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Article Going Digital? and Digital at the Stedelijk

Sjoukje van der Meulen

Department of History and , University, Drift 6, 3512 BS Utrecht, The ; [email protected]  Received: 10 May 2019; Accepted: 15 July 2019; Published: 1 August 2019 

Abstract: The Stedelijk in , The Netherlands, has an extensive collection of time-based media art from the 1960s onwards, which has been expanded into the digital field in recent decades. The Stedelijk makes an interesting case study for this special issue on “Art Curation: Challenges in the Digital Age,” because it has had a reputable history of dealing with time-based art since the mid-1970s but presently faces the same challenges with regard to curating and collecting as other of . The Stedelijk’s history began in 1974, when the first for time-based art was hired, Dorine Mignot, a pioneer in this field. After Mignot’s retirement in 2006, the museum was closed for almost a decade, but under the leadership of Beatrix Ruf (2014–2017), an innovative agenda was set again for new media and digital art. In this paper, Sjoukje van der Meulen mobilizes the museum’s rich and varied history of new media and digital art to think through some of the issues, challenges and concerns raised by guest editor Francesca Franco for this special issue such as “What are the issues involved in re-contextualizing and exhibiting artworks made in the 1960s and the 1970s?” and “What are [adequate] curatorial approaches regarding digital art?”

Keywords: Stedelijk Museum; new media and digital art; museum collections; curating

1. Introduction In this essay, I address the way in which one art institution—the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam—has dealt with time-based media, from early art to the newest forms of digital art. The Stedelijk, as the museum is known locally, makes an interesting case study for exploring the current status of new media and digital art within a museum context, because it not only grapples with the same questions of digitally based art as most other museums of modern and but also has had a reputable history of collecting and exhibiting time-based media since the 1960s and 1970s. Focusing on ‘new media and digital art’ (the more contemporary terms for ‘time-based media’)1 in a museum such as the Stedelijk, with its renowned collection and distinct exhibition history, allows us to discuss the task of curating and collecting these new forms of artistic expression in the digital era more concretely. In the key literature on the challenges for modern and contemporary art museums in regard to new media and digital art, the need for serious institutional reflection on existing curatorial models and collection policies have been stressed by many experts, such as Beryl Graham, Sarah Cook, and Christiane Paul. In “Challenges for a Ubiquitous Museum: from the to the Black Box and

1 ‘Time-based media’ is a term that is closely connected with the emergence of in the 1960s and 1970s. ‘New Media’ is a broader term, first used in the 1950s, which encompasses video and other technically-based media, including from the 1990s onwards. However, in the 2000s, the term ‘digital media’ gradually replaced the term ‘new media’, although the latter term is still broader in scope than ‘digital media’. Therefore, the two terms are generally used together in this article.

Arts 2019, 8, 97; doi:10.3390/arts8030097 www.mdpi.com/journal/arts Arts 2019,, 8,, 97x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 16

Christiane Paul. In “Challenges for a Ubiquitous Museum: from the White Cube to the Black Box and Beyond” (2008), Paul—the adjunct curator of new media arts at the WhitneyWhitney Museum of AmericanAmerican Art—stated thatthat “there“there is is no no doubt doubt that that traditional traditional museums museums must must transform transform themselves themselves if theyif they want want to accommodateto accommodate new new media media art” ( Paulart” 2008(Paul, p. 2008, 53). So, p. where53). So, do museumswhere do of museums modern and of contemporarymodern and artcontemporary stand with respectart stand to with implementing respect to changesimplementing as of 2019? changes as of 2019? The Stedelijk’s history of time-based media beganbegan in 1974, when the museum appointed its first first 2 curator for thethe departmentdepartment ofof ,painting, ,sculpture, andand video:video: DorineDorine MignotMignot (Figure(Figure1 1).). 2 Mignot’s long-term position as curator of time-based media at the Stedelijk, from 1974 to 2006, heightened her expertise on time-based media within the visual artsarts while simultaneously bolstering the museum’s reputation in in this this field. field. Mignot Mignot began began curating curating and and collecting collecting performance and andvideo video art in art the in mid- the mid-1970s1970s but quickly but quickly expanded expanded her herarea area of interest of interest to multi-media to multi-media installations installations in inthe the 1980s 1980s and and 1990s. 1990s.

Figure 1. Dorine Mignot with , 1998. Phot Photoo courtesy of Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen.

A few years before Mignot’s retirement, the StedelijkStedelijk was closed for almost a decade (from 2004 to the fall of 2012) due to the renovation of the hi historicstoric building and the construction of of a a new new wing, wing, but under the leadership of Beatrix Ruf, director of the Stedelijk from November 2014 to November 2017, an ambitious agenda was once again set for curating and collecting new media and digital art (Figure(Figure2 ).2). Ruf Ruf also also appointed appointed a new a curatornew curator for time-based for time-based media, Karenmedia, Archey—a Karen Archey—a prolific American prolific 3 criticAmerican and curatorcritic and affi curatorliated with affiliated post- with post-. art.3

Figure 2. Beatrix Ruf with Jordan Wolfson, 2016.2016. Photo courtesy Fabian Landewee.

2 In TheThe Brooklyn Brooklyn Rail Rail, Archey, Karen(2017 Archey) shared (2017) the research shared that the she research did on Mignot that inshe the did archives on Mignot of the Stedelijk in the archives Museum, whereof the sheStedelijk came acrossMuseum, Mignot’s where offi cialshe professional came across title: Mignot’s curator atofficial the department professional of painting, title: curator sculpture, at andthe video.department of 3 For more on Karen Archey, see the website of the Stedelijk or her own website http://www.karenarchey.com/. painting, sculpture, and video. 3 For more on Karen Archey, see the website of the Stedelijk or her own website http://www.karenarchey.com/.

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Introducing the Stedelijk as a case study, in this essay, I aim to explore some of the questions raised in this Special Issue on “Art Curation: Challenges in the Digital Age”, such as the following: “Are ‘conventional’ or ‘old media’ curatorial approaches still relevant or necessary when curating digital art?”; “What are the issues involved in re-contextualizing and exhibiting pioneering artworks made in the 1960s and 1970s?”; and the umbrella question “What are [adequate] curatorial approaches regarding digital art?”4 I will begin by sketching an outline of the Stedelijk’s history of timed-based media from the basic premise that the museum’s exhibition program and collection are interrelated and that curatorial strategies and collection policy are shaped in tandem. This connection is still the same for a relative ‘new-comer’ such as digital art today. That an exhibition program is linked to a museum’s collection policy when evaluating new media and digital art in an is confirmed by Beryl Graham and Sarah Book in their book Rethinking Curating; Art after New Media, in which they declare that museums are “largely defined by their collection, but many [have] yet to start creating a collection of ” (Graham and Cook 2010, pp. 202–3). The Stedelijk does have a collection policy for new media and digital art (or ‘time-based media’, as the museum still calls this part of the collection), but issues and concerns remain regarding the relationship between the ‘old’ and ‘new’ media (or ‘mediums’)5 and the dialogue between the collection and exhibitions. All of this results in the slightly revised question: What are convincing approaches in regard to curating and collecting digitally based art in a museum of modern and contemporary art, such as the Stedelijk, considering the continuing interchange between the collection and the exhibition program?

