An Archive That Is Not An Archive from "Materials Lab" 2015

Editor: So, this is Fernanda Fragateiro’s "An Archive That Is Not An Archive" from the "Materials Lab" series, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s presented in a box, almost like a display case. The layering of images and paper gives it a sense of depth and mystery. What do you see in the composition of the artwork? Curator: Formally, the work employs a strategy of accumulation and repetition. Note the interplay between the photographic image above and the fragmented textual elements below. The artist seems interested in the materiality of information itself. Editor: Materiality of information? Curator: Observe the texture and the layering. The artist prompts us to consider how we engage with data visually and physically. This approach transforms the notion of the archive into something tangible. What does the framing suggest to you? Editor: That the work is very self-contained; every element is deliberate. I'm starting to see how the title challenges the traditional idea of an archive. Curator: Precisely. And Fragateiro invites us to rethink such structures.