Week 4: Week 4: Time-Based Media Time-Based Media and Cultural Heritage and Cultural Heritage Initiatives in Institutional Initiatives in Institutional Contexts: Questions of Contexts: Questions of Mission and Constraint Mission and Constraint

Last Day: Last Day: Visual Images & Text as Visual Images & Text as Cultural Heritage: New Approaches to Cultural Heritage: New Approaches to Documentation & ConservationDocumentation & Conservation Guest Lecture Guest Lecture by Jessica Busheyby Jessica Bushey Discussion of ProjectsDiscussion of Projects

Today: Today:

11stst part of class):lecture, planning coursework, part of class):lecture, planning coursework, study tips for quiz #1study tips for quiz #1

22ndnd Part of Class: Guest Lecture by Leora Part of Class: Guest Lecture by Leora Kornfeld about MetroCode as participatory Kornfeld about MetroCode as participatory conservationconservation

Assigned readings:Assigned readings:– Week 4Week 4– Weeks 5-6Weeks 5-6

Lecture OutlineLecture Outline

Traditions in cultural heritage preservationTraditions in cultural heritage preservation ChallengesChallenges of Digital Media, Variable or Time- of Digital Media, Variable or Time-

based Media for based Media for Cultural Heritage Cultural Heritage Preservation TraditionsPreservation Traditions

– Varied roles in Varied roles in art worldsart worlds (creators, curators, (creators, curators, conservators, technicians, conservators, technicians, registrars, archivists, registrars, archivists, collectors, publics, etc…)collectors, publics, etc…)

– Arts institutionsArts institutions have have mandates, codes of ethics, mandates, codes of ethics, organizational structures organizational structures that professional identities & that professional identities & constraintsconstraints

– BUT --International networksBUT --International networks --disciplinary & trans---disciplinary & trans-disciplinary collaboration disciplinary collaboration that conflict with disciplinary that conflict with disciplinary & national traditions& national traditions

Name

T= Can touch art 24 h a day without supervision (Twenty-four hours)

D=may touch art during museum hours under supervision

Red aura =may touch artworks

Recall: traditions--professional roles Recall: traditions--professional roles in Art Museumsin Art Museums

Museological mandates & Museological mandates & records of Culturerecords of CultureMuseological mandates & Museological mandates & records of Culturerecords of Culture symbolic culturesymbolic culture

– values, beliefs, ways of values, beliefs, ways of reasoning, style, tastes, reasoning, style, tastes, values, meaningvalues, meaning

material culturematerial culture– ““things”, techniques things”, techniques

Some key principles in Cultural Some key principles in Cultural Heritage PreservationHeritage Preservation respect for respect for

– meaningmeaning of “object or artefact” of “object or artefact”– preservation of preservation of objectsobjects in collections ( in collections (in perpetuityin perpetuity))– In art: respect for creator’s intentIn art: respect for creator’s intent– In historic & cultural museums: community stakeholders In historic & cultural museums: community stakeholders

(newer)(newer)– ReversibleReversible treatments to make it possible to return to treatments to make it possible to return to

original (authentic & integral)original (authentic & integral) state state Debates: ownership and authorityDebates: ownership and authority

– Multiple meanings???Multiple meanings???

Variations in conservation Variations in conservation approaches according to approaches according to symbolic value, meaningsymbolic value, meaning

Pressurized suits (Deep sea and Outer space) National Museum of Air & Space, Smithsonian Institution

field field (arts, (arts, sciences)sciences)

status & status & meaning of the meaning of the objectobject

type of usetype of use treatment treatment

conventionsconventions

Traditions (object preservation the case of artworks & cultural artefacts in museum contexts)

2020thth c. notions of collecting c. notions of collecting

“cultural things”“cultural things” originaloriginal object or object or

artifact as artifact as authoritative, authoritative, authenticauthentic, , unchanging record unchanging record “frozen in time”“frozen in time”

authority or “aura” of authority or “aura” of creator creator (Walter Benjamin)(Walter Benjamin)

– record of artists’ record of artists’ intentionintention, act, act

Part 2: « Variable Media » Heritage : Part 2: « Variable Media » Heritage : Preservation as Cultural Mediation Preservation as Cultural Mediation & Creation& Creation““Preserving media is like preserving ice cream. Preserving media is like preserving ice cream.

