Easychair Preprint from Here to Eternity: Experimental and Creative
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EasyChair Preprint № 1234 From here to eternity: Experimental and creative approaches to collecting and distributing new media art within regional arts organisations Georgia Smithson EasyChair preprints are intended for rapid dissemination of research results and are integrated with the rest of EasyChair. June 26, 2019 From here to eternity: Experimental and creative approaches to collecting and distributing new media art within regional arts organisations Abstract possibilities Websites and social media platforms have become This paper is an overview and analysis of preliminary research undertaken for the creation of a framework for collecting and online galleries for the presentation and distribution of distributing new media art within regional art galleries in the new media art affording a huge audience reach. According U.K. From the 1960’s practitioners have experimented using to statistics website Statista.com it is projected that by computers, and the art-form has evolved into multiple strands of 2020 there will be almost three billion users of social production, presentation and distribution. But are we, as media creating global media culture, whether that be collectors, researchers, artists and enthusiasts facing an uncertain future concerning the integration of new media art into sharing images, blogs, music or art online. But what institutional cultural organisations? Recently, concerns have would happen to this ongoing documentary of the world been raised by curators regarding the importance of learning community if social media sites decided to call it a day or how to collect new media art if there is to be any hope of Google ceased to exist? How many artistic creations and preserving its past. A fear of the unknown of experimental collaborations would be lost in cyberspace? With models of curatorial activities such as collecting, preservation consumers becoming ever-more dependent and aligned to and documentation seems to be a barrier to some mainstream, university and municipal galleries when acquisitioning new all things networked and digital, which of course makes artworks into their collections, while methods of distribution for easily accessible distribution channels, it is imperative using new media platforms are still at a very experimental stage. for galleries and institutions to be unafraid of the This paper explores that by collaboration, experimentation and integration of new media art into their programming and the sharing of knowledge and resources, these concerns may be collections to engage with both physical and digital conquered to preserve and make new media art accessible for future generations to enjoy and not to lament over the audiences. Although it is generally acknowledged that the obsolescence of what it once was. medium does pose numerous challenges to curators and exhibition staff, the omission of new media artworks in Keywords recent art history books has more than highlighted this issue. New media art, collecting, documentation, distribution, access, collaboration, experimentation, innovation, Through the collaborative work of researchers such networks as Beryl Graham and Sarah Cook, co-founders of CRUMB, (Curatorial Resource for Upstart Media Bliss), Introduction forward thinking curators Steve Dietz and Christiane Paul, artists Cory Archangel and Casey Reas and arts The introduction of the catalogue that accompanied the organisations, such as the V&A and the Guggenheim, pioneering Cybernetic Serendipity international there is an awareness of new media art within exhibition from 1968, curated by Jasia Reichardt, reveals contemporary and traditional art organisations which has how far technology has progressed in almost fifty years: led to experimental models of curation and collecting. For ‘Cybernetic Serendipity deals with possibilities rather example, in 2010, the innovative, collaborative project than achievements, and in this sense is prematurely Current: an experiment into collecting Digital Art was optimistic. There are no heroic claims to be made because initiated by the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, a computers have so far neither revolutionised music, nor municipal gallery in Preston, UK, which I will discuss and art, nor poetry, in the same way that they have examine later in this paper. As Graham accurately points revolutionised science’. [1] However, those ‘possibilities’ out ‘One of the significant differences between new media noted by Reichardt have evolved into achievements and other kinds of art is that the same set of new media and mobile technology that could only be imagined and are used for both the art itself and the interpretation, portrayed in the context of science fiction all but fifty exhibition or collections management.’ [2] These notable years ago; the use of computers and networks have differences can be a cause of concern for the purposes of allowed for mass distribution and seemingly endless documentation to preserve the artworks’ longevity. However, research undertaken by organisations such as to the artworks’ integrity. Through the course of research the Variable Media Network which emerged from the undertaken so far, creative and cost-effective models have Guggenheim Museum’s efforts to strategise the been identified, such as the MulengaMojis which digital preservation and associated activities of curation of its artist Emily Mulenga employs. This model takes up no new media art collection aim to combat these concerns. physical space -an important factor for an emerging artist The intention is ‘to establish a process and means to as it is cost- free. (Ironically her 2017 Firstsite exhibition was titled Taking Up Space). She makes her new artworks address artworks created across a variety of media and accessible for one hour to allow collectors to download materials, to determine protocols and initiatives that will using Vimeo, Drop Box and Weshare. Does this limit the bring a flexible approach to the preservation of a range of reach or make them more attractive to collect as they have creative practices’. [3] a limited availability? This paper will examine the experimental and Another economical approach of distribution is alternative models of collecting, documenting, operated by little man, based in Liverpool, U.K. who distribution and preservation of new media art from an borrows space for non-exhibitions. That is to say that artist interdisciplinary perspective, by mainstream and exhibitions are installed, documented and taken down in a grassroots organisations, with the intention of banishing single day without ever opening to the public, they can the myths that it is problematic, costly and unworthy of only be viewed through the littllemangallery.com website collecting. Cultural institutions cannot afford to ignore or by using Instagram. Created by Gabrielle la Puente and new media art as it will alienate their future, technical- Michael Lacey, little man allows artists and curators to savvy visitors and curb the reach of their virtual audience. develop their practice in an exhibition context without Although some municipal, university and mainstream burdening themselves with the logistics of accessing and institutions seem to struggle with even the subject of new opening spaces, or the unnecessary social pressures media art, artists and some curators are finding ever more common to artist-led activity. Their belief that engaging with art online is now common practice and that many art innovative ways of creating, collecting, documenting and enthusiasts view exhibitions on the internet as opposed to distributing artworks. Artists are aware of their audience physically visiting these exhibits. This in itself finds demographic and take advantage of the often free, digital artists most engaged and supported by their audience and online channels and platforms available. Occasionally within their social media following. Cynically this could even the distribution is an integral concept of the artwork. be perceived as giving up on the physical art experience. In order to understand the integral components that the Or is it making the artist and their work more accessible curation of new media art entails, I will break them down when they would not have ordinarily been given the into four sections for the purpose of this paper: opportunity to stage a physical exhibition? This model Distribution, documentation, preservation and collecting. allows for a high turnover of artworks to be displayed and I intend to do this by examining experimental models that thus made accessible. have gone on to be employed by various organisations and Due to the little man model’s advantage of quick artists alike. and logistically light installation, programming for a Experiments with creative and innovative models similar model within the physical gallery space at of collecting and distribution with Northern Gallery for Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art is being Contemporary Art will further the analysis of this undertaken, where an audio visual ‘drum’ or viewing module can be utilised for the display of one artwork at a research. NGCA is a small regional gallery in the North time. As it has multi-purpose functionalities for viewing East of the U.K. with a focus on commissioning and AV works and pre-installed projection equipment, NGCA exhibiting while collecting works from exhibiting artists. has the advantage of quick installation. The aim is to make NGCA will stand to benefit from this research with the new media artworks from the NGCA collection accessible