Meta-archive

How to archive a body of work that is abundant, messy, relational and non-hierarchical? ‘Process’ is central in Sands’ practice, and to keep honouring that, a part of the ‘Gift Science Archive’ project deals with recording (and archiving) the process of the archiving itself: also known as the meta-archive. This is a term MH came up with, and RR was within the ‘Gift Science Archive’ collaboration happy to take up the role of 'meta-archivist'. The meta-archive materials contain snapshots taken during the 18-month Gift Science Archive performance and archiving activities, combined with diary notes. Another aspect is a series of longer recorded conversations initiated by RR (with Sands, with Sands & Amalia Calderón and with Sands & Robin Wassink-Murray), which aimed to capture ideas about value, structure, and care for an artistic practice, as well as providing plenty of space for sharing references, gossip, and ‘information’ – one of Sands’ main materials. These seven hours of interviews – some in Dutch and some in English – are all in their unedited richness part of the meta-archive, both as audio recordings and transcriptions (translations and transcriptions by Martha Jager). Finally, an e-mail thread between MH, RR and SMW from late 2020 gives space to speak about their collaboration and the process (and their feelings) at that time through the medium of an unedited e-mail correspondence. – RR. More This is a term MH came up with, and RR was within the ‘Gift Science Archive’ collaboration happy to take up the role of 'meta-archivist'. The meta-archive materials contain snapshots taken during the 18-month Gift Science Archive performance and archiving activities, combined with diary notes. Another aspect is a series of longer recorded conversations initiated by RR (with Sands, with Sands & Amalia Calderón and with Sands & Robin Wassink-Murray), which aimed to capture ideas about value, structure, and care for an artistic practice, as well as providing plenty of space for sharing references, gossip, and ‘information’ – one of Sands’ main materials. These seven hours of interviews – some in Dutch and some in English – are all in their unedited richness part of the meta-archive, both as audio recordings and transcriptions (translations and transcriptions by Martha Jager). Finally, an e-mail thread between MH, RR and SMW from late 2020 gives space to speak about their collaboration and the process (and their feelings) at that time through the medium of an unedited e-mail correspondence. – RR.

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