An archive is not merely a repository of official records; it is an expansive realm of images, sounds, documents and other tangible remnants that shape the collective memory. By delving into its layers, the contemporary art scene has evolved into an active space of continuous ‘excavation’, adapting its form and searching for ways to redefine itself. Artists and curators who consider archival material as their primary source of creativity, are the architects of this space, aiming to expand the archive beyond the confines of document repositories, transforming it into a dynamic instrument that generates alternative knowledge and new ways of remembrance. This approach entails more than just the attempt to undertake archival work that serves the functions of a repository, searches for narratives and fills gaps. It also strives to challenge the illusion of completes in official archives, and question and destabilise their authority. By distancing the archive from the conventional perception of a document repository and incorporating various forms of cultural production, hundreds of artists and curators have endeavoured to create an alternative memory, using the archive as raw material, deconstructing, reworking and manipulating it to create something new and enable fresh perspectives. Ultimately, the artists are not only ‘unearthing’ material, but are themselves creating different ways of preserving memory, assembling personal archives that document the present, especially that which falls outside the purview of official institutions and the media.

This year, the artist film and moving image festival VIDEOGRAMS invites you to reflect on archival art practices in Lithuania and abroad. The festival’s curators propose that we direct our focus toward the phenomenon of the archive as something that operates in relation to contemporary realities, explore the dynamics of power and authority that are at work in archives, and take a closer look at how the archive is defined in contemporary art. VIDEOGRAMS will serve as a platform for a variety of formats, including lectures, talks, work-in-progress presentations, film screenings, and an exhibition. By bringing together seasoned curators, artists, and scholars, the event aspires to not only reflect on recent or emerging moving image projects, but also to foster the development of future artistic practices.