DIGITAL ART HISTORY: POTENTIAL OF MALTESE RENOWNED ARTISTS, ITS RESEARCH CENTERS AND DIGITAL ART SCHOLARSHIP
Why This Topic? As a historian and artist myself, this topic has attracted my attention to examine the might and plight of the digital and contemporary artists. I have picked it up out of the variety of historical research topics because;
1. The digital technology and internet has brought about a tremendous shift in the approach and accessibility of the art and artist. To record how far an artist (contemporary) is either hit or benefited with this new trend in society.
2. To explore and exploit the digital scholarship of Malta, its worth and recognition worldwide.
3. To examine the trend, issues, and relationship between the ‘Traditional Art’ and ‘Digital Art’.
The Research will highlight the efforts and services of the department of digital art studies, University of Malta in the digital art literacy. Moreover, to feature the masterpieces of both the renowned and obscure artists of Malta.
The Context in Detail:
Threefold aims of pursuing this research; to investigate, to evaluate, and to conclude the worth of digital art.
1. To investigate and record the opinions of the digital art community.
‘ How far the transition towards the digital art inevitable?
‘ How the research centers could be empowered by the community to put on display the scholarship and novelty in the sphere of digital art?
‘ What are the chances of sponsorship for studying digital art?
2. To evaluate the role of digital art in the enrichment of art history altogether.
‘ To analyze the best bit technological facilities at the department of digital art history, University of Malta.
‘ How biased it becomes socially, politically, and economically the use of the technologies in digital art?
‘ What plights are confronted in this context?
3. To conclude fairly whether we are ready for the transition towards digital art.
‘ The role of digital art centers at the universities in pacing up with the transition .How far they aspire to move this pathway?
‘ Are they proficient to do so?
Methodology:
A. Interviews and Questionnaire:
Following representatives of the professional associations in art, art history, and responsible individuals from the funding agencies, will be the participants of the interviews and questionnaire:
i) Librarians of the digital art history department
ii) Archivists
iii) Information technologists
iv) Traditional fine art student and teacher
v) Digital art student and teacher
vi) Community members of the society.
B. Interview Topics:
As the project participants work in diverse environments i.e. research centers, foundations, museums, libraries, etc. that is why the questions are initially tailored according to an interviewee’s concerned background.
‘ Drawing out the unnoticed collections of art history, artists, and genres either in the form of audio or text document so as to use them dataset to comprehend research queries .
‘ What are the challenges for Art History in the digital realm e.g.
i) Behavioural barrier i.e. Biases, outmoded reward and evaluation systems, to be traditionalist, to be perfectionist, skepticism about digital art history and new media.
ii) Political and Structural Barriers: How Political patronage and administrative vigilance either resolve or craft issues in art history research centers?
iii) Resource and funding issues.
iv) Accessibility Barrier: Obstacles faced by digital art historians while using/collecting images and restrictions to link collections virtually.
‘ Access to digital technologies, services, and resources in the profession.
‘ The role of art history centers in advancing digital scholarship.
‘ Do art history research centers provide services and support for use of their digital resources? Or can they provide the infrastructure to enable digital scholarship?
‘ Partnerships
‘ Sources of innovation in the field.
‘ The role of funding agencies in the field.
‘ Trailing works of art in Malta
‘ Visual plotting from the workshop where they were created to the markets, and exhibition centers.
‘ How they were brought, stolen and deported, etc.
‘ Shortcomings and misunderstandings
‘ Lack of introspection and vision, lack of leadership, lack of understanding about the digital world and its potential, lack of technological savvy, lack of resources for the digital project.
C. Collection of Information :
The information will be widely collected via
‘ Questionnaire
‘ Recordings
‘ Photographs