The scattered steps: A living catalogue of web-based art exhibitions

Curating on the web is a site-specific approach that takes into consideration the technological context of the exhibition, which adds meaning to the artworks and affects how the web-based art exhibition is experienced and received. A curated exhibition on the digital interface emphasises the fact that our physical reality and online presence are closely connected and associated with political and technical infrastructures. However, the current discussion around web-based art exhibitions that highlight the site-specificity of internet culture is still limited. This is due to the scarcity of resources providing easy access to the wide selection of curated web- based exhibitions, and to the challenges in developing clear criteria for a web-based curatorial practice that can match digital technologies’ rapid advancements. In my practice-based research, I first explored the elements that distinguish a curated web-based art exhibition from an online exhibition; and developed a design proposal for The Scattered Steps: A Living Catalogue of Web-based Art Exhibitions, an archival project that collects and displays web-based exhibitions. The theoretical research of web-based art exhibitions focused on three topics: the duration, the interface, and the visitors’ participation. On the other hand, the development plan was accompanied by case studies of digital archives and interactive prototypes. The idea of a living, dynamic, and evolving catalogue were emphasised in the functionality, visual interface, materials collecting process, and data storage solution of The Scattered Steps: A Living Catalogue of Web-based Art Exhibitions. This thesis represents my personal journey across the fields of arts, design, and technology; and the archival project is a platform that will be continuously developing throughout time