Written by VITA HEWITT“Echoes of Absence and Mythos: The Un-Archivists of Shitocracy” comes straight from the hands of artist Christopher Burch and opens on October 17 at Incline Gallery. Created in collaboration with the Internet Archive, D. Scott Miller, who wrote the Afro Surrealist Manifesto, and Incline Gallery, with funding from the San Francisco Arts Commission, this exhibition takes aim at the dual specters of societal erasure of Black experience and the often unmet need to amplify marginalized voices.The Un-Archivists of Shitocracy, an imagined secret society comprised of those overlooked by history, takes these heavy subjects on through historical and contemporary contexts, mixed together with the hands of a trickster to challenge oppressive systems that seek to erase the narratives crucial to Black identity.The trickster often appears in stories as the jester, the truth teller and as a being able to change the world with the absurdity of their wits. Often turning systems upside down, their disruption becomes a way of showing us medicine for healing or, in this case, what is broken and what has been left unseen. According to Burch’s research, Black folklore was often used in this way to create a spoken foothold for Black voices in America’s history.Utilizing the resources of the Internet Archive, Burch was able to identify these suppressed and misrepresented narratives. Figures rendered from Burch’s skilled hands stare out from canvases. Their eyes hold the power of their knowledge. Feathers take the place of hair in one, moth wings in another. Uncanny, unapologetic and uncomfortable, the figures walk the line between human and myth, leading the viewer into a world where hard truths lie sharply under an enticing gossamer wrapping.Immersive drawings, sculptures and writings create a library of Afro Surrealism that wields humor to defy and whispered spells to defend stories from erasure. Each piece is intentionally layered with symbolism, mirroring the layered narratives that they represent. Viewers cannot help but be drawn into questioning how and where Black narratives are represented in the currently changing landscape of American history as told by an oppressive overculture.Burch’s work is at its most compelling when these layers begin to reveal themselves. They create an atmosphere in which history feels both present and unsettled. The result is a body of work that asks viewers to look again at the stories that have been preserved, the stories that have been suppressed and who has been given the authority to tell them.“My role in this creative endeavor encompasses research, concept development, material experimentation, and narrative expansion. I envision and bring this multidimensional, absurdist world to life, crafting each piece as a vessel for cultural critique and rich storytelling. Through careful symbolism and layered narratives, I invite viewers to engage in the unarchiving process, reconsider histories, and uncover meaning in the strange yet significant struggle for cultural memory and justice,” says Burch on the exhibition.“Echoes of Absence and Mythos: The Un-Archivists of Shitocracy” opens October 17th, 2026, at Incline Gallery.About Christopher BurchBased in San Francisco and St. Louis, Christopher Burch investigates the effect of intergenerational trauma and shared experience, and how they affect the shared Black cultural psyche. Intertwining this with social justice and spirituality, he challenges societal expectations, all within a world of his own imaginings.“My practice engages with and reinterprets Black mythology and folklore. Through symbolic, linguistic, and gestural means, I create objects and ideas that give way to co emergence and slippage. By investigating my people’s myths, legends, and folkloric expressions, I expound on how cumulative intergenerational memories become embedded within the Black cultural psyche. I challenge the status quo through this engagement, breaching identity, spirituality, and social justice issues.”The Internet Archive Artist in Residence program connects visual artists with the digital library’s massive collections. The program is organized and directed by Amir Saber Esfahani.The post Celebrating 2026 Internet Archive Artist in Residence: Christopher Burch first appeared on Internet Archive Blogs.