Translations through time: Conservation of born-digital art

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Translations through time: Conservation of born-digital art

Abstract

Interactivity typifies born-digital art, instilling diffusivity and ephemerality to the art form. These characteristics challenge the traditional conservation frameworks regarding authenticity, change and agency. Technological obsolescence threatens preservation and implores conservators to develop new theories and ethics to guide conservation practice. The Whitney Museum of American Art’s conservation of Douglas Davis’s internet-based born-digital work, The World’s First Collaborative Sentence, 1994, is discussed as a case study. This paper proposes that existing conservation skills in materials, holistic value-centred methodology and risk assessment will be valuable in the complex digital environment. The new role of ‘translator’ is also suggested to reposition conservation practice to authentically preserve the integrities of born-digital art.

ASSIGNMENT 2 KEY PRESERVATION ISSUES CUMC90026 CONSERVATION PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES

Student Details | Robyn Ho (Student No: 672025) Date | 08.04.2016

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