What does SPACES Archives consist of?

SPACES has become recognized internationally as the largest and most complete archive on this subject. The databases are generally organized into four components:

1. the site database, which contains historically-significant and varied information on over 900 sites in the United States alone, as well as on numerous sites overseas;
2. the bibliographic database, which includes almost 2,000 multi-lingual entries citing documents relating to art environments;
3. the exhibitions and events database, a comprehensive chronological record of thousands of museum/gallery displays, conferences, lectures, panels, and other events which featured these artists and their sites, including documented audience figures for each; and, most importantly,
4. the archival collection, including some 25,000 photographs, site plans, and primary documents produced by the artists, maps, artifacts, video and audio cassettes and DVDs of artist interviews, and other materials related to self-taught artistic activities. This also includes a clipping file, personal letters and correspondence from artists, scholars, researchers, museum and gallery personnel, arts and history/humanities councils, and governmental agencies.

SPACES also includes fifty state files that detail information on the political organizations of each state, so as to facilitate the nomination of sites to historical landmark status, or to cut through the bureaucratic red tape when trying to save those that are imperiled.

What else is included in SPACES Archives?

Founding Director Rosen viewed art creation in a holistic way, realizing that extemporaneous individual acts of aesthetic and cultural manifestation were not only universal, but also almost universally unrecorded in a consistent manner. To that end, SPACES Archives include documentation on such themes as decorated motor vehicles, demonstrations, gardens, graffiti, murals, neon, parades, signage, tattoos, yard art, and others.

Collections Updates

SPACES continues to actively collect all kinds of materials pertaining to art environments and self-taught art in order to keep the archives updated. If you have books, magazines, clippings, audio-visual materials, ephemera, or other materials that you would like to donate, please contact Director Jo Farb Hern´ndez at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .