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UID:019e45f1-cddd-7217-a99f-e65fd9f86889@www.dariah.eu
DTSTAMP:20260520T151215Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230116
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230121
SUMMARY:International Conference: The Art Museum in the Digital Age – 202
 3
DESCRIPTION:The Belvedere Research Center continues its conference series o
 n digital transformation of art museums with its fifth anniversary event o
 n this crucial subject. The focus of this event is on the metaverse\, an e
 mbodied virtual-reality experience\, and its connection to cultural instit
 utions. The term ‘metaverse’\, coined by Neal Stephenson in his sci-fi
  novel Snow Crash (1992)\, came into wider consciousness when Mark Zuckerb
 erg renamed Facebook as Meta in 2021 and proclaimed that he wished to focu
 s on developing the metaverse. According to experts\, the development of t
 he metaverse is still decades away due to the lack of technological capaci
 ty. Definitions of the metaverse are therefore diverse\, ranging from “c
 ollective space in virtuality” to an “embodied internet”\, as well a
 s a “place of simulation and collaboration”. What all these definition
 s have in common\, however\, the increasing demand for immersive experienc
 e between virtuality and reality\, as well as the merging of networks. Whi
 le some understand the metaverse as a mere buzzword\, a marketing gimmick\
 , and a way of merchandising a 1990s idea\, others call it “one of the k
 ey trends of the future” that will revolutionize everything (Matthew Bal
 l)\, and claim its adoption as “necessary”.\n\nThe technologization of
  everyday life\, catalyzed by the global COVID-19 pandemic was instrumenta
 l in shifting the metaverse debate from the pioneers of industry (gaming\,
  crypto\, fashion) to the cultural realm. The Belvedere itself proclaimed 
 a “successful entry into the metaverse” with the launch of the NFT of 
 Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss\, while Sotheby’s created a virtual gallery in
  Decentraland to exhibit and sell NFTs. However\, these isolated projects 
 remain detached from the sparse research studies to date. The aim of our f
 orthcoming conference is to give an initial impetus for critical examinati
 on of the metaverse in the cultural field. We seek to stimulate discussion
  about the position of cultural institutions in the metaverse. What should
  an art museum in the metaverse look like? What role should it play? Which
  aspects of the metaverse\, such as augmented\, virtual reality and NFTs\,
  should be pursued as a priority in the cultural sector? And how will thes
 e developments affect the social role of museums in the coming years?\n\nA
 s with any innovation\, there are both challenges and opportunities relate
 d to the metaverse. Its development is driven primarily by powerful\, prof
 it-oriented technological corporations such as Meta (formerly Facebook)\, 
 Alphabet (Google) and Microsoft. The interests of cultural institutions ha
 ve received little attention\, which raises questions about the advantages
  and disadvantages of working with corporate giants and the search for (no
 n-profit) alternatives. The gaming industry\, for example\, could serve as
  a fruitful source of inspiration which could initiate new riveting aspect
 s in museum digital art education. Meanwhile\, companies like Nike and Bal
 enciaga have already recognized the potential of such games and are making
  high profits from the sale of digital goods. Should museums follow such e
 xamples and prioritize selling their own digital products? How would such 
 a step affect the growing tension between e-commerce and open-access movem
 ents? Such costly but long-term crucial innovations could also exacerbate 
 the existing digitization gap between larger and smaller museums. In other
  words\, how can we ensure that the diversity of the cultural scene in the
  real world is preserved in the digital world?\n\nOver four evenings\, thi
 s forthcoming online conference will present interdisciplinary contributio
 ns to broader questions relating to the metaverse which primarily – but 
 not exclusively – reflect critically on the following issues:\n\nThe con
 struction and deconstruction of the term metaverse and the associated valu
 e discussion\, especially in relation to the cultural sphere\;\nThe relati
 onship between e-commerce and open-access movements\;\nVR/AR/XR applicatio
 ns in the museum\;\novercoming digital boundaries and interoperability\, L
 inked Open Data\;\ninteractive art education in the digital world and in t
 he metaverse\, gamification\;\nNFTs and the role of museums in the digital
  art market\;\ninnovative forms of immersion\, participation\;\nartificial
  intelligence and machine learning\; and\ndigitization opportunities for s
 maller institutions.\n\nThere is an open call for proposals in the fields 
 of museum/ museology\, art and cultural history\, media studies and the di
 gital humanities. Deadline for submissions: 16 October 2022
LOCATION:Online
URL:https://www.dariah.eu/events/international-conference-the-art-museum-in
 -the-digital-age-2023
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