The Accidental Archivist
Miya Eden
MiyaEdenPhoto5@gmail.com
@MiyaEden55555
The Accidental Archivist explores photography as a form of preservation and resistance. I developed it through the rediscovery of my family’s photo albums during a house move. The project reflects on how everyday photographs can become powerful archives of people historically excluded from dominant historical archives. Combining scanned family photographs alongside my own images, the work documents ordinary moments across generations, connecting personal memory to wider histories of colonialism and erasure.
The title reflects the unintended nature of archiving. Many of these images were never created with historical importance in mind, yet they now function as evidence of existence, and identity. As a Black British teenager, this project became both personal and political, using photography to honour my ancestors while reclaiming visibility through documentation and image-making.
