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An Archival Impulse

Summary

Start Date

May 28, 2011

End Date

June 24, 2011

Venue

Plimsoll Gallery, Hunter St

RSVP / Contact Information

Archival Impulse

Exhibition dates: 28 May – 24 June
Opening: 5.30pm, Friday 27 May
Artists: Brook Andrew, Gerrard Dixon, Ross Gibson & Kate Richards, Susan Hiller (UK), Vid Ingelevics (Canada), Jacob Leary, Nancy Mauro-Flude, Milan Milojevic, Elisabeth Redmond and Claudia Terstappen.
Curators: Dr Brigita Ozolins, Dr Ruth Frost and Elisabeth Redmond

An archival impulse has been inspired by Hal Foster’s 2004 essay of the same title. Foster identifies the presence of a distinct archival impulse in contemporary art and argues that the way a number of artists have used historical material in recent years reflects a desire ‘to connect what cannot be connected’. Informed by the work of artists such as Richter, Kabakov, Moffatt and Boltanksi, An Archival Impulse features artists that use both public and private archival material to explore themes that include history, memory, truth, identity, hybridity and the everyday. While the selected artists use a diverse range of media and approaches, collectively their work reflects a deep sense of longing for connection with the archival material that forms the basis of their practice. 

An archival impulse will feature Tasmanian, national and international artists working with photography, video, printmaking and installation. 

Image: Brook Andrew, 8 months of war, 2010

An Archival Impulse Catalogue (PDF 3.2MB)