http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2013/01/22/navegante/1358851349.html
On the Virtues of Preexisting Material | Contents Magazine
http://contentsmagazine.com/articles/on-the-virtues-of-preexisting-material/
Contents MagazineEXPLORE
On the Virtues of Preexisting Material
by Rick Prelinger for Issue № 5
Since symbolic representation got traction and rendered itself permanent, we’ve had to live in an appropriated world. And for much of that time people have tugged back and forth on chains of origin and derivation. Sometimes appropriation is in vogue, other times and places it’s devalued. Now that everyone is an artist and many of us are skilled media technicians as well (or was that the other way round?), we see a lot more cultural Lego—especially in the past forty years, and appropriation has become a mainstream strategy.(We are very pleased to present a revised and expanded edition of this essay, which has been evolving online and in talks since at least 2007. Our interview with Rick Prelinger and Megan Shaw Prelinger may serve as a useful introduction. —ed.)For those of us who fought to make borrowing legitimate, it might be time to declare victory and bring the troops home. More seriously, it might be time to think about where we are, or infinitely more interesting, where we might want to go.What I want to do is try to explain why making work with preexisting materials is more interesting than making work with materials that seem newer. And at the same time, I want to look critically at some ways we think, and that I have thought, about appropriation. I’ll begin with my manifesto, which goes like this:Why add to the population of orphaned works?Don’t presume that new work improves on oldHonor our ancestors by recycling their wisdomThe ideology of originality is arrogant and wastefulDregs are the sweetest drinkAnd leftovers were spared for a reasonActors don’t get a fair shake the first time around, let’s give them anotherThe pleasure of recognition warms us on cold nights and cools us in hot summersWe approach the future by typically roundabout meansWe hope the future is listening, and the past hopes we are tooWhat’s gone is irretrievable, but might also predict the futureAccess to what’s already happened is cheaper than access to what’s happening nowArchives are justified by useMake a quilt not an advertisementNo one loves manifestos more than their writers, which means that they often require interpretation and maybe even translation into real-world language. So what I’m going to do is take my 14 points and expand them into ideas. Some of these might sound trendy, but I think they’re actually traditional—they’ve been in and around the culture for a long time. Sigue leyendo «On the Virtues of Preexisting Material | Contents Magazine»
Opinion: The shame in (re)naming | Opinion | Columnists | Mail & Guardian
http://mg.co.za/article/2013-01-30-00-mpho-moshe-matheolane/
What’s in a name? A whole lot or very little, depending on how you look at it. In the same light one could ask: what’s in the changing of a name, and the answer would more or less the same. Usually the idea behind changing a name is closely associated with the intention of changing identity or at least modifying it for whatever purpose the user has in mind.It need not be a drastic change but the symbolism of the act often conjures a belief that «here begins a new path, a new beginning with the slate wiped clean», so to speak. But it’s not always the case of course; or as the saying goes, a leopard does not change its spots.A few days ago Supra Mahumapelo, the ANC’s North West chairperson, informed us that the ANC was considering changing the name of the North West province to something other than a direction on the map. With certain glibness, Mahumapelo went on to add that a possible candidate for an alternative name could perhaps be found in the late ANC and Communist Party stalwart, Moses Kotane.Supra, for his efforts, omitted to give an exposition of just how much of a pretty penny this whole vanity fair might cost, should it indeed come to fruition. What we know, or at least ought to know, is that there is already a municipality just outside Rustenburg named after Kotane, so why use his name again?Perhaps there is some kind of tender opportunity afoot and the North West cadres are simply exploring ways of cashing in. This is pure speculation of course but one cannot help but wonder how the changing of the name of a province to the name of a person can be anything close to a great idea.Management of the North West for one is in disarray. Ravaged by rampant corruption, from Brits to Mafikeng, its supposed public officials are outdoing themselves and surely Kotane, wherever his soul resides, would turn down such name-tarnishing prospects.But let us get back to the matter of name changes in general.In South Africa, since the dawn of democracy, the proposal and eventual implementation of name changes has been one of our more continuously distracting discourses. The new democratic, ANC-led government, sought to rewrite history as the victors – as could’ve been expected – while the vanquished minority looked on, complaining about how their heritage and history were in danger of being erased.Despite this, a lot and very little has changed since then. Mention the name of, say Pretoria, and see what happens. Insanity takes residence in the exchanges that arise. The claim of heritage by the minority gets bandied about as if the land where the city now known as Pretoria was nothing more than terra nullius when it was «founded».Now there is nothing wrong with a name change here and there, lord knows there are still some places in South Africa with names that do not elicit the greatest belief that this country has truly moved on from the mind-set of apartheid. In Centurion, the man dubbed apartheid’s architect, Hendrik Verwoerd, still enjoys pride of place with a road name after him. While somewhere in the Free State you will find Kaffirskop.Of course the argument that name changes are a waste of state funds does have weight, but it is disingenuous for anyone to believe that South Africa could have made the transition to democracy without any tangible proof.Our very own country is named a geographic location, so yes; we have the North West, Eastern, Western and Northern Cape – ridiculous as these names are.As ridiculous as geographic locations or names such as these are, I could personally do with these names for a little longer while our government figures out what it means to continue bringing about authentic change to the lives of ordinary South Africans.This is not to say that much has not been achieved since 1994 but when roads fall apart and stay that way, blatant lies are told about public works department’s projects and an aversion to any form of criticism of government become the order of the day, one cannot help but get a sense that name changes are the very least of our worries.