Storage is a lousy strategy. You're better off Storage is a lousy strategy. You're better off getting ahold of the recipe."getting ahold of the recipe." Jon Ippolito, Guggenheim Jon Ippolito, Guggenheim– material culture in variable media material culture in variable media cannot be cannot be

preserved unchangedpreserved unchanged

New Strategies-Variable Media ApproachNew Strategies-Variable Media Approach

Type of strategyType of strategy HowHow disadvantagedisadvantage

StorageStorage-- -- conservative, default for conservative, default for most museumsmost museums

Save work, dedicated Save work, dedicated equipment or digital equipment or digital files on diskfiles on disk

work will expire when work will expire when ephemeral materials ephemeral materials cease to functioncease to function

MigrationMigration updating equipment & updating equipment & source materialsource material

change to appearancechange to appearance

EmulationEmulation imitating original look imitating original look of the piece by of the piece by different meansdifferent means

expensive & expensive & inconsistency with the inconsistency with the artist's intentartist's intent

Reinterpretation Reinterpretation or or Re-creationRe-creation--radicalradical

reinterpret the work reinterpret the work each time it is re-each time it is re-createdcreated

Metaphoric --but may Metaphoric --but may be only way for art be only way for art designed to vary with designed to vary with contextcontext

Source: Guggenheim/Fondation Daniel Langlois Variable Media Initiative, 2002.

MigrationMigration Ex. Artists’ video, Ex. Artists’ video,

audio (analog-digital)audio (analog-digital)

Recall: Bill Viola clip Recall: Bill Viola clip (migration)(migration)

Emulation (Emulation (Seeing DoubleSeeing Double))

Color Panel v1.0.1, 2004. C code, altered Apple PowerBook G3 laptop, and acrylic.Color Panel v1.0.1, 2004. C code, altered Apple PowerBook G3 laptop, and acrylic.

Color Panel v1.0, 1999. C code, altered Apple PowerBook 280c laptop, and acrylic.Color Panel v1.0, 1999. C code, altered Apple PowerBook 280c laptop, and acrylic.

Courtesy of the artist and Sandra Gering GalleryCourtesy of the artist and Sandra Gering Gallery

Re-interpretationRe-interpretation

Morris and Carolee Schneemann performing Site at Stage 73, Morris and Carolee Schneemann performing Site at Stage 73, Surplus Dance Theater, New York, 1964. Photo by Peter MooreSurplus Dance Theater, New York, 1964. Photo by Peter Moore

Why? Why? Challenges Challenges from New from New Technologies & Technologies & PracticesPractices

Ex. Ephemeral Ex. Ephemeral MaterialsMaterials

‘‘Flesh Dress…’ (Jana Flesh Dress…’ (Jana Sterbak)Sterbak)

New Ideas about what to New Ideas about what to collect collect

Exhibition of Storefront Display covered with toxic dust from September 11, 2001, New York City. Source NYTimes, Aug. 25, 2006

Changing ideas about Changing ideas about PerformancePerformanceexample: Julie Laffin, example: Julie Laffin, OverOver, , 19961996

Rapid obsolescence of Rapid obsolescence of technologies: technologies: (Nam June Paik.(Nam June Paik. TV Garden. 1974) TV Garden. 1974)

Nam June Paik, Nam June Paik, TV GardenTV Garden, , 2000 version2000 version

Precariousness of ‘New’ Precariousness of ‘New’ Technologies (variable media) as Technologies (variable media) as part of Cultural Heritagepart of Cultural Heritage

Documentation & Documentation & storage issues:storage issues: institutional record-institutional record-keeping & prioritieskeeping & priorities

Technical, practical, Technical, practical, ethical, economic, ethical, economic, political & aesthetic political & aesthetic issuesissues

Interactive works: example: Interactive works: example: ada’web, 1995-1998ada’web, 1995-1998

www.adaweb.walker.orgwww.adaweb.walker.org

Preservation and Presentation Preservation and Presentation challengeschallenges

Physical installation components, hardware, Physical installation components, hardware, custom software, feedback delay time, c custom software, feedback delay time, c perfomantive aspectsperfomantive aspects

Multiple genresMultiple genres– Site-specific (Internet)Site-specific (Internet)– performative (interaction of viewers etc.)performative (interaction of viewers etc.)

