reSearching: playing in the archive, part 2

Jane Collins contributed a performance to Part 2 of the 'reSearching' exhibition. Collins was also one of a group of artists who participated in part 1 of reSearching: playing in the archive.

Led by the Graduate School at CCW (Chelsea College of Art and Design, Camberwell College of Arts and Wimbledon College of Art), re:SEARCHING enabled artists and researchers across a number of disciplines and institutions to select artefacts in The Baring Archive and to create a new piece of work. New work will be exhibited alongside the historical pieces, a rare opportunity given the issues over conservation and stewardship that usually inhibit such an arrangement.

Although it is current practice for artists to produce work in response to collections and archives, re:SEARCHING is unusual in that the artists are reacting to a financial archive which is more often used by historians.

Practitioners have responded to a range of items, including a sketch by Sir Thomas Lawrence of Sir Francis Baring, the firm’s founder; the prospectus for the financing of the Louisiana Purchase; Russian bearer bonds (which ceased to pay interest following the Revolution); and material relating to the Buenos Aires Water Supply & Drainage Company.

• http://www.baringarchive.org.uk/material...