Conservation and restoration of time-based media art
[2] These changes could include short, medium, and long-term effects caused by the environment, exhibition-design, technicians, preferences, or technological development.[2] The approach to each work is determined through various conservation and preservation strategies, continuous education and training, and resources available from institutions and organization across the globe.Time-based media refers to works of art that unfold over a period of time utilizing elements such as light, sound, or movement.[3] [4][5][6] Time-based media includes installations composed of video, audio, film, slides, and software based art.[1] These artworks only exist when installed, creating a unique experience in which the art work will be represented in a new way every time it is displayed.[1] Guidelines for collecting and preserving time-based media art are still evolving, and though much progress has been made in the conservation operations and process standards have not yet been reached.[7] Video is a coded system, the information stored on the magnetic or digital tape can be retrieved only with a specific electronic playback device.[10] Some conservators recommend that sub-masters be in digital format, as analog tape suffers from generation loss, each time it is duplicated.[7] Obsolescence is of particular concern to time-based media art conservationists, as many artworks are tied to hardware which is no longer manufactured or supported.[7] Storing the format upright and in a dry, cool, and dust free environment will aid videotapes to have a lifespan of a few decades.[8] Optical media, such as DVDs and CDs, are susceptible to the exposure of dirt, dust, and scratches from rough handling or improper storage conditions that cause deterioration.[1] Maintaining the technology that the time-based media art is played on is one conservation strategy, and what is stored depends on the equipment device.[19] Consumer products, for example, are not meant for repeated viewing on such a large scale and are usually not expected to have a long enough life to maintain the device well into the future.[8] Due to rapid changes in video technology and the high cost of maintaining and storing equipment, storage and maintenance of some playback devices may not practical for a museum as a primary strategy.[1] The conservator also must be fully informed how the artwork's aesthetic, concept, and historical identity is impacted by the characteristics and function of the technology involved.[1] Museums do at times need to store obsolete technology though, such as VCRs, old computers, video game systems, etc., particularly if they have been customized for the artwork by the artist.[1] In these cases, conservation strategies could included acquiring spare parts early on in the acquisition process and before the technology is discontinued, making new components if necessary, and/or inexact substitution which follows the best match method of creating replicas of specific pieces.[22] The software and file format of born-digital works are susceptible to many issues involving integrity, data corruption, and obsolescence.[28] By making a work independent from its medium, the Variable Media Approach hopes to ensure the life of the artwork well into the future, beyond the obsolescence of all current technology.[30] If the format is integral to the work, then upkeep becomes more involved and maintaining the usability of the artwork against the odds of obsolescence in both media and technology becomes a major preservation challenge.[2] Time-based media conservators will treat and maintain a variety of objects, including film reels, projectors, computers, TVs, and other types of technology.[32] Due to the nature of the material eventually the duplicate will degrade causing the need for a continual upkeep in order to be successful in film preservation.An initiative starting in January 2014, entitled Media in Transition, was created as a conservation and research project at the Tate museum of London.[35] In preparation for the upcoming conference, New Art Trust held a retreat in October 2015 to discuss case studies specific to the themes for the project.[39] The international symposium hosted over 150 individuals from across the globe to speak and participate in lectures and panels on all things related to time-based media art.[41] So far 4 out of 5 workshops have been held each different in content based on expanding the knowledge to conservators in the field of time-based media art and answering questions in gaps of training and operations.[44] The Conservation Center of the NYU's Institute of Fine Arts started Workshops based upon the It's About Time symposium held in 2018.[48] The goal of the group was to create a standards for the operations and conservation of time-based media art and to better educate staff in the process.[48] The group hosts specialists from the field to speak at public event lectures and presentations on the topic of time-based media art.[49] VoCA provides programs to institutions worldwide that has a focus on conservation and the longevity for artist's work in the technology advancing twenty first century.