Amsterdam Tattoo Museum trouble?

[slayer9019]

So does anyone know what is going on with the Amsterdam Tattoo Museum? My instragram and facebook had the same message plastered all over it about them not being able to get into the museum, among other things.

Update: Found this article:

http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/entertainment/2012/11/hanky-panky-niet-welkom-in-eigen-museum

Translated version:

The uncrowned king tattoo Henk Schiffmacher is no longer welcome in his own museum. Hanky ​​Panky, as the pet name of the man born in Harderwijk, leave via his Facebook no longer know the museum to come.

Schiffmacher opened November 5, 2011 the museum. "We have a partnership, but not as jammed as we thought. After almost a year of fighting, we got our own museum this morning and is no longer in our collection confiscated. We're doing everything we can," says the message.

Hanky ​​Panky calls through its page on them to fight through the message parts. To be continued ...

UPDATE The monkey is out of the bag. Schiffmacher worked with Partners at Work, a reintegration company invested in the construction of the museum in exchange for providing employment for people who have been long-term unemployed. According Schiffmacher has owned the company for months staff are not paid and the minds this week rose to a boiling point.

Schiffmacher considering legal action. "I'm afraid I can not help."

ALSO: http://www.destentor.nl/nieuws/algemeen/show/12070018/Henk-Schiffmacher-mag-eigen-Tattoo-Museum-niet-meer-in.ece

The tattoo king worked with Partners in the Work, of whom 1.5 million received in exchange for providing employment for people who have been long-term unemployed.

According Schiffmacher has owned the company for months staff are not paid and the minds this week rose to a boiling point.

Museum

The Amsterdam Tattoo Museum opened in early November last year, the doors to the Plantage Middenlaan in three monumental buildings. This Schiffmacher accomplished his dream. The objects in the museum were almost all from his own collection.

"I live in a Jiskefetsituatie, become continuous lured out of my tent. But it is a work of art which I started and I want to finish it. Though we must conquer it all together.'' Schiffmacher considering legal action." I fear I nothing else can.''

Tattoo Museum Wordpress: http://tattoomuseum.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/save-the-atm/

Comrades at arms!

It is been overwhelming, we’re blown away by the enormous support we’ve had the last 24 hours. Never before in my whole history as a tattoo artist I’ve come across such an enormous exposion of positive energy. Reactions worldwide, tweets and retweets, pictures on instagram, posts on facebook, etc. It’s a though fight, but we’re in to win this.

Again today we were denied access to our museum. Locks have been changed, negotiations with the police to get personal matters like tattoo machines were neccesary. A tidal wave of local and national press were served all day. Negotiations with landlords, lawyers and businessmen took place. Do not despair my friend. We will fight this with success. Stay tuned!

Ps. lawsuit is about 1,5 million of euros and has no ground at all. Come see us december 8th. Help us fight for our art, fight for our history, fight for our future, fight for our museum!

How can you help us?

- First of all, keep spreading the word!

- Make a donation on paypal, big or smal ([email protected])

- Make a tattoo for the museum, donate, take a picture and participate in the 1000 tattoos for the Amsterdam Tattoo Museum competition

- Sing a song on Youtube

- Make a ‘save the ATM’ t-shirt

- Bake cookies

- Throw a party

- Become a member of the Blue Bone Society

- Put us in your will

- Sell your body

- Throw us a gig

- Rob a bank

- Organize an auction

- Participate in the December 2nd worldwide Tattoos for History day in participation with www.tattooplatform.nl

Keep up the fight!

[else]

I read through all of that but I can't say that I really understand what is going on...

Can someone break it down for me?

[David Flores]

I don't think anyone really knows at this point and we won't until Henk breaks it down for us.

[Dan S]

Looks like standard stuff for the Eurozone. I've read through all the news releases I could find in the local press, and this is what I got out of it.

The museum, i.e. Hank, got work done by the company, Partners aan het Werk, and for whatever reason, their employees were not paid. Partners aan het Werk has filed suit against Hank, claiming he owes around 1.5m Euro (about 2 million USD), and has locked him out.

Partners aan het Werk is a program designed to teach unemployed workers more marketable skills in the construction and mechanical trades. They typically invest their own money to get projects rolling, much of which come from the government, and then take a payback, if possible, out of operating profits. Usually, whoever they are working for is responsible for the payroll of the workers.

Gonna be hard to fight city hall on this one.

UPDATING

Found some more local news, and it throws a slightly different spin on things.

