Digital Environments: Design, Heritage and Architecture
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Digital Environments: Design, Heritage and Architecture |
<< Contents |
Joanne Bushnell
Documentation and Archiving of an Interactive Installation
Keywords: document, archive, interactive, installation, SpyCam, web site.
Introduction
Art that is interactive, a temporary installation, or a one off performance exists in real time and is transient. Unlike the painting or sculpture which at the end of the show is crated and returned to its store, this art once switched off, dismantled or completed ceases to exist as a physical entity. All that is left is the visitor or audience's memory of the experience and its documentation, the photograph, the video, or the textual description, which represents it.
My aim was to produce an application that could represent a temporary, interactive installation in a physical gallery space. To attempt to represent and archive the physical and emotional relationship between the work and the viewer, giving as complete an experience of the work as possible to those who view the application after the installation has ceased to exist. The experience of the work would always be my experience, or the experience of the artist, or of individual visitors but never the complete picture. The resulting application would be a digital catalogue or archive which could be produced for sale on CD-ROM or preferably would be archived on the gallery or artist's web site as a future resource. I aimed to create a model that could be used by artists or galleries to document their activities. I believed that the key to the success of the project would depend on a close working relationship with the artist.
Pierre Vivant's 'The Space of Use' was an installation designed specifically for the Millais Gallery's physical space and situation within Southampton Institute. It was an interactive installation existing at once in the physical space of the Gallery and the virtual space of the World Wide Web. It seemed therefore, a natural decision to document and archive this installation on a web site.
Archiving the Art Work - Case Studies
In order that I could learn from previous experience of the archiving of interactive or digital, installations or works, by galleries and artists, I chose to make a number of representative case studies. In this way I was able to explore the ways in which this process had been undertaken over the last thirty years. The case studies included the Harold Cohen exhibition shown at the Tate Gallery, London in 1983; Dan Graham's 'Rooftop Urban Park Project', for the DIA Center for the Arts, New York in 1991; and Susan Collins work, 'In Conversation', shown at Fabrica, Brighton in 1997. The most influential of the case studies to the project however, was 'Cybernetic Serendipity' shown at the Institute of Contemporary Art, London, in 1968.
I selected 'Cybernetic Serendipity' because I had not attended and had no prior knowledge of its content, the works shown and the artists that were included. A catalogue (a special issue of Studio International) and two issues of the ICA magazine (August and September) were produced to accompany the show. I used this material as my source, together with contemporary press cuttings and installation photographs of the exhibition, held in the ICA archive.1
The exhibition's rationale was clearly laid out in the material that was produced in association with it: the demonstration of how man (artists and scientists) can use the computer and new technology to extend his/her creativity and inventiveness. It was an exploratory exhibition, which showed the possibilities of the future, what we may one day achieve. The ICA magazines are full of texts that relate to the issues raised by the exhibitions theme. They include illustrations but it is not clear if they are representative of works, which were on display in the exhibition or relate only to the essay printed. The large catalogue of 104 pages included an explanation of the title of the exhibition and its meaning, an introduction from Jasia Reichardt, information on cybernetics and the history and technology of computers, a glossary, bibliography together with sections covering every element of the computers relationship to the arts. It is rich in text, description of concepts and projects, photographs, diagrams and charts but it is not clear which relate to the actual content of the exhibition and which is background information about the subject.
Newspaper reviews help to give a clear picture of the experience of the exhibition, of the interest, excitement, entertainment and novelty with which many of its viewers would have greeted it. Proof installation photographs were found in the archive. These photographs of the exhibition which include visitors, reinforce the impression given by the newspaper reviews. The installation photographs were an important link in enabling me to visualise what the exhibition was like. In addition to the wealth of textual information and photographs of individual works that appear in the catalogue and ICA magazine, they helped to clarify what the exhibition looked like, bringing the exhibition alive.
