ARCHIVE CONTENTS

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“DIE SCHWARZE LADE” – THE BLACK KIT

was founded in 1981 as an archive for INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCE ART; it is continuously growing ever since. It systematically archives documentation:

a) by artists and theorists / groups / networks / organisations / artist-run spaces / associations / network platforms.

b) of selected national and international projects with communicative structures in the field of art actions, performance art, performing arts as well as performative and urban interventions.

THE BLACK KIT

compiles and categorises information on realised as well as non-realised projects, if these are of significant relevance (drafts, concepts, models, statements and manifests). The archive itself should be perceived as a continuously expanding and organically growing deposit bank for ideas. It refers to more than 4000 artists. These may consist of just short digital notes on loose, searched and found references or expansive dossiers consisting of:

letters / e-mails / texts / interviews / statements and manifests / catalogues / brochures / books / compendia / treatises / press and media products / magazines / art magazines / artist writings / flyers / poster / relics from performances etc.

The collection of documents is supported by thousands of photographs:

Photographic prints in b/w, colour / b/w negatives / colour negatives / slide photography / digital photography stored on CDs and external hard drives.

It also contains various video formats, available since approx. 1970, such as:

Betacam / U-matic / VHS / VHS 8 and diverse small tapes on Hi8 / Video 8 / Mini-DV / Mini-DVD.

Furthermore, part of the collection are publications and essays. These range from art history and social political topics, philosophical and scientific treatises to spiritual theory and practice.

However, the BLACK KIT’s biggest asset is most certainly that very network systematically built up by the organizers over the past decades throughout the world connecting all continents. This is another focus of BLACK KIT: indexed information on diverse organisations and networks primarily based on performance art.

THE BLACK KIT IS A SCULPTURE OF PUBLIC INTEREST,

containing more than 3500 boxes, portfolios, folders and holders with documents and performance art relics. The archive stock is stored on 73 shelves with over 300 metres total length as well as in 28 large crates filled with relics. The visual documentation department consists of slides, negatives, vintages and hundreds of hours on film, some of which are of considerable historical value.

The archive’s contents are currently being indexed and catalogued to create a digital data base.

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