Archiving grad projects 2013

Documenting the Unstable

Course Description

This course examines theories of documentation and collecting in various art forms, the history and ethics of cultural heritage and the organizational structures of collecting institutes. Particular attention will be given to current theories and practices for the documentation of born-digital art and performance art (including gaming and networked practices). It will address the meaning and value of documentation and the way it is used by different kinds of institutes, organisations and individuals that produce, collect and manage cultural material: artists, museums, festivals, archives, funding bodies and corporate institutions. It compares and contrasts the different types to reveal how they differ from one another, paying particular attention to how different goals affect documentation processes. It also looks at how similar material is handled in significantly different ways: from development, to acquisition, description, presentation and preservation.

The course provides a frame to familiarize students with current trends in artistic and creative documentation as part of performance art, installation art, gaming and networked art as well as within contemporary art that connects to the field of digital media. Professionals in the field will expose students to research and production, for example, to initiatives like Institute for Image and Sound, National Archive, museums, digital libraries and others organisations are explored as examples of the architecture and attributes of digital repositories. Emphasis will be placed on how archivists, artists and the public interact with these as part of their practice, study, or preservation of their work. Students will also develop an increased understanding of metadata and of rights management for digital materials.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to critically engage with visual documentation on a theoretical and a practical level.
• Students will develop analytical and writing skills individually and as part of a team.
• Students will be able to combine theory and practice in order to produce a group project within professional practices of archiving and experimental documentation.
• By the end of the first year, students will have developed skills in concise writing; and at the end of the second year, students will have developed skills in visually documenting an artwork. The written description and visual documentation can be used either for grant application, funding, festival entries, publicity or preservation, and all are suitable for placement on a resume or CV.

Student Requirements / Assessment Criteria

• Regularly updating of development on the wiki. The content of the wiki consists of: research and development of the project; all illustrated with visual material (code, audio/video fragments, screenshots).
• After each trimester: A trimester project / graduation documentation overview, following the documentation template: http://pzwart3.wdka.hro.nl/wiki/Trimester_Projects_Archive
• Critically engage in debate about archival and documentation practices and theory.
• Making comparisons and analysis of documentation strategies by different parties, and relating these to own practice.
• Practice: Documentation of a selected work that can be used for publicity, funding, or presentation.

Reading

Students are required to read the materials provided. The purpose of the readings in this course is threefold. First, the articles will familiarize the student with conceptual, material and unstable cultures of art works and their relation to social media, networks, commercial platforms, emerging technologies, and user-generated content. Second, the texts give a sense about the kinds of research and writings typically expected from professionals in the fields of art and digital culture. Third, the readings can be regarded as conceptual devices to engage with in students’ projects.

The readings and topics may change during the trimesters. Due to variations in the lengths of discussion, questions, and visual materials, not all the readings will actually be discussed. However, they are important as the content supports the assignments.

Documentation Examples

NOTE: these are just some examples, with content and budgets varying enormously!

Documentation of presentations (either performance, installation, game based):

documentary

- Blast Theory, I'd hide you (2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdcvOXPg3j0 (promo/teaser) http://www.idhideyou.com/index.html (website)

- Naked on Pluto (2010): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbOnKqF9SLE

- Yolande Harris, Sun Run Sun (2008): http://vimeo.com/30798264

- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Underscan (2005): http://www.lozano-hemmer.com/under_scan.php

- Sonia Cillari, Se Mi Sei Vecino (2006): http://www.soniacillari.net/Se_Mi_Sei_Vicino_.htm (see photos + videos)

- Becky Edmunds, Salt Drawing: http://beckyedmunds.com/#/salt-drawing/4532078295

exhibition

- exhibition Cory Arcangel: Depreciated (2009): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5z1gl4XVSg&list=UUN8HNF8sH1vTZZgvYgewCng

- exhibition Invisible Sounds (2007): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR-BV4blJpU&list=UUN8HNF8sH1vTZZgvYgewCng&index=51

- exhibition JODI, World Wide Wrong (2005): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip3m-oqPKUQ&list=UUN8HNF8sH1vTZZgvYgewCng&index=56