Apparently there was money, like grant money, obtained to get the museum going. The funding and budget has been handled by Jeanette Seret of Partners aan het Werk. She claims that the rent, utilities, and other neccessities had to be paid before any payments could be made to the "employees", but the article isn't clear if by "employee" she means the Partners aan het Werk workers, or the people running the museum. I would guess she means the people running the museum, cause if you had a program for the unemployed and didn't pay them, the local Big Brother would have your ass in a heartbeat.

[Jennifer Stell]

This is none of our business... Unless you donated something to the museum, then maybe yeah... But from what I deduce from the press, by using two different translators, and one good fluent friend...

They being, the "grant money lender(s)" have done the usual last resort, and taken possession of any and all property in an effort to freeze the assets until money or other collateral has been levied, in order to make up for someone taking a large sum of grant money, and not doing what they said they were... If they were supposed to be doing unemployment outreach (where a contract is usually signed), and instead blew the funds on something else, they are up a shit creek without a paddle. It doesn't matter who was wrong or right, the goverment is straight pissed, they never give money away, and when it comes back to bite them in the ass, you better be sure they are gonna come after whatever the hell else they can. God I hope they release a statement that's not social media fluff... this could be bad...

I wish I could say more, but... Seriously none of our business to know what exactly is going on, just be supportive... that's all.

[Avery Taylor]

Whatever is going on it is a real fucking mess. I hope that whatever it is that the collection does not fall into some crazy mess of litigation, and end up in a government basement or worse.

[slayer9019]

Whatever is going on it is a real fucking mess. I hope that whatever it is that the collection does not fall into some crazy mess of litigation' date=' and end up in a government basement or worse.[/quote']

This is what I am afraid of. Nothing is worse than history ending up ruined or in some basement

[Johannes]

basement...yeah here in my hometown the museum has tatuerar-kalle's(old swedish tattooer, 1910-1920's...yeah early..)old machines, flash, colors, everything! but in the museum they show off 2 machines and some flash...kinda sucks when you know they have alot of stuff hidden in the basement!

[slayer9019]

basement...yeah here in my hometown the museum has tatuerar-kalle's(old swedish tattooer, 1910-1920's...yeah early..)old machines, flash, colors, everything! but in the museum they show off 2 machines and some flash...kinda sucks when you know they have alot of stuff hidden in the basement!

I know a lot of (I think all) museums do this. Usually they keep stuff in the back to be able to prep it before display, "themeing" displays, no room, and generally so they can have "fresh" stuff on rotation to keep people coming back. The Smithsonian (and other places) only keep 1-3% of their stuff on display at a time.

[David Flores]

Just in case anyone was wondering or didn't read this.

Dear readers,

First of all thanks again for all the support! We can’t thank you enough!

A lot of people are asking questions about the situation at the moment. The story is so complicated I can imagine it’s not really clear if you’re not in it as we are. It’s not even clear to ourselves actually… I will try to explain it as clearly as possible in this blog.

Most of you probably don’t know me. I studied cultural heritage and started working at the museum 1,5 year ago, a few months before the opening. I primarily joined because I love what Henk is doing as a collector. There are not many people that have such passion for collecting as he has, these days.

Henk spent a few years searching for a museum to take care of his collection. Curators and experts told him the collection had the most value if it stayed together. That’s when he started thinking about building a tattoo museum again. He met a reintegration company that was looking for working places. They had some money to invest, Henk had his collection, and so the idea of a cooperation was born. This company would pay the rent for the first 10 years and the museum offered working places to people who are fundamentally separated from the working community. Due to a lack of time and in good trust we started building the museum without putting any of these agreements in a contract.

Part of the agreement was that the foundation Amsterdam Tattoo Museum was going to pay for departments like promotion, events, exhibitions, etc. But as long as there wasn’t a signed contract al the revenue went to “Partners aan het werk” (the reintegration company). And also the invoices because the museum was already up and running and you can’t have a museum without promotion, events and exhibitions.

But during the short time the companies were working together it became clear there was somewhat of a cultural difference. Something simple as replacing a lightbulb became a bureaucratic process. And as you can imagine this is not really how Henk was used to work. I’m not saying the lightbulb caused the problems, but it might have something to do with it ;) Henk might have had a bad temper now and then, but I know this was always from his passion for the museum.

