Archive Fever

In this course, we will look at contemporary moving image works that deal with the use of archive in an expansive way. We will begin with Jacques Derrida's analysis of the word "archive" and its relationship with Freud's notion of death drive in his book Archive Fever, and discuss the nature and function of archive, as well as its application in film and contemporary art world. We will then discuss the different types of archive-from traditional historical archive, alternative archive, oral history, personal archive, to internet archive-and how filmmakers and artists deal with these and the complex historical, political, cultural, and personal connotations behind them with unique strategies. In addition to the screenings and discussions of films by artists and filmmakers such as Rithy Panh, HSU Che-Yu, Steve McQueen, Kevin Jerome Everson, Trinh T. Minh Ha, Lei Lei, and more, we will have a workshop session where students propose, show, or critique their own work related to the use of archive. This course will be mainly discussing moving image works, however, students with other practices are also encouraged to show their work.