Welcome to Dragging the Archive – an online/onsite exhibition of materials from the early cyber years of Franklin Furnace Archive, 1996-2002, taking place across three floors of this landmarked Library at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Founded in 1976 in artist Martha Wilson’s living loft in Tribeca, Franklin Furnace Archive, housed now on this campus, continues to support the production, presentation, and preservation of what was once known as ‘ephemeral art’, which included artists’ books and live performance. In the mid 1990s, Franklin Furnace transferred its artists’ books collection to MoMA, sold its physical space, and Wilson made the decision to ‘go cyber’. This major shift from physical to ‘virtual’ ushered in a series of live ‘Netcast’ performances which were presented via Real Player over buffering, dial up networks, broadcast out of Pseudo Studios in lower Manhattan. In this way, Franklin Furnace became one of the first arts organizations (anywhere) to support live art on the world wide web.

Many thanks to:

Russell Abel - for inviting this project into the library;

Chris Arabadjis - for support & expertise in everything to do with installation'

Arantxa Araujo - for all the zoom meetings and overseeing of the project from beginning to her final work day;

Tsubasa Berg - for this video, and for the photos - of the slide hands, and of dragging (in) the archive;

Nicole Rosengurt - for all the website work

Xinan Helen Ran - for jumping into this project with both feet, from day 1 of the new job;

Harley Spiller - for support and encouragement - since the 90s;

Martha Wilson - for founding & nurturing Franklin Furnace, and for making the decision to 'Go Cyber' in the mid 90s;

Fang Yu - for immense help during my 2019 Franklin Furnace research trip;

Yunjia Yuan - for the amazing design work;

All online and onsite visitors - for your time, your thoughts, your interest, your presence, your feedback.

Acknowledgements:

Dragging the Archive is curated by Elly Clarke. Exhibition identity is designed by Yunjia Yuan. Live at the Library VIII is presented with the support of Michael Asher Foundation; The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; The New York State Council on the Arts; The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; Pratt Institute; The Silicon Valley Community Foundation; CHASE Doctoral Training Programme and the Board of Directors, members, and friends of Franklin Furnace Archive.

Shot and edited by Franklin Furnace's Digital Archivist Tsubasa Berg at Pratt Institute Libraries in January 2023. First shown at the 'virtual opening' that took place on Zoom on 1st February 2023.

More info and recording of the Zoom presentation within which it was shown is here: https://franklinfurnace.org/dragging-the-archive-virtual-tour/

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/38104