David Smith describes the key method of Asia Art Archive — developing archive collections through commissioned research.
The appraisal, arrangement, and description of collections are established through a research process between AAA researchers and the artist, organization, or owner of the collection. This approach allows AAA to build its collections around key areas of interest or priorities based on user research needs without impacting any arrangement of the source physical material. The talk will present two case studies to outline some of the strategies AAA has used to develop collections through research. Some of the benefits and risks through this approach and how AAA hopes to develop these processes in the future are also discussed.