Archiving Practices: Who, How, What, Where, When and Why?

Vivyan Yeo

Without the preservation of artwork or original documents, we would not have art history today. It is the act of amassing information, including artwork and exhibition images, sketches, administrative records, purchase notes and others, that help us understand the lives and work of individuals and communities. At a time of information overload, however, we may ask: what is the larger purpose of archiving? Who has the agency to choose the contents of an archive, and exactly who or what is worth remembering?

In this section, we ask four representatives of various archives to write about their experiences. First, artist and researcher Koh Nguang How shares how he built his one-man archive documenting Singapore art since 1999, and the ways his methods have changed with developments in technology. Artist and writer Bruce Quek writes about Independent Archive (IA) as a space for experimentation, and elaborates on its digital transformation since the passing of its founder, artist Lee Wen. Focusing on how women have tackled gender-based obstacles, the art collective Womanifesto sheds light on its latest project, the communityled Womanifesto Online Archive (WOA). Lastly, Lim Sheau Yun, Research Lead at Malaysian Design Archive, reflects on a collection of material that presents a counter-narrative to the government-led stories of Malaysia.

The following essays reveal archives as ever-changing entities, continually growing and adapting to circumstances. Whether they are managed by an individual or a collective, focused on a particular country or an underrepresented community, these archives are vital to identifying gaps in knowledge and providing a more comprehensive view of our material cultures.