Das Cathrin Pichler Archiv

Glossy on the outside, with a bright orange inside cover and a newspaper core, this publication has unconventional haptics which reflect the out-of-the-box curatorial approach of Cathrin Pichler (1946–2012) and her cross-disciplinary archive.

Upon the initial consideration from an archival perspective, something becomes clear: Cathrin Pichler and her work seem impossible to clearly pigeonhole with respect to either discipline, method, or format.

Projects and research interests are interleaved, interlinked, and continued, and adhere to an interdisciplinary understanding of scientific and curatorial research that resists archival categories. The index of the nearly 4,000 archival documents is printed in this book and accompanied by contributions from five artists who reflect on the written estate of this multifaceted curator and of its archiving, comment on items found, and thus bring Cathrin Pichler’s practice into the present.

Throughout the publication, handwritten text fragments by Cathrin Pichler make unexpected appearances, adding a personal layer to the book. These notes feel as though she is directly reflecting on the project itself. One such remark reads, 'Der Druck ist leider nicht so gut!' [Unfortunately, the print didn’t turn out well!], blending her candid critique with a sense of humor.