Untitled (Joanne [Ha]Rruff)
An archival investigation
Untitled (Joanne [Ha]Rruff) is an ongoing investigation into the life and work of a California artist who briefly existed under the name Joanne Rruff. Born with the last name Merkin, married and divorced to a Harruff, Joanne’s self-invention occurred when she dropped the “Ha,” becoming Rruff for a short time before remarrying and shedding all Rruffage once and for all.
UJHR is delivered as an illustrated lecture, updated and reconsidered over time with the latest installment representing the most recent findings. The project concerns the development of a non-institutional, idiosyncratic archive and, in the case of an artist who no longer exists, wrestling with the complexities of coming to digitally embody that archive.
Untitled (Joanne [Ha]Rruff) was presented at Will Brown in conjunction with the exhibition Manitoba Museum of Finds Art in June of 2012 and was presented later that same year at Independent Curators International in New York.