2. From Time-Based Media to Digital Art Digital art has a history or even “media art histories”.6 In the essay “New Media Art and the Gallery in the Digital Age”, reminds us of the intertwined histories of art, media, and , which began in the postwar period with developments in cybernetics and information theory (Gere 2004, also published in Paul 2008). The different arts respond to these new technological developments, and since the 1960s, the intricate intersections of art and technology have created a lively and productive artistic climate of new media art, including video, slide, film, audio, and computer. Gene gives a quick survey of the artistic explorations and pioneering exhibitions in the 1960s and 1970s in the (US) and Europe—the fine-meshed network of which is further disclosed in Mainstream Experimentalism (Higgins and Douglas 2012). The collection history of time-based media at the Stedelijk began with , video, and in the 1960s and 1970s but continues up to today with digitally based, multi-media installations, internet art, and other forms of (interactive) digital art. The museum’s collection of time-based media encompasses seven types: single-screen video, single-screen films, audio, slides, installations, computer and internet art, and and other choreographic projects. During the formative years of this relatively young collection, Mignot’s position was not exactly easy. This is evident from the introductory essay in the catalog of Mignot’s pioneering show ‘The Luminous Image’ (1984), in which former director Edy de Wilde states: “The Stedelijk has paid regular attention to the medium of video, not because the medium as such would be of any artistic significance [emphasis added], but because a number of important have made use of it” (De Wilde 1984, p. 5)7—a disclaimer that he would probably never use for painting. De Wilde’s well-intended words do not point to a great commitment to time-based media, even if he supported video and performance art throughout

4 See for the call for papers https://www.mdpi.com/journal/arts/special_issues/curation_digital_age. 5 Within art history, conventional media, such as painting and sculpture are generally described as ‘mediums’ to distinguish them from the technologically based new media and digital art. For an analysis of the terms ‘media’ and ‘medium’ in art history and media studies, see (Van der Meulen 2009). 6 ‘Media art history’ has become an official sub-category of art history since the publication of the book Media Art Histories (Grau 2004). Often the term is employed in the plural, as suggested by Grau in this book. 7 Edy de Wilde was Director of the Stedelijk from 1963 to 1985. Arts 2019, 8, 97 4 of 16

Arts 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 16 his time at the Stedelijk. Yet, he was himself primarily interested in postwar painting. This is clear securednot only for from the themuseum many but masterpieces also from his of Europeanfarewell show and ‘La American Grande Parade’ (1984), that he which secured was for a full- the fledgedmuseum homage but also to from postwar his farewell painting, show including ‘La Grande the Parade’ works (1984),that he which acquired was afor full-fledged the museum homage but excludingto postwar time-based painting, including media and the other works forms that of he experi acquiredmental for theart. museumSo, Mignot but deserves excluding full time-based credit for resolutelymedia and advocating other forms for of time-based experimental media art. for So, the Mignot Stedelijk, deserves at a time full credit when forthe resolutely collection advocatingwas still in itsfor infancy. time-based While media the forStedelijk the Stedelijk, began collecting at a time whenfilm and the video collection in the was 1960s, still indue its to infancy. groundbreaking While the exhibitions,Stedelijk began such collecting as ‘Dyllaby’ film (1962) and video and ‘Op in the Losse 1960s, Schroeven’ due to groundbreaking (1969), the collection exhibitions, and exhibition such as ‘Dyllaby’program were (1962) only and enhanced ‘Op Losse and Schroeven’ consolidated (1969), unde ther Mignot. collection She and started exhibition in 1975 program by simply were buying only videoenhanced tapes and from consolidated artists such under as Bruce Mignot. Nauman She and started Vito inAcconci, 1975 by the simply latter buyingof whom video she tapesoffered from his firstartists European such as Brucesolo in Nauman 1978. This and was Vito followed Acconci, in the the latter same of year whom by she an oexhibitionffered his firstof another European pioneer solo ofin video 1978. Thisart, Nam was June followed Paik, in to the whom same the year Stedelijk by an owes exhibition its first, of anotherundisputed pioneer collection of video highlighting art, Nam Junetime-based Paik, to media: whom TV the Buddha Stedelijk (1972) owes (Figure its first, 3). undisputed Besides curating collection exhibitions, highlighting Mignot time-based lobbied media: for a TVseparate Buddha space (1972) for video. (Figure In3 her). Besides “proposal curating for a video- exhibitions,space” Mignotfrom 1980, lobbied kept in for the a separateStedelijk’s space archive, for video.she explained In her “proposalher final choice for a video-space” for the space fromundern 1980,eath kept the incentral the Stedelijk’s staircase of archive, the museum, she explained which indeedher final for choice years for served the space as the underneath formal space the central for showing staircase video of the art. museum, “Upon whichcloser indeedconsideration”, for years Mignotserved aswrote the formalin the spaceproposal, for showing“this space video is really art. “Upon the most closer suitable, consideration”, due to its Mignotclosed character, wrote in theits proposal,central location, “this space and the is really waywardness the most suitable,of the space, due which to its closed can hardly character, be destined its central for location,something and else” the waywardness(Mignot et al. 1980). of the space, which can hardly be destined for something else” (Mignot et al. 1980).

Figure 3. , TV Buddha, 1972. Used by permission.

In the 1980s,1980s, MignotMignot curatedcurated twotwo exhibitionsexhibitions thatthat werewere pickedpicked upup internationally:internationally: the abovementioned ‘The‘The LuminousLuminous Image’ Image’ (1984), (1984), and and ‘The ‘ Arts for for Television’ Television (1987).’ (1987). The The first first show show was wasgroundbreaking groundbreaking in the in sensethe sense that that the participatingthe participat artistsing artists and and the curatorthe curator took took new new media media out out of the of videothe video tape tape sphere sphere and expandedand expanded time-based time-based media media to multi-media to multi-media installations. installations. In Mignot’s In Mignot’s words: words: Video has come to be recognized as one medium alongside many others and we have become Videoaccustomed has come to it to as be such. recognized No rush as on one high-tech medium studios alongside or obsessionsmany others about and televisionwe have becometransmission, accustomed but explorations to it as insuch. the directionNo rushof on the high-tech synthesis studios of a personal or obsessions contact with about the televisionelectronic medium.transmission, The showingbut explorations of that tendency in the direction is the basic of the aim synthesis of this exhibition. of a personal And contactin this we with have the chosen electronic on videomedium. installations The showing rather of than that videotendency tape is because the basic it isaim precisely of this exhibition.installations And that in express this we the have tendency chosen on described video installations above. (Mignot rather 1984 than, p. video 10) tape because it is precisely installations that express the tendency described above. (Mignot 1984, p. 10) Installations of some of the most important video artists at that time were presented in the show, such Installations of some of the most important video artists at that time were presented in the show, such as , Marina Abramovi´cand , , Bill Viola, Robert Wilson, and many others. as Vito Acconci, Marina Abramović and Ulay, Tony Oursler, Bill Viola, Robert Wilson, and many The second exhibition, ‘The Arts for Television’, was well timed and traveled, for example, to the others. The second exhibition, ‘The Arts for Television’, was well timed and traveled, for example, to MoMA in New York, where it was integrated into a survey exhibition and a video program related the MoMA in New York, where it was integrated into a survey exhibition and a video program

