Early Adopter Blog

Please click on the image to better view the details. Above is a diagram of the second iteration of a possible table structure for the AMP system. The lower right corner shows a web article about the artist Mel Kadel. In this example, we are showing a meta tag of this page that has the AMP UID for Mel Kadel. Readers can use a widget or plug-in to use this UID in order to access more information about this artist.

In this table structure, we are showing three connected tables: Artist Table, Influence Table, and Artwork Table. With the UID for or the name of the artist, users of the system will be able to access descriptions of the artist that are provided by either the artist or aggregated from Wikipedia. The UID connects to the Artwork Table that can be accessed to view specific information about all of the registered works of art from that artist.

Additionally, the UID connects to the Influence table. This table connects the artist with their influences. The artist will select their influences when registering their UID or updating their account. If the name of the influential artist has already been entered, the UID of that artist will be entered as a reference in the table. If the influential artist has not been registered into the system, a temporary identifier (TID) will be assigned to represent that artist. If that artist is officially registered into the system at a later point, they will be assigned a UID as well.

I’m not a database expert but I think this structure could work. We will be talking to some experts in the field to get more insight. Any readers are welcome to advise us in this process.

This image is a draft of AMP’s database structure. Click on the image to view a larger version.

It’s about time this project gets a name. In weekly meetings we’ve been brainstorming to find a suitable name for our art information system. Below is a list of some options.

• [ AQA ] Art Query Aid
• [ GSAI ] Global Standard for Art Information
• [ ARL ] Art Resource Locator
• [AwDP] Artwork Data Project
• [ GAAI ] Global Artwork Archive Initiative
• [AMP] Art Metadata Project

For now, I am leaning toward refering to the project as the AMP. Please comment if you have any opinions about the name of our proposed system.

• Artists are able to generate and register unique identifiers (UIDs).
• UID system can be used to identify artists and their works of art.
• Creating and registering UIDs is a simple process that most emerging artists will be able to easily access and use.
• System is open source and can be accessed by anyone who would like to use the system for research or to develop platforms that use the records.
• UIDs can be embedded in web pages and searched for.
• An attribute of the UIDs can be used to differentiate between official and unofficial information.
• Server space with a database will be needed to store records.
• Regular backups of the server will be necessary.
• System can be used to catalog and query artists and works of art.
• Open to be used for cataloging all forms of art.
• Can be used to easily aggregate dialogue and criticism.
• The system will need a team of developers to create it and people to maintain the database

Early-adopter.com is in the conceptual stage of a project to develop a global standard of identifying artists and works of art. This posting will outline some of the components this convention will require, how the system may operate, and how art information could benefit from it. The result of this project will be a system for generating and maintaining unique identification numbers (UIDs) that reference every artist and work of art in the world. It unlikely that all artists would utilize this type of standard and that it would be a daunting task to assign UIDs to all artists and works of art throughout history. It is our hope that younger and emerging artists will use this convention to catalog new works of art as they create them.  We see this system as a chance to expand the possibilities of the art information field.

The first step in this process will be for the artist to obtain a UID. We have considered different possibilities for this assignment including self-assignment and random generation. We would like the number itself to hold some information such as what medium(s) the artist works with and who the artist considers as primary influence. In the example below, the first section of the code that describes the mediums the artist works in could be read and understood by a viewer. While there may be an argument for making elements of the code so they can be understood by a person, we are unsure that this type of treatment would be necessary. It will be important for us to keep all steps of the UID assignment and registration simple so as not to discourage artists from using it.

Once an artist has a UID, the number will need to be registered in a database. The registration would be similar to the registering of a domain name for a web page. After the number is registered, the artist can start assigning and registering UIDs for their works of art. This number would contain their artist ID plus some information about what medium the piece is and the sequential number of that particular piece in the artist’s history.

The UID for an artist or work of art can be embedded in meta tags or comments on digital media or printed on the description of a work in a gallery or museum. We imagine the UID will be an invisible entity that can be stealthfully accessed via software to deliver information to the user about the artist or piece.

The UID system we develop should have a way to differentiate between official and unofficial information. Official information would be created or posted by the artist, artist’s designated representative, or the owner or a piece. Unofficial information would come from bloggers and critics. This type of filter will give users of the system more options for viewing query results.

