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The EAI Preservation Program is a major initiative for the conservation and
cataloging of works in the EAI video and media art collection. The EAI collection
represents a unique artistic and cultural resource. This program was developed to ensure that this significant
alternative legacy is accessible for future generations.
Founded in 1971, EAI holds one of the world's largest and most important historical collections of experimental video.
Spanning the 1960s through the present, the collection of over 3,500 works represents a rich international
survey of experimental media art, from rare early works by video pioneers to new interactive works by emerging
artists.
Many of the works in the EAI collection are extremely rare. The EAI collection holds treasures of the emergent
video art movement that are, quite literally, irreplaceable. EAI's preservation efforts allow many historical
tapes to be made available for the first time in decades. Significant bodies of works by major artists such as
Joan Jonas, Vito Acconci, Bruce Nauman, and Martha Rosler are also among those that have been preserved.
Access is a key element of this program. All works preserved through EAI are made available for educational and
cultural distribution worldwide, and may be seen in our Viewing Room.
History
EAI's Preservation Program was one the first major initiatives for conserving and cataloging a collection of
experimental video art in the United States. EAI’s preservation strategy has always had two components: the
physical restoration of technically deteriorating tapes, and the cataloguing of the collection into an archival
database.
In 1985-86, EAI received one of the first preservation grants from the New York State Council on the Arts for the
conservation of the EAI video collection. This grant facilitated the research of preservation techniques and the
restoration of half-inch open reel tapes, which were cleaned and transferred to 1” analogue tape, a format that was
then considered the archival standard. In the same year, EAI received a grant to participate in the National Alliance
of Moving Image Database, a project to catalogue important collections of media art using a Marc-format
database system. These two initiatives formed the foundation of EAI’s ongoing preservation efforts.
Conservation
The thousands of tapes in the EAI collection trace more than three decades of video technologies, from obsolete helical
scan formats to current digital systems. EAI coordinates the cleaning, re-mastering, and transferring of
deteriorating tapes from their original or best formats to both analogue (BetaSP) and digital (DigitalBeta)
formats. Conservation work is carried out in close contact with the artists and under supervision at specialized
facilities. All conservation efforts are case-by-case; works may be re-mastered or reconstructed from original
image and sound elements, or migrated to more stable formats. Preserved tapes are stored off-site in a secure
temperature and humidity-controlled environment.
The EAI Online Catalogue/Database
EAI's dynamic archival database represents an invaluable resource on the current status and history of one of the
most extensive collections of video in the world. In depth information tracking artist and title details are maintained
in the administrative end of the EAI database, as well as information regarding distribution and preservation
histories. Public access to the searchable database is through EAI's Online Catalogue (www.eai.org), a comprehensive
and unique resource on the artists and works in the collection. The catalogue includes artists’ biographies,
bibliographies, QuickTime excerpts, descriptions of works, extensive resource materials, and artists’ Web projects.
A Kinetic History: The EAI Archives Online
A Kinetic History: The EAI Archives Online is a digital resource that celebrates a remarkable artistic and cultural
legacy by preserving and providing online access to EAI’s extensive ephemeral and print archives. This project charts
the history of EAI from the late 1960s and illuminates the evolution of an artistic movement and its cultural and
art historical framework. Primary materials (documents, catalogues, video footage, ephemera) and contextualizing
essays trace a rich and eclectic trajectory of art, artists and ideas. A work-in-progress that can be accessed at
www.eai.org, this “living archive” will continue to expand, linking the history of media art to its future.
Online Resource Guide for Exhibiting and Collecting Media Art
With funding support from New Art Trust, EAI will produce an online resource guide that will demystify the process of
exhibiting, collecting and preserving media art. This guide, to be launched in 2005, will identify key issues relating
to exhibiting, collecting and preserving media art, and will provide “best practices,” established protocols and guidelines. This resource guide will contribute to the application of professional
standards and practices in the fields of media art exhibition, collection and preservation, and provide user-friendly
access to this information to artists, curators, exhibitors, collectors, registrars, educators, archivists, librarians,
and other professionals.
IMAP (Independent Media Arts Preservation)
From 1998 to 2002 EAI served as the sponsor for IMAP, Independent Media Arts Preservation. IMAP is a nonprofit service,
education, and advocacy organization committed to the preservation of non-commercial electronic media. IMAP has grown
from a New York—based consortium of arts organizations and individuals to a national resource for preservation
training, information, and advocacy. IMAP’s core constituents include institutions, organizations, and individuals
whose diverse media collections are underserved by existing preservation efforts.
Preservation Funding Support
Over the years, EAI has received funding support for the Preservation Program from the New York State Council
on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Daniel Langlois Foundation, New Art Trust, Bay Foundation, NYC
Department of Cultural Affairs, and National Video and Television Preservation Fund.
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