Organised by Sima Ehrentraut (CONSTELLATIONS) and Nina Tolksdorf (Research Area 4: "Literary Currencies") with Julia Lübbecke (former EXC 2020 Dorothea-Schlegel Artist in Residence) and Jessica Walter (Schwules Museum Berlin). The event is part of the event series "After Accumulation" at EXC 2020 in cooperation with the Schwules Museum Berlin and Neun Kelche Berlin.

The two-day workshop, titled "Touching the Archive," will explore the tactile dimension within the context of archival practices, emphasizing artistic approaches that challenge and engage with the archive. This event is organized in partnership with two cultural spaces in Berlin:

November 10: We will spend the day at the movement archive of the Schwules Museum Berlin (SMU) for a practical workshop on "Touching Queer Archives" that leads us into the space and the collections of the SMU. We will get an introduction to the archive, the collection, and the history of the SMU. In small groups, we will learn how to approach archival material with a personal and/or research question. In the first part, working groups will look into the so-called “mixed boxes” – boxes with so far unclassified and randomly assembled archival objects – and formulate a first approach to what can be done within an archive and its challenges and limitations. The second part will approach research methods in the archive. The workshop will provide space for collective discussion and reflection on these experiences.

November 11: In collaboration with the art space Neun Kelche in Weißensee, the second day will provide a platform for artistic explorations and reflections on archival practices, tools, and materials. As part of Julia Lübbecke's (former Artist in Residence at the EXC Temporal Communities) exhibition "Kleber und Falten" at Neun Kelche Berlin, the event will facilitate a dialogue among three artistic perspectives to discuss the mediatization of archives and the role of visual media in shaping and envisioning histories. Julia Lübbecke, Sabine Saba, and Maxine Vajt will showcase their work and engage in discussions with one another and the participants, emphasizing photographic engagement, various archiving methods in cultural production, and the role of 3D modeling in conceptualizing an archive. "Touching the Archive" will guide participants towards the fringes of archival practices, exploring diverse media environments and modes of mediated touch within the context of Julia Lübbecke's installation, Maxine Vajt's exploration of trans video games as a manifestation of trans perspectives, and Sabine Saba's tracing of queer heritage.

Details regarding the schedule will be provided on the website of the Cluster soon. To register for the event, please send an email to: sima.ehrentraut@fu-berlin.de.