A constellation of enterprising ideas about art and artifact collections.
We manage collections of cultural patrimony (art included) in deep, inefficient ruts left by the ox carts of previous generations. At that time, it made certain sense, but all things must occasionally evolve away from gills and grow feet. Failure to evolve in general (but especially now), when the industry bleeds out funds to pandemic recovery, will only further pump the brakes on returning to “normalcy”. “Now” is “normal”.
The logic of the argument focuses on carbon emissions where air freight vastly out-pollutes sea freight. While I fully side with the GCC’s goals and intent, sea freight hardly qualifies as clean as it emits other noxious bi-products including CO2 by fueling the tens of thousands of ocean vessels with fossil fuels.
Though this information creates a glut of value for the user, we should take a moment to consider risks associated with how the attainment of the information affects our institutions.
Network connectivity creates a tiny crack in the foundation as data breaches become a possibility anytime something connects to the internet. Such a fissure – though extremely unlikely – will allow a malicious third party access to the whereabouts of your objects.
This perfectly exemplifies the “preparation paradox” wherein through careful and thorough preparation one prevents a problem and, consequently, creates the sense that the intense preparation was actually an overreaction. This phenomenon readily reflects the risk mitigation efforts of professionals who steward the world’s cultural heritage.
In May of this year, New York City will join a small group of states including Colorado, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Washington requiring that all job listings post a salary range.
