(A) study on the development of documentation framework for time-based media arts

Abstract

The advent of multi-media, performative and contextual, ephemeral and non-linear, processual and dynamic, iterative and obsolete works of art has also led to a paradigm shift in their perception of the preservation process, relinquishing the traditional assumption of a definitive material state to be safeguarded. In its stead, the notion of ”identity” has emerged as a prevailing concept, encapsulating the comprehensive array of elements necessitating preservation in order to avert the loss of invaluable qualities inherent in a work of art. This thesis proposes that the identity of Time-based Media Art should be documented within the scope of art museum object metadata. It suggests extending or revising existing museum metadata standards to accommodate the knowledge and requirements specific to Time-based Media Art. The revised system consists of defined schemas, vocabularies, and procedures for implementing, populating, and utilizing them within an actual museum collections information system. This approach aims to accurately represent the diversity, complexity, variability, and technological fragility of Time-based Media Art. The proposed system aims to serve as a decision-making guideline for Time-based Media Art preservation, documenting technical descriptions, relationships, and rationales of Time-based Media Art preservation. Thus, Not only the artist, but also their collaborators, such as the technicians, exhibition designers, curators, archivists and conservators become all vital sources of information essential to understanding the identity of the work.