Archives at Risk: Richard VijgenArchives at Risk: Richard Vijgen

Richard Vijgen creates installations that make the abstract digital world tangible and palpable. He designs intruments, objects and environments that invite us to experience these invisible technological worlds. To achieve this, he researches the elusive qualities of –for example– information networks and algorithms and translates them into various media, such as visualizations, 3D prints, tapestries and electronics. His studio acts as an archive in which documentation, datasets and materials are carefully kept.

Richard Vijgen's archive is not just a repository, but a living part of his practice. Documentation of past projects, material studies, designs of circuit boards (electronics), data sets and radio receivers are some of the elements that make up his archive.

As the number of works and projects increases, the designer's archive also requires more care; datasets require regular updates and the (self-built) software needs ongoing maintenance. The consideration of which apps and installations you want to keep for the future then becomes an important part of archiving. With all the technical issues that hide behind this, it means that archiving a hybrid practice requires a maintenance plan. Keeping the archive and the work “alive” sets the artist up for an ongoing challenge.

Archives at Risk: Seeking Shelter is curated by Annemartine van Kesteren (Curator Design at Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum) and designed by spatial designer Ben Shamier.

The installation is on view at MU Hybrid Art House in Eindhoven until 24 November 2024 and is free to visit during opening hours.

MU Hybrid Art House presents and initiates hybrid art for a diverse, broad and international audience. It identifies and nags the latest developments in artistic, technological and social fields and shares these with the public. MU has three pillars: public presentations, talent development and education. It investigates, questions, stimulates talent, and encourages dialogue about the (art) world of today and tomorrow.

In 2021, the organisations that look after design heritage in the Netherlands joined forces to become the Network for Archives of Design and Digital Culture (NADD). The network makes designers’ archives digitally accessible, and shares knowledge about archiving. The goal is twofold: to show the value of this heritage for society and to find a sustainable solution for preserving and managing these archives.

NADD consists of forty-five partners: including large and small heritage institutions, designers, professional organisations, educational institutions, and experts in the field of design.