ARCHIVE – Dayanita Singh: exhibition at the State Archives of Venice

ARCHIVE – Dayanita Singh at the State Archives of Venice

From 17 April to 31 July 2026, the State Archives of Venice hosts "ARCHIVE", a solo exhibition by Indian photographer Dayanita Singh. The project examines the relationship between photography, memory and archival practice, turning the archive into a living, evolving exhibition space.

Born in New Delhi in 1961, Dayanita Singh is internationally acclaimed for her work that often reimagines the book and the exhibition format: her "book-museums" and mobile installations redefine how images are catalogued and experienced.

Curated by Andrea Anastasio, the exhibition weaves together Singh's long-term study of institutional archives and her visual ties to Italy developed over more than twenty-five years. The photographs act as elements of a non-static archive, able to reorganise and produce new narratives in dialogue with the historic spaces that host them.

Programme and related activities

Alongside the exhibition, a public programme is scheduled, aimed at both the general public and university students, including:

• talks and lectures with curators and scholars;
• presentations focused on photographic archiving;
• a mentoring programme for students in collaboration with Venetian universities.

Practical information

• Where: State Archives of Venice, Rio Terà San Tomà, 30125 Venice.
• When: from 17/04/2026 to 31/07/2026.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 12:00–18:00.
• Admission: free.

The exhibition invites visitors to consider how images and archival practices shape collective visual memory, offering an experience that combines documentary rigour with poetic sensitivity.