visual researcher

Archive Researchers

Featuring: Pamela Grimaud, Montreal


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Did you always know you wanted to become a visual researcher?

This is a great question. Although I never targeted “visual researcher” as a career per se, once I began doing the work, it felt like the natural culmination of all my past interests and jobs. From an undergraduate degree in film studies, to working and writing behind the scenes in American public TV and radio and, finally, doing a fashion-history Masters at NYU and teaching, it was as though I was finally able to throw myself into a world that celebrated all these elements. Although a focused approach to researching visual materials is critical, it’s wonderful when some seemingly arcane factoid – be it historical, related to pop culture or current events – sparks an idea that lends added depth and creativity to how I pursue my work. If I hit a roadblock in unearthing some important content, I find myself wondering, “What other angle can I view this from? What other archival sources will this lead me to if I put the subject into a wider context?” All to say, having a strong grasp on a wide range of topics as opposed to expertise in just one or two has come in very handy.  (more…)

Archive Researchers

Featuring: Lily Yudinsky, Tel Aviv


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How did you become an archive researcher?

I feel as though I was born to be an archive researcher. Ever since I was a child, other people’s photo albums have always fascinated me and I’ve always had the urge to search through them. While studying for my BA in Film Studies and Literature at Tel Aviv University, I started working for the Open University of Israel. They needed a visual researcher and a clearance coordinator for their books. At the time, in 2000, there were very few online catalogues and archives, and all of the work was done by fax, phone and airmail. I felt like a real pioneer. I did research for many different subjects that still amaze me today: dance, theater, opera, ancient archeology, genocide, earth studies… It was very rewarding to get transparency from the Vatican Library. In 2005, I left the OUI and started my first archival work in TV for A Duck’s Journey directed by Gabriel Bibliowicz. The film was about the late comics artist Dudu Geva. After that I continued my work in archival research at a frantic pace in Israel and abroad – where anything goes – I can take up to 7-8 projects simultaneously.  (more…)