Adaptive Institutional Change: Managing Digital Works at the Museum of Modern Art

From digital video to software-driven installations, digital art is now present in museums around the world. Museum systems designed for object-based collections like paintings and sculpture do not address the collections management and conservation requirements for these new technologies and their associated hardware. In this article the authors investigate processes through which digital art becomes embedded in museums. Based on original research conducted at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, we argue that the introduction of digital art to MoMA did not lead, as recent literature suggests, to disruptive or radical changes of existing institutional practices. Instead, the result has been organizational subunit proliferation and adjustments to established practices and procedures. Through our study of managing digital art at MoMA, we engage Science and Technology Studies and the institutional analysis tradition in the sociology of organizations to advance the understanding of processes of change in art museums.

Introduction: Caring for Performance

Can performance be conserved, and if so, how? And what does it mean to conserve performance? Performance works—ephemeral, sensitive to site, embedded in history and often tied to the body of the artist—have long been considered beyond the reach of conservation and restoration, which have traditionally focused on objects, rather than moving bodies. And yet, situating conservation next to performance offers an intriguing point of entry for theoretical and practical investigations. Examined through the lens of conservation, what is performance, and what might it become? What might this new disciplinary lens reveal about performance—and what about conservation? As an evolving practical-theoretical paradigm and a way of theorizing and bringing objects to conscious attention, how does conservation itself change vis-à-vis these new “objects”? Is conservation sustainable, as an imperative, principle and category, or do performative works necessitate distinct modalities of care? Our book begins with these questions. The authors in this volume investigate performance and performance-based artworks (henceforth abbreviated to “performance”) as material and conceptual entities through the lens of conservation.1 Employing diverse disciplinary, professional and personal perspectives, they both set and examine the conditions of possibility for the continuation of performance works

Betwixt and Between: Bridging the Gap between Field and Repository

This paper was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Museum Studies.All too often, archaeologists have viewed curation as a process that manages, rather than investigates, archaeological collections. The resulting curation crisis is the result of a serious imbalance between the continued generation of field collections and a corresponding lack of standards, best practices, resources and facilities devoted to accessioning, analyzing, reporting, curating and otherwise caring for archaeological collections. Researchers mistakenly prioritize ‘interpretation at the trowel’s edge’ with emphasis on excavation, field work and subsequent research, without considering the downstream issues of data standards, best practices and how and where the objects they excavate will be stored (collection management). Researchers, educators, and the general public will remain unable to reap the benefits of their cultural and historical significance until archaeologists and museum professionals can work together to determine a long-term strategy for the efficient management and care of these collections. Legislation, in the form of the Curation of Federally Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections (36 CFR Part 79) (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title36-vol1/pdf/CFR-2011-title36-vol1-part79.pdf), was intended to ensure the long-term management and care of these resources. However, insufficient funding at institutional and federal levels, the absence of legislative enforcement by the National Park Service, and compliance issues at both the research and collection level, have resulted in collections at risk of loss through deterioration, mismanagement, and neglect. In the following chapters I will demonstrate that accessioning, inventorying, cataloguing, rehousing and conserving are meaningful generative encounters among scholars, objects and collections staff, not simply byproducts of research. An online database specifically designed for archaeological collections is suggested as one way to address the curation crisis. Implementing digitization will enhance preservation by reducing damage to the artifacts caused by physical handling. Persons working in archaeology will gain a better understanding of collections care and the collections transition to the repository. The solution must extend beyond one discipline alone and needs a dialogue between archaeologists and museum professionals

An investigation into the management of knowledge in a historic building conservation organisation in Tripoli, Libya

