In December, I visited several New York institutions that focus on preservation, distribution and popularization of audiovisual media. In comparison with European institutions the local "archive" scene is decidedly less opulent - mostly acquiring finances from private resources. State support of these organizations - and this pertains art in general - in comparison with similar European institutions, is miniscule.
The New York AV archive scene is relatively small, people know each other. This is quite surprising considering the size of New York is similar to the size of the whole Czech Republic. Firstly, I visited the Anthology Film Archives (AFA) located in the grand building in East Village. Apart from an experimental film archive - primarily in its Essential Cinema Repertory, the AFA is also a popular cinema showing independent films and is also a spot for interesting cultural events. On the day I visited the AFA, the African film festival was attracting a sizeable group of students presumably on a school trip. The artistic director of AFA is Jonas Mekas who established the archive almost forty years ago. Currently, his position is largely symbolic - not because of his age - but because he is extremely busy what with the recent interest in his ouvre. More about the activities of AFA in an interview that I conducted with John Mhiripiri, the Administrative Director and Exhibitions Coordinator at the AFA (the interview will be published on this site in the "Textarchiv" section).
The following stop was at the Electronic Arts Intermix situated in Chelsea which is renowned as a hotspot for galleries and the art world. The EAI was established in 1971 as an independent and non-profit organization focusing on distribution and preservation of video and media art. The EAI Collection encompases works by Nam June Paik, Bruce Nauman, Martha Rosler and also an extensive selection of works by Woody and Steina Vasulkas. Apart from classic video art titles, you can find works by the infamous New York pop art collective Paper Rad.
The EAI adminsters several initiatives: Artists Media Distribution Service- a distribution service of its titles for research, educational and exhibition purposes; EAI Online Catalogue is an online catalogue of the EAI Collection that also encompases primary and secondary resources; A Kinetic History: The EAI Archives Online provides rare materials and historical documentation of early video art. EAI is also active in the realm of media art preservation and provides information on this topic on its website ( EAI Online Resource Guide for Exhibiting, Collecting & Preserving Media Art ).
An important part of the EAI is the Public Programs initiative that includes screenings of titles from the EAI archives, as well as panel discussions on topics such as Copyright & Contemporary Art Practice or Preserving the Future: Innovative Strategies for Saving New Media. The Public Programs initiative also facilitates collaborations with education institutions - mostly film schools all around the world. I spoke to the coordinator of this project Josh Kline. The EAI organizes 10 to 11 projects as part of the Public Programs initiative, out of which 8 to 9 take place at the premises of EAI. Usually, the focus is on a single artist whose ouvre will be presented over a period of one month and includes discussions and screenings (for instance Michael Bell Smith, Carolee Schneeman). The EAI also cooperates with other institutions in this programme, such as the Museum of Modern Arts in New York, Art Basel Miami but also institutions from Poland), and lends its titles for non-commercial prices to educational institutions. What pertains 2009, for instance in February, a Takeshi Murata showcase is planned.
More about the activities of the Electronic Arts Intermix in an interview that I conducted with Leah Churner, the Media Art Collection Manager at the EAI. The interview will be published on this website in the "Textarchiv" section.
