LTC 8750 – Research In Art Education

Russell Torbett – Graduate Student

Summer 2012

In today’s era of increasing technology, it is safe to say that the material value of art in the modern world has been compromised a great deal.  In the visual arts realm, the authenticity of a body of work has always been a topic of debate.  With the introduction of the Internet to society, the authentic versions of art have become more compromised.  In the following research translation, I will summarize the article, </Authenticity in Internet Art>, by Anna Denise van der Reijden, MA, 2008.

In the article, Reijden clearly states the main problem of authenticity in relation to Internet art.  “This thesis will strive to provide insight into the definitions and problems of authenticity where it comes to Internet art (sometimes called Net.Art) in the museum and will look at the relevance of the interpretations of the term ‘authenticity’ as described by Walter Benjamin in his work Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,”  (Reijden, 2008).  The importance of the article is stressed early in that it does not deal with broad historical parallels involving the evolution of art such as photography and digital media, but clearly focuses on the authenticity of Fine Art within the museums and the physical originality of the art itself.

The research article is well organized, as it breaks down the term ‘authenticity,’ and clearly defines the meaning of the two specific cited terms ‘nominal authenticity’ and ‘expressive authenticity,’ as described by The Oxford Handbook of Aesthetics.  The cited sources are relevant to the article and somewhat current, as the article references date no further than fifteen years past (with the exception of the initial authenticity study by Benjamin Walter, in 1968.  In short, the primary source could be considered dated, however most sources are current with technology involving the Internet as a new frontier.

The research question is clearly stated for the article.  The main focus or “question” regarding this thesis is stated as follows:  “What are the issues of ‘authenticity’ in Internet art in the museum?”, with an added emphasis on “to what extent of Benjamin’s theories still relevant to these issues?”, (2008).  The hypothesis is directional and well stated.

Data sources are prevalent throughout this article, and focus primarily on works of art used consistently throughout the article in efforts solidify the definitions and explanations of the two cited terms of authenticity of Internet art in the museums.  The thesis is broken over 70 pages, and deals first, with history, moves through reproduction of works of art, and production of artworks, and also delivers a strong description of authorship and the Internet, which gives a strong conclusion.  Throughout the rest of the article, Riejden deals with the preservation and conservation roles played by the museums.  She also discusses the importance of this hard work within the conservation and preservation realm of viewing physical material.  In these examples, we can only conclude that strong measurement tools were developed and clearly used to offer a solid conclusion within the study.

I feel as though Reijden coved the bases.  Her descriptions were thorough, well thought, and addressed the main issues hypothesized early in the article.  I feel as though more emphasis could be placed on printed material, and its conservations, as there are traditional works of art that were created for print in the early ages, and there seems to be a lack of focus on this material, as it too is used in museums. Strong methodologies, measurement tools, data research, and make for an extremely understandable result, which answered the initial questions and backed the hypothesis.  The end result was a wonderful conclusion which accuratel recapped the paper, and embodied the studies of Walter Benjamin.  It can be discerned that Benjamin’s theory, although dated, holds true in relation to authenticity of works within museums and the Internet.  “It seems then, that when it concerns Internet art, we need a new definition of ‘authenticity’. One of the options we have already described above: conceptual authenticity. It is then also possible that we can look for the aura, or the ‘uniqueness’, in Internet art in the experience, rather than trying to force a kind of materiality onto something so ephemeral.”, (Reijden, 2008).