Introduction

Gathering the contributions of researchers, artists and curators, this conference aims to examine the different ways in which contemporary art and museums are reconfigured in virtual environments.

Over recent decades, and especially since the generalisation of the Internet, artists have been actively exploring the potentialities of new media languages and communities, often blurring artistic categories. Movements like Digital Art or Internet Art clearly demonstrate how these technological means have shaped challenging new territories for contemporary art, not only in terms of creation, reception, and participation, but also regarding its preservation collection; curatorship, and exhibition.

Yet, to what extent is the permanence of the ‘physical’ determining the shape of virtual art works and environments? What are the differences between digital representations of an existing museum building and a purely virtual, Web-based exhibition space? How are we to study, classify, preserve and exhibit Internet art works and collections? How is the emergence of the ‘intangible’ affecting heritage, exhibition design, art practices and public participation? Is ‘intangible museography’ a new field of specialisation for scholars, museum professionals and independent curators?

The International Conference “Uncertain Spaces: Virtual Configurations in Contemporary Art and Museums”, organised within the framework of the unplace project, aims to critically examine the different ways in which museums, artists, curators, conservators, and academics are dealing with these questions.

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