Abstract

Collecting new media art is a relatively new activity for many institutions and organisations. The characteristics of the varied forms that new media artworks can take are not fixed; they can mutate and become unstable while some artworks may even be ephemeral. Furthermore, the creation of new media artworks can be interdisciplinary, networked, or collaborative. The documentation and cataloguing of new media artworks constitute a critical factor in enabling their preservation and future presentation. Traditional collections management systems are not suitable for recording the many and varied instructions, intentions, and iterations that are essential to ensuring that new media artworks retain their integrity.

Through my practical work with the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, based in Sunderland, UK, my research evolved to focus on time-based media works. To enable the future presentation and accessibility of time-based media artworks, the artist and the collecting organisation have an obligation to contextualise the work, provide clear guidance on its installation and maintenance, while adhering to the artist’s intentions. Concentrating on the care of time-based media artworks allowed for the creation of an effective guide to address the following research questions:
  
1) What are the key practical problems of collecting time-based media artworks? 
 
2)  How can small contemporary art organisations use new accessible and economic models for collecting and documenting time-based media artworks?  
  
To answer these questions, research was conducted within the fields of curatorial and collections-based studies by exploring established curatorial guidance from organisations such as the Collections Trust, The Guggenheim Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution. The results of this research informed the design of a procedural database for collecting and cataloguing time-based media artworks. The Time-Based Media Art Curatorial Guide and Database captures the necessary documentation to maintain and contextualise artworks while categorising each curatorial activity. Additionally, artist questionnaires and data analysis using time-based media artworks from the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art collection also influenced the design of the Database. Analysis of feedback from gallery staff on the content and ease of use informed the step-by-step design process and tested the efficacy of the Database. Rationalising established institutional procedures, the aim of the Database and related guidance is to futureproof the lifecycle of artworks while catering to the requirements of small art organisations with capacity poor resources.