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The Ephemera Archive
Beyond the canonical artwork lies a vast stratum of transient cultural markers. The Alan Nekhay Foundation’s Ephemera Archive is dedicated to the preservation of primary documents—setlists, sketches, rare publications, and process-based artifacts—that delineate the contemporary creative act.
By repositioning these marginal forms as archival evidence, the Foundation bridges the gap between institutional art and subcultural movements. This collection serves as a critical repository of the traces left by voices shaping our contemporary discourse, ensuring that the ephemeral moments of cultural production remain accessible for future research and reflection.
By repositioning these marginal forms as archival evidence, the Foundation bridges the gap between institutional art and subcultural movements. This collection serves as a critical repository of the traces left by voices shaping our contemporary discourse, ensuring that the ephemeral moments of cultural production remain accessible for future research and reflection.
Marina Abramović: 512 Hours
Limited Edition Vinyl | 12” White Vinyl, 59 of 100, hand-signed and numbered, 2014. A sonic artifact documenting Marina Abramović’s landmark 512 Hours exhibition. The record features the artist reading her "An Artist's Life Manifesto" on one side and the ambient silence of the empty gallery space on the reverse, functioning as a material extension of her exploration into immateriality and "nothingness." This rare archival trace bridges the gap between vocal declaration and the physical void, preserving a pivotal moment in the history of performance art where absence itself becomes the primary medium.
Banks: The III Tour Setlist
Stage Setlist | Cologne, 2019. A primary document from Banks’s "The III Tour," serving as a physical manifestation of the artist’s performative sequence. This artifact functions as a record of the structural and sonic architecture of the live act, preserving the ephemeral trajectory of the performance. By archiving this relic of pop culture, the Foundation explores the intersection between mass media and individual narrative, positioning the setlist as a crucial trace of contemporary performativity.
Tima Illarionov & Mitya Tipikin: Born in a Bathhouse, I Simply Dream Dangerously
Independent Zine | Physical print, 6 of 15, 2023. A rare self-published zine reflecting the raw, introspective energy of the contemporary underground scene. Produced in a limited run of only 15 copies, this artifact represents the "samizdat" tradition within modern visual culture. Copy No. 6 is held in the Alan Nekhay Foundation archive as a testament to independent publishing and marginal poetic narratives.
Tima Illarionov: Pictures and Jokes
Independent Zine | Physical print, unique color variant, 4 of 6, 2023. A collection of ironic drafts, tattoo designs, and sketches by Tima Illarionov. Produced in an extremely limited edition of only 6 copies, each features a distinct color palette for the cover and interior pages, rendering every installment a unique archival object. This zine serves as a raw documentation of the artist's informal visual language and process-based explorations.
Elizaveta Berkutova: Yes/No/Baby
Unique Polaroid Print | 2023. A one-of-a-kind photograph by Elizaveta Berkutova documenting her object "Yes/No/Baby". Utilizing the unrepeatable nature of the Polaroid medium, the artist transforms a physical work into a singular archival trace. This artifact serves as an extension of Berkutova’s practice, capturing the intersection of sculpture and its photographic memory.
Shalva Nikvashvili: Organised Sadness
Artist’s Book | Limited edition, 50 copies, signed by the artist, 2024. A self-published monograph by Shalva Nikvashvili, serving as a codified exploration of personal and collective trauma. The work reflects the artist’s visceral approach to identity, where internal emotional states are structured into a tangible visual narrative. As an extremely limited signed edition, this artifact represents a critical intersection of intimate storytelling and independent publishing, preserving the raw emotionality central to Nikvashvili’s multidisciplinary practice.
Polina Osipova: From my babushka's garden
Artist’s Book | Hand-stitched photobook, limited edition, 2024. A wordless visual narrative by Polina Osipova, documenting imagery originally transferred onto peony petals. The book serves as a silent archive of Chuvash heritage, weaving together photographs of the artist’s family, her own works, and collage sequences. In its hand-stitched format, the artifact preserves ephemeral organic moments to explore themes of memory, female lineage, and the delicate transmission of identity.
ANOHNI and the Johnsons: Istanbul Setlist
Stage Setlist | Istanbul, 2025. A primary document from the live performance by ANOHNI and the Johnsons. This setlist provides a direct trace of the concert’s narrative structure and the artist’s engagement with the Istanbul audience. As a record of a transient event, the artifact serves as a bridge between sound art and archival documentation, capturing a pivotal cultural moment in the city’s contemporary history.
EPHEMERA
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The archive is currently
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The archive is currently
being cataloged.