- Doug Aitken, Altered Earth (2012): http://www.doug-aitken-arles.com/alteredearth.html

broadcasting

- Jaap Drupsteen, Sinfonia (1980s): http://cargocollective.com/jaapdrupsteen/Sinfonia

- Jaap Drupsteen, Celli (1988): http://cargocollective.com/jaapdrupsteen/Celli

various

- Nils Schrader, Hyperbody (book): http://www.minddesign.info/hyperbody.html

- NIMk, documentation of installations (on DVD): in library of PZI

documentation for preservation (models and questionnaires):

- Constant Dullaart/Robert Sakrowski, NetArtDatabase: http://net.artdatabase.org/

- Inside Installations: http://www.inside-installations.org/research/index.php

- Matters in Media Art: http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/matters-media-art

- MoMa, Kitchen by Corbusier: http://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2013/02/07/le-corbusier-kitchen-conservation-getting-resourceful

- Forging the Future: http://forging-the-future.net/ (questionniare)

- http://board.byuu.org/

documentation of process:

- Nathalie Bookchin, Long story short (rough cut): http://vimeo.com/50499004 & http://vimeo.com/53232152

- Sioban Davies, Kitchen (2010): http://www.siobhandaviesreplay.com/record.php?queryid=11querymd5=a727eab8cbf207bd87588d3fa1a714df&view=metadata&hit=3 and http://www.siobhandavies.com/thekitchen/birdsong/

- William Forsythe, Synchronous Objects (2010): http://synchronousobjects.osu.edu/content.html

- Save game: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saved_game

Documenting 2013

Teams

• SECOND YEARS - DOCUMENTED BY
• Dennis -
• Mano -
• Javi -
• Janis -
• Astrid -
• Dave -
• Eleanor -
• Petra -
• Marie -
• Jasper -
• Andre -
• Jonas -
• Demet -
• Lucian -

1st years

Planning

18 March:

• 10:00 – 11:00 Plenary session on different documentation goals:
  • funding, residence application, publicity
  • documenting a work: process, presentation
• 11:00 – 12:30 tutorial group 1 funding:
• 12:30 – 13:30 lunch
• 13:30 – 15:00 tutorial group 2 residence application:
• 15:00 – 16:30 tutorial group 3 publicity:

During the tutorials the specifics of documenting process and presentation will also be discussed.

Required reading

• Becky Edmunds (2006) A Work of Art from A Work of Art.[1]
• Matthew Kirschenbaum (2008) Mechanisms, preface and introduction: [2]
• Howard Besser (2001) Longevity of Electronic Art,[3]

Final assessment

Everyone will choose one person of the 2nd year to document their work, next to selecting the person you will choose a specific documentation goal (this could be in consultation with the other person). At the end of June these documentations will be assessed. On the wiki you can sign up the couples, this needs to be done before class of 18th March. Note: everyone needs to choose one person, there can’t be two or more persons all documenting the same project.

2nd years

Planning

21 March:

• 10:00 – 11:00 Plenary session on different documentation goals:
  • funding, residence application, publicity
  • documenting a work: process, presentation
  • portfolio
• 11:00 – 12:30 tutorial group 1 funding:
• 12:30 – 13:30 lunch
• 13:30 – 15:00 tutorial group 2 residence application: Astrid, Demet, Dennis
• 15:00 – 16:30 tutorial group 3 publicity:

During the tutorials the specifics of a portfolio will also be discussed.

Required reading

• Becky Edmunds (2006) A Work of Art from A Work of Art.[4]
• Matthew Kirschenbaum (2008) Mechanisms, preface and introduction: [5]
• Howard Besser (2001) Longevity of Electronic Art,[ http://besser.tsoa.nyu.edu/howard/Papers/elect-art-longevity.html]

Some websites with additional info on portfolio etc:

• atelierantwoord (in Dutch)
• transartists.org/ (especially for artist in residences)
• artquest.org.uk/ (general remarks)
• rt-support.com

Final assessment

Next to your role and participation in the documentation of your work by a first year student you will be assessed on the quality of your overall documentation portfolio. For the coming session (21 March) you will have chosen the specific goal that you want to follow, based on that specific issue your portfolio will be assessed.