*Pretty much says it all about the grain of the dead-media material.
http://www.nimk.nl/en/index_nieuws.php?id=202
Questionnaire on Storage and Maintenance Specifications for Video and Computer Equipment for Media Art.
Together with PACKED, the Netherlands Media Art Institute (NIMk) is currently reviewing the museum's practice in the storage and maintenance of media art equipment and would be very interested to hear from INCCA members what their practice is and what specifications they are using or could recommend.
The first phase of the research concerns Video Playback and Display Equipment, the second phase Computer Equipment.
Our main interest is in long term availability. How is the long term availability of the equipment guaranteed? (((A. not at all B. pray C. two year grant from some larger entity that has to save media debris for legal reasons D. We immolated our entire enterprise trying to revive the Sony Betamax single-handedly)))
For both Video Equipment and Computer Equipment:
We are particularly interested in the collection policy for equipment.
- Is the equipment dedicated to one particular work / or in use for several art works?
- Do you collect spare parts, spare equipment? Where do you find them (eBay, through a network of collectors, etc.)? (((There's a novel right there, boyo; Gothic, Gothic, Gothic High-Tech)))
- What is the amount of equipment you store?
- Do you have an accurate inventory of the equipment?
- How do you document your equipment?
- Is the equipment catalogued? How is the equipment linked to the other components of the works?
- If stored separately, how are the manuals, the original boxes, etc. linked to the equipment?
We are also interested to know your practice and recommendations in storage and maintenance. (((Keep in mind these are Dutch people – they are super-great at this, except for exceptional, unfortunate moments when large swathes of the country are underwater)))
- Where do you store the equipment; in-house in a separate depot, in a depot with other materials, in the technical lab, external storage?
- Do you consider a (central) depot that you share with other institutions as a valid option for the storage of equipment? (((Got one of these depots in my novel HOLY FIRE; the idea "used to be science fiction," etc etc)))
- How do you store your equipment, on a shelf, in a box, wrapped in blankets, (((