Arts 2019, 8, 97 5 of 16 Arts 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 16 relatedto the di toff erentthe different arts for television.arts for television.8 Based on8 Based her research on her onresearch the legacy on the of Mignotlegacy of in theMignot museum’s in the museum’sarchives, current archives, curator current Karen curator Archey Karen noted Archey the following noted the with following respect with to the respect television to the show: television show: The exhibition debuted at the Stedelijk in October 1984 and continued its tour through the The exhibition debuted at the Stedelijk in October 1984 and continued its tour through the rest of the ‘80s. It was a charged moment: MTV’s launch in 1981 was changing the scope rest of the ‘80s. It was a charged moment: MTV’s launch in 1981 was changing the scope of of television, the support for artists working with public broadcast TV at stations such as television, the support for artists working with public broadcast TV at stations such as ’s WGBH and New York’s WNET was drying up as cable debuted and television was Boston’s WGBH and New York’s WNET was drying up as cable debuted and television becoming increasingly corporatized. (Archey 2017) was becoming increasingly corporatized. (Archey 2017) When video developed into a dominant art in the 1990s, Mignot shifted course once again and began focusingfocusing onon showsshows with with artists artists who who were were meanwhile meanwhile canonized canonized as theas mastersthe masters of video of video art, such art, suchas Gary as (1993), Hill (1993), Joan JonasJoan Jonas (1994), (1994), and Bill and Viola Bill (1998).Viola (1998). ‘Bill Viola: ‘Bill Viola: A 25-year A 25-year Survey’ Survey’ (1997) (1997) was a wasblockbuster a blockbuster show curatedshow curated by the artistby the and theater and producertheater producer Peter Sellars Peter for Sellars the Whitney for the Museum,Whitney whichMuseum, afterwards which afterwards traveled to traveled the Stedelijk to the (1998) Stedelij (Figurek (1998)4). The (Figure importance 4). The of importance Mignot’s work of Mignot’s for both workthe Stedelijk for both Museum the Stedelijk and Museum time-based and media time-based art was media acknowledged art was acknowledged in the Netherlands, in the Netherlands, including by includingthe artistic by circles the artistic that were circles on the that forefront were on of the experimenting forefront of with experimenting television,video, with television, and performance video, andart in performance the Netherlands, art in the such Netherlands, as the De Appel such as Foundation the De Appel and Foundation Montevideo. and As Montevideo. Dutch video As art Dutch critic videoPauline art Terreehorst critic Pauline recalls Terreehorst of this period: recalls “The of th museumsis period: steered “The museums a rather prudent steered course a rather in regardprudent to video,course within regard the exception to video, of with the Stedelijk the exception Museum of the ( ... Stedelijk). The Stedelijk Museum Museum (…). The was Stedelijk the only Museum museum wasthat developedthe only museum an acquisition that developed policy, and an regularly acquisit followedion policy, the and changes regularly within followed video art, the presenting changes withinit in large, video crowd art, presenting pulling exhibitions” it in large, ( Terreehorstcrowd pulling 1991 exhibitions”, p. 65). (Terreehorst 1991, p. 65).

Figure 4. BillBill Viola, Viola, The The Crossing Crossing,, 1998 1998 (Installation). (Installation). Part Part of of the the exhibition exhibition ‘Bill ‘Bill Viola Viola in in The The Stedelijk’, Stedelijk’, 12.09–29.11 1998. Used by permission.

The reason to discuss Mignot’s tenu tenurere at length is that this very first first curator of time-based media at the Stedelijk has not yet received the attention that her significantsignificant contributioncontribution to the museum deserves. Mignot unfortunatelyunfortunately did did not not have have a farewella farewell exhibition exhibition and and catalog catalog in which in which she couldshe could have haveshown shown and documented and documented her steadfast her steadfast work regarding work rega time-basedrding time-based media overmedia the over span the of threespan decadesof three (asdecades De Wilde (as De did Wilde for painting did for inpainting ‘La Grande in ‘La Parade’), Grande nor Parade’), has a professional nor has a professional biography onbiography her life and on her life and work been written.9 The accomplishments of other pioneering of new media

8 See MoMA press release https: // www.moma.org /calendar/exhibitions/2131. 8 See MoMA press release https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/2131. 9 The Stedelijk is aware of this gap, as Karen Archey’s (2017) article in The Brooklyn Rail proves (see also note 3).

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9 workand digital been written.art have similarlyThe accomplishments not received proper of other crit pioneeringical attention curators as of of yet, new especially media and not digital since the art havedevelopment similarly of not new received media proper and digital critical art attention in the 19 as90s. of yet,“Art especially museums not are since largely the defined development by their of newcollections”, media and as Graham digitalart and in Cook the 1990s. state, “Artbut these museums collections are largely in turn defined are largely by their determined collections”, by the as Grahamcuratorial and visions Cook state,and collection but these collectionspolicies of inspecific turn are curators. largely determined“One obvious by the role curatorial played visionsby art andmuseums”, collection Graham policies and of Cook specific continue, curators. “is “One that of obvious historization” role played (Graham by art and museums”, Cook 2010, Graham p. 138). and A Cookwell-researched continue, “is anthology that of historization” on important (Graham and andgroundbreaking Cook 2010, p. 138).new Amedia well-researched curators and anthology their onexhibitions important and and curatorial groundbreaking models and new approaches media curators in Europe and their and exhibitions the US (and and possibly curatorial beyond) models could and approachesbe a welcome in Europeaddition and to the USliterature (and possibly on new beyond) media and could digital be a welcomeart in the addition context toof themuseums literature of onmodern new mediaand contemporary and digital art art. in the context of museums of modern and contemporary art. Fast forwardforward to to November November 2014, 2014, when when Beatrix Beatrix Ruf wasRuf appointed was appointed director director of the Stedelijk of the Museum.Stedelijk Ruf’sMuseum. directorial Ruf’s directorial post was overshadowed post was overshadowed by her resignation by her aresignation mere three yearsa mere later three because years of later the assumedbecause of conflict the assumed of interest conflict between of interest her role between as museum her role director as museum and herdirector activities and her as a activities private artas consultanta private art in consultant her own firm in herCurrentmatters— own firm Currentmatters—all of which wasall of declared which was unfounded declared by unfounded an independent by an 10 investigationindependent investigation by the city of Amsterdamby the city of in Amsterdam 2018. In her in brief2018. tenure10 In her as brief director tenure of the as Stedelijkdirector of (from the NovemberStedelijk (from 2014 November to November 2014 2017),to November Ruf achieved 2017), Ruf remarkable achieved things remarkable for the things museum, for the such museum, as the acquisitionsuch as the acquisition of the Borgmann of the collectionBorgmann and collection a new and curatorial a new approachcuratorial toapproach the permanent to the permanent collection incollection the so-called in the ‘Stedelijkso-called ‘Stedelijk Base’, developed Base’, developed by AMO by architects AMO architects Rem Koolhaas Rem Koolhaas and Federico and Federico Martelli (FigureMartelli5 ).(Figure 5).

Figure 5.5.Collection Collection Set-up Set-up STEDELIJK STEDELIJK BASE. BASE. Collection Collection Stedelijk Stedelijk Museum Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, c/o Pictoright c/o Amsterdam.Pictoright Amsterdam. Photo courtesy Photo Gert courtesy Jan van Gert Rooij. Jan van Rooij.

