Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
Bournemouth University
In Homage of Change
Originality.
Smith and Isley (boredomresearch) were selected by the Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute to consider the implication of preservation and conservation in relation to their digital arts practice by identifying key unsolved problems and signposting possible future research agendas for the preservation of complex digital objects.
Significance.
Presented as a co-authored paper at Preservation of Complex Objects Symposia, Glasgow, considering the challenges faced in preserving software art. Following which we were invited to write a chapter in the peer-reviewed book, Preservation of Complex Objects, Volume 2 Software Art. Few books currently exist in this area, with this publication being the first to fully address the problems of complex digital objects.
Rigour
Critical reflection of first hand experience of the accession of complex digital artworks into internationally important public collections led to exploration of preservation techniques. Questioning the relevance for the extra complexity presented by digital artworks the investigation identified necessary considerations to aid the establishment of effective policy for the preservation of internationally significant works of fine art. The research was informed by over ten years of practice addressing the issues of maintaining and preserving software art over extended time frames.
Smith's research focused on the significance of lifespan for generative digital artworks in relation to practice asking; How do creative potentials present in generative digital practice relate to notions of preservation? Research revealed conflicts between creative motivations and current conservation practice. Isley's research investigated the corresponding interface between practitioner and public collection; considering best practice from the perspective of author and then preserver. Central to this research are distinctions between abstract mathematical models, code etc. and visible outputs, in respect to creative intentions. Collective insights implied the need for Institutions and archives to carefully consider how an artistic artefact is digitally and materially embodied.