PIERRE VIVANT: THE SPACE OF USE
Planning and Installation of the Exhibition
The exhibition was first planned as a touring show hired from Southern Arts Touring Exhibition Service, which would show photographic and video documentation of a public art programme which the artist, Pierre Vivant, conducted using words to intervene in the communal spaces of a high-rise housing estate west of Paris. Far from being a white walled cube, the Millais Gallery is an architecturally idiosyncratic space. It has a low black ceiling covered by heating and electrical pipes, and a frame of thin windows around panels in the walls. On the occasion of Pierre Vivant's first visit, the forthcoming exhibition was in the process of installation and Southampton Institute's Bursary Service were using a small area in which to distribute grant cheques to students. The Millais Gallery was undergoing a critical appraisal, so having to prove the worth of its use of the space to the Institute and its students. Pierre Vivant immediately saw the potential opportunity offered to draw each of these elements together.
It was agreed that a new temporary installation should be made for the Millais Gallery which would examine its situation as an exhibition facility within an educational institution, exploiting its additional function at this time of year (the beginning of the Autumn Semester) as venue for the distribution of student grant cheques. Video surveillance would be used to monitor and map the movements of visitors across a pool of coloured dust on the gallery floor, recording their use of the space as determined by their purpose in visiting, and by the ability of the installation itself to either serve that purpose or divert them from it. Pierre Vivant expressed at this planning stage, a desire to transmit the surveillance image live on the WWW, as well as making it accessible to visitors to the Millais Gallery. During the run of the exhibition the artist was to produce a partner installation on the streets of Nitra in Slovakia, where for the duration of the Nitra '98 International Theatre Festival, a 'yellow carpet' of colour would run through the city, recording pedestrian activity. It was agreed that as part of the installation live images from the WWW monitoring the partner installation in Nitra be made accessible to the visitors to the Millais Gallery, while reciprocal images of the Gallery installation would be available on the street in Nitra. Pierre Vivant did not know at this time how to go about achieving this or about the technology that would be required, so it was agreed that I should concentrate on this element of the project, enlisting the help of internal expertise where possible.
Installation of Equipment for SpyCam
It soon became apparent that no one within Southampton Institute had attempted exporting live images on the WWW except through video conferencing, which is expensive and suitable for short periods only. As we were planning to export live images for a period of six weeks, we felt that this method would be inappropriate for our needs. We agreed in principal that we would require a video camera with a signal linked to both a monitor within the gallery, and a computer that could transfer the image received to the Institute's server. There were however restrictions which we were forced to consider. As the exhibition was officially a touring exhibition for which we had agreed to pay a fee, there was little money remaining from the budget for purchasing either software or hardware, there were no existing network connections in the Millais Gallery and the capabilities of the server currently running were extremely limited. Southampton Institute's server, originally a personal workstation was not to be replaced until late October and would not support video streaming. It was agreed that two network connections should be fitted in the gallery, as this would be essential for future projects, the remainder of equipment required would however, have to be borrowed from departments within the Institute. All involved undertook research into how the project could be achieved. I contacted individuals and galleries who I knew had explored similar problems, while colleagues looked for appropriate software through the WWW and sent e-mail requests for advice to previous users.
WebCam and SpyCam the two most commonly used software packages which enable a image to be captured and uploaded to the web site of your choice, need Windows '95 or Windows NT to run. This meant that we would require a Pentium-based PC with a 'Video for Windows' compatible video capture device. A combined video-capture and graphics card seemed the best value for money for what it offered. WebCam32 is shareware for which you must pay $25 for registration. If you don't register the software will only run for one hour at a time, after which you have to restart the software manually. It does however, offer direct support for certain non-'video for windows' compatible devices. SpyCam doesn't have as many features as WebCam32 and will only work with 'video for windows' compatible devices, but it does not cost anything and you are under no obligation to register. The program is not 'crippled', will not expire, will not force you to reload it and will not print 'Not Registered' across the image. All that the author, Bill Oatman requires is that a SpyCam logo and a link to the SpyCam web page is attached to your site. If you use the program and find it of value, and you can afford it, he invites you to consider sending $5 to help cover his development costs and to encourage enhancements to the program. The on-line documentation for the hardware and software suggested that everything would work together. All that was left to do was order the hardware, download the software and test.
