The Possible and Impossible of Art Archives: The Experience of Theories in Asia

This book aims to fill the gap in existing literature regarding the research, juxtaposition, and focused discussion of Asian art archives. Most of the archives included in the book are independent archives initiated by individuals, private groups, or non-profit organizations. By examining these "alternative" archives, as well as the practices of artists and curators who apply their specific understanding of archives to their creations, one can trace the dynamics and self-generative capabilities within this particular historical and cultural context. The chapters in the book echo each other, as they capture shared experiences from different parts of Asia. These experiences may stem from encounters with Western archival concepts, the impact of colonial experiences, or the crisis of memory triggered by rapid media transformation, and can serve as a foundation for generating archival theories in/from Asia. This book provides an opportunity for archives in Asia and those working with archives to get to know each other, understand what their archival peers are doing, how they are doing it, and what else they can do.