自二十世纪九十年代, 西方的批判理论对于档案的问题做出提示以来, 当代艺术逐渐将档案纳入到问题意识与创作对象的范围, 形成或自觉或不自觉的档案意识, 是为当代艺术领域的“档案转向”。2023年, 中国当代艺术现场与学术界集中出现了一系列对于档案问题进行反思与讨论的展览、事件, 成为我们得以重新回望、总结与再思考的契机。在艺术与档案的共轭关系当中, 档案问题在延续西方后现代理论路径的同时也呈现出新的命题。艺术与档案的相互作用构成诸如艺术档案的机制、真实性, 数字化及技术革命时代面临的危机与机遇, 档案艺术在亚洲的路径、策展人的档案意识、自然档案的发现, 作品作为“元-档案”等等话题。虽然当代艺术的档案转向在距我们不久的历史中更多地依赖于更宏大的社会文化理论的建构, 但是档案艺术连同档案的实践一道反哺了对于档案问题的认识, 艺术生产与理论讨论共同编织起了档案与中国当代艺术的可能性。

The “archival turn” in contemporary art refers to the growing in corporation of archives into the sphere of problematic awareness and creative objects, either deliberately or unconsciously, beginning in the 1990s, when Western critical theories alluded to the subject of archives. In 2023, a series of exhibitions and events reflecting on and discussing archival issues emerged in the Chinese contemporary art scene and academic community, providing us with an opportunity to think, summarize, and reconsider. In the conjugate relationship between art and archives, this issue of archives has extended the trajectory of Western postmodern theories while continuing the Western postmodern theoretical path. The journey of archival art in Asia, the curator􀆳s archival consciousness, the discovery of the natural archive, the mechanism and authenticity of the art archive, the crisis and opportunity in the age of digitization and technological revolution, and work as a “meta-archive” are just a few of the topics that have emerged from the interaction between art and archive. Although the archival turn in contemporary art has recently relied on the development of larger socio-cultural theories, archival art, along with archival practice, has contributed to a better understanding of archival issues, and artistic production and theoretical discussion have woven together the possibilities of archives and Chinese Contemporary Art.