The Absent Traces from Exhibitions in ‘Den Fries Arkiv’

The archive of Den Frie (Centre of Contemporary Art) consists of the fragmentized traces after its exhibitions. We wish to place focus on and listen to the absentness that exist as a premise for the archive – all that which through history has lost its actual traces, and now only can be interacted with through its ‘silence’ and missingness.

 

We wondered why the absence did not take up more space in the archive. We have therefore installed a series of ’empty’ archival boxes in respect to and as a methodological reminder for the absent material.

To experience the installed boxes you must visit the archive of Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art.

Inside the ’empty’ archive boxes is a note:

[DK] Notat omhandlende det fraværende materiale i Den Fries Arkiv

Dette er et ufuldendt forsøg på at materialisere og påpege dét som er fraværende i Den Fries Arkiv. Det manglende. Fragmenteringen. Hullerne. Afsavnet. Dét vi ikke ved, at vi ikke ved. Dét vi ikke kender til men eksisterer som præmis for vores viden. Den Fries Arkiv samler sig om sporene efter de udstillinger der gennem historien har fundet sted i Den Fries Udstillingsbygning. Arkivets natur omfatter fragmentering og tilfældighed. Hvad er det som ikke er arkiveret i arkivet – hvilket arkivalsk materiale er fraværende? Hvem og hvad er glemt? Hvem lyttede vi ikke til? Hvad betyder de fraværende spor fra udstillingerne for arkivets udsigelsesmuligheder? – Hvad lukkes, og hvad åbnes qua fraværet?

Disse tomme arkivkasser er indsat i arkivet som et forsøg på både en materiel og konceptuel påmindelse om alt det som ikke er til stede i arkivet. Kasserne er indsat som en erklæring om, og materialisering af, de søgendes uvidenhed, en slags docta ignorantia – et forsøg på at lytte til de fraværende spors stille talen. Disse ’tomme’ arkivkasser er et forbehold; en nænsomhed og tilbageholdenhed. En præmis der bør respektfuldt inkluderes. En konsekvent undren.

 

[ENG] Note concerning the absent material in Den Frie’s Archive

This is an incomplete attempt to materialize and draw attention to what is absent in Den Frie’s Archive. The missing. The fragmented. The holes. The deprived. What we don’t know we don’t know. What we don’t know but exists as a premise for our knowledge. Den Frie’s Archive gathers traces of the exhibitions that have taken place in Den Frie Exhibition Building throughout history. The archive is permeated by fragmentation and inadequacy. What is not archived in this archive – what archival material is absent? Who and what is forgotten? Who didn’t we listen to? What do the absent traces from the exhibitions mean for the archive’s expression? – What is closed and what is opened by the absence? 

These empty archive boxes are inserted in the archive as an attempt at both a material and conceptual reminder of everything that is not present in the archive. These boxes are inserted as a declaration of, and a materialization of, the ignorance of the seeking, a kind of docta ignorantia – an attempt to listen to the absent traces’ silent speech. These ’empty’ archive boxes are a reservation; a tenderness and restraint. A premise that should be respectfully included. A consistent wonder.