‘The Base’Base’ is is part part of of a total a total re-organization re-organization envisioned envisioned by Ruf by for Ruf the for whole the ofwhole the Stedelijk of the Museum.Stedelijk TheMuseum. new spatial The new design spatial is divided design into is divided three units: into ‘Stedelijkthree units: Base’ ‘Stedelijk (the collection Base’ (the in the collection basement in andthe thebasement first floor and of the the first new floor wing), of the ‘Stedelijk new wing), Turns’ ‘Ste (fordelijk temporary Turns’ exhibitions (for tempor basedary exhibitions on the collection based on the groundcollection floor on of the the historicground building),floor of the and historic ‘Stedelijk building), Now’, dedicated and ‘Stedelijk to contemporary Now’, dedicated art (the first to floorcontemporary of the same art building).(the first floor Besides of the the same experimental building). design Besides by the AMO experimental for the Base, design Ruf by also AMO laid thefor seedsthe Base, for anRuf innovative also laid the agenda seeds for for new an innovative media and agenda digital art,for new especially media in and the digital ‘Stedelijk art, Now’ especially section. in Becausethe ‘Stedelijk the museum Now’ section. was closed Because until the 2012 museum and the was first closed director until after 2012 the and reopening, the first director , after the reopening, Ann Goldstein, focused more on and its legacies (which have a strong tradition in the Netherlands), Ruf was the first director to methodically respond to digital 9developmentsThe Stedelijk is in aware the ofvisual this gap, arts. as ArcheyIn the( 2017lifestyle) article magazine in The Brooklyn Deluxe Rail provesof the (see Dutch also notenewspaper 3). NRC, Ruf 10 http://www.artnews.com/2019/01/07/stedelijk-museum-erstwhile-director-beatrix-ruf-agree-leave-past-behind/.

10 http://www.artnews.com/2019/01/07/stedelijk-museum-erstwhile-director-beatrix-ruf-agree-leave-past- behind/.

Arts 2019, 8, 97 7 of 16 focused more on conceptual art and its legacies (which have a strong tradition in the Netherlands), Ruf was the first director to methodically respond to digital developments in the . In the lifestyle magazine Deluxe of the Dutch newspaper NRC, Ruf presented her curatorial vision in 2015, including a list of artists. On this list were several artists working with digital media, such as Ed Atkins and Seth Price, both of whom were offered their first solo at the museum in 2015 and 2017, respectively. Ruf also gave solos to other—mostly ‘digital native’—artists via the innovative program ‘Stedelijk Contemporary’, such as Jon Rafman (2016), Avery Singer (2016), and Jordon Wolfson (2017). The one-year-long, prize-winning exhibition of Tino Seghal should be added to this list, even if his intimate choreographed situations do not directly address ‘the digital’ but rather the diminished physicality of our mediated world, in the sense that he creates interactive environments and performances, where the public is drawn into a variety of ‘real-life’ physical and sensorial experiences.11 While one does not necessarily have to agree with all of Ruf’s choices—the canon of digital art is still very much in flux—and one could criticize the lack of a historical framework on the basis of which these choices were made (all of these artists were simply very much in vogue during Ruf’s tenure), there is no doubt that she fully recognized that museums are, in Gere’s words, “profoundly affected” by technological developments, which “present particular challenges to the as an institution” (Gere 2004). By exhibiting the work of the abovementioned digital artists, the Stedelijk convincingly addressed Claire Bishop’s criticism on digital art expressed in her essay ‘Digital Divide’ (2012):

So why do I have a sense that the appearance and content of contemporary art have been curiously unresponsive to the total upheaval in our labor and leisure inaugurated by the digital revolution? While many artists use digital technology, how many really confront the question of what it means to think, see, and filter affect through the digital? How many thematize this, or reflect deeply on how we experience, and are altered by, the digitization of our existence?” (Bishop 2012)

In his large-screen video environments, produced with advanced digital technology, Atkins, for instance, questioned the way in which online existence intrudes upon our daily lives and therefore “alters” our experience. Using avatars and other digital stand-ins, the artist made online cultures experienceable in exhibition spaces (through life-size screens, the direct address of the virtual personae, etc.), from Facebook’s simple ‘thumbs-up’ feature to the complex and disturbing culture of trolling. In Ruf’s words: “With his work, Atkins explores the virtuality of our contemporary visual world and its profound effect on the reality of our embodied lives. His high-definition and powerful sound-tracks address existential questions about how love, sex, death, and relationships are experienced in the face of digital abstraction”.12 In addition to this, the exhibition presented rather innovative installations in which new spatiotemporal relations linked to the complexity of online experiences were being investigated through differently seized and grouped projection screens in a labyrinthine set up. Wolfson was another artist on Ruf’s list, who is invested in the increasing digitalization of culture and society, especially robotization. In the Stedelijk, the artist presented two confronting animatronic , that is, a new kind of Hollywood- or amusement park-inspired moving sculpture, controlled and steered by robotics. Both of these robots—a female figure/porn star dancing in front of a mirror and a colorful boy hanging in heavy chains from the ceiling while constantly being dropped onto and tossed around on the floor—interacted with the public through face-recognition , which triggered all kinds of physical reactions, uncanny feelings, and sheer emotions in them (Figure6). Canadian artist Jon Rafman also addressed today’s online world in participatory installations, such as an artificial bubble bath in which you could sit and relax while watching YouTube clips on crazy subcultures, all of which resonated with a young crowd who visited the museum in greater numbers

11 Most of these exhibitions are co-curated by Beatrix Ruf and curator Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen. 12 https://www.stedelijk.nl/nl/tentoonstellingen/jordan-wolfson. Arts 2019, 8, 97 8 of 16 than usual (Figure7). According to Paul, engaging new audiences is “An important step in getting new media art out of its ghetto and integrating it into the artworld ( )” (Paul 2008, p. 66). She is Arts 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW ... 8 of 16 especially referring to an audience who grew up with internet culture: “The online, virtual audience forcommunities software, Internet,of interest and that game are art embedded mostly consists in di offferent self-organizing ‘networked communities cultures’” of (ibid.). interest Through that are embeddedinnovative ininstallations different ‘networked on the cultures’”threshold (ibid.).of online Through and innovativeoffline worlds, installations which on make the threshold online ofcommunities online and experienceable offline worlds, in which the gallery make online space, communitiesRafman succeeded experienceable in attracting in the fans gallery of internet space, Rafmancultures succeededto the museum. in attracting fans of internet cultures to the museum.

Figure 6. JordanJordan Wolfson, Wolfson, Colored Sculpture, 2017. Photo courtesy Fabian Landewee.

Figure 7. Jon Rafman, 2016 (Installation). Part Part of of the the exhi exhibitionbition ‘I have ten thousandthousand compound eyes and eacheach isis namednamed su suffering’,ffering’, Stedelijk Stedelijk Museum Museum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 21.05–14.08 21.05–14.08 2016. 2016. Photo Photo courtesy courtesy Gert Gert Jan vanJan van Rooij. Rooij.

