Cinex, an international database of cinema exhibitions

Exhibitions of cinema has developed intensively since the second half of the 20th century. A cross-sectional study of this expansion is a perspective for research, especially as these exhibitions circulate throughout the world. Nevertheless, it is important to question this contribution to the global harmonisation of cultural offer, since there is a phenomenon of adaptation from one exhibition to another when the place of presentation changes. These observations highlight the need to combine quantitative and quantitative approaches in the apprehension of these historical objects. 

Image

The analysis of the transfer of scientific discourses of exhibitions and presentation modalities constitutes the core of this project, whose ambition is also to gather a set of pedagogical resources on the history of cinema exhibitions. The ultimate goal is to produce an online manual on museology applied to cinema.

The project is in line with Stéphanie-Emmanuelle Louis' doctoral research. She is therefore coordinating the scientific activities of Cinex in close collaboration with a committee of experts, both historians of film archives and film museologists, namely Donata Pesenti-Campagnoni, Laurent Mannoni and Christophe Dupin. Their involvement takes place at different levels, including the discussion of the proposed analysis tools, the proposal of case studies and development strategies.

Image

Image

Cinex is a digital device that aims to facilitate collective work on the history of cultural and heritage exhibitions of cinema in the world, from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. Cinex is a collaborative project that is intended to be enriched regularly. Three levels of documentation are envisaged. A general census of exhibitions on film heritage or culture, providing information on all geographical areas (title of the exhibition, start date, end date, location). In addition to quantifying and mapping this exhibition production, another section will offer a more detailed description, providing information on the organisers and curators, and proposing typological elements for analysis (permanent/temporary; circulating/non-circulating, etc.), elements on the editorial environment (catalogue, associated events, etc.). Thirdly, on the basis of mainly iconographic archives, Cinex will describe exhibition devices. The application of digital technology to this research, as well as its collective dimension, should encourage cross-analysis and considerably renew historiographic perspectives on its subject.

However, it is important to base expographic analysis on observations of contemporary fields. This is why the development of Cinex will also be based on in situ observation workshops of current exhibitions, which will also be documented in the database. In addition, the question of documentation must also be considered in the light of historiographical debates on exhibitions: in this respect, the implementation of Cinex will be associated with regular conferences and summary publications.

L’équipe

• Stéphanie-Emmanuelle Louis, Research Coordinator/ Researcher, Centre Jean Mabillon, Ecole nationale des chartes
• Richard Walter, IT project manager, responsible for the Eman platform, UMR7172 - Théorie et histoire des arts et des littératures de la modernité (THALIM), CNRS - Ecole normale supérieure - Université Sorbonne nouvelle
• Donata Pesenti-Campagnoni, member of the expert committee, film historian, museologist, former curator of the Museo nazionale del cinema (Torino) (+lien vers la page annuaire)
• Laurent Mannoni, member of the expert committee, film historian, scientific director of the Cinémathèque française, Cinémathèque française (+lien vers la page annuaire)
• Christophe Dupin, member of the expert committee, film historian, Senior administrator of the International Federation of Film Archives, FIAF (+lien vers la page annuaire)

Voir aussi

Website’s project 

Blog