International Archive Day was celebrated this week. But what is it exactly? It is a day dedicated to the general public to highlight what archives really are, since they are usually seen as being confidential or for internal use only. In concrete terms, it is the perfect occasion for us to provide you with some information.
Hollywood 1952
The Archives Antoni Clavé were created by Antoni Clavé himself, with the aim of providing the means for his work to continue to be authenticated, documented and disseminated after his death. When an artwork comes up for sale, the Antoni Clavé Archives are the only ones authorized to issue a certificate of authenticity, an inventory number and the future inclusion in the catalogue raisonné. We preserve the history of the artist’s creation: photos of the works, of the studio, of the artist, correspondence, contracts with museums and galleries, exhibition catalogs…
César & Antoni Clavé, 1983
These documents are of great value in understanding the artist and his work. Many of them are not so easy to show online. Luckily we have numerous photos, including: Antoni Clavé in Hollywood – in 1952, Roland Petit inviting Clavé (at the bottom left of the photo) to create the decor for « Hans Christian Andersen » with Zizi Jeanmaire, directed by Charles Vidor and produced by Samuel Goldwyn! Clavé would go on to be nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design); Thirty years later, the second photo shows Antoni Clavé during the filming of Jorge Amat’s movie « Clavé peintre alchimiste ». Pierre Daix is shown interviewing him in his studio. And the last photo shows Antoni Clavé and his friend, the sculptor César, in 1983 during an exhibition opening.
Antoni Clavé & Pierre Daix, 1984