From her firstfirst day at the Stedelijk, Ruf made a point of bringing more female artists into the museum, both both in in the the collection collection and and in in the the temporar temporaryy exhibition exhibition program. program. Her Her first first purchase purchase for the for Zwei Lampe thecollection collection was wasthe painting the painting Zwei Lampe (1994)(1994) by the by German the German artist artist Iza Genzken, Iza Genzken, followed followed by a large by a Mach dich Hubsch largeretrospective retrospective of Genzken’s of Genzken’s work work titled titled ‘Mach ‘ dich Hubsch’ (2015–2016).’ (2015–2016). Other Other solo solo exhibitions exhibitions by byfemale female artists artists and and photographers photographers followed, followed, such such as as Rineke Rineke Dijkstra, Dijkstra, Nalini Nalini Malani, Malani, and and Zanele Maholi. The The female was was also extended into the digital field,field, where another remarkable solo was Avery Singer’s show with digital chiaroscur chiaroscuroo paintings, titled ‘Scenes’ (2016) (Figure8 8).). HerHer digitally produced paintings, made in an exclusive palette of gray tones in the three-dimensional (3D) design software program SketchUp, demonstrating that digital painting is not only alive today thanks to ever-more sophisticated digital software and tools but also begins to create interesting relationships with the entire tradition of modern painting. In ‘Love of Painting’, German critic

Arts 2019, 8, 97 9 of 16 digitally produced paintings, made in an exclusive palette of gray tones in the three-dimensional (3D) design software program SketchUp, demonstrating that digital painting is not only alive today thanks to ever-more sophisticated digital software and tools but also begins to create interesting Arts 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 16 relationships with the entire tradition of modern painting. In ‘Love of Painting’, German critic Isabelle GrawIsabelle identifies Graw identifies Singer’s workSinger’s as nothing work as less nothing than ‘network less than painting’ ‘network (a painting’ term coined (a byterm David coined Joselit by inDavid 2009) Joselit and states in 2009) her art-critical and states belief her inart-critical “the fusion belief of the in terms“the ‘network’fusion of andthe ‘painting’”,terms ‘network’ because and it “does‘painting’”, away oncebecause and it for “does all with away the once modernist and for ideal all with of a the clearly modernist delimitable ideal sphere of a clearly of pure delimitable painting” (sphereGraw 2019of pure, p. 265).painting” Depicting (Graw social 2019, environments p. 265). Depict fulling of social references environments to art history full of and references the , to art Singer’shistory and work the is art indeed world, based Singer’s not on work an abstractis indeed idiom based but not on on what an abstract Graw further idiom describes but on what as “a Graw web offurther social describes relationships” as “a web (ibid., of p.soci 266).al relationships” (ibid., p. 266).

Figure 8. Avery Singer, Scenes,Scenes, 20162016 (Exhibition).(Exhibition). St Stedelijkedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 23.04-02-10.2016. Photo courtesy Gert Jan van Rooij.

The reasonreason toto discuss discuss these these exhibitions exhibitions on digitalon digital and and related related art at art the at Stedelijk the Stedelijk in detail in is detail because is Ruf’sbecause short Ruf’s tenure short was tenure eclipsed was eclipsed by the abovementioned by the abovementioned drama surroundingdrama surrounding her resignation, her resignation, which waswhich followed was followed by an institutional by an institutional crisis at crisis the museum. at the museum. In the start In the of 2019,start aof statement 2019, a statement was released was statingreleased that stating both that parties both were parties willing were towilling “leave to the “leave past the behind”, past behind”, meaning meaning that Ruf that does Ruf not does return not toreturn the museum.to the museum. The newly The appointednewly appointed director, director, Rein Wolfs, Rein will Wolfs, begin will his begin position his atposition the Stedelijk at the inStedelijk December in December 2019. Due 2019. to Due this to unsettling this unsettling course co ofurse events, of events, Ruf’s Ruf’s substantial substantial contributions contributions to the to museumthe museum have have not not been been suffi sufficientlyciently reflected reflected upon upon in the in the art press,art press, let alonelet alone digested digested by theby the Dutch Dutch art worldart world and and beyond. beyond. Ruf’s Ruf’s innovative innovative approach approach to newto new media media and and digital digital art aloneart alone demonstrates demonstrates the verythe very ambitious ambitious program program that shethat hadshe inhad mind in mind for the for years the years to come. to come. Young Young artists artists were given were amplegiven spaceample tospace present to present their experimental their experimental work, work, which wh unmistakablyich unmistakably belongs belongs to the to digital the digital age. Rufage. alsoRuf acquiredalso acquired works works by most by most of these of these artists artists for the for Stedelijk’s the Stedelijk’s collection, collection, such as such three as artworks three artworks by Atkins by andAtkins a large-scale and a large-scale painting painting installation installation by Singer. by TheSinger. Stedelijk’s The Stedelijk’s collection collection and exhibition and exhibition program hadprogram briefly had ‘gone briefly digital’ ‘gone due todigital’ Ruf’s forward-lookingdue to Ruf’s forward-looking advocacy for digital advocacy art, strengthened for digital by art, an activestrengthened acquisition by an policy. active The acquisition latter was policy. boosted The even latter further was inboosted 2016 through even further a in 2016 through with the a Museumcollaboration of the with Image the (MOTI), Museum with of which the theImage Stedelijk (MOTI), purchased with which a substantial the Stedelijk collection purchased of 17 digital a artsubstantial projects collection related to of the 17 internet, digital art from projects Net.art relate in thed to 1990s the (Vukinternet,Cosi´c,JODI)´ from Net.art to Net in the Art 1990s 2.0 (Rafaël (Vuk Rozendaal,Ćosić, JODI) Olia to Net Lialina), Art 2.0 and (Rafaël ‘post-internet’ Rozendaal, art Olia (Constant Lialina), Dullaart, and ‘post-internet’ Jon Rafman). art13 (Constant Dullaart, Jon Rafman).13

133. CollectingMOTI, the Museum and Exhibiting of the Image, New fused Media with the and Breda’s Digital Museum Art to form the Stedelijk Museum Breda in 2017. This short tour through the history of new media and digital art at the Stedelijk brings me back to my question as to how to curate and collect digital art, considering that the collection and the exhibition program are in an ongoing dialogue with one another. Ruf acknowledged this universal trait of museums of modern and contemporary art when she redesigned the museum according to

