Embedded Files
"The work of a scholar, or in this case, an artist, is a series of connections, accidents and arrivals. Whether the final product is a work of art or scholarship, it is valuable – and sometimes crucial – to examine the work that led up to the final culmination. Seeing this context, the process of work and creation, can be a means to teach, demonstrate and more fully examine creative practices. "
- Madeleine Clare Elish. Re-imagining the archive: The role of process and documentation in creative work, A case study of MIT ACT’s future archive project.DEVELOPING A DOCUMENTATION STRATEGY
DEVELOPING A DOCUMENTATION STRATEGY
In this part, we look beyond preserving the art object and include ancillary documentation in our preservation strategies. Ancillary documentation refers to the documentation created during production and can also include directions for accessing the work and exhibition instructions such as digital specs and installation instructions. Sometimes, you will not need to think about purposely creating this type of documentation. For example, by creating a new draft of a thesis statement, you are documenting your progress on this piece of writing. Likewise, a professor's prompt for the thesis statement may serve as ancillary documentation. Oftentimes, however, you will need to intentionally take a moment to document progress or decisions. For example, by photographing an in-progress sculpture, recording people interacting with your installation, or by creating a folder for emails between you and your thesis mentor.
When choosing how to document your thesis project, you'll want to think about the elements that most authentically convey the nature, meaning, and intent behind your work and the processes that accompany it's creation, development, and exhibition. Then, you'll need to think about what will be needed for somebody else to interpret and experience all these characteristics in the future .
For example, you created a video art piece for your thesis project. However, there are specific installation preferences that will most optimally showcase your work the way you intend for it to be showcased. How will future you, or other people such as gallery staff, know how you want the screen mounted on the wall, or whether to use a computer or a TV? Furthermore, what is important about this piece? Is it its content? Its visuals? Its sound? The hardware used to display it? How people interact with it? How it has evolved since its conception? All of the above? You can document this information both in writing and using visual evidence such as videos or photographs of your entry for Grad Show, for example. A helpful hint is to document decisions as well as rationale. If your video art piece may be installed in various ways, or if it doesn't matter how it's installed, or what equipment is used to render your video, you should note this decision and explain why you came to it. This type of documentation will also help you when choosing preservation formats and strategies as you will be reminded of what characteristics of your work where valuable to you when you created it.
It is possible that within your thesis deliverables, you'll already need to document the development of your thesis project by submitting a reflection of your project, photos of in-progress work, proposals, and other documentation that show your progress throughout your graduate program and thesis project. You can use your thesis deliverables as guidelines on the type of documentation appropriate for your work but they should not be the only documentation that you aim to produce. Aim for a proactive documentation strategy that helps you create a well-rounded record of your work.
BEFORE YOU START:
BEFORE YOU START:
Consider all components of your program's thesis project when documenting your work:
Consider all components of your program's thesis project when documenting your work:
Art object (if applicable, such as a graphic novel, painting, film, multi-disciplinary installation)
Events (workshops, artists talks, panels, shows)
Grad Show exhibition
Written components (research paper, report, thesis book, reflection, or artist statement)
Website or online presence
Common types of ancillary documentation developed during the creative process:
Common types of ancillary documentation developed during the creative process:
Research notes
Meeting notes
Critique notes
Correspondance
Proposals
Visual evidence of in-progress work
Photographic or video evidence of events associated with the project
Video or audio recording of interviews
Video or audio recording of artist talks or presentations
Video of installations or other type of three dimensional and/or experiential work
Slide decks
Event flyers, invitations, or other type of marketing material
News and clippings
Exhibition and installation specifications
Instructions on rendering files
Copyright and access statements
A SIMPLE (BUT THOROUGH) DOCUMENTATION STRATEGY
A SIMPLE (BUT THOROUGH) DOCUMENTATION STRATEGY
Note the components that make up your thesis project (i.e. art object, public facing events, research paper).
Using the examples of ancillary documentation listed above, make a list of the type of documentation that you will mostly likely produce for each of the thesis components.
From the list created in Step 2, highlight the type of documentation that will most optimally convey important characteristics of each thesis component. Also examine the equipment, storage, and time it will take to produce certain kinds of documentation and consider this when deciding on your strategy. At a minimum, focus on creating the highlighted documentation as your progress.
Make an intuitive folder structure for organizing ancillary documentation.
Document your decisions (and your work!).
If you're unsure on how to document your projects, reach out to digitaldecker@mica.edu.
Report abuse