CHRONOLOGY

In preparation to the symposium of November 1994 to discuss Andrea Fraser and Clegg & Guttmann's project for the Seventh Museum, the artists redact a chronology of the steps which were made in the course of time to realizing the project.

Stichting Hofvijvermusea was formed to promote the cultural and historical museum institutions in the area of the Hofvijver in The Hague. Members of the foundation include the Mauritshouse, Prince Willem V Gallery, Prison Gate Museum, Museum Bredius, Historical Museum of The Hague and Visitors Center Binnenhof. (In 1994 the Visitors Center Binnenhof withdrew from the foundation and Palace Voorhout became a member).
Stichting Hofvijvermusea approaches Stroom/hcbk to organize presentations of contemporary art in the Hofvijver area. The Stichting Hofvijvermusea states that he aim of the presentations should be to: provide coherence to the six participating museums, identify the area as a cultural site, and narrow the gap between the museums and the public.

1993 April

Waling Boers and Jan Gehlen develop the Seventh Museum concept and begin to invite artists to participate.

1993 June

Waling Boers invites Andrea Fraser to participate in the Seventh Museum

August /September

Fraser visits The Hague

October/November

Fraser submits a proposal to develop an extra-architectural museum installation in the park along the Hofvijver. The proposed installation would be composed of displays of objects borrowed from the six museums participating in the Stichting Hofvijvermusea. The suggested period for the realization of the project is September/October 1994. Fraser proposes to work with collaborative artists Michael Clegg and Martin Guttmann to develop and realize the installation.

1994 February

Artists and curator meet with Marie Christien van der Sman at the Historical Museum. She expresses her willingness to participate in the proposed installation, which she feels is consistent with the goals of her institution.
Meeting with IJsbrand Hummelen to discuss the project from a restoration perspective. IJsbrand Hummelen expresses interest in the scientific problems the proposal presents. Meeting with Rik van Koetsveld at the Mauritshouse. His initial position that participation in the project is "impossible" softens to "unthinkable".

April

Meeting with Wim van Mechelen curator of the Prison Gate Museum, Lindsen, director of the Ministry of General Affairs at the Binnenhof and To"ita Henry curator of the Bredius Museum. They all express willingness to participate in the project. The loan of specific objects is discussed.
Meeting with Jorgen Wadum at the Mauritshouse. Wadum expresses interest in the technical problems the proposal represents. He speculates on their possible solutions.
Artists and curator visit the storage room of The Gemeente Museum to look at painting belonging to the Bredius collection. The Gemeente Museum's restorer, Jan Venema, expresses reservations about the project.
Meeting with Rik van Koetsveld at the Mauritshouse. Proposed is to test the outdoor display box prior to installation with the supervision of restoration experts from the Central Laboratory or the Mauritshouse. Van Koetsveld recognizes that extra-architectural display is technically possible, but still does not want to consider loaning an art object.
Meeting with IJsbrand Hummelen at the Central Laboratory. He agrees to prepare a letter outlining solutions to the technical problems of the extra-architectural display of paintings.

May

After discussing the project with the board of the Bredius Museum, To•ta Henry indicate that participation in the proposed installation would be not appropriate for the institution.

July

Fraser meets with Lily van Ginneken and Jan Wijle at Stroom/hcbk to discuss the future of the project. Stroom/hcbk expresses reservations about proceeding with the installation with empty boxes representing Bredius and Mauritshouse. Fraser describes representing the Mauritshouse with the out-door display box test, and Bredius with a reconstruction of a piece of its interior.
Meetings with To•ta Henry and a member of the board of the Bredius Museum, Jim van der Meer Mohr. Henry argues that it would be too disturbing for her audience to see art objects outside the museum context. After some discussion, the problems seems solved. A loan of furniture is discussed.
Recorded discussion with Rik van Koetsveld.
Meeting with IJsbrand Hummelen at the Central Laboratory. Technical and practical aspects of the out-door display-case test are discussed. Hummelen agrees to supervise a student conducting the test and suggests that it might be possible to borrow a micro-climate box, sensors and loggers from the Central Lab.
Meeting with Monique Jaspers, a recent graduate from the Museum School who could conduct the out-door display box tests.
Contact with Ton Jutte from the scientific department of the Central Lab. He is willing to collaborate in the testing program.
To•ta Henry contacts the Gemeente Museum, which is responsible for the Bredius collection. After consulting Hans Locher, the director of the Gemeente Museum, Titus Eliéns, the curator of decorative arts, refuses to consider an loan request.
Fraser meets with Eliens to discusses the project. Eliéns expresses the opinion that the audience of both museums would not approve of such a presentation
Meeting with John Sillevis at the Palace Voorhout. The meeting is his first introduction to the project. He is asked if he would consider participating in the project by loaning objects related to the temporary exhibitions on display at the time of the presentation. Sillevis agrees to explore the possibility.
First estimate of the cost of constructing six display cases is discussed at Stroom/hcbk and judged much too high. More estimates are sought and fundraising is discussed. Meeting with Marie Christien van der Sman at the Historical Museum. She is still eager to participate in the project. Specific content of display is discussed.

August

Curator is informed by Wim van Mechelen that The Prison Gate Museum is no longer interested to participate in the proposed installation.
Lower estimate for the display cases are found. Fundraising is still necessary.
Some sponsors seem interested in funding the project.
Stroom/hcbk suspends financial support for the project until its realization becomes more certain.
Stroom/hcbk, the curator and the artists begin planning a symposium to discuss the issues raised by the project.

supplement:
In November a decisive meeting is organized in the Historical Museum. It become obvious that both the Stichting Hofvijvermusea and Stroom/hcbk has insuperable difficulties with realizing the project. For the direction of the Mauritshouse (chairman of the Stichting Hofvijver Musea) it is impossible to install works of their collection in an 'extra-architectural' presentation, what kind of precaution were ever made. Stroom/hcbk, officially the commissioner, take the stand that an 'open air' presentation is based on a set of inconsistencies, because of the precautions that had to be made. Neglecting the difference between an 'extra-architectural' presentation (see propasal) and an 'open air' Stroom/hcbk characterizes the project as an 'self digged pitfall'.
The two invited specialists, IJsbrand Hummelen, Hans de Ridder are convinced that problems could be overcome. Artists and curator try to make both end meet, without success.
The Symposium was recorded on video.
The project was canceled.