Fotoalbum och arkivpraktiker. Ett medieperspektiv på bildsamlingar

Abstract

Photo Albums in Archive Practices. A Media Perspective on Image Collections

The aim of this article is to discuss the theoretical and methodological implications of the way photo albums are archived, as the way an object is archived influence the definition and conception of that object. My point of departure is the collection and archival practice of photo albums in museums and libraries in Sweden, Denmark and France. This reveals that photo albums are treated as containers of data with a focus on the image content in many archives. I argue that the photo album has to be considered as a medium in its own right, consisting of the album as well as the images in it. This study is inspired by the material turn in photography studies that acknowledge photographies as three dimensional objects and focus on the use of photographic material. To understand the meaning of a photograph one must consider the continuous process of production, distribution, consumption and discarding and eventually recycling. I argue that studying the materiality of the album, like size, decoration and text written on the album pages, and not only what is written, may give some clues to the use and function of these cultural artefacts. In short, this article points to the need for new approaches in research as well as archival practices regarding photo albums.