Birri:
An Archive of Intimate History

I’m a kind of walking memory, just for a little while, period, that’s all. So, what is life, in the end? It’s made of memory—including the memory of the future! ¹

Fernando Birri’s personal archive is a repository of carefully self-curated narratives that preserve the intimate dimensions of his life and work. Through his writings, photographs, films and artwork, the archive documents the personal experiences and transformations that informed his revolutionary cinema, poetry and visual art. These materials are more than historical artifacts; they offer direct insight into Birri’s trajectory as a filmmaker, educator, artist, activist and intellectual. They openly reveal how his personal and emotional experiences shaped his creative vision and strengthened his commitment to political engagement, while also guiding his poetic and utopian portrayals of both the real and imagined aspects of Latin America.

Birri’s archive functions as a form of personal storytelling that intersects with broader socio-political concerns, spirituality and sexuality. His poetry and artwork carry the imprint of the intimate and often vulnerable aspects of a life shaped by exile and driven by both artistic and political purpose. Through poems, handwritten notes, photographs and artwork in various media, we encounter private reflections, personal losses and moments of both joy and doubt. Some materials speak directly, offering an unfiltered window into his thoughts and emotions, while others rely on metaphor or symbolism to express what could not be said explicitly. In this way, the archive becomes both a testimony and a refuge.

Convinced that these narratives needed to be shared and made accessible, Birri became his own archivist, devising a classification system to safeguard the stories and materials that shaped his life. His curatorial and archival methods add another layer of meaning—not only as an extension of his artistic exploration and practice, but also as a personal gesture that speaks to the importance he placed on preservation.