Bukowski-Museum mission-statement

Creating a Museum
in the house of birth of
Charles Bukowski
in Andernach, Germany
(concept for 2010)
Floorplan of Bukowski's house of birth (ground-floor)
1 Wall-Chart: Bukowski and Andernach
2 Wall-Chart: In San Pedro (1979-1994)
3a Wall-Chart: The lost years (the 40s and early 50s)
3b Wall-Chart: Changes (the mid 50s and early 60s)
4 Wall-Chart: Success (the mid-60s and 70s)
5 Wall-Chart: Music and literature in the life of Bukowski
6 Show case with rarities and Original-exhibits
7 Show case with rarities and Original-exhibits
8 Multimedia-station
9 Multimedia-station
10 Big screen / monitor
11
12
13
14
Shelves with books and binders containing facsimiles of manuscripts, letters, etc
Shelves with books and binders containing facsimiles of manuscripts, letters, etc
Table with Xerox-machine/Scanner
Locked rack for items to store
15 public bar / sink etc.
16 Comfortable seating to read books/binders and watch videos, drink coffee and discuss
17 Comfortable seating to read books/binders and watch videos, drink coffee and discuss
MISSION STATEMENT
The Charles-Bukowski-Society wants to build a museum
dedicated to Charles Bukowski in his house of birth
in Andernach, Germany in 2010.
BACKGROUND (why and why now?)
"Bukowski's voice is one of the most original and important in modern American literature."
said Sue Hodson, the Huntington's curator of literary manuscripts in 2006, when Linda Bukowski,
the widow of the author, donated the literary estate to her institute. We totally agree.
The Charles-Bukowski-Society is an officially accredited NON-PROFIT-ORGANISATION (NPO) with the aim to
contribute to the memory, research, appreciation and spread of Charles Bukowski, the author and the man.
The city of Andernach, Germany, where he was born, is
supporting us on these efforts.
Ten years ago, we were able to realize a memorial-plate
on Bukowski's house of birth together with the Mayor and
the cultural-office of the city.
Now we aim higher and there is a reason for it:
th
Not only will there be Bukowski's 90 birthday in 2010,
which will gather a lot of public interest also in the media.
The possibilities to implement a museum in his house of
birth have never been better for a long time:
The house is fully renovated and the rooms on the
groundfloor are standing empty at the moment.
Also, the owners of the house, agree to give the rooms
for our purpose.
the memorial-plate on Bukowski's house of birth
But – time is running out: The owners of the house want to rent it as soon as possible. Though they like our
project, they said, if we aren't able to start implementing at the beginning of 2010 (which would make it possible to
open around August 16, 2010), they'd rent the rooms otherwise.
nd
This would mean, we won't get a 2
chance to go in there for years!
Even worse: one of the potential tenants would be a carnival-club. In Bukowski's house of birth!
BUKOWSKI-MUSEUM
preparative thoughts:
a) TARGET-GROUP
our target group is devided into 3 sub-cathegories:
- the general visitor of a literary museum (not specially interested in or informed
about Bukowski before the visit but generally interested in literature/culture/arts)
- the regular fan of Charles Bukowski (often not much interested in museums)
- the academic with interest in specific research
b) The Place
The place is a basement in Bukowski's house of birth (5-min-walk from the station,
10-min-walk to the city-centre). We will have three small rooms, all connected.
To only fill these small rooms with rare, one-of-a-kind-items and collectibles would
lead to people running around, gathering in front of some show-cases behind glass,
appreciatory nodding their heads – and leaving the place after 10 min.
We want them to stay. Here is, what we will have:
the content:
a) Show-offs (in show-cases behind glass)
- Signed, limited First-Editions
- Original Manuscripts / letters
- Original drawings / paintings by Bukowski
- Montfort-photographs and specials (e.g. The Big White Book, proofs, etc)
- Replica of the Bukowski-Bust (lent from the Montfort-estate)
- etc
b) Wall-Charts
these will be on the walls all over the place. Big. With information, pictures, details from
letters/manuscripts, etc. Possible structure:
- Bukowski and Andernach
- Childhood and youth
- The lost years (the 40s and early 50s)
- Changes (the mid 50s and early 60s)
- Success (the mid-60s and 70s)
- In San Pedro (1979-1994)
- Music and literature in the life of Charles Bukowski
c) Multimedia-Stations
these will play videos and audio-tracks from as many Bukowski-appearances as possible.
