23 July 2008 – 5 October 2008

THE SHADOW OF HISTORY

We live surrounded by images, news and data which make up a huge archive universe and, contrary to what would happen in the past, present-day archives are very difficult to erase or eliminate in order to promote or publish a biased view of the world or history. Their durability and decentralisation make them immune to any attempt at systematic annihilation by political, economic or military powers. In this context, what we are seeing is the gradual disappearance, or at least the alteration, of traditional forms of archives such as photograph albums, video libraries etc, while at the same time new forms of archiving and new information management policies come into being.

However, these new ways of archiving, in spite of their durability and precisely because of their inerasable nature, imply certain difficulties and risks which are directly related to the digital technology they depend on. First of all there is the problem of access to data bases, and once the hurdle of accessibility is overcome, we are faced with difficulties deriving from the handling, administration and management of information. Secondly, there is the threat of an excess of relativism and the aspect of archives, which forces us to a perceptive codifying which is different from the nature of the archive itself and the collection of data.

Address

CGAC
c/ Valle Inclán s/n
15704 Santiago de Compostela
phone +34 81 54 66 29
http://www.cgac.org/

Opening Hours

Tuesday - Saturday
11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday
11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Closed on Monday

Within 10 days
starting exhibitions
ending exhibitions