PhD ThesisIn recent years, knowledge has been recognised as a core organisational resource. Scholars and charters in the field of historic buildings conservation stress the development of the knowledge of staff and organisations in this field. Because of the value of HBs, their conservation work should use all the knowledge available and this work should only be undertaken by those with the appropriate knowledge and skills. This research is concerned with studying the management of knowledge in historic building (HB) conservation organisations. The research aimed to investigate the concept of knowledge management (KM), and to develop a theoretical framework for studying and understanding KM in HB conservation organisations. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were pursued: (a) investigate the concept of KM in organisations; (b) study HBs and identify the key issues involved in their conservation; (c) investigate the extent of knowledge importance and availability in the HB organisations such as Management of Historic Cities Bureau (MHCB); (d) study the factors that affect managing knowledge in the MHCB; (e) analyse the current conditions for dealing with knowledge in the MHCB; (f) draw out key findings and identify the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats in managing the MHCB’s knowledge and, finally, develop a framework for studying KM in HB conservation organisations and suggest recommendations for effective KM in the MHCB and similar organisations. A mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative research for collecting and analysing data and information was adopted. Multi-methods were used for collecting data: literature reviews, interviews, questionnaires, observation and analysing organisational documents. Validation was undertaken by cross-checking the fieldwork findings against the wider literature. The findings demonstrated that the factors affected KM in organisations include: organisational structure, ICT, the culture of collaboration, regulations and policies, changes in the organisation’s accountability which lead to a change in its role and the need for different knowledge, and cultural/religious reasons regarding the separation of genders in the work place, which affects informal knowledge sharing activities. However, the main factors which differentiate KM in HB conservation organisations from other organisations are: type of knowledge, which includes the cultural value of HBs; dealing with external experts and organisations for acquiring and exchanging knowledge regarding HBs and their conservation, and the role of the proximity of the organisation’s headquarters to HBs in acquiring knowledge through monitoring HBs. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that the balance between people-based and explicit knowledge-based KM approaches is required to effectively manage knowledge in organisations. This research presents a framework for studying and understanding KM in organisations when used in HBs conservation organisations. It considered both approaches and demonstrated several factors that influence the management of knowledge in the MHCB context. Finally, the research provides a base reference for studying and understanding KM in organisations and provides recommendations to enable decision makers in the MHCB and similar institutions to apply effective KM to improve their organisations’ performance

Measuring and Improving Sustainable Resource Management at Byron Region Community College

The purpose of this study is to measure and report on progress made by Byron Region community College in relation to sustainable resource management as well as to observe, identify, and address and areas for improvement by developing recommendations in the categories of energy, waste and water. The college is dedicated in its vision to promote sustainability out of a sense of responsibility to the environment and future generations as well as a desire to train and prepare people for addressing 21st century problems such as climate change, drought, and peak oil. Energy, waste, and water make up a significant portion of how an institution interacts with the natural environment, and maximizing efficiency with these resources is paramount to achieving and promoting sustainability. I assessed energy, waste, and water practices using information I gathered from a multitude of sources. I conducted an energy audit by observing energy use behaviors, measuring the electricity consumption of various devices, gathering data on solar energy production, interviewing staff, and assessing electricity bills from the local utility company. Information on waste management was gathered by sorting through and conducting weight comparisons on rubbish, recycling, and organic material as well as through observation and interviews with staff. Water use management was assessed by observing the behaviors and infrastructure of the campus and interviewing staff members while also using bills from the local water utility to estimate per person daily water use. I then developed recommendations based on the observations and information collected during the study and valued them based on their likely impact, cost, and feasibility. In many ways, Byron Region Community College is doing an excellent job of managing energy, waste, and water efficiently. I determined that the Mullumbimby campus is a yearly net exporter of over 5 MWH of renewable electricity to the grid and consumes an estimated daily average of 8.7 L of water per person, which is considered efficient. All of the necessary mechanisms for proper waste management are in place but a significant portion of the landfill rubbish each week is improperly sorted recyclable or compostable material. While the college is doing extremely well in the three areas of energy, waste, and water, there are opportunities for continual improvement

Preservation Practices of New Media Artists: Challenges, Strategies, and Attitudes in the Personal Management of Artworks

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the preservation practices of new media artists, in particular those working outside of the scope of major collecting institutions, examining how these artists preserve new media artworks in their custody. Design/methodology/approach: The paper builds case studies of seven new media artists of differing practices and artistic approaches. For each case study, semi-structured interviews with the artists were conducted in conjunction with visits to the artists’ studios. Findings: The study finds that new media artists face a number of shared preservation challenges and employ a range of preservation strategies, and that these challenges and strategies differ markedly from that of art museums and cultural heritage institutions. Research limitations/implications: This study considers preservation practices for new media artists generally. Further research into specific communities of artistic practice could profitably build upon this overall framework. Practical implications: The findings of this research pose a number of implications for art museums and cultural heritage institutions, suggesting new ways these institutions might consider supporting the preservation of new media artworks before works enter into institutional custody. Originality/value: The literature on new media art preservation emphasizes the importance of working with artists early in the life cycle of digital artworks. This study advances this by investigating preservation from the perspective of new media artists, deepening the understanding of challenges and potential preservation strategies for these artworks prior to entering or outside of institutional custody

Oceanus.

v. 26, no. 4 (1983

Oceanus.

v. 36, no. 3 (1993