restoration case studies

The subject of the preservation and presentation of media art represents an acute and as yet unresolved series of problems for the practice of conservation and museum management. There is an urgent need for action since media art works are today already a component of almost every exhibition of contemporary art and are being increasingly acquired by museums, private collectors and public institutions.

Restorers and curators are familiar with the challenges and problems which arise on a daily basis in connection with the preservation and presentation of media art works. These questions include: Can the almost unobtainable and maintenance-intensive U-matic players from an installation from the early eighties in future be replaced by DVD players? Which standards are required when video migrate to new media? Can contemporary flat screen displays be used instead of CRT displays? What are the spatial requirements for a certain projection? Which projectors are suitable? What are the aesthetic components inherent to the work of art which should remain intact for future presentations? And who will define these criteria?

Media art installations therefore pose a number of specific questions; questions which relate to quickly ageing technology and also to the special characteristics of the presentation location. Restoration problems in the field of media art installations are as complex as the technology and the materials used. As a result, there is no standard solution for the preservation of the substance of this complex art form based on technology and media

The procedure established for the multi-year restoration project CASE STUDIES for a series of art works takes this complexity into account. The results achieved then allow the elaboration of guidelines and standards for comparable works of art. Each case study includes an evaluation of the original used media, techniques and technology and the extent of the loss of condition[i1]. In a second step the method and form of the restoration is elaborated. In some cases an examination may be made to establish whether software which can no longer run on modern hardware can be imitated (emulated) and what the consequences are for the artwork. In other cases consideration is made whether obsolete technology can be replaced by contemporary technical solutions which emulate the same effect and update the technology (migration). This may, for example, be necessary if technical defects of the hardware components have to be eliminated and the work can only be repaired through the use of new technical options. In this process, tried and tested migration methods and emulation are used together with new strategies which must be developed.

The aim is to establish a presentation format which takes into account the aesthetic and artistic aspirations of the respectively analysed media art work. In this respect it is very important to analyse which aspects contribute to the authenticity of a media art installation and to define which characteristics are indispensable for a certain installation (Research project Materialization of the Fugitive).

CASE STUDY 1

CASE STUDY 2

CASE STUDY 3