“The Secret Life of the Counterarchive: Queer Artists and their Archives”
http://www.utexas.edu/cola/insts/humanitiesinstitute/news/6127
“The Secret Life of the Counterarchive: Queer Artists and their Archives” January 30, 2013, 7:00 pm, in Avaya Auditorium The Humanities Institute continues its lecture series on the theme “Public and Private” with a talk by cultural studies scholar Ann Cvetkovich. Dr. Cvetkovich’s talk addresses the current state of LGBTQ archives and the creative use of these archives by artists to create counterarchives and interventions in public history. Discussion will follow. Dr. Cvetkovich teaches in the English Department at the University of Texas, where she is the Ellen Clayton Garwood Centennial Professor. She also holds an appointment in Women’s and Gender Studies. She is the author of numerous publications, including Mixed Feelings: Feminism, Mass Culture, and Victorian Sensationalism (Rutgers 1992) and An Archive of Feelings: Trauma, Sexuality, and Lesbian Public Cultures (Duke 2003). Her most recent book is Depression: A Public Feeling (Duke 2012). She has been coeditor, with Annamarie Jagose, of GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies. Her work has been recognized by many grants and honors, including a Rockefeller Fellowship from Columbia University, the Gilbert Teaching Award and Contributor of the Year Award from the University of Texas Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, and the University of Texas College Research Fellowship. She was also the co-Principal Investigator for the Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Grant received by the University of Texas. Post-9/11, Dr. Cvetkovich organized the Public Feelings research group. Dedicated to the exploration of the role of feelings in public life and the effort to give feminist perspectives wider impact, the interdisciplinary group includes scholars from the University of Texas and other institutions Dr. Cvetkovich’s lecture will take place in the Avaya Auditorium, ACE 2.302. The ACE building is located on the Southeast corner of Speedway and 24th Street. Parking is available in the nearby garage at 24th and San Jacinto. It is free and open to the public. Click here to read a Chronicle article on Dr. Cvetkovich and her new book Depression: A Public Feeling. back
Jan 30
“The Secret Life of the Counterarchive: Queer Artists and their Archives”
This event is free and open to the public. The lecture will take place in the Avaya Auditorium, ACE 2.302. The ACE building is located on the Southeast corner of Speedway and 24th Street. Parking is available in the nearby garage at 24th and San Jacinto; please call for arrangments for disabled parking.
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Recovering Archive Cultures Materials. Bulletin 2. Masonic and Theosophical Photographs from the Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Española (AGGCE – General Archive of the Spanish Civil War)
This text was originally published as an introduction to the inventory of the collection from the General Archive of the Spanish Civil War, Salamanca. Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
Blanca Desantes Fernández
The series of Masonic photographs collected within the AGGCE, though not very large in number, is extremely interesting and significant from a historical, artistic and technical point of view. Chronologically they are documents from the last third of the 19th and first third of the 20th centuries, up until the end of the Civil War. The photographs total 625 paper positives and three flexible negatives on cellulose nitrate.
The Masonic photographs formed part of the documentation seized by the Delegación Nacional de Servicios Documentales (National Records Office) as part of records of Halls, Chapters, Lodges, theosophical organisations and private homes. All this documentation was dealt with by the police of the Sección Especial o Masónica (Special or Masonic Section), under the jurisdiction of the Delegación, which set up personal or thematic files (Series A and B, and the Theosophical Series) in order to aid in purges carried out on members of the Brotherhood. In 1998 it was decided that the photographs from the police files should be removed in order to preserve them, thereby creating this artificial series or collection which was suitably stored in envelopes and special boxes.
From the historical point of view, it is a unique graphic testament to the development of the history of the Freemasonry and the theosophical movement within Spain from the last years of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century. Masonic documentation suffered a systematic process of destruction by the Franco regime and by the Association members themselves many of whom destroyed all documentary evidence of their membership in order to avoid being called before the Tribunal Especial para la Represión de la Masonería y el Comunismo (The Special Tribunal for the Repression of Freemasonry and Communism). This Tribunal carried out the systematic purging of Masonic Houses and created almost 65,000 detailed reports.
