Collecting and Preserving Time-Based Media Art in Georgia’s Museums

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Date
2019-08
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Abstract
Time-based media art (TBMA), art that utilizes technology and has a distinct beginning and end (video, film, slides, audio, or computer-based) is a popular medium among artists. The preservation of TBMA presents a unique set of challenges for museums, because TBMA relies on ever-changing technological components that can become obsolete if not properly cared for. For this paper, staff members from art museums in Georgia were interviewed to determine the current state of the collection of TBMA across Georgia’s museums, including reasons given for not collecting TBMA and relevant preservation methods. The research focuses on a specific state, Georgia, so that relationships between art museums in a common geographical region can be studied, focusing on common goals and initiatives concerning TBMA. The paper concludes with a section offering recommendations for resources that could be beneficial to museums that have not started acquiring TBMA, and also discusses ways that museums in Georgia can work together in finding solutions to issues regarding the collection and preservation of TBMA.
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time-based media, digital preservation, museums, Georgia
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