Preservation of virtual reality artworks
Diagnosis to determine viable conservation strategies
MA Thesis
Daphne Kramer
Conservation and Restoration of Contemporary Art
Faculty of Humanities
Department of conservation and restoration of cultural Heritage
12-07-2019
Daphne.e.kramer@gmail.com
Supervisor: Ellen Jansen
Second reader: Femke Prinsen
SUMMARY
Virtual reality (VR) is a complex medium. It has a wide range of applications, can contain several types of hardware and play a variety of content, creating a countless number of experiences. Artworks made in VR are hybrid and share characteristics with VR content of other industries that focus on entertainment, storytelling, education, documentation or simulation. Within these industries, research is done into preservation strategies for VR. These are tailored to the characteristics that are being valued in the medium and that should therefore be preserved. For artworks, it is important to find out whether a suggested strategy to preserve a VR artwork will work in a way that attention is paid to authenticity and artist intent. The strategies discussed in this thesis are storage and repair, migration, emulation and reinterpretation, which are conservation strategies that have been widely applied in the field of time-based media conservation for a considerate amount of time. However, research is lacking into ways to diagnose virtual reality artworks, so changes to their meaning caused by the implementation of conservation strategy can be determined. Documenting this is important as hardware may become obsolete and disappear over time. It will not be possible to change strategies and go back to the artwork's original appearance. The user experience plays an important role in this thesis and is explained by looking at characteristics that are inherent to virtual reality, such as interactivity, navigation and immersion. By explaining these aspects and documenting the experience that is generated from technical aspects of the medium, change can be monitored better. In addition, it will help to select which version of the work should be acquired or archived.
Virtual reality (VR) is een complex medium. Het kent vele toepassingen, kan verschillende soorten hardware bevatten en verschillende soorten inhoud afspelen, waardoor veel ervaringen mogelijk zijn. Kunstwerken in VR zijn hybride. Ze delen veel karaktereigenschappen met VR werken die gemaakt zijn voor andere doeleinden zoals entertainment, het vertellen van een verhaal, educatie, documentatie of simulatie. Ook binnen deze gebieden wordt onderzoek gedaan naar het behoud van VR. Ze zijn allen toegespitst op de waardes die belangrijk worden geacht in het medium en daarom bewaard moeten blijven. Voor kunstwerken is het belangrijk om te kijken of deze strategieën ook genoeg aandacht besteden aan de artistieke waarden van het werk, zoals de betekenis van het kunstwerk en de authenticiteit. De strategieën die besproken worden komen voort uit de discipline Time-based media conservering; opslag en reparatie, migratie, emulatie en herinterpretatie. Uit het evalueren van deze strategieën blijkt dat tot nu toe weinig aandacht wordt besteed aan de diagnose van VR-kunstwerken om te bepalen welke strategie het meest geschikt wordt geacht. Dit is belangrijk om te bepalen of de betekenis van het werk wordt aangetast door de desbetreffende strategie. Het is belangrijk om dit te documenteren omdat hardware kan verouderen en daardoor onbruikbaar kan worden. Het is op dat punt niet meer mogelijk om terug te gaan naar de originele staat van het werk. De gebruikerservaring speelt een belangrijke rol in deze scriptie en wordt uitgelegd aan de hand van karaktereigenschappen die inherent verbonden zijn met het medium VR, zoals interactiviteit, navigatie en immersie. Door uit te legen hoe de ervaring voortkomt uit technische aspecten van het medium en door deze te documenteren, kunnen veranderingen beter worden vastgelegd. Daarnaast kan het helpen om te selecteren welke versie van het werk wordt aangekocht of gearchiveerd.
PREFACE
I never thought I was very technically skilled. When I was a kid and the video player didn’t work as it should be, I used to call my dad to come in and fix it. When starting the master’s program conservation and restoration of contemporary art, investigating, diagnosing and problem solving, became the most desirable skills to master, also for objects with plugs and batteries. It was from this moment that my ignorant behavior changed into an obsession to learn about analog and digital artworks, their hardware, electronic systems and software as I could no longer look away from technology I did not understand. In October 2017, I visited the Design Academy in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, during the Dutch Design Week. A student had used virtual reality as conservation tool for the preservation of a site-specific artwork by the Dutch artist Peter Struycken. What struck me was the interdisciplinarity that these types of artworks are situated in and the fact that solutions are being searched for within several industries. This was the starting point of my research into virtual reality. Initially, I wanted to study its possibilities as documentation tool and focus on ethical considerations but noticed that a thorough study into the technique, its qualities and how these qualities are being deployed within several application purposes, was lacking. It took a lot of time and analysis to get to know and understand this medium in all it is, and it grew on me, resulting in an exhibition and a master thesis. I hope my research into virtual reality will continue from this point, I may add to, adjust and revise it, until, together with other professionals that know more about technical possibilities, we can find solutions to preserve virtual reality artworks in the best way possible.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to pay gratitude to all people that helped me fulfil this research, especially to my supervisor Ellen Jansen, who has been amazing guiding me through this project and steering me into the right direction. Also, I received a lot of support from the other teachers of the contemporary art conservation program, Evelyne Snijders and Sanneke Stigter. I would like to thank my second reader Femke Prinsen (University of Amsterdam), and the professors Maarten van Bommel (University of Amsterdam) and Ella Hendriks (University of Amsterdam) and Rene Peschar (University of Amsterdam) for their feedback. My understanding of technical possibilities and impossibilities in virtual reality wouldn’t have been the same without the possibility to curate an exhibition of virtual reality artworks at ABC Architectural Centre in Haarlem. I would like to thank Zalán Szakács and Rudolf Bogart for cooperating in the exhibition and sharing their knowledge and Gabriel Verheggen for making this possible. Also, I would like to thank Annet Dekker (University of Amsterdam) for her inspiring lecture and conversations about archives and documentation, that has been of great help to think differently about the way complex artworks are treated. In addition, I would like to thank the following people I have talked to during this process: Jesse de Vos (Netherlands Institute of Sound and Vision), Gaby Wijers (LIMA), Lisette Vonk (University of Applied Science Amsterdam) and Kira Brown. Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow master students for two years of support and sharing ideas. Thank you Lihi Levie, Olivia Brum, Stefanie Janson and Marieke Kruithof, it would not have been the same without you.
