Archival Intern, Wisdom Exchange Project, Remote
Posted January 25, 2022
Description:
Artist Shirah Rubin invites individuals and groups to come together, reflect, and articulate what we
have learned and transform that wisdom into art. How is wisdom transmitted? How are we both
receivers and givers of wisdom? Each participant’s wisdom will be collected, shared, aggregated, and
acknowledged by others.
Inspired by the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were discovered in ceramic jars after centuries of
preservation, artist Shirah Rubin guides participants in writing Wisdom Letters to future generations.
They create vessels of clay to preserve and share their lived experiences. All of the jars and Wisdom
Letters will be collected and loaned anonymously for an art installation as well as a digital archive
(Now + Later – Wisdom Archive). Aspects of the WisdomExchange Project will also be captured by
a documentary filmmaker. Together, this collection will display and demonstrate the collective
wisdom of the greater Boston community. This project is partially funded by the Combined Jewish
Philanthropies of Boston.
The name “Now + Later” relates to the process of reflection and the ongoing process of
transmitting meaning over time. The archive will be organized by geographical place (of the
workshops conducted and the exhibition venues), community partner, ethical belief, and age of
participant. The archive will store approximately 150- 200 audio and written letters as well as images
of the ceramic vessels.
Desired archive elements:
- Clear navigation and search functions (tags)
- Catalog the groups into a consistent classification system.
- Conceptualizing the archive storage capacity to potentially scale up
Examples:
- Work in Progress #1: https://shirahrubin.wixsite.com/wisdom-archive/copy-of-about
- Work in Progress #2: https://shirahrubin.wixsite.com/wisdom-archive
Responsibilities:
Depending on timing and experience, the intern will conduct the following between January – May, 2022:
- Processing photo materials and letters online:
- Catalog and organize materials created by participants.
- Co-create an inventory system for different groups.
- Create a database to track content and information.
- Processing Digital Assets:
- Assess, organize, and create metadata for digital assets in multiple systems toward the goal of archiving for preservation and long-term access.
- Create and update project documentation.
Qualifications:
- Completion of archives track or indexing coursework desirable
- Experience working with physical and/or digital archival collections is a plus
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks/activities simultaneously
- Strong administrative, detail, and follow-up skills
- Creative problem-solving skills, curiosity and motivation
Payment commensurate with experience.
How to Apply:
To apply please contact Shirah Rubin at 917-553-2898 by phone or at [email protected] by email.