13 MOTI, the Museum of the Image, fused with the Breda’s Museum to form the Stedelijk Museum Breda in 2017.

Arts 2019, 8, 97 10 of 16

3. Collecting and Exhibiting New Media and Digital Art This short tour through the history of new media and digital art at the Stedelijk brings me back to my question as to how to curate and collect digital art, considering that the collection and the exhibition program are in an ongoing dialogue with one another. Ruf acknowledged this universal trait of museums of modern and contemporary art when she redesigned the museum according to the tripartite design of ‘Stedelijk Base’, ‘Stedelijk Now’, and ‘Stedelijk Turns’. The first two have already been discussed above: ‘Stedelijk Base’ focuses on the Stedelijk’s permanent collection (collection highlights, art historical canon) in the basement and the first floor of the new wing, while the second refers to various temporary exhibitions with contemporary artists or designers, which take place on the first floor of the historic building. ‘Stedelijk Turns’ hovers in between the two, as it consists of temporary exhibitions (or ‘turns’) based on the permanent collection (rarely exhibited works, unexpected themes, new curatorial approaches, etc.) and is located on the ground floor of the old building, sandwiched between the basement of the new wing and the first floor of the historic part. My brief historical account indicates that, as of 2019, the Stedelijk is capable of mounting exhibitions of digitally based art, whether internet art, database art, or installations produced with advanced digital technology—it has the in- technical staff and ever-expanding know-how. The collection and exhibition program regarding new media and digital art have also notably developed in recent years. To show these exhibitions and presentations of new media and digital art, the museum makes use much more frequently of black boxes instead of white spaces. Besides the collection of objects and the exhibitions mentioned above, more has been done over the years, such as shows by other curators of the museum or by guest curators, in which new media or digital art play a role, such as ‘Wild Walls’ in 1995 (Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen and Leontine Coelewij), the Warhol exhibition entirely dedicated to the artist’s time-based art in 2006 (guest curator Eva Meyer-Hermann), ‘Deep Screen: Art in Digital Culture’ (guest curator Andreas Broeckmann), or the large exhibition of Aernout Mik in 2016 (Mik and Coelewij), to mention only a few. There have also been interesting exhibitions with new digital forms of (graphic) design, such as ‘TYPE/Dynamics’ of the Dutch design collective Lust (2014), ‘Using Type’ on Philippe Apeloig (2016), by curator Carolien Glazenburg, the popular exhibition ‘Coded Nature’ of Studio Drift (2018), co-curated by Ingeborg de Roode and Pao-Lien Dije, and the show on Metahaven in 2019, curated by Karen Archey. There is of course the ever-expanding collection of new media and digital art, with historical video and performance art from the 1960s and 1970s, multi-media installations from the 1980s and 1990s, hybrid art forms that have emerged since the 1990s, and digital art from the first decade of the onward, which have increasingly been purchased in collaboration with other Dutch museums. Four artworks by Hito Steyerl, for example, were jointly acquired by the Stedelijk and the Van Abbemuseum soon after Beatrix Ruf’s appointment in 2014. Given this expanding collection and intensified exhibition program regarding digital art and design, what are the challenges and obstacles that remain, if any? While the Stedelijk has finally ‘gone digital’ under Ruf, she did not have time to consolidate this new approach or integrate it to the fullest in the new spatial design. Time-based art is clearly underrepresented in the permanent collection, which can be quickly illustrated by two examples: first by the presentation of conceptual art and second by the added sections on digital art. Conceptual art, as said, has an incredibly interesting history in the Netherlands, especially related to the Stedelijk in the 1960s and 1970s, which is recognized internationally. During this time, the Stedelijk carved out a space for itself on the international scene and established itself as one of the defining institutions for modern art in Europe. Dutch conceptual art had an important role in this , as the MoMA show ‘In and Out of Amsterdam’ (2009) on conceptual art trends in the Netherlands showed. Moreover, Wim Beeren’s controversial exhibition ‘Op Losse Schroeven’ (1969), which is a milestone exhibition in the history of conceptual art, has achieved almost cult status. Works from the museum’s rich collection from this period, including the vast collection of video tapes, however, are confined to a bland side space of the Base (Figure9). Loops of signature videos of Dutch conceptual artists, such as and , are shown Arts 2019, 8, 97 11 of 16 next to their international counterparts on four small monitors in a user-unfriendly program, alongside rudiments of important historical installations, such as the model of the seminal staircase intervention by Ger van Elk. Perhaps the idea is that we must be happy that conceptual art gets space in the Base at

Artsall. 2019 Or that,, 8, x FOR in this PEER way, REVIEW at least the video and television collection can be seen by patient conceptual11 of 16 art lovers? This curatorial model, in the spirit of Mignot’s video programs below the staircase, may allottedhave been to thethis best controversial available solutionyet heroic to thetime limited in the spaceStedelijk’s allotted history to this but controversial is far from an yet imaginative heroic time curatorialin the Stedelijk’s approach history to conceptual but is far fromart. Radical an imaginative conceptual curatorial art videos approach are rather to conceptual put in a straightjacket art. Radical toconceptual fit into a artmuseum videos collection are rather presentation, put in a straightjacket thereby losing to fit much into a of museum their artistic collection force. presentation, Conceptual artthereby has a losing close connection much of their with artistic new force.media Conceptualart from the art 1960s has aand close 1970s, connection and its innovative with new media ideas arton (immaterial)from the 1960s artwork and 1970s, and art and documentation, its innovative ideastogeth oner (immaterial)with the development artwork andof new art documentation,exhibitions and communicationtogether with the models development that intersect of new exhibitions with new and media communication culture, system models theories, that intersect and withsoftware new programming,media culture, have system had theories, a huge formative and software influence programming, on digital art have in the had 1990s a huge and formative beyond. However, influence noon connection digital art inis established the 1990s and in the beyond. Base between However, (historical) no connection conceptual is established art and new in themedia Base and between digital (historical)art. conceptual art and new media and digital art.

Figure 9.9 STEDELIJKSTEDELIJK BASE, BASE, Conceptual Conceptual Art Art sectio section,n, 2019. 2019. Photo Photo courte courtesysy by by the the author. author.

While the times when media art was hidden below the staircase might be over, digital art from the 1990s 1990s is is similarly similarly put put in in a a sma smallll transition transition space space in in the the Base Base upstairs—a upstairs—a kind kind of ofwalk walk through through to theto the cinema cinema theater. theater. Here, Here, internet internet art is art presented is presented in a beautifully in a beautifully executed executed yet straightforward yet straightforward design ondesign high-quality on high-quality horizontal horizontal computer computer screens screens (one next (one to next the to other, the other, just like just the like video the video tapes tapes on the on monitorsthe monitors downstairs) downstairs) and and opposite opposite to toa cluster a cluster of of postmodern postmodern chairs chairs and and other other unrelated unrelated design objects. InIn 2008,2008, Christiane Christiane Paul Paul concluded concluded that that the presentationthe presentation of internet of internet art challenges art challenges the museum the museumor gallery or space gallery the space most (thePaul most 2008 (Paul, p. 57). 2008, However, p. 57). However, she offers manyshe offers different many curatorial different options curatorial for optionsexhibiting for diexhibitingfferent types different of internet types of art, internet such as art, presentation such as presentation in an interactive in an interactive installation installation based on basedadvanced on advanced interfaces; interfaces; a computer a oncomputer which neton artwhic projectsh net canart projects be visited can and be explored visited and individually; explored individually;and large-screen and projections. large-screen Symptomatic projections. of Symp the unimaginativetomatic of the approach unimaginative of the Stedelijk approach to internet of the Stedelijkart is the presentationto internet art of anis internetthe presentation art project of by an Rafaël internet Rozendaal art project titled ‘Abstractby Rafaël Browsing, Rozendaal 16.03.08 titled (Reddit)’‘Abstract (2016)Browsing, (Figure 16.03.08 10). The(Reddit)’ work (2016) is part (Figure of a series 10). of The paintings, work is inpart which of a aseries layering of paintings, of ‘abstract in windows’,which a layering typical of of‘abstract the underlying windows’, structure typical of of th thee underlying internet, arestructure printed of the out internet, and woven are printed into, a outcanvas, and with woven which into, Rozendaal a canvas, draws with an which analogue Rozendaal between draws pixels an on aanalogue computer between screen andpixels weaving on a patterns—machine-madecomputer screen and weaving and man-made patterns—machine-made works of art. Rozendaal and man-made is an artist works who declaresof art. Rozendaal the internet is anas hisartist canvas, who anddeclares on its website,the internet the Stedelijkas his canvas, recognizes and thaton its Rozendaal website, is the inspired Stedelijk by modernrecognizes painters, that Rozendaalsuch as Malevich is inspired and Mondrian—theby modern painters, artistic such dialogue as Malevich with the and latter Mondrian—the is in fact hard artistic to miss, dialogue as the withinternet the artistlatter o ffisers in usfact a digitalhard to upgrade miss, as of the Mondrian’s internet artist abstract offers logic us ona digital the web. upgrade Despite of this Mondrian’s apparent abstractresponse logic to, and on emulationthe web. Despite of, models this apparent of modernist response painting, to, and Rozendaal’s emulation beautifully of, models woven of modernist canvas (orpainting, wall tapestry) Rozendaal’s is squeezed beautifully into thewoven same canvas space with(or wall internet tapestry) screens is andsqueezed design into objects, the onsame the space dead withinches internet of the whitescreens wall, and next design to the objects, door opening on the todead the inches programmatically of the white more wall, significant next to the space door of openingthe Base forto the postmodernist programmatically art. Evidently, more significant the museum space has of to the make Base tough for postmodernist choices as to which art. Evidently, artworks the museum has to make tough choices as to which artworks from its 90,000-item collection to exhibit in the permanent collection, but the curatorial approach towards new media and digital art is clear enough: this part of the collection is not truly seen or treated as an ‘artistic equal’ to other kinds of collections, especially painting and sculpture.

