Archival Research Society Presents: Aaron Stern, Hard Copy: New York
Photographs today are often encountered as fleeting images on a screen—seen for a moment, then lost in an endless scroll.
But what happens when an image is stripped down and presented in its rawest form?
Join us for an evening conversation with photographer, curator, and writer Aaron Stern, whose recent exhibition Hard Copy: New York at the International Center of Photography explores photography as a physical object. Using Xerox prints and minimal display techniques, the exhibition removes traditional framing and presentation to foreground the image itself.
The approach raises a larger question: when creative work is presented without polish or spectacle, does that reveal the strength of the idea—or expose its weaknesses?
In this salon-style discussion, we’ll explore how presentation shapes meaning, why artists continue to return to raw and accessible publishing formats—from photocopies to zines—and what these choices reveal about the relationship between creativity, production, and cultural access.
The conversation will also trace Aaron’s own creative evolution—from photographer to curator, what he describes as “a step sideways”—and how stepping outside the traditional artist role can open new possibilities for collaboration and cultural work.
The evening will begin with a moderated conversation followed by an open discussion with attendees.
Light beverages will be provided.
This event is part of Archival Research Society, an ongoing series focused on creativity, archives, ephemera, and the culture of collecting—bringing together artists, curators, and enthusiasts to share ideas and objects that shape how we see the world.
Aaron's work:
https://aaronstern.substack.com
Visit the Hard Copy: New York exhibition:
https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/hard-copy-new-york
Archival Research Society is hosted through: https://www.livingroom.nyc/