Sarah and the list - I have been inspired to make some comments here.
See below between Sarah's questions. I find the relationship between the
event-object-document an interesting one. These examples and comments
may or may not be directly relevant to the context, but I felt it may be
of interest to the wider group to offer some experiences into this
discussion. My main point with regard to the documentation of artists
work, is that I have not found a blanket solution practical or
appropriate. Documentation and associated distribution tends to involve
a unique negotiation with each individual artist with respect to the
particular artwork.
Kelli
-----Original Message-----
From: Curating digital art - www.crumbweb.org
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah Cook
Sent: 15 May 2007 14:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [NEW-MEDIA-CURATING] documenting exhibitions - questions
Dear CRUMB list
having just opened a show, and blogging the process on the web, i just
wanted to do a straw poll:
how many of you include video walk-throughs in your documentation of
gallery based exhibitions of new media art?
>> The Tate have not done a New Media show as most of you know. They
have done quicktime VRs of exhibitions. Video does not work to document
still objects and paintings. Large-scale installation and performance
programmes are now documented in video. We also try to include
interviews with the artists or key figures involved in the show, in
order to contextualize the work with a description of concept, process
or additional commentary.
how many of you insist on having people in the photographs/slides taken
of the show?
>> I couldn't comment - another department deals with that. I think they
do both. For copyright reason's the person might tend to be a staff
member or otherwise unrecognizable, particularly if it is going on the
web afterwards.
do you document interaction in the exhibition? how?
>> Video, sometimes with time-lapse video. But again, in context of Tate
this is for large-scale installation, performance and participatory
works that may or may not involve some kind of media. I do think there
are some relevant parallels, given the time-based, participatory and
event-based nature of many media practices.
what other formats do you document your exhibitions in? (sound art
exhibitions are rarely recorded, or are they?)
>> I have always been very conscious of documenting sound work. Our
conservation department in collaboration with other major institutions
recently undertook a significant research project using Bruce Nauman's
commission for the Turbine Hall as a case study. The other two are
performance works. In all of these examples we also try to present the
artist and their working practice in context of the work. Examples -
The Unilever Series: Bruce Nauman - documentation and conservation
project
http://www.tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/majorprojects/nauman/work_1
.htm
Live performance by Linder Sterling. This work was included in the
catalogue as part of the Tate Triennial Exhibition
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/triennial/liveworks/linder.ht
m
Kaffe Matthews Performance including original scores and rehearsal
recordings
http://www.tate.org.uk/onlineevents/archive/d_culture/kaffe_matthews/
do you use online photosharing sites such as flickr for exhibition
documentation? or do you hope that visiting artists / others might put
their photos online and you can link to them later?
>> People do put things on these sites, you can't stop that. The most
significant documentation of the Unilever Series: Olafur Eliasson is
arguably on Flicker. We do not use these types of web2 sites for formal
documentation because they are commercial sites, there longevity is not
assured, there license agreements with contributors are controversial
and there is no guarantee about the direction these businesses will take
in future.
have you ever been 'told off' by an institution for putting exhibition
installation-in-progress photographs or gallery- installation photos on
the web/flickr - and if so was it about infringing copyright on the
artists work, or infringing the contract with the artist and the gallery
over documentation?
>> In certain cases it might. Certainly copyright is an issue. I tend to
respect the artists wishes. Each artist has a different relationship to
both documentation and distribution. I do not think a blanket strategy
works. I tend to get into detailed conversations with individual artists
about documentation and distribution. Many contemporary artists will see
documentation as integral to their work (especially those working in
media or performance) they may also see it as the start of an additional
work. Some of them release CDs, DVDs etc. which makes recordings of the
work integral to their economic context. Some of them like to direct the
documentation and feel ownership of it. Some are very easy about it and
invite maximum distribution.
answers to the list rather than just to me will generate further
discussion!
thanks
sarah
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