More Than a COA: Why Artists Must Document Their Own Legacy
Most artists today know the importance of a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). It’s often the first thing a buyer asks for—a signed document that says, yes, this is real, this is mine, this is worth something. But here’s the truth: a COA is just the beginning. It confirms that the work exists—but it doesn’t tell anyone why it matters.
For too many Black artists, the absence of documentation has been the difference between being collected and being forgotten. A lifetime of work—made with vision, discipline, and urgency—can vanish without a trace. Consider Charles White (1918–1979), whose studio-stored sketchbooks—filled with studies of Black labor, joy, and resistance—were nearly lost to time. Rescued by his family, they became the foundation for a landmark retrospective, proving that his iconic drawings (like ‘Harriet,’ 1972) were born from decades of iteration and insight. Without those pages, White’s legacy might have been flattened into obscurity. History has shown: the art world rarely goes looking for what it didn’t bother to see the first time.
Gideon (1951), Charles White.
Why Documentation Matters
Provenance isn’t just a luxury for blue-chip galleries and museum retrospectives. It’s what transforms an artwork from an object into an artifact. It’s how future curators, collectors, and scholars understand where a work came from, how it was made, and why it endures.
For Black artists, especially those working regionally or independently, self-documentation is a radical act of self-preservation. It is a way of saying: My story deserves to be told, and I’m not waiting for someone else to tell it.
What You Should Be Saving
You don’t need a degree in archiving. You just need a habit of care. Start small. Save what you already have:
High-resolution images of each finished work—front and back—with the date completed.
A record of sales, exhibitions, and collectors (if they permit their names to be listed).
Artist statements and bios from shows, even small ones.
Photos of your process, workspace, and tools—these will matter more than you think.
Notes, journals, or correspondence—they reveal the thinking behind the work.
Social media posts or newsletters that document your journey.
Pro Tip: Use free tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, or portfolio platforms (Artwork Archive, Behance) to organize files. For extra security, consider blockchain-based provenance services like Verisart for high-value works.
Go Beyond the COA
A COA says, “I made this.” But what if your archive could also say:
This was the year I was painting in my grandmother’s kitchen.
This series came out of a protest I attended.
This is the work I made when I almost quit—but didn’t.
Those stories breathe life into the object. They give curators something to interpret, collectors something to protect, and communities something to remember.
What the Museum Is Doing
At the Northeast Louisiana Delta African-American Heritage Museum, we don’t just exhibit art—we help artists shape legacy. Each work we present is framed not just visually, but contextually: through interviews, curatorial text, and placement within a broader historical and regional narrative.
Every exhibition becomes part of an artist’s living archive, and every story we help tell is a reminder that documentation matters. Our goal is to inspire more artists to begin that process themselves—intentionally, confidently, and without waiting for permission.
Your Story Is the Archive
Start your archive now. Build your record before someone else decides what’s worth remembering. Because they will ask one day. They’ll ask what you stood for, what your work meant, and where it all began. Let them find your voice already on the record.
Want help getting started?
Download our free Artist Legacy Checklist or reach out to the museum. We’re here to support artists in building their own legacies—because every brushstroke counts, and every story deserves to last.
