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material</title></head><body>
<div>I have been interested for a long time in the question of
"delicate" photos (and/or moving images for that matter) and
how archivists deal with access to them. This is a topic that
has been discussed privately in a number of informal settings but I
have never seen it raised by archivists in a public forum. For
example when you are dealing with photos that may have been taken for
other purposes but may have prurient interest to some members of the
public, or photos that might be considered to be pornographic.
Marcel Bariault's example of the transgender/transsexual photos is a
perfect example - but there are many others, all with their own
complexities. </div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Allison tells us (and many other archivists have told me
privately the exact same thing): "I'm curious. Are there
pictures in your archives that you do not share or choose to share
selectively, even if they came into your collection with no such
restrictions?"</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>It's a difficult and very touchy subject for archivists - and
rife with ethical considerations. Some of the interesting and
very difficult questions are:</div>
<div><br></div>
<ul>
<li>Do archivists "adjust" archival descriptions of these
"delicate" materials in order to not attract researchers who
are only seeking material for pornographic purposes? Do
archivists "bury" these materials so they only become
accessible to "serious" researchers?
<li>Do archivists have a responsibility/right to make judgements about
our researchers and how they may use our holdings?
<li>How does privacy legislation enter into the mix?
<li>What happens if there are juveniles involved in the photos?
<li>What is the archivist's role in making these materials accessible
when they are in older accessions where no donor restrictions were
negotiated.
<li>How do archivists advise donors about access restrictions when
dealing with this kind of material? - both when the donor is the
subject of the photograph(s) and when the donor is not the subject of
the photograph(s).</ul>
<div><br></div>
<div>Too bad it's already Thursday evening!!!</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Nancy Marrelli</div>
<div>Concordia University Archives</div>
<div>Montreal</div>
<div><br></div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>I agree strongly with Martha that the
overall subject of photographs in personal archives is so very rich
that we would need years rather than days to wrap our heads around it.
Any number of points of focus could be profitable, but the private vs.
public idea relates nicely to our earlier discussions of context and
is IMO particularly germane to archivists who often find themselves
gatekeepers of material never intended for research, exhibition or
other public access and where the death, absence or unknown identity
of its origanal owners makes it impossible to establish guidelines
that we are sure reflect that owner's interests.<br>
<br>
I'm curious. Are there pictures in your archives that you do not
share or choose to share selectively, even if they came into your
collection with no such restrictions? At Eastman House, we have from
time to time been cautious with our ( many ) post-mortems and we have
a large collection from a photojournalist that he had labeled "bad
taste" that we would rarely share ( though we have on occaision.
)The issue of context remains key. It is fairly easy to tell a
researcher's intent and we do feel a need to honor original meanings
and use while staying as open to others' interpretations as
possible. We don't deal in print material but I imagine the same
notions would apply to correspondence, manuscripts and the like.<br>
<br>
And Rick is right. These are questions to be shared with historians,
curators and others. These are ethical questions that are best
resolved through discussion and contemplation with others who share
the dilemma.<br>
<br>
Related case: In 1971, LIFE photographer W. Eugene Smith made the
iconic image "Tomoko in her Bath" showing the naked and severely
crippled body of a victim poisoned by industrially generated mercury;
it became a powerful indictment of industrial pollution and remains
one of Smith's most important images. In 1997, Tomoko's family
asked that publication and exhibition of the image be halted out of
respect for their privacy. ( my group of curatorial colleagues has
discussed this often with many points of view) What wuld you do? Would
you exhibit it? Sgare it with a researceher who requested it? Share it
with a researcher working on the general subject of industrial
pollution?</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
Alison<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 10/30/08 12:28 PM, "Martha Langford"
<mlangford@qc.aibn.com> wrote:<br>
<br>
<font color="#0000FF">> The introduction of postmortem photographs
and all the immensely useful<br>
> recommendation from the literature have nevertheless made us all
a bit<br>
> thoughtful. The week will end before we sort out the ethics of
these<br>
> matters - our conversation will be over.<br>
><br>
> So I want to pick up on the disciplinary point about sociologists
having<br>
> a more developed theory on the public uses of taboo or
potentially<br>
> hurtful material. The social scientists have led the way, it
seems to<br>
> me, toward more self-reflexive practices. Everything I've read
here so<br>
> far suggests that archivists and art historians are doing their
best to<br>
> be both sensitive and reflexive in their work. How do we
communicate<br>
> these ideas to emergent researchers, whether in the archives or
in the<br>
> classroom? I have my strategies, but I was hoping to hear from
you,<br>
> because these ideas need constant refreshment, or they turn in
on<br>
> themselves and cease to be productive.<br>
><br>
> So: reflexivity...how's it going?<br>
><br>
> Martha<br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> Personal_archives mailing list<br>
> Personal_archives@mailman.yale.edu<br>
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<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
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