It is no exaggeration to claim that it is the most complete collection of Masonic photographs in Spain. In many cases they depict ritual meetings, banquets, funeral meetings, assemblies, ceremonies and Lodges and Halls.
In others, the iconic content of the photographs depicts the Mason dressed up in sashes, aprons and jewels denoting his Masonic position and responsibility within the section dignidades y oficiales (ranks and officers) of the Hall.
The series is then, without a doubt of great importance for the study of the complex Masonic symbolism, not only in terms of its clothes and adornments (aprons, sashes, collars and jewels) but also its Temples (pendants and décor of the Halls themselves), allegories, signs and gestures.
There are also a number of extraordinary photographs of the Masonic Temples; portraits of renowned free-thinkers and Masons; individual or group portraits, often showing traces that they were displayed within the Houses. There are also documents of women which could shed light onto female Freemasonry both mixed and restricted to logias de Adopción (Adoption Lodges). There are also portraits of children or lowetones. There are also photographs of particular interest which were sent by Masons, Lodges or Orders from other countries overseas, especially from the Philippines, possibly as part of institutional relations and brotherhoods (guarantees of peace and friendship) which frequently formed part of Masonic development.
Therefore, the importance of the photographs presented here are not only limited to Spain but also to graphic documents from other countries. International Masonic associations, their meetings and congresses on a supranational level, are also included within the collection.
At the same time, the series includes portraits of high technical and artistic quality of individuals and groups taken at photographic studios. Others capture important moments in the life of a House taken by “amateurs” to be used as an internal record within the Lodge or Hall.
There are also a number of normal “family” photographs seized by the police, showing relatives, outings, friendly get-togethers, professional life etc. The artistic or technical value of these photographs is not as important as their documentary, social significance, revealing the private side of a comfortable bourgeoisie or middle class.
It is also important to highlight the 138 theosophical photographs which bring us closer to the prohombres (leaders) and women of Theosophy and the Occult (Krishnamurti, Helena Petrona Blavasky etc.) as well as organisations such as the Order of the Star of the East. There are several photographs dedicated to Manuel Treviño and Fernando Lozano, many tarjeta postal (postage stamp) sized. In some cases there are records of organisations of Librepensamiento (Freethinkers) such as the Dominicales.
From a historical point of view, the photographic series has an added interest. It documents the history of Franco’s repression on such groups both during and after the Spanish Civil War. The photographs crudely reveal the police work carried out by the Records Office, as well as the stamps from the departments which seized the photographs, entry stamps from the Delegación, notes identifying the individuals depicted for later use by the Tribunals etc. We can really see it as a re-creation by the police authorities of the original photographic documentation.
If we analyse the series in terms of the technical dimension we can underline a number of photographic processes: albumen paper; directing blackening by gelatin and collodion ; matt collodion toned by gold and platinum; chemically developed gelatin; chemically developed gelatin toned with sulphur etc.
The majority of the images are in black and white (B/N) but there are some illuminated and colour photographs. There are also a number of photo-montages, retouched in the negative or positive and tinting which is difficult to identify. Sigue leyendo «Recovering Archive Cultures Materials. Bulletin 2. Masonic and Theosophical Photographs from the Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Española (AGGCE – General Archive of the Spanish Civil War)»
Recovering Archive Cultures Materials. Bulletin 2. The National Museum of Anthropology and Archive Cultures project
Mª Dolores Adellac
Museo Nacional de Antropología
In the last third of the 19th century, photography aroused a great deal of interest among the general public as the only means to satisfy its growing interest in other cultures and peoples. However, the value of photography was most appreciated within scientific circles, since it offered insights into others – different peoples, especially those who lived beyond our frontiers.
The significance of photography led to the publication of manuals which contained series of guidelines on how pictures should be taken, especially in terms of
The concern that the widest range possible of photographs should be gathered led to the compiling of so-called ethnographic albums which referred to a particular country or expedition, or which put together all known references together.
This demand led to the Berliner Gesellschaft für Anthropologie, Ethnologie und Urgeschichte (Society for Anthropology, Ethnology and Prehistory of Berlin) , to call upon Carl Dammann to compile an album for the dissemination of such images to meet growing demand. Sigue leyendo «Recovering Archive Cultures Materials. Bulletin 2. The National Museum of Anthropology and Archive Cultures project»
Recuperando materiales de Culturas de archivo. Bolletín 2
Fotografías de origen másonico y teosófico en el Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Española
Texto publicado originalmente como introducción al inventario de la colección ubicada en el Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Española, Salamanca. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte.
Blanca Desantes Fernández
La serie de fotografías masónicas conservadas en el AGGCE no es muy abundante en número, pero sí interesante e importante desde el punto de vista histórico, artístico y técnico. Cronológicamente son documentos fotográficos realizados en el último tercio del siglo XIX y primer tercio del siglo XX, hasta el final de la contienda civil. El volumen total de fotografías es de 625 positivos en papel y tres negativos flexibles en nitrato de celulosa.
