Image by Barbara Morgan

Editors Note

Welcome to the ninth issue of Acid Free, a quarterly online publication of the Los Angeles Archivists Collective. 

The hubris of archives stems from the belief that information moving through time and space can indeed be captured.

Our authors for this issue discuss some of the physical and conceptual issues related to this notion. Lauren McDaniel compares the archival paradox to a photographic one in her article on the papers of photographer Barbara Morgan, who famously documented the work of Martha Graham and other modern dancers. The moving art form of dance poses questions beyond photographs and documents, however. Carolina Meneses writes on dance archives, and describes how the art form itself addresses these questions directly. Karen Urbec and Anna Trammel profile collections that trace the movement of populations of people, and what such histories tell us about who is allowed to move where and when. KJ Relth weaves through various stagnate film projects, discussing the complexities of why there is stunning lack of movement in some film projects. And finally, Stella Castillo relays upcoming changes to the LA as Subject online platform, where the intention is to center lesser known archives.

Imagine Everything Dancing

Lauren McDaniel discusses the Barbara and Willard Morgan Papers at UCLA Library Special Collections.

Women Entering the Paid Workforce in 1920s Miami 

Karen Urbec explores the geographical and social lengths two women traveled in 1920s Miami.

Will Incomplete Films Ever Move Again?

Film Programmer for the UCLA Film & Television Archive, KJ Relth, uses the history of independent moving images to explore those films that go unfinished and often remain in stagnate limbo.

On Performance: Archival Practice and its Challenges

Carolina Meneses discusses what the work of Trisha Brown and the postmodern dance movement can tell us about the limits of archives.

Scandinavian Immigrant Experience

Anna Trammell on the Scandinavian Immigrant Experience (SIE) Collection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

L.A. As Subject-Directory Evolution 

Stella Castillo discusses the upcoming benefits of a new LA as Subject directory, which is aimed at highlighting less discoverable archives.

Masthead

Editors
Alyssa Loera
Grace Danico

Outreach
Caroline Bautista
Melissa Haley

Web Production
Courtney Dean
Jennie Feeburg

Art Direction
Grace Danico