e-Installation: Synesthetic Documentation of Media Art via Telepresence Technologies

TL;DR

This paper introduces e-Installation, a virtualized, immersive documentation method for media art that preserves synesthetic, interactive, and conceptual aspects, aiding conservation and accessibility of artworks no longer physically performable.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel virtual re-enactment approach for media art, enabling detailed, immersive documentation that surpasses traditional methods in conservation and dissemination.

Findings

Enables virtual re-enactment of media artworks

Supports high-immersion experiences via telepresence technologies

Provides scalable complexity for different user groups

Abstract

In this paper, a new synesthetic documentation method that contributes to media art conservation is presented. This new method is called e-Installation in analogy to the idea of the e-Book as the electronic version of a real book. An e-Installation is a virtualized media artwork that reproduces all synesthesia, interaction, and meaning levels of the artwork. Advanced 3D modeling and telepresence technologies with a very high level of immersion allow the virtual re-enactment of works of media art that are no longer performable or rarely exhibited. The virtual re-enactment of a media artwork can be designed with a scalable level of complexity depending on whether it addresses professionals such as curators, art restorers, and art theorists or the general public. An e-Installation is independent from the artwork's physical location and can be accessed via head-mounted display or similar data goggles, computer browser, or even mobile devices. In combination with informational and preventive conservation measures, the e-Installation offers an intermediate and long-term solution to archive, disseminate, and pass down the milestones of media art history as a synesthetic documentation when the original work can no longer be repaired or exhibited in its full function.