Dear Beth,

 

This might be a little more theoretical than you were looking for, but check out http://variablemedia.net/, which calls for moving away from cataloguing these types of works by their physical form, since the physical forms are often transient.  Think in terms of a work on VHS – is it critical that the work remain VHS, or can we migrate it to DVD?  If we define the artwork as VHS, then changing that material means changing the artwork.  But if we catalogue it as “video work,” or “moving image,” or even “light and sound;” something less media-dependant, then we don’t have a cataloguing dilemma when the work is migrated to a newer media. 

The role of the artist is critical here as well.  How does the artist define their work?  Think of an artist like Nam June Paik.  You would never swap an outdated VHS machine from one of his sculptures for a newer DVD player.  In that case, the work IS medium-dependant.  However, when working for the Carnegie Museum of Art, we approached Dara Birnbaum about swapping some heavy tube monitors for modern flat panels, and she was open to that because the physical entity of the monitor was not important; it was the images displayed on them that she considered to be the artwork.  Another artist we worked with used a slide projector and 35mm slides in his work; when we asked if the slides could be digitized and projected that way, he said no; the vintage sound and feel of the projector was an essential part of the artwork. 

 

I hope the Variable Media website is helpful; I have more published resources at home and I will be happy to pass them along to you if you’re interested.

 

Good luck!!

Amber Morgan

 

the warhol:
Amber E. Morgan
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The Smithsonian American Art Museum recently launched a new acquisitioning initiative in film and media arts.  Our registrars and database staff have little experience in cataloguing work in this emerging field.  At this point, we’ve only decided on a new TMS department (“Media Arts”). I am seeking advice on how other TMS systems catalogue works that fall under the category of media arts (specifically in classification, medium, dimensions, and thesaurus terms).  For example, are you classifying works by physical form (video, dvd, etc...) or technique (performance art, light sculpture, etc...)?

 

I’d appreciate any advice or recommendations for published material.

 

Thanks!!!

 

Beth Fadeley

Collections Database Assistant

 

Research & Scholars Center

Smithsonian American Art Museum

MRC 970  PO Box 37012

Washington DC 20013-7012

 

Tel 202.633.8337

americanart.si.edu