Once the system is operational, developers can write software to work with the information saved in the databases. This type of tool will grant users access to a complex network of information about specific artists. For instance, if someone was researching Marcel Dzama, she could use a platform that references our UID system. The user could locate a specific work of art and can reference all digitally networked information regarding that work. If that work has been blogged about or reviewed by critics, she would be able to access all of the postings and reviews that reference the work by the UID. The user would also have access to the information on the current location of a piece and the history of the galleries it was shown at. She could also see connections between Marcel Dzama and artists who have influenced or been influenced by him.

Imagine how fast the system could be accessed via hand-held technologies. Many galleries are using cellular phone systems to provide visitors tour information. Additional hand-held innovations include the ability many mobile devices have to scan bar codes and QR codes and to access relevant information on the Web. Gallery goers could see a piece they enjoy, scan a code printed next to the work with their mobile device and gain access to all the available information about the piece, the artist, and the artist’s other works.

Do you think this is a good idea? Do you know of any attempts to create a similar standard? Are you interested in helping in the development of this standard? Feel free to contact Dan Willig at dan [at] early-adopter.com

artprice.com is a French-based art information site claims to be “The world leader in art market information”. Its target audience is art buyers and sellers.

The site provides information on international art sales from auctions. For many of the sales the site provides charts and graphs that describe information such as the Artist’s turnover and the price index for a particular piece. It seems that these tools would be a useful resource for serious investors in the art market. For users who want to track sales for a specific artist, this site is perfect. A free trial membership allows users to track the sales of 90 artists however specific details are not part of this deal. Only members are given access to specific information about final auction sales.

Another component of the site is an online auction service. For an annual fee users can post art and antiques for sale. I did not find any parts of this site that artist would want to use for community building or publicity and overall the emphasis was on the financial market of the art world.

ArtNexus.com is an informational site about the Latin American art world. The site offers the shared knowledge of over 100 Latin American art experts. ArtNexus Magazine has been around for 25 years, providing information about Latin American artists. The site does this and provides users with records of auctions. Besides the focus on Latin American art, ArtNexus.com site stands out from most other art information sites because membership is free.

The functionality of mutualart.com is fantastic. This beta version of the site was launched this year and costs $300/year to join. Upon signing up for the service new members are asked a series of questions to inform the site what class of information the user is most interested in receiving. New users make selections from lists of preferred venues, artists publications, art categories, and news types. This aggregated information is used by the site to filter information the user receives in e-newsletters and on their mutualart.com page. The site offers a comprehensive range of information on aspects of the art world from technique tips to auction listings. The site has been received well, and in time it may surpass all similar art information sites.

Below is a graph from alexa.com comparing the reach of these three sites. The graph also compares artnet.com which is currently the art information site with the most reach. Clicking on the image will direct you to alexa.com where you can interact with this diagram.

After last week’s mention of social networking in the online art world I came across some forum conversations about artmesh.org. (links to the specific forums are http://forum.imagekind.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=1008 and http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462506 and there are many more.) I was intrigued by these postings about this mysterious, German-based social networking site for artists.

A quote from the log in page describes the site as, “an invitation-only network exclusively for the art and creative sector.” Generally, the site is meant to be used for social networking and locating art events and exhibitions. Without a membership one cannot access more information about the site via the site. As a result there has been a great deal of speculation by those who have received the mysterious invitations from the sites founder, Daniel Brückner

The threads I found posted about this site were largely negative. Many people who received the emails from Mr. Brückner were suspicious about this site and naturally wrote to people in their online communities to ask about the legitimacy of the site. Many of the postings were concerned about piracy and their identities. As a result of this suspicion, many users misread a section of the site that asks the user to come up with a “security number” as a request for their Social Security Number. I found several mentions of concerned individuals who took it upon themselves to warn members of their virtual communities. In only some of these instances do people challenge the suspicion and investigate the legitimacy of the site.

The exclusivity of artmesh.org seems to be a double edged sword. It seems that the lack of information available about the site has led to suspicion in art forums. There is a danger that similar social networking initiatives for the art world will drive the art world further from the Web. On the flip side, artists are less likely to join a social networking site that anyone can be a part of.

artmesh.org is still in its infancy and it will need more positive buzz if it is going to grow. Currently the site offers basic social networking functionality such as groups and events postings. Other than that the main purpose of the site is to network with other A disclaimer states that more features are being developed. I can’t help but wonder if the site could have had a more positive impact if it had been developed further before its release.

