curatorial + archival
art direction
writing
info
EMPHEMERAL
ARCHIVES
Transcibing the secret lives of the late-Soviet stage: the archive and the repertoire
Academic Research: Amherst Center of Russian CultureSpring 2020
Mentor: Professor Boris Wolfson
How can an archive capture the essence of a cultural practice that inherently resists preservation? According to Peggy Phelan, performance “becomes itself through disappearance,” raising the question: how can we document something defined by its continual vanishing? What insights might such documentation offer about the intersection of performance as an artistic endeavor, theater as a cultural institution, and the lived, intimate experiences of those who brought these performances to life? The Alma Law Soviet Theater Collection, recently acquired by the Amherst Center for Russian Culture, consists of nearly three decades worth of materials documented by Alma Law (1927-2003)—the best-informed scholar of Russian and Soviet theater of her generation. Over nearly three decades, Law amassed an extensive archive of materials chronicling the late-Soviet theater world. Her collection includes interviews with actors, directors, designers, playwrights, and critics; video and audio recordings of live performances and rehearsals; thousands of photographs; and over a hundred reels of microfilm. Together, these materials offer a rare glimpse into the “backstage” life of Soviet theater during a transformative period.
Working alongside three fellow researchers under the direction of Professor Wolfson, we examined and transcribed Law’s diaries, notebooks, and meticulously organized card catalogs to explore what these materials can teach us about the labor relationships, and cultural dynamics underpinning the Soviet theater scene. Drawing on methodological insights from performance studies and cultural history, we investigated how archives can bridge the gap between the transient nature of performance and the enduring traces it leaves behind.
Mapping Archival MethodologyThis concentric-circle diagram shows three layers of
understanding Alma Law’s archive. The centermost layers trace Law as author, highlighting the core subjects of her
writing—daily existence, the cultural moment and physical
enviornment, and theater—and reflecting her direct
observations as a scholar, researcher, and participant. The
following layers deconstruct Law as character, where we interpret her actions, approaches, and intellectual
persona. Finally, the outermost ring addresses performance studies and cultural history methodologies, revealing the frameworks we use to
analyze Law’s work and position her as both a creator of
knowledge and a figure shaped by her scholarly enviornment.
Example of Transcription and Annotation
Interview with Natasha Krymova (Notebook 92I pages 13-15)Systematic Tracking of Personalia
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