Austrian Science Fund (FWF): Request for Evaluation of application ORD 80-VO (External organisation)

Activity: MembershipsMembership of review committee

Description

Applicant: GRAU Oliver

Project title: Digital Art Analysis and Research Data (D.A.A.R.D)
Abstract of the proposal

The Archive of Digital Art[1] (ADA) at Danube University is the most extensive and only long-running scholarly database for Digital Art. The aim of the project is to develop new strategies to further analyse, present and exhibit the rich data sets on ADA and the Meta-Thesaurus for artists and scholars. New and improved software tools support the quantitative documentation strategies to not only archive Digital Art but to be able to represent and exhibit it for qualitative research purposes as well, which will be exemplified in the comparative case study “Mediation and Globalization in Digital Art”. Additionally, system optimizing strategies will increase ADAs interoperability and ensure the long-time documentation. New features such as data visualisations will increase visibility as well as usability of the research data.

Over the past fifteen years, a documentation strategy was developed for systematic data accumulation based on the multifarious structure of Digital Art with over 850 artists, 3000 artworks and bibliography of over 3000 titles: The expanded concept of documentation records biographical and bibliographical information on artists, scholars, technicians and scientists, lists of exhibitions and institutions, image and video documents, technology (software, hardware, interface, displays ). Additionally, aesthetics, subjects and technology are documented via a keyword index with around 400 terms to document this art of our time and enable comparative studies with art historical topics. This quantified and expanded documentation is needed, because Digital Art works incorporate digital technologies both as their media and as their subject. They address themes and topics of the Digital and Information Age not only metaphorically, but comprehensively and this interconnection needs to be made visible in its documentation. Preliminary steps were taken in former FWF project “AT.MAR”[2], which was conducted by the PI: A social Web 2.0 network was implemented and a Meta-Thesaurus[3] was generated to connect archives on traditional artworks and archives for digital art which enables us to analyse multifarious visual expressions within one digital ecosystem.

Methods for preservation and documentation are few and in need of elaboration. The constant change and development of digital technology challenge traditional preservation and documentation methods. A few strategies and initiatives were developed to document Digital Art for future generations such as the Liverpool declaration. Stating to reinforce documentation on Digital Art and highlighting its importance, it was signed by over 450 scholars world-wide.[4] ADA already fulfils the aim of this declaration partly and will increase this cooperation further.

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The Austrian Science Fund funds research within Austria - similar to the National Science Foundation (NSF) or the Research Councils in the UK. As Austria has only a small scientific community we depend highly on referees from outside Austria. For more information on the Fund please see our homepage ( http://www.fwf.ac.at/en/ ).

In case you are not able to act as a referee, it would be of great help to us if you could provide one or two names of other suitable referees.

Thank you very much in advance for your cooperation. We really appreciate your help.

Yours sincerely,

Katharina Rieck

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Katharina Rieck
Strategy - Policy, Evaluation, Analysis

FWF - Austrian Science Fund
1090 Vienna, Sensengasse 1, Austria
T: +43/1-505 67 40-8314
katharina.rieck@fwf.ac.at, www.fwf.ac.at
Der Wissenschaftsfonds



Declined as possible conflict of interest - I have a Archive of Digital Art site
Period6 Sept 2016
Held atAustrian Science Fund (FWF): Request for Evaluation of application ORD 80-VO
Degree of RecognitionInternational