CONTENT
SUMMARY ... 3 PREFACE ... 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... 5 ABBREVIATIONS ... 8 INTRODUCTION ... 91. UNDERSTANDING VIRTUAL REALITY ... 13
1.1. Definition ... 13
1.2. Material characteristics and user experience ... 14
1.2.1. Hardware ... 14 1.2.2. Software ... 16 1.2.3. User experience ... 16 1.3. VR as digital object ... 18 1.3.1. Trends in VR ... 18 1.3.2. Versions ... 19
2. VR AS A HYBRID ART FORM ... 20
2.1. Hybrid applications ... 20 2.1.1. Simulation ... 21 2.1.2. Education ... 21 2.1.3. Entertainment ... 22 2.1.4. Story telling... 22 2.1.5. Documentation ... 23 2.1.6. Art ... 23
2.2. Collecting, exhibiting and preserving ... 24
2.2.1. Function of the institute ... 24
2.2.2. The Art Museum ... 25
3. CONSERVATION STRATEGIES ... 27
3.1. Time-based media conservation ... 27
3.2 Preservation of virtual reality ... 28
3.2.1. Preservation strategies for virtual reality from the artworld ... 29
3.2.2. Preservation strategies for virtual reality from information sciences ... 30
3.2.3. Preservation strategies for virtual reality from the archive ... 30
4. DIAGNOSIS ... 32
4.1. Documentation ... 32
4.1.2. Documentation models ... 34
4.1.3. Possibilities for improvement... 35
4.2. Terminology for user experience ... 36
4.2.1. Navigation... 36
4.2.2. Presence ... 37
4.2.3. Immersion... 38
5. CASE STUDY: AQUAPHOBIA – JAKOB STEENSEN ... 40
5.1. Aquaphobia ... 40
5.1.1. Technique ... 40
5.1.2. Meaning of the artwork ... 42
5.2. Diagnosis... 43
5.2.1. Importance of the medium ... 43
5.2.2. Relation between artist intention and VR characteristics ... 44
5.2.3. Discussion ... 45
CONCLUSION ... 46
REFERENCES ... 48
ABBREVIATIONS
API: Application Programming Interface AR: Augmented reality
HMD: Head mounted display MR: Mixed reality
VE: Virtual environment VR: Virtual reality XR: Extended reality
INTRODUCTION
In March 2018, the sixth edition of Art Basel, one of the largest and iconic art fairs of the world, took place in Hong Kong, presenting a global mix of galleries showing the newest art by the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists. Among them were the virtual reality artworks by Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor, shown at an HTC booth, supplier of head mounted displays. Abramović and Kapoor are considered renowned artists whose artworks are present in many large museums and private collections and whom have already been included in the canon of art for a considerate amount of time. Their usual practices being performance art, painting and sculpture, this event could be a one-time case. Abramović explains however that her shift to this medium is embedded in her current practice. “In this moment of my career, I have been wondering how to transfer energy from body to body through the use of modern technology.”1 This event at Art Basel Hong Kong may not mark the
beginning of virtual reality as artform but may be the start of its acceptance within the commercial artworld which may shortly lead into their presence in museums and other collections.
Although virtual reality suddenly seems to appear everywhere, it is not a radically new medium. The first VR head-mounted display (HMD) was already developed in 1968 by computer scientist Ivan Sutherland. When looking through it, the user would see a three-dimensional image that changed perspective when the viewer moved their head.2 It was nicknamed, The Sword of Damocles,
because of its bizarre appearance as it had to hang from the ceiling above the user’s head.3 In the
work, digital signals were transferred to analogue signals that were eventually made visible via a miniature cathode ray tube. (figure 1.) Initially, it was difficult for artists to work with VR, as the technology was not available on the consumer market until the late 1980’s. The first virtual reality gear was commercially sold in 1987 by the Visual Programming Lab (VPL).4 As with most new technologies,
the first models were expensive. Their head mounted display ‘EyePhone 1’ was available for $9400, and a complete VR system including a high-end computer, was sold for $250.000.5 The system was
mainly advertised for researchers and developers in several fields, such as architecture and telecommunication. 6 With the advertisement of this gear, the term ‘virtual reality’ was used for the
first time.
1 “Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor to Present Two Virtual Reality Artworks at Art Basel in Hong Kong,”
VIVE Blog, March 12, 20 18, https://blog.vive.com/us/2018/03/07/vive_art_basel_hong_kong/.
2 Ivan Sutherland, “A Head Mounted Display,” Proceedings of AFIPS 68, 757-764.
3 Hilary McLellan, “Virtual Realities,” in Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology:
A Project of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, ed. David Jonassen and Marcy
Driscoll, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 2014, 462
4 “History of Virtual Reality.” Virtual Reality Society accessed June 1, 2019,
https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html.
5 Paul Sorene. “Jaron Lanier’s EyePhone: Head and Glove Virtual Reality in the 1980s.” Flashback. November 24,
2014. Accessed June 16 2019. http://flashbak.com/jaron-laniers-eyephone-head-and-glove-virtual-reality-in-the-1980s-26180.
6 Savanah Campbell, “A Rift in our Practices?: Towards Preserving Virtual Reality,” A thesis submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Program Department of Cinema Studies New York University,
Figure 1. The parts of the three-dimensional display system for The Sword of Damocles, invented by Ivan
Sutherland.
Since the development of this HMD, VR systems have drastically changed and became more affordable in the 1990’s. However, they were commercial failures, mostly because of poor graphics, that were unable to simulate reality convincingly.7 From 2010 interest in the medium started growing and gained
in popularity, partly because of large investments that were made by companies such as Facebook, that bought the startup Oculus in 2014 for 2 billion dollar.8 Big tech companies such as Samsung, HTC
and Google started to invest in virtual- and artificial reality (AR) technologies as well and technological developments to HMD’s rapidly followed each other. The technique is now widely adapted and used in many industries for many purposes including the artworld.
Although a considerable number of artists are now working with virtual reality, thus far their works have not widely been collected. When talking to institutes it became clear that they have some hesitance to start acquiring the medium. This is not strange considering their familiarity with the difficulties accompanying the conservation of time-based media artworks in their collection. Often hardware is included that shortly becomes obsolete, due to rapid technological developments. Similar
7 “History of Virtual Reality,” Virtual Reality Society, accessed June 27, 2019,
https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html.
8 Stuart Dredge, "Facebook Closes Its $2Bn Oculus Rift Acquisition. What Next?" The Guardian, July 22, 2014,
problems await VR, which is an even more complex and faster developing technology. New technological features are being launched every year with a similar speed as the development of smartphones in the past ten years. VR is a complicated mix of hardware, software and user experience and asks for a experienced skill set of museum professionals in order to guarantee its availability and longevity. Conservators have been struggling to maintain equipment during exhibitions and the long-term preservation of these works has proven to be challenging. The necessary software to play files is sometimes missing which obstructs the readability of the file or the code in which it was written. Some works are streamed from an app, this makes preservation hard as the files and software are not accessible to archive. In addition to these problems, the maintenance of VR can be very time consuming. Museums often do not have the expertise, time and money to deal with maintenance and updates due to the speed of technical developments.