After waiting over a fortnight for the graphics and video card it arrived (in Portsmouth) only two days before the opening of the exhibition. The card was fitted to a Pentium PC loaned to the Millais Gallery by Southampton Institute's Computer Systems Service. Keith Baker, Systems Support Officer from Multimedia Delivery installed the SpyCam software and connected the PC via FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to the Institute's server. The live signal from the SVHS video camera was sent to a monitor within the gallery and on to the computer. The SpyCam software enabled this video feed, which it converts to a JPEG image, to be transferred immediately to the server via an FTP connection. We tried a variety of refreshing rates and finally chose to capture and transfer an image to the server every ten seconds. SpyCam enables you to specify captions displayed at the top or bottom of the image. You are able to embed a variety of time stamp elements to the caption lines. We chose to use the time and date facility of the video camera so that it would show on the monitor and the recordings we hoped to make through the camera so only used the 'GMT daylight' element. SpyCam also allows you to change the colour of the font used for this caption, which enabled us to choose the colour that stood out most successfully against the image.
The next problem that we had to tackle was how to present the image on a web page. Bill Oatman on his SpyCam page offers an example page enabling you to 'steal' the HTML from the page as a starting point for your own SpyCam display page. This page includes a Javascript countdown function and sets an automatic page refresh for a specified number of seconds. I incorporated this Javascript and HTML into a standard Millais Gallery page with logo and image links, but during testing we realised that the fewer images on a page the better to ensure quick and smooth downloading of the image. While testing on a number of different types of browser we discovered that problems occurred with the image updating process if using Netscape Navigator v4.04 and v4.05, although earlier v3.xx and v2.xx browsers worked well. Jonathan Reid, the Institute's Web Master added an additional meta-data tag instructing that 'no-cache' take place, however, these browser versions have a documented bug which prevents updating of WebCam images due to a cache checking problem. As there was no way around this problem we ensured that instructions on how to view the image by viewing its source were posted on the web site's Technical Information page. The Millais Gallery web site, enabling access to the live images from the gallery finally went public on the Institute's server only five minutes before the opening of the exhibition! 2 The Media Resources Unit, Computer Systems Service, Multimedia Delivery and Multimedia Development departments at Southampton Institute undertook installation of all hardware and software. Without the help and support of staff from all departments giving their time and putting their heads together to resolve problems, the project would not have been successful.
Millais Gallery Web Site: Content
I undertook four case studies to identify which elements were required to build a picture of a work or exhibition, after the subject had been closed, switched off, dismantled or perhaps even destroyed. My aim was to learn from my research and develop the ideas I had seen elsewhere along with the new possibilities offered by using the Internet as a publishing tool, to help me construct my site. The design and content of the web site had to take into account that it was a site, both for the art to take place, and as such an integral part of the art work itself, and a site for the recording and documentation of the work. I identified a number of possible methods by which the installation could be recorded and planned to use these to make up the basic structure of the web site: view of installation through the video camera, photographs of the installation, video, VRML or panoramic image, textural information, visitor comments and technical information.
The completed web page produced to document and archive the installation can be viewed on-line at http://millais.solent.ac.uk in the archive section of this site.
Exhibition Information
The first page of the web site gives information about the installation, explaining what the project was endeavouring to do and how it planned to achieve this. This page also gives an indication of the contents of other pages on this section of the web site, prompting the visitor to explore further. An image on this page shows the installation in the Millais Gallery, prior to the opening of the exhibition. This image serves to give visual information to support the explanation of the project in the text, and also acts as a link to the SpyCam image of the installation. There are a number of links in the main body of the text. Although the menu or list of textual links at the end of the page ensure that the links within the text are not strictly necessary, they have been included to encourage visitors to the site to explore as fully as possible.