Small discussions turned into bigger ones and the fact that there still wasn’t a solid contract didn’t help either. In the meantime board members left, some just gave up because of the nasty negotiations, personal accusations. This was not what they signed up for. The board members leaving slowed down the process and the whole negotiation thing turned in a vicious circle. In the meantime the Dutch politics changed and less money went to commercial reintegration companies, so also to “Partners aan het werk”. These changes hit the company hard, salaries were payed later every month. From the perspective what’s best for the collection the new board of the foundation Amsterdam Tattoo Museum decided to end the cooperation with Partners aan het werk. The unpleasant way the meetings went had a lot to do with this decision. There just were too many accusations and disagreements.

Then everything went really fast. One day we where negotiating with “Partners aan het werk” and the landlord (the building is rented by “Partners aan het werk”) and the other day we received a letter that told us we were all banned from the building: Henk, Louise, his kids, the board and his employees. The letter also said we were given 14 days to get our collection out. We were surprised by this development and decided not just to give up. We see the design of the museum as an artwork on its own that Henk made and don’t want to just give this piece of art away.

We tried to get the art we lent from Sailor Jerry out, because the owners don’t trust the art to be save in there without Henk around, but the answer was no. So much for them telling us to get our collection out…

What’s happening next? I don’t know. The most important is to get our collection back. We hope we can stay at the Plantage Middenlaan but there is a chance we have to look for a new building. One thing is sure: we need money. For starting up -again- in our old building. Or to build a new museum somewhere else in Amsterdam.

I know one thing for sure: we can do this. I’ve never seen something like this before, the support is overwhelming. Tattoo and art lovers got together and are ready to fight for what is ours. Even without a clear plan we already received a lot of donations. There are some events organized: auctions, tattooing, benefit events. I tried to make a complete list here, if you miss something or organizing an event to raise some money yourself email me and I’ll add it to the list.

Thank you all so much for everything, all the support, donations & offered help.

Hope to welcome you all soon in our museum.

Tessa

[MsRad]

I know a lot of (I think all) museums do this. Usually they keep stuff in the back to be able to prep it before display, "themeing" displays, no room, and generally so they can have "fresh" stuff on rotation to keep people coming back. The Smithsonian (and other places) only keep 1-3% of their stuff on display at a time.

This is absolutely the truth (and standard practice). Ideas are there to collect and to preserve, and educate and represent communities in that process. Having worked at a museum for an extended period of time, I can say first hand that this is the case.

I'm kind of surprised to see that not more is being said about this situation on here. On the one hand, Jennifer Stell is right, it isn't our business. On the other hand though, there's so much cultural and historical value to Henk's collection. I guess I just feel really bummed out about the whole thing (and apparently I don't have much else of value to really add to this conversation either I suppose).

[Brock Varty]

i don't know anyone who knows exactly what the problem is. If I knew, I wouldnt hesitate to send some funds along the way. Anyone have a source that clearly explains exactly what is happening?

[Doesy]

From what I understand, these partners (investors if you will), had written in the original contract that they would get a return at least equal to what they originally invested in the museum after 12 months of operation, this amount of money wasn't reached after the first 12 months of the museum operation and now they've seized Henk's collection.

It's total crap, they have no idea what this collection means to tattoo history, not just Mokum history but the WHOLE WORLD. The world tattoo community needs to band together and get behind Henk and the ATM because we truely cannot afford to lose this collection.

[slayer9019]

From what I understand, these partners (investors if you will), had written in the original contract that they would get a return at least equal to what they originally invested in the museum after 12 months of operation, this amount of money wasn't reached after the first 12 months of the museum operation and now they've seized Henk's collection.

It's total crap, they have no idea what this collection means to tattoo history, not just Mokum history but the WHOLE WORLD. The world tattoo community needs to band together and get behind Henk and the ATM because we truely cannot afford to lose this collection.

Yea again I reiterate I do not want to loose the history in that museum. I threw some money in the pot to get stuff moving, regardless of politics.

Money can be lost but not history. That shit is irreplaceable

[mrmolders]

There is/was a message from Henk Schiffmacher on TAM.

TAM EXCLUSIVE: Henk Schiffmacher Talks About Amsterdam Tattoo Museum Crisis (VIDEO) « TAM Blog

[SStu]

I too wonder who's really at fault with this. These situations can usually be attributed to a variety of reasons/events/actions taken by both sides. I don't think the vast majority of us will ever "know", but I've sent a donation just on the weight of which and how many major tattoo artists have joined in the fight to keep this all alive . . .