Curator's Note

A series of pertinent questions about the relevance of micro-archiving practices led us first to the local showcases. Across March and April 2025, eleven archiving projects from Constructing Personal Archives 2024 were co-curated across the Andaman Islands, Bangalore, Chennai, Dhaka (Bangladesh), Irumbai, Muree Hills (Pakistan), and Pune. Some experiences were challenging, some - rewarding, and some showcases are yet to happen. In one or the other form, the archives have been in dialogue with their immediate contexts and communities. The aspiring archivists also connected with a range of potential contributors. 

But will these connections materialise in stronger networks for archive-building and safeguarding difficult or unpopular histories? Is there more to a micro archive when it is not curated to tell engaging stories or create exhilarating public experiences? Would the reader still read, and care?