Video:
- Reading 1970 in Bellevue
- Reading 1973 in San Francisco
- Reading 1978 in Hamburg
- Reading 1979 in Vancouver
- Reading 1980 in Redondo Beach
- The 'Bukowski-Tapes' 1981-83
- Documentary 1974: Bukowski
- Documentary 1976: Bukowski in East-Hollywood
- Documentary 1978: It's good to be back
- Documentary I'm still here
- Documentary born into this
Audio:
- several private readings 1967 – 1969
- Reading 1973 in San Francisco
- Reading 1978 in Hamburg
- Reading 1980 in Redondo Beach
- Private Reading 1990 in San Pedro ('Run with the Hunted uncensored')
d) Big Screen/Monitor
showing silent scenes from the Bukowski-Videos in no particular order
e) Library
this will be the biggest and most complete Bukowski-library in Europe, suitable for the use
by general readers/fans as well as academical researchers. Contents:
- All available books by Bukowski in German
- All available books by Bukowski in English
- All available books on Bukowski in English/German (all secondary literature that is)
- Facsimile of letters, manuscripts, appearances in magazines etc. (we are aiming at copies of
the enormous collection of binders from Abel Debritto)
the setting:
a) working-places
tables where visitors can sit, write, make notes and consume the contents from the multimedia-stations. There should also be a Xerox /Scanner (to avoid 'vanishing' from our library).
b) comfortable seating
one of the important things will be, the opportunity to just sit in a relaxed way and easily read
through the Library. This will keep people interested and stay in the museum for hours.
Sofas (Couches), easy-chairs, coffeetables to put down books/binders as well as cups/glasses.
c) beverages
together with the need for comfort goes the possibility to drink something. We're not talking
about a fully stocked bar – we're talking about a minimum: One sort of coffee, tea, water, white
wine, red wine, beer will do. This requires a minimalistic kitchen (water, sink, etc) we can have
this at the place.
FINANCIALS
all prices listed below are only estimations. The currency would be EUR, to get an idea of the
USD-prices, you'd multiply by 1.5
Implementing
I. Inventory
single
total
1 Sofa
3 Easy-chairs
1 Coffeetable
1 Small Coffeetable
2 Workingtable
3 Chairs
1 High Shelf for Library
1 Middle-High Shelf for Library
4 wastebins
1 Table for Xeroxmachine/Scanner
1 Rack (lockable) for items to store
Clothing hooks
Doormat
500,300,250,50,150,100,350,200,20,100,500,20,50,-
500,900,250,50,300,300,350,200,80,100,500,20,50,-
II. Beverages
single
total
1 Refridgerator
1 Sink
1 Cashpoint
2 Senseo-Coffeemachines
Glasses, Cups, etc.
500,500,100,50,200,-
500,500,100,100,200,-
III. Elektric/Elektronic/Computer
single
total
1 Computer (incl. Software)
2 Multimedia-Stations
1 Xerox-copy-machine/Scanner
1 Mobilephone
1 Big-screen/monitor
Sound
Lighting
Web-site (implementation)
1.000,2.000,500,150,1.500,1.000,1.000,1.000,-
1.000,4.000,500,150,1.500,1.000,1.000,1.000,-
IV. Safety
single
total
Safety-bars on 5 windows
Safety-lock for door
700,600,-
3.500,600,-
V. Exhibits
single
total
5 Wall-Charts
Library (this price is only possible with donations)
Documents (original manuscripts, signed firsts, etc)
Audio/Video
300,2000,8000,3000,-
VI. Work on the building
1.500,2.000,8.000,3.000,-
5.000,-
_
TOTAL - Implementation
_
38.750,-
Annual Cost
monthly
annual
Rent (inkl. Nebenkosten)
salary for the keeper (ca. 4 h a day / 5 days a week)
Insurance
Travelling-Cost (20 x Bamberg – Andernach)
Marketing, PR
Communication
Web-site (administration)
500,1.000,-
6.000,12.000,1.500,5.000,4.000,960,150,-
80,-
_
TOTAL – per annum
_
29.610,-
_
_
TOTAL - Implementation and first 3 years
_
127.580,-
Compared to most museums out there, the amount of money we need is ridiculously low. Still – we don't have it.
The city of Andernach is able to give 10,000.- EUR and we may find sponsors for additional 20,000.- EUR only.
WE NEED YOU!!!
Of course, Bukowski does not NEED a museum – but he does DESERVE one.
Let's Do This!
Contact
CHARLES-BUKOWSKI-GESELLSCHAFT
c/o Roni
Am Sendelbach 17
96 050 Bamberg
(+49) 151 – 566 79 169
[email protected]