Both academics and professionals within institutions have attempted to create practical preservation strategies that can be implemented in institutions. Within the field of archival studies, research was done into data archiving and file storage, for example for the preservation of websites and e-mails. This field is closely related to the archiving of sound and moving image. To a certain extent, depending on the archive’s function and the nature of the object, hardware and software is stored as well. It is more and more accepted that time-based media artworks, including VR have a character that demands change to be able to live a longer life. Without change it will become obsolete and the shell of the hardware will be the only document to refer to its existence. This has led into a focus in literature on foreseeing future problems and taking preventive measures by making thorough documentation of artworks to monitor change and ensure that the output can be reconstructed. For obsolescence of hardware and software the strategies storage and reparation, migration, emulation and reinterpretation have been widely researched and applied within the time-based media domain. Current research focuses on what extent these strategies can be implemented for virtual reality artworks. Because of the complexity of VR files, this is a challenging task that can possibly result in loss of work-defining properties.
Research should be done into the workability and implementation of these strategies for virtual reality artworks. Many artists are choosing to use VR for a specific reason, it is a medium that is not comparable with any other medium that has been used to create art before. It is therefore important not only to understand how it technically functions but also how work-defining properties in this medium can be recognized, described and documented and to understand how to diagnose whether these properties are important for the artwork’s identity and meaning. A thorough evaluation is needed of what VR is composed of, how it functions, and which experiences it can create. In addition, it is important to understand how these elements are deployed in an artwork to express a certain idea. It is only then possible to preserve the artwork in a good way and decide which of the conservation strategies storage and repairation, migration, emulation and reinterpretation is best suitable, if technically possible. The focus of this research concerns therefore the diagnosis of virtual reality artworks. It will start with an investigation of what the medium is and what it is technically composed of. This research has shown that virtual reality itself, but also the cultural context, is complex. Besides a technical and ontological investigation of the medium, also the cultural context is explained in
chapter two. This will be an assessment of different purposes VR is used for and how this is related to the institutes and industries that show, acquire or preserve them. Conservation strategies for virtual reality artworks derive from industries that are not (solely) working with art objects. But, as chapter three will explain, there is a need to work with experts from different fields, to find technical solutions for mediums such as VR, that will become obsolete within a short amount of time. This chapter investigates which strategies have been developed and what research still needs to be done. In chapter four it is discussed which documentation and decision-making models have been developed and to what extent they are suitable for the diagnosis and documentation of virtual reality artworks. This theory is tested by looking at a case study in chapter five.
For the scope of this limited thesis project, the focus will lie on the preservation of immersive virtual reality artworks that have been made within the past three years. Since 2016 VR gained in popularity and is made available by many companies on the consumer market. This point also marks the beginning of its acceptance within the art world and the consideration of institutes to start collecting and preserving these works. Many devices and experiences have been created in the past three years. Some devices work secluded, whereas others rely on secondary hardware, such as computers, smartphone or game computers, adding another layer of conservation care to the already complex technique. For this research it would be too complex to deal with risks of incompatibility between file, software and hardware and possible emulation or migration solutions.
This thesis has been written for the master’s program ‘conservation of contemporary art’ at the University of Amsterdam. Within this program students are being taught to take a step back and look at individual artworks, their meaning and inherent values to be able to find suitable conservation solutions. For technical complex artworks, it is necessary to work with professionals within different field so through collaboration, better technical solutions can be found. The aim of this research is to contribute to the discourse on preservation of virtual reality by looking at the diagnosis of artworks and providing a way in which inherent values to the meaning of the artwork can be uncovered. This research has been done by a careful investigation of the field, to understand relationships and connections between research, different institutes and objects they want to preserve. This has been achieved by visiting places, talking to people and reading literature from different fields, such as the game industry, psychology, and research in archiving and collecting objects. This thesis will not give technical solutions but will provide guidelines to follow when assessing VR artworks.
1. UNDERSTANDING VIRTUAL REALITY
The discipline conservation of contemporary art focuses on the care of both tangible and intangible aspects of artworks. Besides chemical stability of physical objects, attention is paid to ethical considerations about changes that are being made to artworks. The central point of attention is the inherent conceptual idea, the artist’s intention, that should always be preserved. To do this successfully, a careful consideration of the relation between meaning and materiality in artworks is needed, to understand which work-defining properties are attributing to this the most. For this determination it is necessary to explore all aspects of an object, the materials of which it is composed, its functioning, but also the idea the artist wanted to convey. When it comes to investigating these aspects for virtual reality, this is a difficult task because of the diversity of hardware, software and content possibilities. In addition, how the artwork is perceived is hard to describe because this is subjective for every individual. This first chapter seeks to explain virtual reality in all its aspects, starting with the definition, explaining technical possibilities and how they make up an experience.
1.1. Definition
Starting research into virtual reality has led into a philosophical reconsideration of the concept ‘reality’. Descartes stated “Cogito, ergo Sum;” “I think, therefore I am,” which has been considered the basis of western philosophy, challenging the truth of all things. Descartes stated that the only thing he knew for sure is that he existed and even your own perception can deceive you.9 Well, most people perceive
what they see with their eyes as reality. A definition for reality that is often used is “Existence, that is absolute, self-sufficient, or objective, and not subject to human decisions and conventions.”10 The term
virtual reality seems straight forward at first but when you start thinking about it, it becomes more complex, because as antonym for reality the words ‘concept’, ‘fantasy’ and ‘imagination’ are mentioned, which seem strange considering that each of those words can also be used to explain virtual reality artworks. At first, it seems remarkable how something virtual can also be reality following these definitions. Is a virtual tree less real than a tangible one? Or are both real, but do they simply differ in materiality?
