The Work of Art in the Age of Recombinant Appropriation: Exploring Data Curation in the GLAM sector through Classical Art Memes

Abstract

This interdisciplinary dissertation explores the evolution of Walter Benjamin's aura through the lens of Classical Art Memes (CAMs), a unique style of internet meme, which recontextualises digitised works of art with colloquial language. Questions surrounding the creation and dissemination of CAMs, ranging from the application of copyright to the function of digital platforms, allow for a rich body of research that can be applied to the development of best practices in the GLAM sector and for digital content creators. This research aims to define the relationship between digital content creators and the GLAM sector by examining CAMs, which act as a connection point between two very different sets of goals, ideals, and platforms. CAMs highlight how these two bodies create, disseminate, and communicate their content online. Using a mixed methods approach, this dissertation collected three datasets: The first dataset consists of available documentation regarding digitised cultural heritage material, copyright, and licensing from GLAM sector websites. The second dataset consists of CAMs collected from popular Instagram accounts. The third dataset consists of ten interviews with digital content creators who specialise in the creation of CAMs. These datasets were analysed through the lens of the FAIR Data Principles (which states that in order for data to be considered 'open access', it needs to be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). By applying technical and cultural readings of the FAIR Data Principles, this dissertation illuminates gaps in how culture is created and shared online.