Digital Decay: Technological Change and the Long-Term Preservation of Media Art

Graduate School of Education & Information Studies

Primary contact

Jean-François Blanchette
Assistant Professor, Department of Information Studies
Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
310-267-5137
blanchette@ucla.edu

Additional project researchers

Bee Bornheimer, graduate students, GSEIS
Esther Cho, graduate students, GSEIS
Katie Shilton, graduate students, GSEIS

 

Project description

In works of digital media art, the virtual and physical converge, and engage audiences in new modes of interaction with audiences. However, the dependence of media art on multiple layers of technological mediation (e.g., software, hardware, media formats) creates profound challenges for its long-term preservation. Works from barely 15 years ago are practically irreproducible without intervention, and increasingly sophisticated technology makes preservation of today’s media art even more complex. Based on work accomplished at France’s IRCAM, this project proposes a knowledge management approach to confront these challenges, and advances a case study in the preservation of artworks by faculty of the UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts.

The project team would like to extend their thanks to Victoria Vesna of the UCLA Department of Design|Media Arts for her ongoing cooperation.

Project video