Re-formatting an interactive net based art work.

Olia Lialina's early net.art piece 'Agatha Appears' from the Collection of C³ Center for Culture & Communication. This interactive net based art work is being researched in order to re-format it for future access.

Art work info

Author: Olia Lialina (C3 Residency Program); Márton Fernezelyi (Programmer)

Title: Agatha Appears

Created: 1997

Type: Interactive resource, net based art

Available: http://www.c3.hu/collection/agatha/

Format: HTML (included: ram, gif files)

Abstract: The work presents the dialogue between a system administrator and Agatha, the lost country girl. Lialina investigates nature of new art medium, through her hypertext-narratives which use the non-linear and decentralized structures of the Net.

Related resources: http://www.nettime.org/Lists-Archives/nettime-l-0108/msg00098.html

Preservation info 

Conservator: Elzbieta Wysocka

Programmer: András Szonyi

Organization: Center for Culture & Communication Foundation in Budapest

Start of the project: 15 January 2008

Abstract

State of the artwork before the restoration

Work was originally created for Netscape 4.0 browser in HTML 3.2 language and real audio sound format. Original files have become incompatible with contemporary browsers and work was no longer available in its previous, interactive form. Due to corruption and disappearance of some files, sections of Agatha's trajectory got lost and so was the original idea of the piece.

Restoration method

Reformatting and re-creating were chosen as a restoration strategy. All decisions concerning the project were made with the author's consent expressed during personal interviews. Obsolete file formats will be reformatted into presently readable format.The obsolete elements of HTML will be converted into valid ones. Java scripts will be used to emulate those of HTML tags, that can not be replaced (i.e. "status bar"). Lost or corrupted files originally stored outside of C³ Institute will be recreated and placed in new locations (new path of Agatha's trip).

Expected outcome of the project

The main goal of this project is to restore the original artwork, and to recreate the interactive tools needed for its perception. The project is seeking to reestablish all the sections of Agatha's itinerary, (from the beginning at C³ servers, through locations all over the world to the end, back in Budapest). A paper on net art restoration and the analysis of "Agatha Appears" as a case study will be a complementary part of the project. For questions or more information, please contact: Elzbieta Wysocka e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This is an INCCA affiliated project.

PDF version of the project description.