Preservation Policies for Born-Digital Artworks in the MAC USP Collection

• Grant number: 23/16018-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Arts - Art Fundamentals and Criticism
• Principal Investigator: Ana Gonçalves Magalhães
• Grantee: Cássia Takahashi Hosni
• Host Institution: Museu de Arte Contemporânea (MAC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/05946-9 - Digital Collections and Research: art, architecture, design and technology, AP.TEM

Abstract

The preservation of born-digital artworks involves issues related to cataloging, storage, conservation, the need for updating/restoration and the different ways in which a work can be displayed, so that the process maintains the identity of the work. When considering the Brazilian context, there are socioeconomic peculiarities that directly influence the production, dissemination and collecting of digital works. Based on this premise, this research proposes an investigation of current models of digital preservation policies, comprising possible solutions, such as the use of new technologies, in particular, artificial intelligence tools, in contemporary art museums. Thus, the post-doctoral project aims to analyze the born-digital artworks in the MAC USP collection, considering their preservation possibilities, and collaborate with the thematic project "Digital Collections and Research", which involves different academic and cultural institutions in the process of cataloging social documentation and debate new methodologies in museum collections.