Oxford Dictionary defines virtual reality as “The computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.”11 From this point it is understandable why the combination of the words ‘virtual’ and ‘reality’
are combined; to be distinctive from the medium video. The reality aspect of VR can refer to the attempt to create a more ´real´ image. In contrast to 2D video footage, where the viewer is looking at a static 2D video, virtual reality can add features to an experience that are closer to the way things are
9 “René Descartes,” Filosofie, accessed June 7, 2019, https://www.filosofie.nl/rene-descartes/index.html. 10 “Reality,” Oxford dictionary, accessed June 7, 2019, https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/reality. 11 "Virtual Reality - Definition of Virtual Reality in English by Lexico Dictionaries," Lexico Dictionaries – English,
experienced normally, being able to look around you, experience distances and being able to interact with the things in your surroundings. It is probably for this reason that virtual reality is appearing in many different industries where captured or created moving 2D content, play a central role, such as the film and gaming industry. The term is often used to describe any form of computer-generated 3D content that is accessible via special electronic equipment and that can or cannot be interacted with. Because of the confusion around the term reality, sometimes the term ‘virtual environment’ is used to refer to the same. Since in artworks the environment is not always the most important aspect of the work and the term virtual reality is most known, the latter is used in this thesis. Sometimes the term is mixed up with other techniques that combine the physical world with virtual information or graphics. This technique is called augmented reality, which is used to describe any form of overlay of virtual information over the physical reality.12 This overlay can for example include text, graphics, video
and sound. A famous example of this is the application Pokémon Go, a free game in which players can catch a Pokémon in their neighborhood. The image of the animated character has been laid on top of the physical reality using the camera on the device on which the app is installed. The technique differs from virtual reality, where the spectator is completely immersed.
1.2. Material characteristics and user experience
Virtual reality consists of a combination of hardware, software and files that work together to create an experience. This experience is often called ‘immersive’ because it isolates the user from the physical world. Immersion is a widely used term that is characteristic for virtual reality and is, often by game developers, referred to as ultimate goal to achieve when creating an experience. It is explained as being involved in the experience, possibly to such an extent that the actual physical world is forgotten, and the user is ‘completely immersed’. There are many ways in which this immersion can be achieved. This is always a combination between hardware, software and content that together create a certain user experience. This paragraph will explain broadly the possibilities in VR that make up a VR system and the possible experiences generated by it.
1.2.1. Hardware
VR can be experienced via various types of hardware. Each device works differently, has specific characteristics and supports different types of content. What they all have in common is that they contain a display and that they can track the user’s motion. Depending on the degree of interactivity of the work, it can also track movement of controllers or buttons that are being pressed. A rough
12 Michael Kelly, “Virtual Reality,” Oxford Art Online, 2014, accessed 23 April 2019.
http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199747108.001.0001/acref-9780199747108-e-62?fromCrossSearch=true.
distinction can be made between electronic HMD and HMD that are a non-electronic shell in which a smartphone can be placed, that then functions as the hardware.
The last category is most accessible type of VR. Anyone in possession of a smartphone can buy a HMD to insert their smartphone in. This HMD is no more than a shell with a pair of lenses to create a stereoscopic view. The smartphone serves as hardware and contains all functions needed for a VR experience; a display and motion tracking for a dynamic visual experience. There are many of these goggles available on the market, all relatively inexpensive compared to electronic HMD. The resolution depends on the smartphone that is used, but also on the lenses in the goggles. The content can be streamed from apps on the smartphone.
Within the other category, electronic HMD, there is a lot of variety. VR systems are being developed by different companies. There are high-end models that need to be connected to a computer or wireless models that can run on their own. One of the most advanced technologies is the HTC Vive, developed by HTC. It is the most expensive model on the market and considered the most high-end product. Current models available are HTC Vive, HTC Vive pro and HTC Vive focus, all slightly differing in characteristics. The Vive needs to run on a computer with a powerful graphics card. It is compatible with Steam, an online store developed by the company Valve, that allows users to stream and create content. Sony developed a HMD for PlayStation in October 2016.13 Since its release, 4.2
million headsets have been sold.14 In addition to this HMD, a Play Station 4 system is needed to use it.
Another leading VR brand is Oculus, which is owned by Facebook. There are multiple Oculus headsets all with different specifications, from high-end gear to affordable wireless models. The wireless Oculus Go is an affordable and easy to use device that runs files that are not too complex. The above-mentioned companies are leading VR providers now, but many other companies have developed headsets or are developing headsets that will be released soon.15
VR can contain many types of hardware. Not only a head-mounted display, but also smartphones, advanced computers and game computers are needed to play files. This causes a lot of compatibility problems since not all file formats can be played on all hardware models. Especially larger files containing high-end interactive content cannot be played on lighter hardware, such as the wireless Oculus Go HMD.16 In addition to HMD and computers, often other hardware, or additional
technologies are used to add an extra sensation to the audio-visual inputs that are generated by the HMD. This in the form of tactile inputs that can be generated in several ways, for example by walking
13 “PlayStation VR Launches October 2016 Available Globally At 44,980 Yen, $399 USD, €399 And £349,” Sony,
accessed May 1, 2019.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160522011956/http://www.sony.com/en_us/SCA/company-news/press- releases/sony-computer-entertainment-america-inc/2016/playstationvr-launches-october-2016-available-glob.html.
14 “PlayStation VR: The Next Wave of Games Coming in Spring and Summer 2019,” PlayStation Blog, March 26,
2019, https://blog.us.playstation.com/2019/03/25/playstation-vr-the-next-wave-of-games-coming-in-spring-and-summer-2019/.
15 “What is Virtual Reality,” Marxent, accessed June,17, 2019,
https://www.marxentlabs.com/what-is-virtual-reality/.
16 An overview of hardware and supported file formats is given by Savanah Campbell (2017) in her thesis about
on a treadmill or by wearing special gloves (data gloves) with sensors that can translate hand movements to the virtual environments, enabling the user to see their hands. These devices, that create a greater immersion in the virtual world, are called peripherals.17
1.2.2. Software
In paragraph 1.2.1 compatibility problems have been briefly discussed. These aspects relate to the differences in software and supported file formats between VR systems. The file format depends on the content, how the content was made and the intended hardware for which it was developed. VR involves many types of software. There is for example software to play content, and there is software to create content in which it also can be played. The latter is often used when complex files of interactive works are played, such as the case with games, that are inherently highly interactive. This software is also called an engine. 18 The most common used software for the development of
immersive environments are the Unreal engine and the Unity engine. They both have a different programming language, C++ and C# respectively.
Recently WebVR has been developed to simplify the creation and possibility to share virtual reality experiences with the use of internet.19 It solves some compatibility problems as VR can
be experienced via a browser. Developers can use this open-source JavaScript API to make their content communicate with WebVR.20 Because of the limited size of this Master thesis research project,
the collaboration between file, hardware and software will not be further discussed.21
1.2.3. User experience
An important aspect of virtual reality is user experience, a fusion of material and immaterial aspects that can be broken down in several components that all add up to a level of immersion. The following topics are all aspects that are part of the user experience. They can be related to hardware, software, content or both. Here they are explained to give an overview of possibilities in VR. Chapter four will further discuss them in more detail.
