Archives at Risk: Hans AppenzellerArchives at Risk: Hans Appenzeller

Ranging from product-, furniture-, graphic design to social design and digital productions: The Netherlands is famous for its design and digital culture. However, hardly any attention is paid to the archives of designers. An important part of Dutch design memory therefore is at risk of disappearing, as the Netherlands currently lacks a central policy and structural funding to preserve these archives. And it is precisely the archives that offer insight into the social context of the artistic practice, innovative techniques and pioneering experiments. This installation, initiated by the Network for Archives of Design and Digital Culture (NADD) and networkpartner Design Museum Den Bosch, brings the issue to the surface.

Hans Appenzeller (1949) recently retired after a career as an internationally renowned gallery owner and jewelry designer. The first gallery specialized in modern jewelry, called 'Galerie Sieraad' [Gallery Jewelry], was founded by him and Lous Martin in 1969 in Amsterdam. In 1974 he opened his own shop on the Grimburgwal in Amsterdam, where he offered modern jewelry designed by himself. He then continued his endeavors internationally, opening galleries in New York on Madison Avenue, and West Broadway in 1983. Last year, he retired from his design practice and concluded his working life with the exhibition Does it do anything for me? at Design Museum Den Bosch – which is currently on view until June 23. This presentation shows a selection of works and jewelry pieces originating from Appenzeller's archive, supplemented by pieces from the museum's collection and several private loans.

Appenzeller donated a lifetime of work in prototypes and finished jewelry to the museum. For the presentation, the museum also made use of Appenzeller's archival material, mainly consisting of photos, brochures and clippings. This archive not only highlights the development of his artistic practice, but also contains more personal stories and valuable sources of inspiration. Yet this archival material cannot find a home not at the museum as like most museums, the Design Museum Den Bosch lacks the opportunity to make these archives publicly available.

The presentation is on view until the 23rd of June 2024 at Design Museum Den Bosch.

Archives at Risk: Seeking Shelter is curated by Annemartine van Kesteren (Curator of Design at Boijmans Van Beuningen) and designed by spatial designer Ben Shamier. This year, the installation will be on display at various NADD partners and showcase endangered archives.

As there is not one central organisation in the Netherlands that takes care of the design heritage, several organisations and makers united in 2021 in the Network Archives Design and Digital Culture (NADD). The network focuses on exchanging knowledge on archiving, making design archives visible, and developing a digital infrastructure to make the multitude of archives accessible. The aim is, on the one hand, to show the importance of this heritage to society and, on the other hand, to find a more sustainable solution for the conservation and preservation of these archives. NADD consists of over 40 partners: large and small heritage institutions that manage archives, designers, professional organizations, educational institutions, and experts in the field of design.