Outmoded already? That’s the way it goes

One of the biggest challenges facing new-media artists is how to make their work last. When materials deteriorate or technology becomes obsolete, as often happens with astonishing speed, the art effectively disappears.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York is grappling with this problem in its Variable Media Network. Launched in 2001 in collaboration with the Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science and Technology, the network encourages artists working in ephemeral formats to translate their artworks into new systems of delivery when the old ones fade away. The goal is to put artists in charge of retaining the essential spirit and meaning of their work instead of leaving adjustments to conservators and technicians.

The Guggenheim program has engaged artists -- including Nam June Paik, Meg Webster and Mark Napier -- in case studies to test various adaptations, such as enabling software from out-of-date computers to run on contemporary ones by altering the original code. A questionnaire intended to reach a broad spectrum of new-media practitioners asks them to define their work and choose the best strategy to avoid losses that might occur when changes are made.

Some of the network’s accomplishments went public last year in an exhibition, “Seeing Double: Emulation in Theory and Practice.” Participating artists worked with museum and media consultants to create new versions of artworks and compare them to the originals. Paik, known for making art from rewired television sets, showed his 1965 “TV Crown” on a vintage set and a re-creation on new hardware. The artist duo jodi offered a comparison of “Jet Set Willy Variations,” a 2002 video game-based work, and an update shown on a contemporary computer, with altered colors and sounds.

The network also has published a book, “Permanence Through Change: The Variable Media Approach,” to spread the word about its program. A downloadable version of the book and information about the case studies and related projects are available at www.variablemedia.net.