Dimension
Although most people might think that VR is always three-dimensional, this is not the case. There is also two-dimensional content created for VR. In this case VR is used to make use of the HMD’s ability to create a 360-degree spatial dynamic view. This is especially the case for 360-degree video, which is
17 “Peripheral,” VR Glossary, accessed June 16, 2019, http://www.vrglossary.org/glossary/vr-peripheral/. 18 “A game engine is the software that provides game creators with the necessary set of features to build
games quickly and efficiently.” “Game-Engines - How Do They Work?” Unity, accessed June 27, 2019, https://unity3d.com/what-is-a-game-engine.
19 “Web VR Experiments,” Experiments with Google, accessed June 8, 2019,
https://experiments.withgoogle.com/collection/webvr.
20 API stands for application programming interface. It allows two programs to communicate with each other.
The API is used to exchange information. For more information: https://www.britannica.com/technology/API.
filmed content (also called captured content to distinguish from content made in software), that is filmed in all possible angles to create a 360-degree view. Some 360-degree videos are two-dimensional, some are three-dimensional.
Navigation
An important characteristic of VR is navigation. When the physical space is similar to the virtual environment, the user can move their own body and the headset will translate the movements to the virtual space. The ability to move is depending on the type of experience. Some works don’t allow movement. In this type of static experience, the user is placed in a central position and the world changes around them. This is for example the case with 360-degree video. However, when the virtual space is larger than the physical space, artists can find other ways to allow the user to navigate through the space or they can navigate the user as if they are in a vehicle. Artificial movement through a virtual space is called locomotion, an interaction mechanism that moves the user through the environment.22
Sound
Another experience related aspect is sound. There are a couple of possibilities how sound can be perceived. There is hardware that has integrated audio in the form of headphones that are attached to the HMD. In other cases, external headphones can be used, or the sound comes from a speaker in the HMD that is situated close to the ears. Content wise, there can also be a difference in sound. The most commonly known form is stereophonic audio, which is the sound known from listening to music. In addition, also ambisonic audio is possible, which creates a more three-dimensional sound experience.23 Ambisonic sound is for example used to attract attention from the user to make them
look or move in the right direction. It is more complex and requires programming to integrate it in an VR experience.
Interactivity
Another distinction that can be made is between interactive and non-interactive works. Some VR forms are always non-interactive, such as 360-degree video. In this case the user is more a passive observer and often situated in a central position. Other works can be very interactive, such as games, or they can be partially interactive. The more interaction, the more likely the user will forget the real world. Within VR terminology this is also called flow, described as “the mental state whereby an experiencer is so involved in the process of an activity that nothing else seems to matter.”24
22 Steven LaValle, Virtual Reality, Cambridge University Press, 2019, 289. Available via
http://vr.cs.uiuc.edu/vrbook.pdf.
23 Campbell, “A Rift in our Practices?” 68.
1.3. VR as digital object
Another important aspect of virtual reality that should be mentioned is its nature as digital object. What is characteristic for digital objects is that they can be copied numerous of times and still look identical to each other. This characteristic gives possibilities, it enables for example to show the work in several locations at the same time. It can also exist in a cloud service and can be streamed without the need of the actual file.25 Also small adjustments to files can be made to make it compatible for
other hardware. It is possible that multiple versions exist at the same time. A work can be part of a collection and still be available via a streaming service for a different HMD. This is conflicting with the notion of an ‘original’, an aspect that is often pointed at to be the desirable state in which an artwork should be. It is important for a conservator to understand whether we can still speak of an original version as the desired version to preserve or if we should look at these works differently.
1.3.1. Trends in VR
Because of the nature of VR, to exist on a cloud where it can be streamed or downloaded, it can be made accessible to anyone in possession of a HMD that is compatible with the work. In 2018, the total number of worldwide VR users was 171 million.26 This is however expected to increase a lot in the
coming years. Analysts at Goldman Sachs wrote a report in 2016 about potential growth in the VR market. They predicted that VR would become the next computing platform that will “possibly [be] as game-changing as the advent of the PC.”27 One of the arguments posed is the investment into the
medium by Facebook, who bought the start-up company Oculus for $2 billion in 2014.28 They expect a
widespread adoption of the medium especially for videogames, live events, video entertainment, healthcare, real estate, retail, education, engineering and the military sector, that could eventually be as ubiquitous as the smartphone.29 They even state that, when size and mobility improves, the
evolution can evolve virtual reality to get multiple functions, combining multiple devices and “potentially replacing phones and PC environments.”30 If this is correct, this would mean that VR would
be visible in most households, just as the pc. This would also mean that VR works could be just as accessible as websites and can be viewed in anyone’s home environment.
25 Streaming is the activity of listening to or watching sound or video directly from the internet. “Streaming,”
Cambridge dictionary, accessed June 25, 2019, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/streaming.
26 “Active Virtual Reality Users worldwide,” Statista, accessed June 25, 2019,
https://www.statista.com/statistics/426469/active-virtual-reality-users-worldwide/.
27 Heather Bellini et al., Profiles in Innovation: Virtual and Augmented Reality, Understanding the Race for the
Next Computing Platform, Goldman Sachs Equity Research, January 12, 2016. These are of course speculations
and could be influenced by a conflict of interest and be therefore not completely objective.
28 Brian Solomon, “Facebook Buys Oculus, Virtual Reality Gaming Startup, For $2 Billion,” Forbes, Forbes
Magazine, April 15, 2014, https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2014/03/25/facebook-buys-oculus-virtual-reality-gaming-startup-for-2-billion/.
29 Heather Bellini et al., Profiles in Innovation: Virtual and Augmented Reality, Understanding the Race for the
Next Computing Platform, Goldman Sachs Equity Research, January 12, 2016, 5
1.3.2. Versions
Since there are so many different types of hardware and software possibilities for virtual reality, it is possible that the artist made different versions to ensure compatibility with multiple devices. Works that run on HTC Vive, for example, are often interactable, have more advanced features and run on a high-end computer. The file formats made for this type of device will not run on wireless headsets. Artists sometimes make a ‘lighter’ version of their work in the form of a non-interactable video. This video is easier to distribute and works on less advanced headsets, that are most likely sooner present in institutions and households because they are more affordable.
