View full PDF: Art Preservation in a Changing Climate
Summary
Artists often act as the primary archivists of their work for most of its lifecycle, despite lacking formal preservation training. Frequently, their archival practices intimately shape the creative process. This paper examines how artists manage their archives, addresses knowledge gaps and climate-related losses, and advocates for information professionals to support artist-led preservation strategies that embed climate resilience as a central component of cultural preservation.
Excerpt
In an era where digital tools permeate every aspect of the artistic process—from creation and exhibition to distribution and archiving—the importance of digital preservation strategies cannot be overstated. This is particularly critical for emerging artists whose work is increasingly born-digital and whose careers are shaped within the context of rapid technological change, climate instability, and precarious economic conditions. As time-based artwork presents particular challenges to traditional preservation practices, museums and collecting institutions have made headway in devising strategies of accessioning that reflect the complexity of emerging digitally hybrid work. But more must be done to adopt more inclusive and sustainable stewardship models. The LIS field should be at the forefront of empowering artists themselves to build preservation habits early in their careers, ensuring the longevity of their practice, artworks, and legacy.
Julia Stoddard 