View of installation LIVE in the Millais Gallery
The SpyCam image of the installation in the Millais Gallery was accessible on two separate pages. The first refreshed the image every fifteen seconds, while the second refreshed every thirty. This second slower option was offered for those who found that the image refreshed in the faster option quicker than it actually downloaded. The image offered a large view of the installation, but as the angle of the lens was limited, it could not offer the complete 'picture'.
Figure 1: View from the video camera of 'The Space of Use', Pierre Vivant, installation in Millais Gallery, September/October 1998
This constantly updating image of the installation continued to be accessible, day and night throughout the exhibition's run. At night, when the gallery was closed and dark, an image of the lighted foyer of the building continued to be updated. Throughout the entire period of the exhibition Keith Baker downloaded the SpyCam image from the server, once every hour by using a UNIX script. Following the close of the exhibition, over one thousand images were animated and stored on a CD-ROM, clearly showing the development and changes in the installation throughout the exhibitions run.
Video Excerpts of Various Stages of the Exhibition
A Video Excerpts page was intended to show footage of the installation at various stages in the exhibition's run. Three video clips, between 10-15 seconds long, recorded directly from the camera in the gallery were selected. The first shows Dr. Roger Brown, Principal of Southampton Institute opening the exhibition by being the first to walk on the 'virgin snow'-like floor, so showing the impact of footsteps on its surface. The second shows the re-installation of 'The Space of Use' after the private view and helps to show the way in which the cover of dust was installed. The last records the distribution of grant cheques to students, taking place within the exhibition and the impact that has had on the installation. These video clips, although not included on the web site due to download times, have been included on the CD-ROM produced after the exhibition's close.
Artist Biography
The artist biography gives background information about Pierre Vivant; listing selected commissioned works, publications and travelling exhibition. Thumbnail images of selected works are shown on the left of the page, which link to larger versions.
Visitor Comments
Visitor comments, which were either written in the comments book in the gallery, or e-mailed by visitors to the web site, are included.
Nitra Installation
A link to the SpyCam image of the Nitra installation was accessible from this web site for the duration of the Theatre Festival. On the artist's return a selection of still installation shots of the work, showing its yellow path across the City between the two venues of the Festival was included on the web site.
Technical Information
This page provides information about the technical set-up of the installation including details of the software and hardware required and provides information about possible problems caused by various versions of browser. The page incorporates a SpyCam logo that enables visitors to link to its site.
Panoramic Image
I had hoped to experiment with VRML or panoramic images to show as complete a picture of the installation as possible. I used a demonstration copy of 'Spin Panorama' to produce an image. The program was extremely easy to use, however as it simply enabled still photographs to be stitched together it was impossible when working with images of the Millais Gallery (with so many straight edges) to keep the floor flat. I felt that the quality of the image produced was insufficient for inclusion on the web site. I do think however, that given more time and resources to explore more professional packages, this kind of image or the use of VRML could prove invaluable in giving as wide a perspective as possible on any installation which relied on being within a physical space.
Conclusion
Computers have long been used as tools on which to document and archive, to present information and more recently for communication. My aim was to find a way in which digital art works, installation and even performance, designed and made for the physical gallery space could be clearly represented and archived for posterity. To produce an application which could act as a model for galleries to archive transient art works, which require more than a single illustration with which to be represented. I chose to work with the Internet, as it is more easily available to small galleries. I know of many institutions that have only limited access to the WWW, never mind access to multimedia software and a CD-ROM burner. Many galleries, including the Millais Gallery can afford to document their exhibitions in printed media only on very rare occasions. The publication of exhibition catalogues can run into many thousands of pounds. It is important for a public gallery to record the work it does, enabling it to disseminate the information to a wider audience than is able to visit the gallery itself, however the cost implications of printed publications mean that production of this material is extremely difficult.
The use of a web site to publish material relating to an artwork, an artist, an exhibition, by the artist, gallery or other organisation is extremely easy and cost effective. Its potential for reaching a wider public is far greater than that of a printed publication, but it is not easy to get one web site noticed in such a plethora of others.
