Performing the Archive_2026: Wall Mapping
Performing the Archive examines the physical evidence that accumulates within inhabited spaces over time. Scratches, stains, repairs, worn surfaces, tape marks, and other traces of use are treated as archival material rather than incidental details. Through a process of tracing, mapping, and performance, these overlooked marks are transformed into a temporary system that guides movement and action.
The project begins with close observation of a site. Existing traces are connected using tape to create a network of lines that functions as both a drawing and a set of instructions. The performer follows this structure through a series of rule-based movements, responding to a system generated by the space itself. In this way, the work shifts authorship away from the artist and toward the accumulated evidence embedded within the environment.
Rather than reconstructing a specific history, Performing the Archive explores how spaces record human activity and how bodies navigate structures they did not create. The work reveals the hidden information contained within everyday environments and considers the relationship between memory, labor, occupation, repetition, and time. Through mapping and performance, the archive is not simply observed but activated, allowing the space to become both document and choreographer.
The project begins with close observation of a site. Existing traces are connected using tape to create a network of lines that functions as both a drawing and a set of instructions. The performer follows this structure through a series of rule-based movements, responding to a system generated by the space itself. In this way, the work shifts authorship away from the artist and toward the accumulated evidence embedded within the environment.
Rather than reconstructing a specific history, Performing the Archive explores how spaces record human activity and how bodies navigate structures they did not create. The work reveals the hidden information contained within everyday environments and considers the relationship between memory, labor, occupation, repetition, and time. Through mapping and performance, the archive is not simply observed but activated, allowing the space to become both document and choreographer.