10 Experts on the Challenges of Conserving Contemporary Art

A discussion involving ten conservators, curators, and scholars addresses the difficulties in safeguarding contemporary art, particularly regarding ephemeral materials and the threat of digital obsolescence. Sandra Vázquez Pérez underscores the importance of grasping the artist's intellectual context. Iolanda Ratti points out Italy's absence of protocols for time-based media. Julia Draganović references Pablo Helguera's project Vita Vel Regula (2013–2097) focusing on participant documentation. Domenico Quaranta cautions about the dangers of memory loss in the digital era. Claudia Collina supports the inclusion of artist reports in contracts and the ICCD's OAC cataloging. Carla Subrizi urges for the transnational digitization of paper archives. Laura Barreca advocates for individualized conservation approaches. Marco Scotini compares Harald Szeemann's archive with digital dematerialization. Benedetta Bodo Di Albaretto emphasizes early information collection, while Debora Rossi highlights the need for digitizing at-risk media.