Text 12: The On-Going Exploration of Moving Image Conservation in Digital Era (2022)

Abstract
This article is a review paper of the changes of moving image in the field of conservation. The historic change and consequent migration from analog to digital continues to influence the practice in conservation. This article examines a) the problems of the arbitrary and incomplete definition and naming of digitalised items, b) an enhanced collaboration between moving image conservators and specialists, c) thinking and practices as moving image conservators

Keyword: Moving image, art conservation

Introduction
The past decade of digital era has seen the rapid development of time-based media in various forms. Artists, art conservators and curators have been practicing their cultural and artistic process to cope with the accelerated technology changes. The ongoing transition and migration from analog to digital have a pivotal role to play in their processes. Moving image preservation, a relatively new area of preservation, presents the distinctive nature of moving images that has unique challenges to deal with. Consequently, the discussion of the preservation in digital and physical elements between conservators and specialists related to moving image has been raised and has been arguing. The purpose of this paper is to review recent research to enhance the understanding of the evolving nature of moving images and to state that the methodologies of documentation and archiving are playing a significant role to extend the lifespan of moving image works.

The problems of the arbitrary and incomplete of definition and naming of digitalised items
Film was the first moving-image medium that emerged in the end of the nineteenth century. Consequently, the term film has been used casually to refer to various recording forms: video tapes, CDs, DVDs, video games and streaming videos until at present, even in term of material they have nothing related to the film roll. In addition, even though the language can be slippery in mentioning the changes of recording forms in digital eras, conflating and incorrect referring to moving digital images as films have much potential to lose important historical knowledge and traits of materiality; so, conservators and historians ought to use vocabulary precisely (Streible, 2013). Furthermore, the definition of preservation is also fluid regarding environment contexts leading to specific problems and relates to the evolving nature of moving image as cultural heritage objects (Gracy, 2013). In addition, the phrase moving image may sound unfamiliar to general people, but its importance cannot be ignored.

An enhanced collaboration between moving image conservators and specialists
“We can discover and study three-thousand-year-old cave paintings and pottery (even though the pottery may be in shards that we need to piece together). But we are unable to decipher any of the contents of an electronic file on an eight-inch floppy disk from only twenty years ago.” (Besser, 2001, p. 40). Schnepp (2005) describes the limitation of time-based media that requires devices, having a short life span, in order to experience and to suggest the importance of the collaborations between artists and conservators as it can efficiently invent and implement strategies to handle considerations occurring from the conservation of moving-image works. As information stored in digital format is vulnerable, the concept of preservation is propounded and disembodied by two approaches: migration and emulation (Besser, 2001). In addition, as there is no ideal approach for ensuring that digitised moving-images will remain intact in the future, the concerns and dilemmas about their material condition are inevitable (Usai, 2010). The roles between artists, art conservators and moving-image specialists are prioritised to make sure that the materials will last as long as possible.

Thinking and practices as moving image conservators
Approaches of art conservators for moving image art differ by their own specific issues; in addition, the degrees of intervention of the works also change over time. Hence, the assemble of documentation and technology preservation has part in both preserving physical and digital artifact. Marchese (2011), notified that the process of documentation including interviews, artist-conservator-curator collaborative discussion and questionnaires can help define and contextualise the artworks which are closely related to the creators as a whole. These approaches provide comprehensive information and full picture for audiences. Furthermore, these approaches will not only allow and give new space to how creators and conservators work together to preserve artworks but also provide new ways of handling materials. However, all of these lead to new challenges in conservation. How do collaborative approaches often considering as individual actions between artists, conservators and curators, find a balance and do not too much intervene the original works. How to efficiently conserve digital artworks as long as possible and still give respect to the originality and the authority. These are still in the process of experimentation but the most important goal is completely clear.

Conclusion
The aim of the present research was to examine the changes and the challenges that time-based media, from analog to digital, have been undergoing in conservation practices. This study has identified that the understanding of unique materials that often change over time in the digital era and the collaboration between artists, curators and art conservators to preserve digital works are significant. These findings suggest that the knowledge of documentation and technology preservation are playing an important role in the ongoing and upcoming digital art in conservation. Even if there are some doubts on how to hold proper interventions between the artworks and the art conservators, the advantages of the potential to preserve digital artworks and of exploring new ways of conservation are obviously clear.

Reference
Besser, H., 2001. Digital Preservation of Moving Image Material?: The Moving Image: The Journal of the Association of Moving Image Archivists, 1(2), pp.39-55.

Gracy, K., 2013. Moving Image Preservation Work The Evolution and Integration of Moving Image Preservation Work into Cultural Heritage Institutions. Information & Culture: A Journal of History, 48(3), pp.368-389.

Marchese, F., 2011. Conserving Digital Art for Deep Time. Leonardo, 44(4), pp.302-308.

Noordegraaf, J., Saba, C., Le Maître, B. and Hediger, V., n.d. Preserving and exhibiting media art.

Schnepp, S., 2005. On Time: Approaches to the Conservation of Film, Videotape, and Digital Media: institute of Chicago Museum Studies, 31(2), pp.96-102+112.

Streible, D., 2013. Moving Image History and the F-Word; or, “Digital Film” Is an Oxymoron: Film and History, 25(1-2), pp. 227-235.

Usai, P., 2010. The Conservation of Moving Images: Studies in Conservation, 55(4), pp. 250-257.