13.4 Archiving and Preserving Video Art Works

Video art preservation is crucial for maintaining cultural heritage and artistic vision. Archiving these works ensures future generations can study and appreciate them, while protecting against technological obsolescence and physical degradation.

Preserving video art involves more than just storing media. It requires documenting artist intent, installation requirements, and contextual information. This holistic approach safeguards the artwork's authenticity and enables accurate future presentations.

Archiving Video Art for Future Generations

Preserving Cultural, Historical, and Artistic Significance

Top images from around the web for Preserving Cultural, Historical, and Artistic Significance

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  Bill Viola. Rinascimento elettronico / Arti figurative Installazioni e Videoarte Palazzo Strozzi ... View original

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  Nam June Paik’s legendary Electronic Superhighway View original

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  Nam June Paik's legendary Electronic Superhighway View original

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  Bill Viola. Rinascimento elettronico / Arti figurative Installazioni e Videoarte Palazzo Strozzi ... View original

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  Nam June Paik’s legendary Electronic Superhighway View original

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Top images from around the web for Preserving Cultural, Historical, and Artistic Significance

• 

  Bill Viola. Rinascimento elettronico / Arti figurative Installazioni e Videoarte Palazzo Strozzi ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Nam June Paik’s legendary Electronic Superhighway View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Nam June Paik's legendary Electronic Superhighway View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Bill Viola. Rinascimento elettronico / Arti figurative Installazioni e Videoarte Palazzo Strozzi ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Nam June Paik’s legendary Electronic Superhighway View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Video art, as a time-based medium, is particularly vulnerable to obsolescence and degradation due to rapidly evolving technologies and the fragility of storage formats
• Preserving video art ensures that the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of these works can be studied, appreciated, and reinterpreted by future generations
• Failure to properly archive and preserve video art may result in the irretrievable loss of important works, diminishing the understanding of the medium's development and its impact on contemporary art
• Examples of historically significant video art works include:
  • Nam June Paik's "Global Groove" (1973)
  • Bill Viola's "The Passing" (1991)

Maintaining Artist's Intent and Artwork Authenticity

• Archiving video art involves not only preserving the physical media but also documenting the artist's intent, the work's context, and any installation or display requirements
• The preservation of video art is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the artist's vision and the authenticity of the artwork
• Documenting artist's intent may include:
  • Recording interviews with the artist about their creative process and the meaning behind the work
  • Capturing detailed installation instructions and diagrams
  • Preserving any accompanying materials (artist statements, exhibition catalogs, etc.)

Challenges of Preserving Video Art

Format Diversity and Obsolescence

• Video art has been created using a wide range of formats, including analog (videotape, laserdisc) and digital (DVD, Blu-ray, digital files) media, each with its own preservation challenges
• Analog formats are prone to physical deterioration, such as magnetic tape decay, while digital formats face issues of file corruption, hardware and software obsolescence, and the need for regular migration to newer formats
• Examples of obsolete video formats:
  • U-matic tapes
  • Betamax tapes
  • LaserDiscs

Best Practices for Storage and Maintenance

• Best practices for storing video art include maintaining proper environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, and cleanliness), using archival-quality storage materials, and creating multiple backup copies
• Regularly inspecting and assessing the condition of stored video art is essential for identifying and addressing any signs of deterioration or damage
• Maintaining detailed documentation, including information about the original format, equipment used, and any preservation actions taken, is crucial for ensuring the long-term viability of video art works
• Collaborating with conservators, technicians, and digital preservation specialists is often necessary to develop and implement effective strategies for storing and maintaining video art
• Examples of archival storage materials:
  • Acid-free boxes and folders
  • Inert plastic containers (polypropylene, polyethylene)

Institutions in Video Art Preservation

Roles and Responsibilities

• Museums, galleries, and other cultural institutions play a vital role in collecting, preserving, and exhibiting video art, ensuring its accessibility to the public and researchers
• These institutions often have dedicated departments or staff responsible for managing and caring for video art collections, including conservators, curators, and archivists
• Institutions may collaborate with artists, estates, and other stakeholders to develop preservation strategies and ensure that the artist's intent is respected in the long-term care of the work
• Examples of institutions with significant video art collections:
  • The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York
  • The Tate, London

Access and Outreach

• Providing access to video art often involves creating exhibition copies, installing specialized viewing equipment, and developing interactive displays or online platforms for remote access
• Institutions may also engage in research, education, and outreach activities to promote a deeper understanding of video art and its preservation among professionals, students, and the general public
• Challenges faced by institutions include securing funding for preservation efforts, navigating complex legal issues related to copyright and ownership, and adapting to evolving technologies and best practices in the field
• Examples of online platforms for accessing video art:
  • UbuWeb
  • Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI)

Strategies for Documenting Video Art

Essential Documentation Elements

• Thorough documentation is essential for contextualizing video art works and guiding future preservation and exhibition efforts
• Key elements to document include the artist's intent, the work's conceptual and technical specifications, installation requirements, and any variations or versions of the work
• Documenting the condition of video art works over time, including any preservation actions or interventions, helps inform future conservation decisions and maintains a record of the work's history
• Examples of documentation elements:
  • Artist interviews and statements
  • Technical diagrams and schematics
  • Installation photographs and videos

Cataloging and Metadata Standards

• Cataloging video art involves creating detailed records that capture metadata such as the work's title, artist, date, duration, format, and provenance
• Standardized vocabularies and data structures, such as the Categories for the Description of Works of Art (CDWA) or the VRA Core, can be used to ensure consistency and interoperability among different collections and institutions
• Establishing clear protocols for documenting and cataloging video art, as well as training staff in their implementation, is crucial for ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of these works
• Exploring digital asset management systems and other technologies can help streamline documentation and cataloging processes, as well as facilitate sharing and collaboration among institutions
• Examples of metadata standards:
  • Dublin Core
  • PBCore (Public Broadcasting Metadata Dictionary)