MLitt Curatorial Practice School of Fine Art
Lori Baird
Lori is a Silversmithing and Jewellery Design graduate from The Glasgow School of Art. Throughout her undergrad, she developed a rich visual language and passion for design. Starting CPCA, Lori was interested in activist film, the use of archival footage and serialization. Lori started stage 2 of the course and went on to complete work placement at The Alasdair Gray Archive. The work she carried out on placement shaped the remainder of her time at CPCA. With a strong connection to the archival spaces and invaluable relationships made through placement, Lori developed her final research topic Archives as the Starting Point.
Her curatorial practice is dedicated to exploring the intricate and dynamic interplay between those who house archival spaces and those who engage with them. Through this focus, connections and conversations that occur within archival environments.
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Archives as the Starting Point
Archives as the Starting Point has been an unexpected and enlightening focus of mine which progressed throughout the year. My personal area of research has taken on a whole new direction which I hadn’t anticipated when I started the course. When writing my extended essay in March, I included an introductory section where I stated what I knew of each subheading.
Archives
I explained that I understood archives to be collections of significant materials, systematically ordered and preserved.
Archives as a site of preservation
I detailed that archival spaces are to safeguard the intellectual property of the materials they house and contribute towards the retention of collective memory.
Archives as a site of production?
(Blank)
I had nothing.
To quote myself
Before starting my research and developing my practice, my initial understanding of archival spaces was limited and I believed them to be summarised by the ignorant words static, finite, stagnant and in all honesty, dust. Through this essay and my own practice, I have become dedicated to fully understanding the scope of archives and their potential. I want to reshape my estimation of these spaces and facilitate my own learning (extended essay ‘archives as the starting point: an excavation of archives as sites of creative production’)
Through my own research, carefully selected case studies and experiences while at work placement in The Alasdair Gray Archive, the essay grew to become the starting point of the starting point. I had become curious and felt captivated by these spaces, the potential of them. I started thinking of these spaces as a channel for not only what has been but what could be.
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I have created a publication intended to explore archives as dynamic sites of creative production, revealing how these spaces serve not merely as repositories of historical documents but as vibrant catalysts for artistic and intellectual engagement.
My work aims to delve into the multifaceted nature of archives, investigating how they inspire new narratives and creative expressions. Through this publication and series of three interviews, I seek to highlight the intersection between archival practice and creative innovation, showcasing the diverse ways in which artists, researchers, and curators engage with archival materials to generate contemporary works.
