The Database of Virtual Art: For an Expanded Concept of Documentation

Virtual art is unique among art genres in that it is totally dependent upon storage media and the permanently changing operating systems that support it. This is an entirely new and challenging situation for art conservators and curators. It is not an exaggeration to say that at present an entire decade of art threatens to be lost for all time. Before artworks can find their way into the safe haven of collections, there has to be appropriate documentation. Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Science Foundation) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Science, the Database of Virtual Art, which can be accessed via the Internet, provides a vitally needed information resource and web-based showcase for media art. The novel, specially developed database model documents in detail the rapid development of this art form and the fundamental uniqueness of contemporary digital artworks; a result of long years of experience and research. In this way the Database of Virtual Art represents a first step toward the systematic collection of our most recent art genre. The web interface allows artists and researchers to post their material themselves so that it also fulfils the function of an information and communication platform where interessees can rapidly gain an overview or do more extensive research.