As the museum of modern art confronts the reality of works produced in digital media, it must meet yet another challenge to the integrity and logic of its method of presenting art. Throughout the past century, the museum's traditional role as the framer of single and valuable objects has been challenged by artists who embrace technologies of mass reproduction, who appropriate everyday objects, or who create ephemeral work. Consequently, the institution has had to continually find new means of maintaining its control, value, and identity. If we accept the idea that a museum is an institution that enhances and, some might even say, creates art by framing objects and images, then the museum must respond to digital artists who demand new ways of framing their work.

With this in mind I knew that it was time for the museum to relinquish control both of the way the work was shown and the selection of the work to be shown. This control was turned over to the artists themselves. We have avoided overblown design using a minimal interface to focus in on giving access to the work as quickly as possible. The exhibition contains 160 net.art pieces from 160 artists. All net.art submitted was accepted and only work submitted is included, no work was added by the curator.

Finally the work is shown in the order in which it was submitted there is no significance in the positioning of any project on the page, I also recommend using the randomiser to view projects randomly.

Artie Doyle

Director of Virtual Curating Irish Museum of Modern Art

contact me if you have any comments or questions on this exhibition

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