From Pixels to Praxis: Digital-first Museum Practices and Curating
This paper examines the pioneering digital and web-based curatorial practices at the Bogotá Museum of Modern Art (MAMBO) through two projects in its new Residencies program, designed to foster digital engagement with its collection and exhibitions.
The first initiative, "pixel quadrants" by Sebastián Mira, digitally reinterprets paintings by Rodrigo Callejas. Mira utilizes architectural visualization and 3D virtual environments to create an interactive platform exploring virtual landscaping, thereby questioning the use of video game formats to subvert traditional institutional retrospectives.
The second project, "URL > IRL" by Federico Reyes, is a web-based curatorial/performance piece investigating translatability in art and on the internet, specifically referencing the Fetish exhibition archive. Using the HitchHiker plug-in for collective live browsing, Reyes demonstrates how digital resources are crucial for understanding curating as both an online and offline practice.
These initiatives signify a shift where institutional control over art's value is distributed among visitors and digital platforms. By leveraging these platforms, MAMBO moves beyond traditional aesthetic frameworks to focus on public cultural value and shared experiences, redefining cultural memory in the digital age. The Residency program is key to fostering these digital curatorial approaches.