassi and Eva Poll) because both publications were made without our agreement, works were received not from us and biographical information could not be checked. None of these galleries ever represented us.

These small private galleries without a proper responsibility have made too many mistakes which we cannot endorse as a serous source of information about our art, it creates a confusion taking in account that they are listed as a source in a such great library collection. “

I don’t want to get into a cataloging debate with them, but I’d be willing to add their statements to the bibliographic record. Does anyone have a comment on this approach? If I were to do it, what field would you recommend using?

Thanks,

Daniel

********************************

Daniel Starr

Associate Chief Librarian

Thomas J. Watson Library

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1000 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10028

212-650-2582

Daniel

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