Since many versions of the same work can exist and they can all be copied, it is hard for conservators to investigate if there is a ‘master version’ or original. It is possible that all these versions are considered to be the same artwork, but it is also imaginable that the artist sees this differently and the ‘light’ video version is only meant as reference to the original. This completely depends on the artist’s opinion. In addition, it is possible that multiple versions exist in multiple places and two institutes have a different version in their collection.
2. VR AS A HYBRID ART FORM
An object obtains value in the context it is placed. A photographic portrait by Rineke Dijkstra is considered a contemporary artwork in which we value the artistic idea that is expressed by the artist, whereas a school portrait of a child is most likely not considered to be art. The portrait by Dijkstra will be exhibited, stored and preserved in museum collections whereas the school portrait will get a place within an institution according to its geographical, religious or sociological relation between the depicted and the institute where it is archived. The photograph can be an artwork, an object, a document or a record. This principle is the same for virtual reality artworks and many other digital artworks that share the same medium with objects that have a different function. VR has many applications, such as for games, films, documentaries, performances, theater and dance. It is not always used for artworks. Objects tend to be categorized by several values after which is decided which institute should acquire, collect, archive, store, exhibit and preserve the object.
Virtual reality does not fit within one category. All these industries have institutes that are concerned with the preservation of objects within their field. They will collect or archive the virtual reality objects that fit with their category. Katja Kwastek, professor in contemporary art at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, attributes this to inherent qualities of interactive art. She states that it arises from a conjunction of elements like music, theater, video art, film and visual arts with a wide range of digital technologies. In character it also shares characteristics with performing arts.31 Virtual
reality artworks cannot be broken down and pushed within one discipline but are still often analyzed in that way. However, the same work can be interesting to a different public for different reasons. As preliminary investigation for conservation strategies of VR, this chapter will form an overview of industries that work with VR and focus on the aspects that make VR interesting for them, because the values given to the content and medium will most likely define how the object is preserved within an institution.
2.1. Hybrid applications
The following paragraphs will briefly discuss different types of VR applications that can exist in many different industries and have certain values. These values can be analyzed by looking at which aspects of VR will be most important for the work to fulfil its function. The applications discussed are not exhaustive but are meant to show that VR works can be preserved for different reasons. It could, for example, be that the object gets additional values over time, such as historic and economic values. The values that will be considered are aesthetic, artistic, historic, functionality and economic. They are values but as well assessment criteria for conservation possibilities. They are inspired on the revised decision-making model for contemporary art proposed by the Cologne Institute of Conservation Science. This model will be discussed in chapter four.
2.1.1. Simulation
Virtual reality is often used as visualization tool within industries that are involved in education, design, simulation or any form of visualization of ideas or theories. This was first done in the architectural industry in 1986, in the form of architectural walk through systems.32 Architects are looking into ways
to use VR to build virtual copies of spaces that will eventually actually be build. As virtualization tool, VR can provide clients with a more accurate representation of what the final product will look like. Not only for architects this is a useful tool. It is also used a lot in museums to show for example what an historic sight used to look like. The National Maritime Museum, Het Scheepvaartsmuseum, in Amsterdam has recently added a permanent VR experience to their museum. Visitors on board of their VOC ship can experience the historic Amsterdam harbor in the 17th century. Simulation is also used to
create visualizations of art exhibitions. Major art galleries such as Hauser and Wirth are featuring shows in virtual reality that are accessible online in one’s own home environment, to provide them with a preview of the real exhibition.
Simulations often must be convincing to, for example, sell a product (economic value) or to inspire a visitor. Aesthetics is therefore an important value, because without a nice-looking simulation this will most likely not happen. Simulations can also have artistic values. An architect is often considered to be an artist, so the work might be preserved for similar reasons as scale-models of buildings; to show the oeuvre of the architect. For simulations of historic sights, the designer of the VR experience probably worked in commission and will most likely not get an overview of their work in a museum, the artistic value is therefore less important. To a lesser extent simulation have historic values. They often represent a historic situation but are not historic in itself. This can change however when a work is for example preserved to show how simulations were made in the 2010’s. Again, for architecture this can be different, as architecture is often placed in history to relate them to idealistic views about a certain way of living.
2.1.2. Education
Already twenty years ago, research was done into the application of virtual reality for educational purposes (McLellan, 2001). VR was for example applied as interactive training system, but also for gathering and visualizing data.33 It was found to be potentially interesting for the medicine industry,
for example for surgeons to prepare for difficult procedures, and in aviation, to train pilots with realistic situations that they might come across in the future.
32 F. Brooks Jr, “Walkthrough - A Dynamic Graphics System for Simulating Virtual Buildings.” Proceedings
SIGGRAPH Workshop on Interactive 3D Graphics,1986 in Thomas Mazuryk and Michael Gervautz, Virtual Reality: History, Applications, Technology and Future, 1999, 6.
33 Hilary McLellan, “Virtual Realities,” in Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and
Technology: A Project of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, ed. David Jonassen
It is imaginable that VR used for education, appreciates the interactivity of the medium the most, because the impact resulting from the user’s actions is what make them learn. The functionality of the work is therefore very important. Aesthetics may therefore be less important but can however inspire the user to use the VR system to learn.
2.1.3. Entertainment
Probably the most well-known application of VR is in the entertainment industry. The Japanese game manufacturer, Nintendo, already experimented with VR in the early 90s. As mentioned in chapter 1, PlayStation also developed their own virtual reality gear that is compatible with their PlayStation 4 devices. Specific for games, is that they combine virtual environments and interactivity. VR is therefore interesting, because it makes virtual experiences more ‘real’, adding a spatial dynamic perspective. There are many gray area’s between entertainment, education and storytelling as all these aspects are often intertwined with games.
Games are often commercial products. The artistic value is generally something that is only valued by experts, fans and museums that are specialized in videogames. Most people, however, hardly know who developed and designed the game. Functionality, however, is a more important value. The game can only be played when it functions as designed and should therefore be interactive. Games can also have historic values that are related to nostalgia, because they could have been part of someone’s everyday life when they were a child. An institute preserving games would probably want to preserve this feeling.
2.1.4. Story telling
VR is increasingly used for storytelling. Moving image has been used for storytelling for a century, since the development of black-and-white movies. There are many initiatives involved in discovering possibilities of virtual reality for storytelling. The International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) has started Doclab in 2007, to investigate immersive and interactive ways of non-fiction storytelling, including virtual reality. A similar project is the MIT Open Documentary Lab by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Also, in journalism storytelling is an important aspect. An example is a BBC’s 360-degree video experience in which users are placed inside an Iraqi helicopter flying above Mosul while firing on ground targets.34 About the use of virtual reality BBC says: “[VR] is interesting to us as
program makers as it can help make people feel like they’re at the heart of the action or the story, which could help future audiences better understand important current affairs, news, science and history topics or give them a new perspective.”35 In line with storytelling, virtual reality productions
are an increasingly important part of contemporary film. Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam has created
34 “Mosul: Fight against ISIS from the sky in 360 video - BBC News,” BBC News, 2017,360-degree video, 5:49
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKseZzSL2jM.