I’ve been studying some of the top websites in the art information field. This week I’ll give a brief report on the business models of www.artinfo.com, www.artfacts.net, and www.artnet.com. Gathering traffic numbers for sites can be difficult. This posting is based on the information I have gleaned so far and subsequent postings may challenge the following statements.

Artinfo is run by Louise Blouin Media, a prominent art magazine company. According to the ‘About Us’ section of their website, Artinfo provides the information about the following areas of the art market: news, international gallery listings, weekly e-newsletters, artist profiles of top and emerging artists, stories about collectors and collecting, top student artists, market trends and analysis, and information on art fairs. Artinfo provides full listings for galleries who are site members. Visitors to the site can search and browse by continent, city, gallery name, or artist to find current showings. Any visitor to the site can access this information In 2007 they released MyArtinfo, a type of social networking site for galleries and artists. It will be interesting to see if social networking sites will catch on in the art world and if it does, which business model will be the facebook of its kind.

Artfacts has faired better in the European art market that in the US. The site is a gallery and museum guide for modern, contemporary, and emerging art. The site aims to organize information about contemporary art and to provide unbiased information on the art market. The site posts listings of all gallery showings, whether the gallery is a site member or not. Some galleries have requested records of an artist’s showing at the gallery be removed from the database (if the artist is no longer hot). Artfacts declines such requests because they want to offer a complete record of the contemporary art market. One of the cool functions of this site is the ranking graph. An applet on the site creates data visualizations that can map an artist’s popularity. This information Very few people in the US art world have heard about Artfacts. All of these types of sites are made popular by word of mouth and if more galleries, collectors, and artists start talking about this site, it is likely to see an increase in US hits.

Artnet appears to be the most business oriented of these sites. They mention on the site that one of their goals is to use their Price Database to make the financial aspects of the art market more transparent. The site also boasts to have the largest online gallery network. The network is designed to provide pricing information to dealers and collectors. This information is gathered from auction prices and not gallery sales. A comprehensive listing of artists, galleries, and auctions is made available to any site visitor. In order to access the Price Database or the Market Trends pages you need to be a site a member. This site could be a potentially invaluable tool to any serious buyer or seller of art. Another component of the site is the Artnet Online Auction where buyers can browse and search works for sale.

The following diagram from Alexa.com shows the percent of global Internet users who visit these sites. Click anywhere on the diagram to redirect to the Alexa site.

Welcome. This blog will be used, in part, to explore one of Early-Adopter’s areas of interest: a system of classification for the fine art world. This type of system could augment the way people access information about artists, works of art, and galleries. The primary goals of this blog over the next few months are to research past attempts to create this type of system, to discuss the current state of art information, to examine existing systems of categorization and archiving of other media, and to discuss ideal data models for this system.

Early-Adopter is proposing is a unified, international protocol that would provide a system of identification for artists, works of art, and galleries. The system could be used by artist, academics, curators, and collectors to track records relevant to every piece of art, artist, and gallery identified by the system. The system would need to be standardized and used by a majority of practitioners in the field in order to be successful. Early-Adopter believes that there is a need for this type of a system and that it will be instrumental in the future of art information.

To date, the fine arts have been cautious with the Internet. Sites like www.artnet.com, www.artinfo.com, and www.artfacts.net have only recently been able to make any headway in this area. These sites have unique characteristics but are largely offering the same services. As a result, no single site has been able to corner the market of online art information. This blog will look at the successes and shortcomings of these and other art information sites.

It is worthwhile for us to have a strong awareness of preexisting systems of identification and categorization. This blog will report on the standardization process and mechanics of some precedents including the Dewey Decimal System, barcodes, HTML, RSS, and ISBN. In addition, we will discuss blogs and articles that support our claim of a need for a unified identification system for the fine arts.

We will rely heavily on the input we receive through interviews and responses to this blog. Anyone with suggestions or knowledge of similar projects is encouraged to post on this blog or to write to Dan at dan@early-adopter.com.