Process

This archival project brings together decades of art responding to HIV/AIDS and interconnected health and social issues. The works challenge stigma, share lived experience, and build connection. Careful evaluation makes the Center’s exhibition history accurate, engaging, and discoverable.

13collections
669archive items
9,926populated metadata fields

Process

Decades of materials were recovered and organized into a clear, accessible archive.

  1. 1.1InvitationThe project began in March 2024 after an invitation to contribute to Reveal Digital’s HIV, AIDS & the Arts collection on JSTOR. The open-access collection preserves and shares artistic responses to HIV/AIDS.
  2. 1.2ConsolidationOriginal files were recovered from external hard drives spanning decades and eras of technology, often requiring different connections to reach aging media. Materials were then gathered into Box and paired with an extensive working spreadsheet.
  3. 1.3OrganizationMultiple interns helped sort and filter the files, define and organize collections, and develop the initial metadata using the working spreadsheet provided by JSTOR. Shared, community-informed criteria were also developed to identify useful, high-quality files worth retaining within each collection’s limits.
  4. 1.4TransformationThe Box-and-spreadsheet pairing became this archive website, making metadata easier to update and export to JSTOR. Guided by the Center’s visual identity, the site offered an inviting way to explore the collections.
  5. 1.5RefinementAI-assisted workflows supported comparison, research, and consistency checks. Interpretation, approval, and final decisions remained grounded in human judgment, allowing the archive to improve without replacing human review.

Collection

Before the website was built, hundreds of files were manually reviewed and organized into collections using four guiding practices.

  • Human Review

    Every file was assessed directly by people, without relying on AI image inspection.

  • Quality Over Quantity

    Relevance, usefulness, visual engagement, and archival value were prioritized over quantity alone.

  • Shared Decisions

    Each collection was shaped by shared decisions about which materials were most useful and meaningful.

  • Documented Questions

    Uncertain items were documented for later review.

Selection

Ratings assigned by people helped define each collection by prioritizing its strongest and most useful materials.

Once the collections are defined, people use an unrated and zero-to-five-star scale to identify the strongest materials to retain. Unrated and lowest-rated images are flagged first for possible removal, but every decision requires human verification.

Rather than imposing an equal quota, the review aims to retain the strongest and most useful material in each collection, generally working toward roughly 100 items. Larger groups are narrowed more substantially, while smaller groups retain a greater share.

Workflow

Editing involves careful drafting, evidence review, human approval, and reassessment.

4.1

Start With What We Know

Existing information is kept as found. Missing details are drafted through careful human observation and treated as tentative.

4.2

Check the Evidence

PDFs, labels, catalogs, interviews, transcripts, and other firsthand sources are used to confirm or correct the draft. Trusted web sources help resolve remaining gaps or conflicts.

4.3

Suggest Changes

Supported changes are proposed alongside the original information. Facts, interpretations, and open questions stay clearly separated.

4.4

Approve and Finalize

Only approved changes are made. Each update is checked for accuracy, consistency, and unintended effects.

4.5

Revisit When Needed

Earlier work is reviewed again when new evidence, patterns, or better standards emerge. Lessons from later batches are used to improve earlier ones.

Standards

The standards focus on changes that make records clearer, more accurate, and easier to understand.

  1. 5.1Caption clarity

    Generic openings such as “A photo of” are removed, and captions are made specific to the item.

    OriginalAn image of a speaker in front of the exhibition sign.ProposedA speaker addresses attendees in front of the exhibition sign at the opening.
  2. 5.2Grammar and verb tense

    Sentence structure is corrected and descriptions are kept consistently in the present tense.

    OriginalThis a selection of panels…ProposedThese painted panels are a selection…
  3. 5.3Names, titles, and locations

    Proper nouns are checked and standardized against supporting evidence.

    OriginalThe Cathedral in ChicagoProposedSt. James Cathedral
  4. 5.4Historical and visual context

    Useful details are added when they can be supported by the record.

    OriginalThe Condom Couture collection is shown…ProposedAdriana Bertini’s Condom Couture garments…made from condoms rejected by industry quality tests…
  5. 5.5Sensitive terminology

    Language about HIV and AIDS, identity, health, and communities is made more precise and respectful.

    OriginalChildren…orphaned as a result of AIDSProposedChildren who had lost parents to AIDS-related illness
  6. 5.6Interpretation and attribution

    Unsupported conclusions are removed, while quotations and viewpoints are clearly attributed.

    OriginalComments from the artivist…ProposedIn comments accompanying Bag of Shame, artivist Gordon Mundie explains…

Future Potential

The archive extends beyond preservation, creating opportunities for storytelling, scholarship, and public engagement.

  • Reach New Audiences

    Twenty years of the Center’s history can drive anniversary storytelling on social media and the Center’s website.

  • Create Lasting Publications

    The archive’s strongest stories and images can shape a commemorative booklet, presentations, and future publications.

  • Support a Founder’s Book

    The archive can provide images, firsthand accounts, and historical context for a founder’s book.

  • Inspire Public Engagement

    New exhibitions, programs, and collection spotlights can return these stories to public view.

  • Expand Access and Discovery

    A more useful and accessible archive can create new opportunities for education and research.

  • Strengthen Fundraising

    The archive can demonstrate the Center’s reach while honoring the participation of countless artists, collaborators, interns, and communities.