Las fotografías masónicas formaban parte de la documentación incautada por la Delegación Nacional de Servicios Documentales, en el ejercicio de sus funciones, a Obediencias, Capítulos, Logias, organismos teosóficos y domicilios particulares. Toda esta documentación fue tratada policialmente por la Sección Especial o Masónica, dependiente del mencionado organismo, que elaboraron expedientes personales o temáticos (formando las Series A y B, y la Serie de Teosofía) a fin de facilitar la depuración de miembros pertenecientes a la fraternidad. En 1998 se decidió extraer las fotografías de los expedientes policiales por motivos de conservación, formando una serie facticia o colección, que fue instalada adecuadamente en sobres y cajas especiales.
Desde el punto de vista histórico, es un testimonio gráfico único del desarrollo de la masonería histórica y del movimiento teosófico de nuestro país desde finales del siglo XIX y principios del siglo XX, hasta el final de la contienda civil. La documentación masónica sufrió una labor sistemática de destrucción por parte del Régimen de Franco, y por los propios miembros de la Asociación, que suprimieron en muchos casos cualquier prueba documental de su pertenencia a la misma a fin de evitar ser juzgados por el Tribunal Especial para la Represión de la Masonería y el Comunismo. Este Tribunal llevó a cabo una tarea sistemática de depuración de los miembros de los Talleres masónicos, que se concreta en cerca de 65.000 expedientes instruídos. Sigue leyendo «Recuperando materiales de Culturas de archivo. Bolletín 2»
Recuperando Materiales de Culturas de archivo. Bolletín 2
El Museo Nacional de Antropología en Culturas de archivo
Mª Dolores Adellac
Museo Nacional de Antropología
En el último tercio del siglo XIX la fotografía comienza a despertar el interés de un público general como único medio de satisfacer una curiosidad creciente ante otros pueblos y culturas. Ahora bien, donde realmente se aprecia su valor es en los círculos científicos pues la fotografía ofrece la posibilidad de acceder al conocimiento de los otros, de los diferentes pueblos, principalmente de aquellos que se encuentran más allá de nuestras fronteras.
La importancia que adquiere esta técnica, hace que empiecen a editarse manuales con una serie de normas acerca de cómo se deben realizar este tipo de fotografías, sobre todo en función de los estudios antropológicos, el objetivo es facilitar el trabajo de los posibles estudiosos de los otros pueblos. Esto es debido a que las primeras fotografías antropológicas no fueron hechas por antropólogos, sino por otro tipo de observadores como fotógrafos,
La inquietud por recopilar el mayor número de imágenes conlleva la edición de los denominados álbumes etnográficos que hacen referencia a un país, a un viaje o a un conjunto de todo ello.
Ese deseo de recopilación lleva a la Berliner Gesellschaft für Anthropologie, Ethnologie und Urgeschichte (Sociedad de Antropología, Etnología y Prehistoria de Berlin), a encargar a Carl Dammann la realización de un álbum en un intento de difundir este tipo de imágenes por Alemania y fomentar la curiosidad naciente.
Sigue leyendo «Recuperando Materiales de Culturas de archivo. Bolletín 2»
Islamist rebels torch SA-funded Timbuktu manuscript library: mayor – Times LIVE
Islamist fighters fleeing Mali’s ancient Saharan city of Timbuktu as French and Malian troops closed in set fire to a South African-funded library there containing thousands of priceless manuscripts, the city’s mayor said on Monday.
«The rebels sit fire to the newly-constructed Ahmed Baba Institute built by the South Africans … this happened four days ago,» Halle Ousmane told Reuters by telephone from Bamako. He said he had received the information from his chief of communications who had travelled south from the city a day ago.Ousmane was not able to immediately say how much the building had been damaged. French and Malian troops were securing the city on Monday.The mayor said the Islamist rebels, who had occupied the fabled trading town since a Tuareg-led rebellion captured it on April 1 from government forces, also torched his office and the home of a member of parliament.The Ahmed Baba Institute, one of several libraries and collections in the city containing fragile ancient documents dating back to the 13th century, is named after a Timbuktu-born contemporary of William Shakespeare and houses more than 20,000 scholarly manuscripts. Some were stored in underground vaults.Fighters from the Islamist alliance in north Mali, which groups AQIM with Malian Islamist group Ansar Dine and AQIM splinter MUJWA, had also destroyed ancient shrines sacred to moderate Sufi Moslems, provoking international outrage.They had also applied amputations for thieves and stoning of adulterers under sharia law.(Reporting by Bate Felix in Dakar; Writing by Pascal Fletcher)
Museo Oteiza. Archivo
El Museo Oteiza abre al publico su archivo y su almacén http://t.co/JEHg8u5I #recbib