Arxiu Planas

Arxiu Planas

Research on photography archive.
Collection conceptualisation.
Proposal for development.

Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain 2018 - 2019 
Role: Strategic consultant, research and development.

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temporary under construction

Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas
Arxiu Planas

temporary under construction

Josep Planas i Montanyà

The photographer who established the iconographic representation of the Balearic Islands during the 50s and 60s. In addition to one of the largest photography archives on Balearic Islands, his collection also holds all forms of media, such as written press, magazines, books, prints and film that sum up more than 4.000.000 images and more than 2,000 cameras of different brands and models that he used and collected. A large part of this collection is not yet digitally stored.

4 Thematic pillars

Mallorca

landscape, aerial photography, rural life, portraits

Born in Catalunya, Josep Planas fell in love with the Majorcan landscape. A landscape that he would immortalise forever. He was the first European photographer to acquire a helicopter in order to shoot aerial photography, obtaining this type of aircraft before the local police. He produced a wide scope imprint of the domestic and intimate human life, portraying family events of a large part of the population.

Josep Planas was conquering the front pages of Arte Fotográfico, Baleares, Fotogramas, Fiesta Deportiva, Serra d’Or, La Vanguardia. He carried out wedding reports of rich local families, celebrities, commercial reports (mainly from the hotel sector) and sports.

Dolce vita

celebrity images, Palma de Mallorca, urban life, events, sport

Tourism

postcards, aerial photography, hotels, tourists

Photographer of the tourist boom and tireless producer, he was a pioneer in the industrial production of postcards. Through the postcard format, his images travelled all over the world.
Through the archive, we can track the impact produced in the coastal areas caused by the touristic boom process and its consequences in the construction of urban and tourist residential districts during those years.

Today in Casa Planas’ warehouse there are overflowing filing cabinets, negatives, slides, postcards and more than 2,000 cameras of different brands and models that he used and collected. Josep Planas passion for collecting also allowed him to gather an important legacy of old photographs and postcards, as well as a wide collection of devices and accessories related to his professional practice: oddities, first animations, Chinese shadows, daguerreotypes, zoo tropes, magic lanterns

Objects

pre-cinema, photography, film, magazines, books

Today the Planas Archive dozes in a state of risk. Its deficient cataloguing and conservation conditions are in danger and waiting for social and institutional support so it can be accessed by all citizens.
Today the Planas Archive dozes in a state of risk. Its deficient cataloguing and conservation conditions are in danger and waiting for social and institutional support so it can be accessed by all citizens.

Challenges

Collections statue

EU metadata and conservation standards.

Make selection of case studies to build upon and to draft collection plan, vision and mission.
Quantify the importance. Relevance argument – funding argument.
Present Collections plan to potential Board members.
Decide on the legal form.
Apply for a membership in PHOTOCONSORTIUM Association – Europeana Photography interface.

Relevant collection dossier/ development plan. Appropriate standard for collections accessibility and connectivity, New grants opportunities and secure long-term EU funding for archives and collections. Lobbying/legal/etc. support from Board Members within important decision-making sectors. Collection acknowledgement from professional networks locally and globally.

Strategic alliances

Discover private or public collections/archives with matching or adding value. Make an observation of schools’ and unis’ curriculum. Develop case-studies toolkit for short-term projects.
Balearic Islands – Spain – EU – Internationally
Museums, collections, archives and existing/potential networks. Education and research networks. Foreign cultural institutions working on Balearic Islands. Environmental, urban, architectural etc institutions and foundations. Creative networks and platforms. Online professional media platforms, agencies and outlets.
Explored and secured National and Balearic diverse funding/sponsorship streams. Collaborative projects with strategic partners. New collaborations and partnerships – more cross-marketing opportunities. Possibility of sharing common archival/online interface software, saving costs and minimising efforts. Offer collection to larger heritage, cultural and pro media content aggregators. Get initial financial support for collection development.

Conservation

Discover networks’ opportunities to get quality second-hand equipment.

Get in-house knowledge on basic conservation, digitalisation and cataloguing skills. Organise space for basic digitising operations. Probably needs ventilation advancements, cleaning, reorganising, sectoring, categorising. Arranging the space/shelves for objects display and working space for research. Following selected manuals, instating order, rules for use and admission etc.

Getting necessary equipment.
Start cataloguing.

Integration within Casa Planas

Events production, in-house and in partnerships.
Artist-researcher residency.
Educational events in collaboration with schools and unis.
Discover national, European and international research networks and residency cases.
Find teachers-ambassadors interested to include collections materials in their curriculum.

Build residency/event program.
Host photography and related creative courses, seminars, talks, portfolio reviews.
Initiate prizes, awards, calls, photography uni graduates annual selections.
Outreach program for education department/funding.
Permanent display.

Continue to prototype

temporary under construction

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