Rita Cachao with Amanda Egbe

The seminar will unfold from the assumption that there are research ‘objects’ that cannot be altogether understood, that they are unknowable, infinite, but that at the same time these ‘objects’ can be more fully accessed by means other then causal/linear explanation, even utterance. Mediating the infinite object thus becomes the centre of the seminar.

We will proceed from a Foucauldian version of archaeology, as  he presented in the works that culminate with the Archaeology of knowledge and The Order of Things. This seminar will particularly refer to the text ‘Las Meninas’ (The Order of Things).

In the text ‘Las Meninas’, Foucault can be seen to show rather than explain (tell) his methodology. Following this effort to mediate the infinite object the seminar will unravel the possibilities for practical applications.

Rita Cachão will reflect on her approach on using ‘monsters’ as a case study as a corollary to discuss different notions and understandings of space.

Amanda Egbe will present a case study on notions of preservation in relation to her research on the moving image archive through resurrection, reincarnation, reanimation in religious contexts.

In order to facilitate the discussion, we have made extracts available and ask participants to think on the relations between archaeology and their own research interests.

Reading for seminar:
The Order of Things – Foreword,
The Order of Things – Las Meninas,
The Archaeology of Knowledge – Introduction