The Stolen Archive


In the 1950s, a meeting of the Society took place on the Vuurtoreneiland in the IJmeer. An covenant was concluded there. Now, 60 years later, Qamilla and Arianna are ordered by the Society to steal a number of archive documents from various State archives. The documents must be made public on 2 January 2022.


The Stolen Archive is a thriller. The video installation makes connections between the stories and events that are hidden in the archives of The New Institute and Sound and Vision. Both collections are approached as a depot of images, audio fragments and objects that are used as actors, props and sets.

Open Archive, a partnership between Het Nieuwe Instituut and the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, has invited three makers to create a new media work on the basis of the open, online collections of both institutions and to explore the possibilities of digital heritage collections relating to the creative sector, technology and copyright. The three makers spent the first four months finding inspiration through research in the collections, visiting other archival institutions and sparring with external experts.
Click here to read more about the project.

@ Van Abbe Museum | Open Archief during DDW Eindhoven
@ Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam

Date 2018
Length 18’25’’
Type Video installation
Genre Archive footage, thriller appropriation, experimental film, artwork
Voice over Thirsa van Til

References
–    Drukte in foto-industrie, Beeld en Geluid, Polygoon-Profilti, Creative Commons – Attribution-Share Alike,
–    Exchange mart for amateur geologists, Beeld en Geluid, Polygoon-Profilti 1970, Creative Commons – Attribution-Share Alike,
–    Verzameling speeldozen in Kijk-en Luistermuseum, Beeld en Geluid, Polygoon Hollands Nieuws 1980, Creative Commons – Attribution-Share Alike,
–    National Film Archive stored in Film Bunker, Beeld en Geluid, Polygoon-Profilti 1980, Creative Commons – Attribution-Share Alike,
Mobilofoonberichten, gehoord in stilstaande politieauto (interieur), Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid, 1980, Creative Commons – Attribution-Share Alike,
Regen met wisselende intensiteit op het dak van een stilstaande auto (interieur), met op het einde enkele keer rommelen van onweer op afstand, Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid, Creative Commons – Attribution-Share Alike,

Produced with the support of
Mondriaanfonds
Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid
Het Nieuwe Instituut