Art Gallery of New South Wales Time-based Art Tool Kit: practical resources for the documentation and preservation of time-based artworks

Abstract

The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) has been engaged in a collaborative and interdepartmental approach to the development and implementation of time-based art (TBA) collection management over the last six years. During this time the TBA conservation department has overseen, contributed to and composed documentation formats, such as questionnaires, artwork Pro Forma, iteration and iteration history reports, touring and artwork loan guides and analogue/digital media condition reports to support the conservation of non-traditional and changeable artworks from the Gallery’s collection. This paper provides practical TBA resources developed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales with the goal to support staff at other institutions and organisations working with TBA collections. The purpose, formation, practical application and value of the resources are discussed in the paper, along with sample templates provided as supplemental materials, for further use by museum professionals who manage and care for TBA works.