35 Will Saunders, “About the BBC - Exploring VR and Immersive Video,” BBC Blogs, BBC, June 8, 2016,
a new program, Eye Xtended, a continuing two-monthly program with VR productions. About these works they say that “their virtual stories, visual finds and triggered experiences touch our emotions, resonate with us and make us stop and think.”36 “Renowned makers have pledged their participation
in the series. It is the first time that a museum has devoted structural attention over several years to virtual reality as a cinematic art form.”37
As can be concluded from the above-mentioned examples, VR is used for storytelling to add more emotional involvement to documentaries and film. The three-dimensionality of the medium plays an important role to achieve this as well as the possibility to look around in the experience. The functionality and aesthetics are therefore important values as these add up to the emotional experience.
2.1.5. Documentation
Another increasingly upcoming trend is VR as documentation tool. This application is similar to simulation but differs in aspiration. Where a simulation can be made to demonstrate an object or situation for a short amount of time, documentation usually strives to provide an accurate representation of a situation that should be (re-)accessible in the future. When looking for literature on preservation of virtual reality it became clear that VR is increasingly used as preservation tool itself for the preservation of ecological sights but also for the preservation of artworks. It is used to make visible what is lost, to show an artwork in a different conditional state, or to show a site-specific work that is lost. Ethically it is incorrect to call this trend ‘preservation,’ as it is not changing or improving the current state of the object or sight. Also, especially when applied on artworks, the artworks’ appearance may change drastically when non-digital objects are transferred to VR. This could therefore rather be called a documentation tool.
Another interesting question would be if they are meant to be preserved. Usually documentation functions to guide a preservation or reconstruction process in the future (see also chapter 4), so should therefore be accurate, reliable and stored well. More research needs to be done into the usability of this application to say anything about their preservation.
2.1.6. Art
The last and for this research most important category that will be discussed is VR for artworks. They can have various forms, and various purposes and exist within all above-mentioned categories. Many renowned artists are now experimenting with VR as well as artists that have recently graduated. Some artists capture or create the content themselves whereas others work together with companies to do it for them. VR artworks are visible at the larger art fairs such as Art Basel, but also at biennales such as the Venice Biennale this year, 2019. That artworks are hybrid can be seen by the fact that they are
36 “Xtended.” Eye, June 6, 2019, https://www.eyefilm.nl/en/themes/xtended.
also on view outside of art museums. The work Rising, by Marina Abramović, which highly relates to storytelling, was on view in the Eye film museum and cinema in Amsterdam. It is because of their content that touches upon other fields that artworks are often selected to be part of exhibitions and collections outside of the art museum.
VR artworks have many values that are similar to those in the works mentioned in the categories above. Most important are the values that are related to the creative process. It is therefore important for institutes that usually archive or acquire different types of works (in other categories above) to acknowledge their status as artwork and their accompanying values. The artistic values are often a central aspect to consider when preserving artworks. A lot of attention is paid to authenticity; to keep the artwork in its original state. Contemporary artworks also have economic values, that are related to the authentic state of the object.
2.2. Collecting, exhibiting and preserving
The example of the difference between simulation and documentation already explained a bit how virtual reality with seemingly similar looking purposes will be treated differently because of their intended function. A simulation can be intended to provide temporary information whereas a document can be meant to do this on a long-term. This function is important to keep in mind when preserving a VR object. It is inseparable from the goal of the institute that acquires, archives or preserves it. This paragraph will discuss how similar objects can be treated differently in several institution with different missions.
2.2.1. Function of the institute
Annet Dekker, researcher at the University of Amsterdam, explained how institutes that are involved with identifying, acquiring and preserving objects, have different missions and use their objects or documents differently. A museum is involved with collecting and exhibiting unique objects whereas libraries and archives often strive to be more exhaustive and provide the public access to the objects. Within the institutions the object has a different function and also their accessibility is different. The terminology used in institutes can be confusing. What is the difference between an archive and a collection, an object and a record and between information and documentation? And what is the difference between acquiring and archiving something? This is difficult to explain but lies in the mission of the institute. VR in all categories mentioned above, can be an unique object for a museum but also a carrier of information for a library.38
Because of the versatility of applications VR is used for, there are many institutes that will have to deal with decisions concerning the preservation of VR objects. Since VR is used for many applications, the objects will have different values that need to be preserved, resulting in a different starting point for their preservation as well. Savanah Campbell, MA graduate, demonstrates this by
looking at which institutes in the United States were preserving historic VR systems and which conservation strategy they had chosen. She investigated the Computer History Museum and Living Computers: Museums and Labs. They both have many historic VR systems in their museum, including the first VR system by Ivan Sutherland, the Sword of Damocles, mentioned in the introduction of this thesis. Campbell states that both museums are concerned with giving an historic overview of computer artifacts, including VR, and to provide access to their visitors via exhibitions.39 She states however, that
no software or content is preserved with the headsets, resulting that the HMD cannot be exhibited in an interactive way. All HMD’s in the Living Computer Museum were therefore placed in glass vitrines, except for the HTC Vive, a model that is currently still for sale.40
Ideally the museum would have wanted to include software and content to be able to allow users to interact with the works, but this was not in their collection. Even though there is no interaction possible, the museum still sees value in exhibiting the devices. This is because they collect the devices because of their historic value as computer inventions and not because of the artistic value of the content. The chosen solution to store the hardware is therefore a suitable conservation option for the institute. The possibility to interact with the works would be a nice addition but does not get priority at all costs. This example shows that conservation strategies can differ enormously between institutions.
2.2.2. The Art Museum
In an art museum, only showing the hardware of an artwork in a vitrine would be unacceptable. The artwork would be considered ‘dead’. The artistic and authentic values get most attention and will be preserved at all costs. As discussed in paragraph 2.1. museums strive to preserve and exhibit objects. In case of VR, this would mean the museum presents the headsets in a museum setting and the visitor can view the experience while being present in the museum. The art museum not only takes care of the artwork, but also the context in which it is placed and the maintenance during exhibition. When part of a larger installation, also the installation of the work is carefully done and documented.