On-line publishing is indeed cost effective, but not without cost. The Millais Gallery has the benefit of being part of an educational institution, enjoying all the technological benefits of its position. I had access to high-speed links, computers, scanners, image processing software and an FTP link to the Institute's server. Organisations, which do not have this affiliation to an educational institution, have to the bear the cost of an Internet link, space on an Internet providers server, not to mention the cost of the purchase of hardware and software. There is of course the additional cost of time. The production of even the simplest web site for an exhibition can take many hours, at best this is time, which has been spent by someone who actually has a position within the organisation, usually with another job to do, who perhaps has also had the benefit of training (another cost). At worst (and most expensive), this may be the time of someone who has been contracted from outside of the arts organisation to produce the site. Web publishing might feel free of charge and easily accessible, yet it is not. However, once an organisation has made the initial investment in setting up, perhaps in training staff, and in the time and effort of designing a site, there is no limit to what it can do, how many art works, artists and exhibitions it can publicise and document.
I aimed to make a model of the way in which artists or small galleries may like to document and archive their activities as a future resource. I have looked at the way this has been undertaken by galleries, the way in which they have recorded and archived exhibitions in the past, through the use of a variety of media, drawing from their ideas for my own work along the way. 'Cybernetic Serendipity' has been immortalized in print, textual description, analysis and contextual writing, through many black and white photographs and illustrations. It was the installation photographs of the exhibition in situ at the ICA that I found most exciting. These images were and are not widely accessible. At the end of this century large colour installation photographs appear in the national press the very next day after a major exhibition opening (if not the day before), thirty years on our culture is a visual one. Many galleries see the benefits of the installation photograph and spend time mocking-up the exhibition weeks prior to the opening so that installation shots can be included in its catalogue. The Internet abolishes this need. For this project, I was able to take an installation photograph with a digital camera only hours before the exhibitions opening and publish this image on a web page before the first visitor walked through the door. Already such a rich exhibition, how 'Cybernetic Serendipity' would have benefited from the options open to us today? The possibility of producing a video guide to the exhibits, showing their interactive possibilities, a CD-ROM as part of the catalogue, a web-site which would enable wider dissemination of the material than ever before.
'The Space of Use' has been documented and now archived on the Millais Gallery web site. The web site's use of standard HTML ensures that visitors to the site, using even low-grade technologies will be able to draw as much from their experience of it as possible.3 Education and interpretation are of increasing importance to the contemporary art gallery. Galleries are looking to enhance their audience's experience, understanding and enjoyment of the works on display as education, interpretation and access are key factors required when securing support from funding bodies. This web site and now the CD-ROM serve as an invaluable tool for the Millais Gallery in the publication of interpretative material and in the provision of a facility to archive its activities. Indeed, the site will be archived with VADS (Visual Arts Data Service) and may continue to be accessible as a learning resource about the way in which exhibitions were archived in the 1990's long into the next century.
For information about the availability of 'The Space of Use' CD-ROM please contact Millais Gallery, Southampton Institute, East Park Terrace, Southampton, SO14 OYN.
E: millais.gallery@solent.ac.uk, T: 023 8031 9916.
Notes
1 The Institute of Contemporary Arts archive is housed within The Archive of Twentieth-Century British Art at the Tate Gallery Archive, 20 John Islip Street, London, SWI.
2 Although all software and hardware worked correctly we continued for the first few days of the exhibition to have a problem with the computer in the gallery crashing. The longest it functioned for was five hours at a time. To try and resolve this problem Computer Systems Service changed the motherboard of the computer. This action resolved the problem and the computer ran day and night for six weeks almost without fault.
3 The SpyCam image could be successfully viewed on a 486 running Netscape 2.
References
The Institute of Contemporary Arts Archive, The Archive of Twentieth-Century British Art at the Tate Gallery Archive.
Reichardt, J (1968), (Ed.), Cybernetic Serendipity: the computer and the arts, London: Studio International special issue.
