XIV Congreso Internacional sobre Principios y Pr?cticas del Dise?o

Abstract

The paper presents a multi-disciplinary project in an ageing neighbourhood in Singapore involving elderly residents, artists, designers, students, and community-based workers in the archiving of grassroots stories, objects, and local wisdom. Over two years, participants co-created artworks, shared stories and developed spatial strategies to present the collections as part of the archival experience. In this paper, archiving is positioned as a socially engaged art practice of safekeeping, caring, sharing, and the forging of social relationships. On the other hand, the archive becomes a collective, participatory, and aspirational space situated at the intersection of the public and the cultural institution. It provides a multi-scalar platform for capacity building, intergenerational learning, and the renewal of the life of a collection.