Reversible Destiny Foundation
"This program is part of the BIPOC Artists Endowed Foundation Initiative."
Please see instructions on how to apply at the bottom of this page.
The Reversible Destiny Foundation (RDF) is working on archiving materials and documents of Arakawa (aka Shusaku Arakawa; b. 1936, Japan – d. 2010, NY) and Madeline Gins (b. 1941, NY – d. 2014, NY), our founding artists. These include both physical and digital materials such as photographs, notebooks, sketchbooks, unpublished draft proposals of architectural projects, and unpublished literary manuscripts of Madeline Gins.
For the RDF Arts Internship, we propose a focused research and archiving project of materials related to Madeline Gin’s unpublished illustrated version of Helen Keller or Arakawa, which we ultimately aim to publish either or both as print and digital versions in 2024 to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of its initial publication without illustrations.
The original unillustrated version in English from 1994 is one of the most important publications by Gins both as a uniquely speculative novel and an insightful guide for understanding works by Arakawa. As such, we receive constant research requests from poets and scholars as well as art curators. However, it is currently out of print and difficult to access. Republication of this seminal work by Gins will not only help foster future research on her contributions to the literary world but also shed light on her important role in the collaborative art project with Arakawa, which is sometimes kept in the shadow of Arakawa’s career.
Intern Responsibilities:
This internship involves research, unpacking archive boxes, sorting and scanning materials, and data-entry into RDF’s archives database, CollectiveAccess. As we are a small organization, the intern will be able to work closely with all the staff, especially with our project archivist, and will receive training for handling valuable primary materials physically at the office located in Brooklyn Navy Yard as well as training virtually and in person on CollectiveAccess, an open-source database program widely used by many non-profit organizations. Research on artworks may also require the intern to use our panopticon database for which we will provide guidance.
Intern Qualifications: "This program is part of the BIPOC Artists Endowed Foundation Initiative."
The RDF Arts Intern needs a skill in scholarly research in the areas of art, art history, and/or literature and poetry, using primary and secondary materials, located at the RDF office and external research institutions such as libraries and museums, as needed.
A basic computer skill in programs such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint is a must.
They should be self-sufficient in organizing research results so that they can be efficiently incorporated into our database and file organization systems, with technical support provided by the staff.
The intern will be required to engage in the necessary physical part of the archive processing, such as moving boxes, sorting, organizing, and scanning materials in the office.
The intern should be self-motivated, detail-oriented, curious, open to new ideas, inquisitive, and able to work cross-disciplinarily, especially between art and literature/poetry.
As RDF currently operates with a small staff of four and two graduate-level interns, the RDF Arts Intern should be able to work collaboratively with all of us with respect and integrity.
Interpersonal communication skills are, therefore, very important. In addition, when handling our archival materials, they should be discreet about sensitive personal information of individuals, including but not limited to Arakawa and Gins.
A good writing skill is a plus.
Interns will work onsite 28 hours per week and attend a mandatory offsite program day one day per week with their cohort.
Interns must be available for the duration of the program.
INTERNSHIP DURATION:
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: 4 days per week onsite
PROGRAM DAY:
On the 5th day of each week, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.