In 'The archival Impulse', Foster quickly ensures and with sniper
like accuracy to identify that he is not compelled to assess the Van Ronkian
beginnings of histography but more so with its failed ambitions and projects as
point of departure form intellectualized linear progression to the notions of
artistic record keeping.(3)[1] In
order to outline the contemporary interest in such objectives foster presents
us with multiple artists as if to subtly make reference to the ‘movement’. A
smart witted underlying tongue in cheek gesture or maybe an over looked
difference in reading?
The reader is asked to
consider notions of the ‘archive’ in
a standard under standing as the simple cataloguing of historical information
in an organized and linear manner. Although as to quickly refute this Foster
brings our attention to notions of the readymade. Here though how ever a link
is made to the largest source of information currently available (from our
couch). The internet be the most readily accessed un-organized catalogue of
information available.[2]
Foster ensures to point out that ‘archival art
differs from database art’ and thus draws attention to the anthropological
notions of the museum.
Foster focuses his following
conversation under the two headlines of ‘Archive as Capitalist Garbage Bucket’ where by the work of Hirschhorn is discussed as
dedications to artists, writers and philosophers and one may draw a frustration
in the acceptance of free thought as it is noted he once functioned as a
communist. The second being ‘Archive
as Failed Futuristic Vision’ in which we are presented with the failed utopian
visions of modernity, a failure in the sense of the attempt to direct the ‘cannon’
that was ultimately self annihilating as it sought to sink thoughts into the
past.
Fosters
reading is effective and interesting the
readers linear understanding of archive. In dispelling these notion a thought
as to current modalities of archive are served up as a new and interesting form
of artistic practice.
[1] “But this relative disconnection from the present might be
a distinctive mode of connection to it: a "whatever" artistic culture
in keeping with
a "whatever" political culture.” An interesting notion if one takes
into account a current resurgence in the nihilist attitude as contemporary mode
of critical engagement with post-structuralisms ever watchful and critical eye.
It might be in saying ‘what ever’ that a critique of the notions of past
linearity are sought to be essentially re-written.
[2] I think it important here thought to
address the trending dangers in the use of such a largely authoured source, this in digital terms we could see this as a Tumblr-centric notion
where critical engagement is dispelled in favour of aesthetic appreciation and
thus re-authoring projecting a trajectory askew from original intentions.
Please take note that I refer here to the aesthetic manner of this and am not
unaware that the questionable nature of ‘truth’ is not one to be utilized and
thus critiqued.
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