ArchivorumARK invites mature artists to actively participate in the construction of their own legacy, working closely with young postgraduate students.
ArchivorumARK is the biennial grant program of Archivorum and a direct application of its core PRE philosophy (Preserve, Research, Educate). While Archivorum defines the framework, ArchivorumArk puts these values into practice by reimagining the artist archive as a dynamic, living flow rather than a fixed or closed system. Our project has been awarded the prestigious Creative Europe program by the European Union in 2022.
Artist Legacy
ArchivorumArk supports mature artists in actively shaping their own legacy. Through the creation of digital archives and publications, the programme preserves artistic practices while ensuring they remain accessible, researched, and meaningful for future generations.
Intergenerational Collaboration
The programme brings together established artists and postgraduate students in a shared process of research, dialogue, and archival practice. Through mentorship and collaboration, past artistic knowledge is translated into new forms of understanding and documentation.
A Living Archive
ArchivorumArk reimagines the archive as a dynamic and evolving system rather than a fixed repository. Built on trust, collaboration, and human connection, the project allows artistic memory and intent to move forward across generations.
Fostering Research and Artistic Collaborations
At the heart of the project is collaboration. Together, they engage in research, dialogue, and critical reflection, translating the past into the future through the creation of a publication and a digital archive. This intergenerational exchange allows knowledge, memory, and artistic intent to move forward in an open and meaningful way.
Building Global and Local Connections
Why we stand out
What distinguishes ArchivorumArk is its refusal of a static, institutional, or market-driven vision of the archive. The project is not shaped by political agendas or commercial interests, but by human connection. As expressed by Archivorum’s founder, Mia Rigo, “it’s a story of human connection” - one in which trust, mentorship, and shared authorship form a harmonious bridge between past, present, and future.
Projects and people
We are pleased to announce that the new fellows of ArchivorumARK 2.0 (2026–2028) have been selected. More information coming soon.
ArchivorumARK 1.0 (2023 – 2025) brought together three postgraduate students and three female artists, affirming the project’s commitment to education, collaboration, and the active transmission of artistic legacies across generations.
We invite you to explore the people that were at the heart of ArchivorumARK project. Each character holds a unique story, and their collective narratives weave a tapestry of creativity, emotion, and inspiration.
Stephen Biegel
Stephen Biegel is an archivist and photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Originally from Florida, he relocated to Brooklyn in 2017 to pursue his MA in Museum Studies at New York University. His research interests encompass the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, New York's Downtown Scene, and Artist Archives. When not documenting the past, he engages in performance art and archives his own work through photography.
Belén Uriel
Belén Uriel (born 1974 in Madrid) is a dynamic artist who currently resides and works in the vibrant cities of Lisbon and London. Her work challenges the way we perceive everyday objects and revolves around household items and their influence on our social behaviors. Uriel expertly manipulates materials like glass and metal to create organic shapes, which originate from objects designed for human use and interaction. Her sculptures, crafted from organic materials like paper pulp, glass, and bronze, are enigmatic constructions that stimulate contemplation. They are fragmented replicas of common objects, such as baskets, inflatable mattresses, and backpacks, all bearing the marks of human interaction. Uriel's art breathes new life into these fundamental objects of consumption, leaving you pondering the captivating transformation process.
Anaïs Auger-Mathurin
Born in Montreal, Anaïs Auger-Mathurin is an art historian and art writer based in Paris. A graduate of the Université de Montréal and the École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in art history, her research has delved into the market of classical African art in Dakar. Currently engaged in pre-doctoral studies, she is focusing on the issues of conservation, research, and exhibition of African art in museums, along with its epistemological construction in art history. Passionate about the intellectual production of the Global South, she also works as a freelance writer, crafting exhibition texts, articles, and artist biographies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Nil Yalter
Nil Yalter (born 1938 in Cairo) is a pioneering Turkish contemporary feminist artist whose remarkable journey has left an indelible mark on the art world. She currently resides in Paris, where she continues to create thought-provoking and boundary-pushing art. Yalter's diverse body of work, ranging from drawings and photographs to videos and performance art, has earned her a well-deserved place in numerous prestigious collections and museums. Notably, she holds the distinction of being the first Turkish female video artist, and her art often explores complex themes such as migration, women's issues, and the intersection of technology and art. Yalter's career evolved from early abstract compositions to the revolutionary feminist art movement in 1970s France, making her a trailblazer in the field. Her work challenges traditional notions of gender and sexuality. Throughout her career, she has shed light on the experiences of marginalized communities, such as migrant workers and former prisoners, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to social and feminist causes. Her impact on the art world is undeniable, and her art continues to challenge and inspire audiences worldwide.
Christianna Asprouli
Christianna Asprouli, a young greek fine, visual and byzantine artist, is an Honours archaeologist with postgraduate studies in France (Sorbonne University, Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris, Universities of Lyon and Montpellier) in the fields of Archaeology, Art History and Museology and, subsequently, she completed her studies with Honours at the Athens School of Fine Arts. She is engaged with the science of Archaeology by taking part in international excavation programs and surface surveys that have been carried out in Greece, whilst in the field of Art History and Museology she had many collaborations with museums in Greece and France. In the field of Visual/Fine Arts, she has recently collaborated with two publishing houses and she has participated to date in nine group and two solo exhibitions showing her artworks of Hagiography/Byzantine art, as well as secular themes.
Babs Haenen
Babs Haenen is a renowned Dutch visual artist recognized for her ceramics that seamlessly blend color, line, and form. Her works are a fusion of abstract painting and motifs found in nature, particularly rippling water and landscapes. Using colored porcelain slabs, Haenen creates vibrant and organic vessels with an inner dynamism that is truly mesmerizing. Her artistic process involves layering these slabs with pigments, allowing her to shape delicate ribbons of colored porcelain, which she skillfully folds, cuts, and sculpts into her distinctive vessels. Haenen's artistry has evolved from vertical vessels to intricate pieces, incorporating two or more separate elements to create vivid tabletop landscapes and Scholar's Rocks. With a background in dance and formal education in visual art at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, Babs Haenen's artistry stands as a testament to her exceptional talent and her enduring contributions to the world of ceramics, which have been recognized through various grants and prestigious awards over the years, including the 2020 van Achterbergh Prize.




