Research theme: Art and Archive Futures
Bridging the gap between historic archiving and the digital archives of the future.
About our research
About our research
We work creatively with archives, digital data and code. As researchers we are interested in expanding and deepening the discourse and context in for artists working with archive material and processes.
Exhibitions, projects and events that critically explore archives attract large audiences and offer opportunities for meaningful engagement and outreach in the UK and internationally. Our experimental cross-disciplinary research discovers through doing.
The aim of our Art and Archive Futures group is to foster cross-departmental relationships and knowledge exchange for joint bidding and outreach activity. We work closely with the Centre for Advanced Computational Science (CfACS).
We are interested in hearing from potential PhD candidates with proposals in the areas we cover.
Our research areas
Our group members have a proven track record in working with archives in the digital realm. Many projects involve:
- exhibition formats extending from the archive
- the commons, open source and copyleft methods
- linked open data and artificial intelligence
- analogue and digital archive technologies
- live performance, music and moving image responding to the archive
- processing inaccessible data for public use and generating new code
- releasing new resources into the public domain for use and reuse
Selected projects
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Key exhibitions
- (2022 research ongoing) Towards usership: Participatory data mining in an orchestra’s record collection (archive)
- Pinchbeck, M (2021) Sit with us for a moment and remember (audio project), first presented: Lakeside Arts, Nottingham
- Simpson, E and White, B (2015-7) Auditory Learning (multi-part artwork) British Art Show 8, Hayward Touring
- Simpson, E and White, B (2021) Everything I Have Is Yours by Art Matters 之馆, Hangzhou
- (2019 to 2020) Once Heard Before Whitechapel Gallery, London
- Simpson, E and White, B (2019) Lingering in the Golden Gleam Ex Marks the Spot, Great Yarmouth
- Simpson, E and White, B (2018) Play it again! Use it together Victoria Gallery and Museum, Liverpool
- Simpson, E and White, B (2015 to 2017) Auditory Learning multi-part artwork, British Art Show 8, Hayward Gallery Touring, Leeds, Edinburgh, Norwich, Southampton
- Simpson, E and White, B (2016) Music for Children multi-part artwork FOUND, Foundling Museum, London
- Simpson, E and White, B (2016) Premonition 2037 multi-part artwork KALEIDOSCOPE: A Moment of Grace, Modern Art, Oxford
- (2014) Open House | Divided Estate, Biblioteca, Tapanco, Recámara, MK Gallery, Milton Keynes
- Simpson, E and White, B (2013) Playhead: A Parallel Anthology multi-part artwork Schizophonia, Centre D’Art Contemporain La Synagogue de Delme, Delme
- Simpson, E and White, B (2013) ATL 2067 multi-part artwork, Flux Night 2013, Atlanta
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Key publications
- White, B, Mehrabi, A and Sandler, MB (2017) An Archival Echo in Proceedings of Audio Mostly, London, England
- Simpson, E, and White, B (2014) ATL 2067 in Utopographies, Chelsea College of Arts
- Simpson, E and White, B (2013) The Edges of the Public Domain in Undoing Property, Lewandowska, M and Ptak, L (eds), Sternberg Press
Organisations we work with
Hallé Orchestra
Film and Video Umbrella, London
Salford Museum and Gallery
Hayward Gallery
Contact information
Contact us
For general enquiries about our Art and Archive Futures group, you can contact its leads Ben White or Eileen Simpson.