From archive to reactivation: a comprehensive computer-based methodology for the preservation, audio-visual restoration, and documentation of multimedia art installations

The preservation of multimedia art installations poses specific challenges, as these works often combine heterogeneous elements, such as analog and digital media, custom software and hardware, and performative practices that extend beyond traditional preservation strategies. The Centro di Sonologia Computazionale (CSC) of the University of Padua, thanks to the collaborations with internationally renowned composers and artists, has fostered the development of innovative approaches to the digitization, restoration, and reactivation of audiovisuals and complex time-based media. In this context, this thesis advances research on the preservation of multimedia installations by proposing both a theoretical framework and practical tools. The first part introduces the Multi-level Dynamic Preservation (MDP) model for documenting, preserving, and reactivating multimedia art installations. The model defines multiple reactivation strategies, namely restoration, digitization, migration, hybrid, virtualization, and reinterpretation, designed to safeguard the original concept while ensuring long-term preservation of the artworks. The second part demonstrates the application of this model through case studies concerning the audiovisual fonds of artists Roberto Taroni, Michele Sambin, and Tonino De Bernardi. By documenting the whole preservation process, including digitization, color and sound restoration, and reactivation, this section illustrates how theoretical principles can be translated into practice. The third part focuses on the technological implementation of the research. It presents the MDP-m App, a software tool specifically designed to support the documentation and preservation of multimedia art installations, by testing it on the case studies previously discussed. Furthermore, it describes the development of dedicated software modules within the international standards MPAI/IEEE-CAE ARP, aimed at the preservation of open-reel magnetic tapes, a format largely used in multimedia artworks. These tools provide automated solutions for issues such as the identification of speed variations, surface irregularities, and reversed audio sections, providing an automatic solution that aims to compensate for errors that may arise during the digitization workflow. By combining these elements, this thesis offers a comprehensive methodology for the preservation and reactivation of multimedia art installations, highlighting how archival work, preservation strategies, and technological tools can ensure continued access to artworks that otherwise would be lost.