Placing the spotlight on historical archives

When people think about archived works by artists of the past, their minds often jump to "objects that are just sitting in repositories,” according to Elizabeth Cerejido. But that's not what visitors have found at the Cuban Heritage Collection's exhibition, "Illuminating Women: Representations and Narratives from Ediciones Vigía,” which features more than 500 intriguing, handmade Vigía books and materials that have been provoking conversations about gender representation and artistic practice since last fall. The exhibition will serve as the backdrop and inspiration for "Illuminating the Archives: Art and Artists' Books in Context," a compelling panel discussion that will explore the role of art in a scholarly archive and the research value that can be unlocked from examining artist's materials. To Cerejido, director of the Cuban Heritage Collection at the University of Miami Libraries, the goal of the panel discussion is to create discourse around "activating collection materials so that they are always seen as relevant. We're redefining and decontextualizing these materials so that they are accessible to everyone. The discussion will bring together a group of experts that include an archivist, curator, and two scholars. The panel will be moderated by Cristina Favretto, head of special collections for UM Libraries.