The IFA Archive Newsletter #01 | February 01, 2024
Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in the world of arts and culture archiving? The inaugural edition of The IFA Archive Newsletter answers just that, unraveling a year's worth of immersive conversations and engaging activities within the field.
The newsletter also encompasses interviews and recordings of public engagements over the year. Additionally, discover our new initiatives: Spotlight on The IFA Archive on social media and The IFA Archive Podcast, and opportunities to visit the physical archive space.
A walkthrough of The IFA Archive
The IFA Archive is built with support from The Indorama Charitable Trust, and since its establishment in 2018, stands as a vital repository of materials stemming from over 800 projects implemented by us. It currently houses materials from 536 grants and projects at our physical space in Bangalore and 527 at www.theifaarchive.org. Besides catering to researchers and scholars, the Archive invites artists, writers, and arts enthusiasts to visit, study and access materials in the collection. It actively hosts public events engaging artists and scholars in discussions about archival experiences.
WHAT'S NEW
- The IFA Archive Podcast delves deep into the vast repository of materials at the Archive. In these episodes, artists and scholars share their experiences of working with archives, unpacking its myriad meanings in the ever-evolving artistic world and bringing to life a space that is historical, enigmatic and fluid. Listen to episodes with Rustom Bharucha and Moushumi Bhowmik on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts. Stay tuned for more episodes dropping soon!
- Spotlight on The IFA Archive explores the journey of various IFA projects. This monthly social media series engages with the stories behind 800+ projects that have become films, performances, photo essays and more, exploring the creative processes and artistic interventions of each project. Check out our recent spotlights with Pushpamala N, CF John and Kaladhar S here.
- Somewhere - Where Gaming Meets Fiction - Gamers, dive into Somewhere, a 90-minute interactive fiction project that blends literature, fiction, philosophy and gaming. Crafted by Dhruv Jani, who received a grant from IFA under the Arts Practice programme in 2016-2017, it is now housed at The IFA Archive but can also be played from where you are!
EVENTS
Date with The Archive is a series of talks featuring artists and researchers across different practices who have used archives extensively for their creative work, to bring to focus the potential of the archive as a significant resource for artistic and scholarly explorations.
Building on Tradition - The Role of the Archive in Musical Practice was a session with Hindustani classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal. It explored challenges and possibilities of archiving in oral traditions, stressing interdisciplinary aspects. Shubha shared insights into the nature of archives, creators, and accessibility, highlighting the importance of combining creative practice and pedagogy in the context of Hindustani classical music.
Indigenous Archives and Narratives was a session with Professor Rahi Soren from Jadavpur University. She detailed the shifts from oral to written traditions, the difficulties in archiving indigenous knowledge, and her efforts to digitise Santali texts from 1890-1975 in Eastern India. Emphasising on the need to protect endangered and intangible cultural heritage, the discussion addressed challenges posed by the risk of erasure.
From the Stacks, previously known as The IFA Archive Open House, is a series where artists and scholars discuss the materials from their projects that are currently housed in The IFA Archive.
Little Magazines: Modernity, Identity, and Archiving was a session with IFA grantees Mangesh Narayanrao Kale and Pankti Desai, exploring the cultural influence of Marathi and Gujarati Little Magazines. They discussed the challenges and creative potentials found in these materials, and were joined for a discussion by bilingual poet and academician Sachin Ketkar.
VISITORS AT THE ARCHIVE
The IFA Archive hosts visits and facilitates exchanges with visitors who wish to engage with us. On November 08, 2023, we welcomed the members of the Archives at NCBS (National Centre for Biological Sciences). Guided by Archivist Biswadeep Chakraborty and Junior Project Associate Anushka Matey, visitors explored the archive and stack room, gaining insights into its functioning.
ANOTHER WORLD, ANOTHER ARCHIVE
Images from Typographic Jazz: Monoprints by Jack Stauffacher
Explore the Letterform Archive based in San Francisco. This non-profit treasure trove houses over 100,000 items, with a digital collection featuring 1,500 works and 9,000 images. Since 2015, the website has showcased the evolution of lettering, printing, and graphic design, offering a journey through historical type specimens, iconic posters, rare books, and diverse graphic design.
ARCHIVIST CHRONICLES
In an exclusive interview with our Archivist Biswadeep Chakraborty, Abhijit Bhattacharya shares his journey in archiving, the challenges faced, and highlights impactful projects in preserving the visual history of Bengal. Abhijit Bhattacharya is the Documentation Officer at the CSSSC (Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta) and an archivist recognised for his significant contributions to the field. He received a 2015 World Summit Award nomination from India for his work in Culture and Tourism, specifically related to the EAP341 project. In 2014, the Digital Empowerment Foundation honoured him with The Manthan Award in Culture, Heritage, and Tourism for his ICT practices, particularly in the development and promotion of e-Culture through the EAP341 Project.
Read the full interview here.
STAY IN TOUCH | VISIT US
We hope you enjoyed reading the inaugural edition of The IFA Archive Newsletter!
Stay tuned for our bi-yearly updates, filled with exclusive insights. Share your thoughts by writing to us at archive@indiaifa.org or visit in person at The IFA Archive.
We are open to the public from Monday - Thursday (except on Government Holidays) with a prior appointment between 02:00 PM and 05:00 PM
The IFA Archive is built with support from the Indorama Charitable Trust.