The term "media art installation" can be used to describe works that are site-specific, often created by artists for specific exhibition spaces. Created from nearly any medium, the resulting preservation needs of media art installation are equally broad in scope. As many attributes will overlap with those found under video art section, however, this section will mainly focus on preservation needs specific to installation.
When preserving media art installation, it is important to consider what aesthetic and technical elements are essential, and should be preserved in order to ensure that the integrity and significance of the work remain intact during future presentations.
Crucial to an adequate presentation (and experience) of media art installations – now and in the future – is a careful documentation of the specific requirements for their (re)presentations. A task, that is complicated, due to the fact that the ‘ideal' presentation is difficult to define, especially for media installations. For media works of art, the original, ‘authentic', state often varies in the course of different presentations.
Inside Installations: Project Preservation and Presentation of Installation Art
is a three-year research project (2004-2007) into the documentation, conservation and preservation of installation art . Over thirty complex installations have been selected as case studies and will be re-installed, investigated and documented. The website provides a unique digital repository of the project's results offering participants the opportunity to learn from each others experiences and to develop best practices and methods.
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Best practice guidelines for preserving media art installations. read more » |
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Frequently asked questions about media art installation preservation. read more » |
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Information and guidelines about practices for documenting media art installations. read more » |
