Co-Directors: Catherine Ortega-Sandow &
MJ Flamiano

Instagram: @pagbasaarchive

Librarika catalogue here [in progress, select ‘Saluhan’ from branch catalogs]

Pagbasa Archive is an experimental archive of contemporary Filipino art, design, text, sound, ephemera, performance and video based in Naarm/Melbourne.

Established in 2023, Pagbasa Archive is led by Catherine Ortega-Sandow and MJ Flamiano in collaboration with Saluhan Collective. The archive is free to access during opening hours and at pop-up events held throughout the year. The archive features works by artists, writers, designers and communities from across the Arkipelago of the Philippines and the Australian continent in addition to works collected from the U.S. and European-Filipino diasporas.

The model for the archive was informed by roundtable discussions with Filipino artists and community members living and working on the Kulin and Eora Nations. These discussions invited participants to reimagine the potential of a cultural collection and knowledge paradigm led by and for our communities. The archive extends beyond the parameters of a traditional library or museum by creating a platform for Filipinx artists and community members to gather, collaborate and exchange ideas. 

The first iteration of Pagbasa Archive was launched in June at the Mission to Seafarers Victoria, connecting over 60% of Filipinos represented in the seafaring industry with the materials held in the archive. The second iteration was launched in September at SEVENTH Gallery in conjunction with the Archival aesthetics exhibition, connecting artworks by contemporary Filipino artists to the broader context of the collection. 

Underpinned by sustainable and regenerative community-centered models of archival practice, Pagbasa is a living archive that continues to grow through the strength and contributions of its artists, supporters, researchers and kababayans. 

If you would like to contribute a work, collection, or you have a suggestion for the archive, please get in touch with us via email to discuss.

Pagbasa Archive is supported by the Creative Victoria Creative Projects Fund in 2022/23.

With special thanks to the Mission to Seafarers Victoria, SEVENTH Gallery and the City of Yarra for their support.