Rethinking Art Collections and Archives

Can we find new ways of working with archives and collections? How to deal with problematic legacies that underpin many collections? How to creatively reshape historic archives through curatorial practices?

Through this course, participants will learn methods to research and curate exhibitions using art collections and archives, opening up new potentials for the field.

Starting with the history of archives and collections, participants will learn tools to critically engage with the politics of collecting and how to create enriching discussions with collected materials. In the following sessions, we will discover different methods that curators and artists have developed to work with archives and collections, including reparative research and community collaborations. In addition, participants will also learn about the role curators play in developing, and overseeing collections in institutional contexts.

To complement the inspiring case studies and discussions that take place in the online meetings, participants will receive readings and weekly reflection tasks. Over the duration of the course, participants will work on an overarching assignment that critically reflects on each week’s session.

By the end of the course, participants will have gained new skills and interpretive tools for working with collections and archives. The course will provide participants with confidence to critically engage with contemporary discourses around collected materials and their interpretation.

The course is aimed at art and culture practitioners in various contexts who have an interest in collections and archives. It would also be enriching for researchers, art historians and academics interested in the politics of collections and archives.