Anyone leaving the Groninger Museum has actually only seen a fraction of all the works of art. Most of it is in the warehouse, closed to the public and far from the inhabited world. Kunstspot was given exclusive access to the secret treasure chambers of the Groninger Museum for an interview with warehouse manager Marlon Steensma about her profession. "I have a forklift licence, which is a must here."
HOW SECRET IS THIS WAREHOUSE ANYWAY?
“In principle, the address of the warehouse is confidential. We don't receive any mail here, and when we receive packages, it usually doesn't say that this is the Groninger Museum's warehouse.”
MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT THE GOLDEN TOWER AT THE MUSEUM IS YOUR WAREHOUSE, BUT THAT’S NOT TRUE.
“Yes, it was there at first, but not anymore. We only have works that need to be there very temporarily. In the tower are just workshops and offices. One floor is filled with building materials, such as pedestals that still need to be painted. It doesn't seem responsible to store art there.”
WHAT DO YOU KEEP IN HERE?
“Here are about 65 to 70 thousand objects. Our collection is very broad and diverse. We have old masters like Van Gogh, a print collection, ceramics, but also beer glasses. Each object needs different care. For instance, iron objects need a drier space to prevent rust. The sculptures, signs and bicycles are here, for example."
"The collection doesn't lie around here gathering dust; it is actually used." Marlon Steensma
WHAT DO YOU DO AS WAREHOUSE MANAGER?
"My range of duties is very broad. I'm involved in everything to do with the collection, from conserving artworks and welcoming people to updating the museum inventory project. I also look at what we lend and what comes in for exhibits. We are going to have a very nice exhibit on Rodin at the end of this year.”
“I have a forklift licence, which is a must here. We packed a lot into crates and they're really heavy, so you have to use some kind of forklift or other equipment. I really enjoy driving a forklift. It's a change of pace: you start using your brain differently for a while. Instead of sitting hunched over a print, you can haul a crate for a bit.”
"When you work in a warehouse, you are physically working with the art, such as packing, condition checks, logistical work, transport and research. You always have the works of art at hand. The collection doesn't lie around here gathering dust; it is actually used. Not just by our employees, but also by external parties. Someone from Japan, for example, is now spending a year researching our Asian ceramics collection. These types of people are always really welcome here.”
HOW DID YOU END UP HERE?
“Actually, I trained as a museum curator. After the bachelor's degree in art history, I did the master's in curatorial studies. In 2012 I did my internship here, and after that I stayed on as a volunteer. A year and a half ago my predecessor retired and I was moved up. It just worked out that way; it was lucky for me. It's the kind of thing you have to rely on in this world sometimes.”
WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MUCH ART IN YOUR HANDS EVERY DAY, DOES ANYTHING EVER GO WRONG?
“The worst thing that has happened to me is that I have dropped a frame. It was a pricey frame, a very old frame with plaster ornaments. You feel very responsible of course, so it's not so great when this happens to you. You don’t sleep well for a while.”
WHAT ART IN THE WAREHOUSE MAKES YOU HAPPY?
“The art that we didn't get to in art history is what I actually like, the small and unknown art. We have African prayer cards here; I came across them the other day and thought they were so cute. They will probably never be loaned out, and they may never come out of storage. No one cares, but if I happen to be working on the records and I come across this, I think, ‘Oh!’ It's a new discovery. Wonderful.”