This may sound logical, as this way of showing artworks is similar to other media artworks, but there is, however, another way VR can be shown. In the previous chapter it was already discussed that VR works can exist in many places at the same time, because they can be streamed and downloaded as digital works. The spectator is expected to have a device that can run the file or stream the video. There is no longer need for a physical space to go to. The question remains however, who is responsible for their preservation.
In the last decade, institutes came up that operate outside of the boundaries of the physical museum space. The institute Acute Art is an example of this. They develop virtual reality works together with pioneer artist that are made accessible to stream and download via the Acute Art app and via the apps Steam and HTC Viveport. Another example is the Current Museum, a non-profit
39 Campbell, “A Rift in Our Practices?” 41. 40 Campbell, “A Rift in Our Practices?” 50.
institute founded in 2016 involved in collecting and preserving variable media artworks. Their focus lies on the preservation of artworks that exist entirely on an electronic carrier.41 It is the institute’s
intention to collect works that are challenging to preserve. Without having physical components, the artworks in the collection can easily exist across physical places and are therefore easily accessible across the world.
When it comes to the preservation goal of museums that preserve artworks, this can be conflicting, because only ‘light’ versions are being preserved that can be streamed by users in their home environment. These versions are more like video versions and this can result in loss of inherent work-defining properties, such as installation related aspects and interactivity. In addition, without a mission to exhibit artworks in a physical space, no hardware will be stored. Subsequently, the work must be altered to keep being compatible with the latest HMD that are available in households. Potentially this will alter the look and feel of the artwork as well. Museums that are experimenting with providing online access to VR experiences must take these consequences into account.
This chapter has set out different applications of VR within several industries. VR artworks can share characteristics with any of these industries but can also differ a lot. When choosing a preservation strategy, it is important to look at the nature of the object and which values should be preserved. Since this is different for all industries as they don’t pursue the same mission, a conservator should carefully consider which preservation methods to apply on VR artworks. The following chapter will take a closer look at the strategies that are being developed for the preservation of virtual reality and, with this information in mind, see if they can be applicable for artworks in VR.
3. CONSERVATION STRATEGIES
Since a couple of years, research is done into possibilities to preserve virtual reality artworks. The discussion does not solely take place in the artworld, but also in the field of archiving, information science and the game industry. As discussed in chapter two, all these industries have a different focus, which is implemented in the strategies that they develop. In art museums already a lot of research is done into preservation of other media artworks that include for example moving image or are computer based. This fundamental knowledge serves as starting point for the preservation of VR artworks from the perspective of the art museum. This chapter will therefore look how preservation of VR can be continued from this practice. In addition, it will look if strategies that are being developed outside of the art world can be implemented without loss of inherent artistic values.
3.1. Time-based media conservation
In contemporary art conservation, virtual reality fits within the domain of time-based media art. This term is used to describe any form of art that relies on technological equipment and has a certain durational element.42 This discipline within contemporary art conservation emerged in 1990’s and was
necessary since from the 1960’s artists have been using electronic technology in their artworks. In these objects or installations, the material physical degradation was not the main problem, but the equipment that rapidly became obsolete, and software and files that couldn’t communicate with each other anymore. Therefore, new strategies were developed in order to remain accessibility to the objects in the future. Preventive conservation, such as thorough documentation of artworks, migrating files to contemporary carriers and digitizing analog formats, started to play a more central role. Because of the need to update these works and make changes to it to prevent a complete loss, the ephemeral character of these artworks became more accepted.
The conservation mission for time-based media artworks as stated by Pip Laurenson (2006):
“Conservation is the means by which the work-defining properties are documented, understood and maintained. Conservation as a practice aims to preserve the identity of the work of art. Conservation aims to be able display the work in the future. [And] Conservation enables different possible authentic installations of the work to be realized in the future.”43
When investigating these aspects to find the best possible conservation or preservation solution, one could say that the relation between concept and materiality should be investigated to be able to determine whether changes that are being made will harm the identity and authenticity of the artwork.
42 “Time-based Media,” Tate, art terms, accessed June 10, 2019.
https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/conservation/time-based-media.
43 Pip Laurenson, “Authenticity, Change and Loss in the Conservation of Time-Based Media Installations”, in
Tate Papers, no.6, Autumn 2006,
This means exploring which work defining properties can be ascribed to the medium specifically.A lot of attention is therefore paid to the decision-making process prior to the implementation of conservation strategies. A lot of documentation work is done to guide this thinking process, but also to ensure that conservators will have a good understanding what the artwork is about and how it is supposed to function when it ceases to work in the future.
What is characteristic for time-based media artworks is that, even though the artwork is well functioning and in original condition, preventive measures must be taken to prevent a total loss caused by obsolescence when the hardware stops functioning. What conservators have learned from the past, is that technological developments in hardware and software follow each other rapidly. This has been demonstrated by the evolution of video carriers and monitors throughout the last couple of decades. It is inevitable that at some point the old technology is irreparable and irreplaceable with the same model. This phenomenon of obsolete equipment is well known also for other types of artworks such as slide-based artworks that rely on slide-projectors or software-based art that relies on computers with certain operational programs that can have the right software installed on them. In addition to functionality, the hardware is also valued for aesthetic and authentic reasons. Conservators strive to preserve the look and feel of the work in the way it was originally made, which will change when the work is transferred to a contemporary device.
Before the moment of irreversible obsolescence, conservators must take action to prevent a total loss of an artwork. Four preservation strategies can be distinguished for time-based media artworks; storage and repair, migration, emulation and reinterpretation. Storage is considered the most conservative option. The work is physically stored together with any extra parts or equipment that can be used when the original breaks. The artwork will cease to function when it runs out of extra parts and is beyond reparable. Migration is the action to transfer the work to a more contemporary carrier. This results in changes to the look and feel of the work. To emulate an artwork means to “devise a way of imitating the original look of the piece by completely different means.”44 New software can
for example impersonate old hardware. With emulation the functions of the old hardware or software are taken over by new hardware or software and do not necessarily change the artwork’s appearance. The most radical strategy would be to reinterpret a (part of) an artwork, which means to reconstruct the artwork from scratch by using any documentation that is available.
3.2 Preservation of virtual reality
It is inevitable that the same problem of obsolescence described in part 3.1. will occur for VR as well. As discussed in chapter 1, the technological developments in VR technology follow each other rapidly. File formats may be replaced by new formats that will result in compatibility problems between old files and newer devices. This interoperability will also be present between VR software and head mounted displays (Cranmer 2017). In addition, there are already problems with storing works as
44 “Glossary,” Variable Media Network, accessed June 18, 2019,
