Afterall Issue 21 Explores the Ambivalent Archive

The 21st issue of Afterall Journal, released on July 17, 2009, and curated by Melissa Gronlund, delves into the archive through various essays that tackle themes of destruction, parody, and contextual relevance. It opens with the 1967 incident in which the Foksal Gallery in Warsaw disposed of its archive into the Baltic Sea, reminiscent of the actions taken by Pinochet-era censors in Chile who eliminated "How to Read Donald Duck." Contributions include María Berríos's exploration of undocumented artistic expressions in 1970s Chile, Michael Rakowitz's examination of myth in event communication, and Alejandra Riera's critique of exhibition conventions. Additionally, Chon A. Noriega looks into Raphael Montañez Ortiz's archival destruction, while Michèle Faguet addresses the "pornomiseria" genre in Colombian cinema. The issue also highlights essays on Nasreen Mohamedi and Heimo Zobernig, celebrating Afterall's tenth anniversary with the release of back issues online.