Arts 2019, 8, 97 12 of 16 from its 90,000-item collection to exhibit in the permanent collection, but the curatorial approach towards new media and digital art is clear enough: this part of the collection is not truly seen or treated as an ‘artistic equal’ to other kinds of collections, especially painting and sculpture. Arts 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 of 16 Arts 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 of 16

FigureFigure 10. Rafaël10. Rafaël Rozendaal, Rozendaal, Abstract Abstract Browsing Browsing 16 03 08 08 (Reddit), (Reddit), 2016. 2016. Photo Photo cour courtesytesy by the by author. the author. Figure 10. Rafaël Rozendaal, Abstract Browsing 16 03 08 (Reddit), 2016. Photo courtesy by the author. Yet, theYet, Stedelijkthe Stedelijk does does explore explore new new creative creative waysways to to accommodate accommodate new new media media and anddigital digital art in art in Yet, the Stedelijk does explore new creative ways to accommodate new media and digital art in otherother spaces. spaces. In the In entrancethe entrance lobby lobby of the of newthe new wing, wing, for for example, example, a digital a digital screen screen hangs hangs from from the the ceiling ceilingother spaces. between In thethe bookshop entrance lobbyand the of seating the new area wing, (Fig urefor 11).example, On the a sidedigital of thescreen seating hangs corner, from ‘old’ the between the bookshop and the seating area (Figure 11). On the side of the seating corner, ‘old’ and ‘new’ andceiling ‘new’ between video the tapes bookshop are shown and thein endless seating loopsarea (Fig throughouture 11). On the the opening side of hours,the seating with corner, work from‘old’ video tapes are shown in endless loops throughout the opening hours, with work from major video majorand ‘new’ video video artists, tapes such are as shown Bruce inNauman endless and loops Douglas throughout Gordon, the toopening lesser-known hours, withworks work from from the artists,timed-basedmajor such video as Bruce artists,media Nauman suchcollection, as Bruce and such DouglasNauman as ‘Man and Gordon, and Douglas Dog’ to (2002) lesser-knownGordon, by Dutchto lesser-known worksartist Pauline from works theOltheten from timed-based the or mediaunfamiliartimed-based collection, video media such tapes ascollection, ‘Manof internationally and such Dog’ as ‘Man (2002) recognized and by Do Dutch artists,g’ (2002) artist such by Paulineas Dutch Martha Olthetenartist Rossler’s Pauline or ‘Flower unfamiliar Oltheten Fields’ or video tapes(1975).unfamiliar of internationally The videoother tapesside recognized of of the internationally same artists,screen, recognized on such the as bookshop Martha artists, side—which Rosler’ssuch as Martha ‘Flower can Rossler’salso Fields’ be viewed ‘Flower (1975). through Fields’ The other side ofthe(1975). the glass sameThe curtain other screen, sidewall onof from the the same bookshopoutside screen, of side—whichthe on themuse bookshopum—is can usedside—which also as be a viewedbillboard can also through for be glimpsesviewed the glassthrough of the curtain wall frompermanentthe glass outside curtain collection of thewall or museum—is fromads of outside current used ofexhibitions. the as muse a billboard um—isThe double-sided forused glimpses as a screen billboard of thecan permanentalsofor turnglimpses into collection aof stage the or ads ofsetpermanent current for a VJ exhibitions. collectionperformance or Theads at anof double-sided currentopening exhibitions. night. screen Alto Thegether can double-sided also a screen turn intofor screen multi-purpose a stage can setalso for turn display, a VJinto performance awhich stage set for a VJ performance at an opening night. Altogether a screen for multi-purpose display, which at anperfectly opening fits night. the shifting Altogether functions a screen of the for entrance multi-purpose zone of the display, building, which is a perfectlymodest first fits step the and shifting hands-onperfectly fitsapproach the shifting to the functions question of ‘re-contextualizingthe entrance zone ofand the exhibi building,ting pioneering is a modest artworks first step made and functions of the entrance zone of the building, is a modest first step and hands-on approach to the inhands-on the 1960s approach and 1970s’. to the question of ‘re-contextualizing and exhibiting pioneering artworks made questionin the of 1960s ‘re-contextualizing and 1970s’. and exhibiting pioneering artworks made in the 1960s and 1970s’.

(a) (b) (a) (b) Figure 11. Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Entrance Hall 2019. Seating Corner (a) and Bookshop (b). FigurePhotoFigure 11. courtesyStedelijk 11. Stedelijk of Museum the Museum author. Amsterdam, Amsterdam, EntranceEntrance Hall Hall 2019. 2019. Seating Seating Corner Corner (a) and (a) andBookshop Bookshop (b). (b). PhotoPhoto courtesy courtesy of the of the author. author.

Arts 2019, 8, 97 13 of 16

In the wooden cinema theater on the first floor of the new wing, films and video from the time-based media collection are continuously projected onto a film screen. However, the question remains if these traditional screens (whether the billboard in the main hall or the cinema on the first floor), and this particular mode of projecting digital art are sufficient for the digital era, which authors such as and Lev Manovich have characterized as the “post-media age”. In his book Between , Video, and the Digital, Jihoon Kim more specifically describes this post-media condition as “[A] situation in which digital serve as an environment in which techniques and aesthetic features of a media are dislocated from its medium-specific boundaries and become increasingly hybridized with those of other media” (Kim 2016b, p. 15). Because there are many ways in which contemporary digital art cuts across media, genres, and platforms, more daring curatorial approaches for new media and digital art seem called for in a contemporary art museum such as the Stedelijk. Following the example of SFMOMA in the early 2000s, a good and constructive next step could be to take new media and digital art out of the spatial niches and the cinema theater format and allot some permanent gallery spaces for exhibiting new and innovative art forms from the collection until the museum has figured out the role and place of new media and digital art in that collection.