Conservation & professional Conservation & professional practices in the “museum field”practices in the “museum field” Archives & preservationArchives & preservation of of

– WorksWorks– of equipment, replacement supplies & of equipment, replacement supplies & tools of tools of

creation (ex. software & hardware)creation (ex. software & hardware) DocumentationDocumentation

– techniques for record keeping & nomenclature techniques for record keeping & nomenclature of works & processesof works & processes

– Information on technical standards (industry)Information on technical standards (industry)– Treatment experiences & standards for careTreatment experiences & standards for care

New Social Dynamics New Social Dynamics

Rethinking “creation-mediation-reception” processRethinking “creation-mediation-reception” process

diversification of participants in networks of collaborationdiversification of participants in networks of collaboration– different perspectives, active agency, multiple registers of meaningdifferent perspectives, active agency, multiple registers of meaning

cultural, historic & artistic workscultural, historic & artistic works as as – lived experience lived experience – grounded practicegrounded practice– anticipation of change over time anticipation of change over time – emphasis on meaning-making processemphasis on meaning-making process

Concluding Remarks (1) Concluding Remarks (1)

Cultural heritage preservation Cultural heritage preservation NOT just about NOT just about preservation of objects/material remains but preservation of objects/material remains but still largely organized around still largely organized around material culture material culture & documentation (even in the digital age)& documentation (even in the digital age)

Understanding Understanding new approachesnew approaches to to presentation and preservation of artistic & presentation and preservation of artistic & historical works historical works vital for study of constitution vital for study of constitution of culture & social organization of artworlds of culture & social organization of artworlds nownow

Tensions in Mandates of cultural Tensions in Mandates of cultural heritage institutionsheritage institutions

New skills, communication “across’ disciplines?New skills, communication “across’ disciplines? Persistence of old organizational structures, values & Persistence of old organizational structures, values &

practices in museum worldspractices in museum worlds

Interplay of personal and professional, private and Interplay of personal and professional, private and public public

– ““hot” & “cold” moments, “thick” description (C. Geertz)hot” & “cold” moments, “thick” description (C. Geertz)

Now: Discussion of courseworkNow: Discussion of coursework

Handout #4Handout #4: short reports & term : short reports & term assignmentsassignments

Sign up for class presentationsSign up for class presentations Handout #6 (mislabelled, should Handout #6 (mislabelled, should

be #5): readingsbe #5): readings

Tips for Quiz #1Tips for Quiz #1 Review readings & lecture topicsReview readings & lecture topics 1- Core ideas about culture, collecting & 1- Core ideas about culture, collecting &

object preservationobject preservation theories of culture, cultural heritage theories of culture, cultural heritage collecting “things” (different values according to collecting “things” (different values according to

meaning, different preservation traditions)meaning, different preservation traditions) museums as an example of cultural heritage museums as an example of cultural heritage

institutionsinstitutions– Sources: Hooper-Greenhill, Pye, Sources: Hooper-Greenhill, Pye,

Marontate, ICOMMarontate, ICOM

2-Core Ideas about cultural 2-Core Ideas about cultural heritage conservation heritage conservation traditionstraditions (museums, archives, libraries)(museums, archives, libraries) Types of cultural heritage (tangible, intangible, material, symbolic)Types of cultural heritage (tangible, intangible, material, symbolic) AuthenticityAuthenticity

– Connections to creator & contexts in which cultural object or practice usedConnections to creator & contexts in which cultural object or practice used IntegrityIntegrity Authorship & intentionAuthorship & intention Caring for collections (traditions, mandates & codes of ethics)Caring for collections (traditions, mandates & codes of ethics)

– Minimal interventionMinimal intervention– Reversibility of treatmentsReversibility of treatments– Original stateOriginal state

Creation, mediation, reception in communications about culture Creation, mediation, reception in communications about culture (participants: conservators, conservation scientists, technicians, (participants: conservators, conservation scientists, technicians, curators, owners, collectors, publics, community stakeholders etc….)curators, owners, collectors, publics, community stakeholders etc….)

Cultural heritage as communicationCultural heritage as communication

Sources: Hooper-Greenhill, Pye, Marontate, Sources: Hooper-Greenhill, Pye, Marontate, ICOMICOM

3-Digital Media & other forms of 3-Digital Media & other forms of variable media in cultural heritage variable media in cultural heritage conservationconservation Digital works & digitization as challenges Digital works & digitization as challenges

(including Time-based media (types), variable (including Time-based media (types), variable media)media)

Some new strategies (when storage not Some new strategies (when storage not feasible): migration, emulation, re-feasible): migration, emulation, re-interpretation, re-fabricationinterpretation, re-fabrication

Sources: Sources: Sterling, Ippolito, Stringari and Sterling, Ippolito, Stringari and readings about InterPARES2 & variable readings about InterPARES2 & variable media network, Walton, Kimmelman, Van media network, Walton, Kimmelman, Van Wegan.Wegan.

Break and return for Break and return for Leora KornfeldLeora Kornfeld