4. Conclusions One conclusion of this essay is that the Stedelijk has had a thought-provoking exhibition program regarding new media and digital art in recent years but that this program does not translate as of yet into a convincing curatorial vision for the collection as a whole: the permanent collection does not treat new media on the same footing as traditional art forms, and there is little dialogue between ‘old’ and ‘new’ media. These kinds of issues are not specific to the Stedelijk, but rather pose a continuing challenge to the whole museum field, because exhibiting and collecting new media and digital art require new policies and approaches, a well-equipped technical department, and new historical for the collection. In addition, museums need more cross-departmental communication and networking to integrate new media and digital art into the museum as a whole, from the gallery spaces to the public programming and from the library and the website to alternative online spaces. “New media art”, as Graham and Cook(2010, p. 94) put it, “can push the boundaries not only between curatorial departments, but also between all departments of an institution”. This is an institutional route that the Stedelijk has certainly taken since 2010, especially in terms of linking exhibitions with the public program of lectures, performances, discussions, and symposia, including the special Friday evenings when temporary new media and digital art events also play a role.14 Another possible route for the museum would be to reevaluate ‘Stedelijk Turns’ (if the museum layout of ‘Base’, ‘Turns’, and ‘Now’ will be kept by the next director) from the perspective of new media and digital art, because these flexible collection-based exhibitions are able to form interesting links between the exhibitions and the collection, including new media. This curatorial approach to ‘Stedelijk Turns’ could go in two directions. One the one hand, it could strengthen the link between the temporary exhibitions and the collection. For example, from May to October 2019 the museum is hosting the exhibition of Walid Raad, ‘Let’s be honest, the weather helped’. The Stedelijk has a substantial amount of post-media art in its collection that intersects with Raad’s theme of fundamentally questioning the porous of reality, fiction, and history in the context of war (the Lebanese civil war in Raad’s case), such as Aernout Mik’s ‘Raw Footage’ (on the Yugoslavian war) or Juul Hondius’ ‘Brilliant Punitive Raids’ (Israeli–Palestinian conflict). All of these artists use documentary means and reconstruct events on partially fictive, partially evidence-based images so as to interrogate the complexities of the whole idea of ‘truth’ today. These artists are all concerned about the status and proliferation of the (mediated) image in the digital age and investigating political situations and

14 An example of such a Friday evening is ‘Stedelijk Statements’, curated by Patricia Pisters, during which artist duo Karen Lancel and Herman Maat presented their pioneering database work ‘EEG Kiss’ in a public performance (3 November 2017). Arts 2019, 8, 97 14 of 16 contemporary events through new artistic strategies toward and what Jihoon Kim terms ‘hybrid moving images’: “an array of impure image forms characterized by the interrelation of the material, technical, and aesthetic components of moving image media—namely film, video, and the digital” (Kim 2016a, p. 3). The documentary approaches of these artists represent a certain artistic trend in contemporary art, which is well represented in the time-based media collection of the Stedelijk. Mobilizing this collection for thematic, aesthetic, technological, and conceptual links with a central exhibition could help close the gap between the exhibition program and the media and digital art collection over time. On the other hand, linkages between the historical time-based media collection of video and performance art and the contemporary exhibition program related to new media and digital art could be strengthened in the context of Stedelijk Turns. Ed Atkins, for instance, received a blockbuster show without much historical context, even if his work triggers all kinds of interesting dialogues with the historic collection of time-based media of the museum, such as the work of Nam June Paik and . Atkins, after all, is not an isolated genius who reinvents art history. In his spatiotemporal installations, created with the newest digital means, he is responding to the video installations of his predecessors. In the chapter “Installing time” of her book Screens, Kate Mondloch cites an interesting statement of Daniel Birnbaum, director of the Moderna Museet in Stockholm: “Installing time is a matter of choosing the right spatial model, the most adequate ‘schematism’, allowing the translation of temporal properties into space” (Mondloch 2010, p. 40). In his solo at the Stedelijk, Ed Atkins showed himself to be a master choreography of spatiotemporal experiences through his layered design of differently sized screens across the space—large screens, multiple small screens, obliquely placed screens, screens directly on the floor, classic double screens, etc. Together these innovative installations created new spatiotemporal experiences for the spectator, which are indebted to Bruce Nauman’s ‘Live-Taped Video Corridor’ (1970) and other historical video installations of Nauman, Gary Hill, and Bill Viola. However, Atkins’ installations also intersect with of a range of multi-media installations created since the late 1990s by artists such as Eija-Liisa Ahtila, , and Sam Taylor Wood, which understandably serve as case studies in Mondloch’s book. Mobilizing ‘Stedelijk Turns’ more actively to address the gaps between the collection and the exhibition program is a strategy to bring them closer together in a dynamic and interactive way and to start to rethink the permanent collection or “Base” from the perspective of media history on a higher intellectual level than just adding a video program or internet site here and there in the permanent collection. The culture and society of the 20th and 21st centuries require a reflective and critical approach towards the increasingly technologized world in which we live. Or, as Gere(2004) quotes cultural theorist Andreas Huyssen, “a place of resistance to” and a “contemplation outside” of “the effects of accelerating technical processes”. This would include a critical reflection on the omitted artworks in this media historical narrative, especially concerning the beginnings of the digital developments in the 1990s, which, judging from the video and new media exhibitions in that crucial decade, were not really picked up or fully recognized by Mignot.15 Internet art and other ‘avant-gardist’ digital art took place in the niches of the Dutch art world, in new media festivals (ISEA and ), alternative spaces (Transmediale), and media labs (V2). already realized that the first decade of a new technology is often the most interesting, because there is an explosion of inventiveness—a time of experimenting, imagining, and envisioning the creative potential of that new technology. The Stedelijk missed the boat in this foundational decade and therefore has a gap in its collection regarding the cradle of digital art, even after the purchase with MOTI of a key collection of internet art.

15 See “Video kunst/nieuwe media tentoonstellingen in het Stedelijk (1999),” Stedelijk Museum Archive. An exhibition somewhat related to Internet art at the time was the exhibition Under Capricorn (1996), for which some artworks were specifically made for the Internet, and in which an important such as Gerald van der Kaap participated. Arts 2019, 8, 97 15 of 16

In the above line of argumentation, the Stedelijk has served as a case study to investigate questions such as whether old media curatorial approaches are still relevant when curating digital art; how we can reconsider early media art history in the face of the present, and which curatorial decisions or steps this could involve. What are meaningful curatorial approaches regarding digital art, if the advent of ‘the digital’ is also put in historical context? My position throughout this essay has been that the answers to these important questions need to be found within specific museum contexts—the situation of Eye Filmmuseum (another major museum in Amsterdam, which has quite a dynamic exhibition agenda for film, video, and digital art installations), for example, is completely different than that of the Stedelijk. As the museum of the moving image, Eye can often be more daring, dynamic, and imaginative in its curatorial approaches than the Stedelijk, because it is less burdened by a renowned collection and history. A comparative approach, however, has not been the methodological approach of this paper, which rather traces the way in which one museum—with a track record of openness to artistic innovation and experimentation—has responded to the ever-increasing digitalization of the arts and culture and its consequences for museums of modern and contemporary art. Museums with larger budgets than the Stedelijk, such as MoMA and the , can “transform themselves” (Paul) more quickly to the institutional needs of new media and digital art, although it must be added that the Whitney Museum and a bunch of smaller institutions, such as SFMoMA, the , and , have paved the way through their relatively early embrace of new media and digital art. Now, in 2019, museums and other art institutions share the responsibility to show and address the increasing impact of technological culture on the arts, culture, and society at large.

Funding: This research received no external funding. Conflicts of Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.

References

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