ABSTRACT
The preservation and maintenance management of artwork equipment depends on the functional, conceptual, and aesthetic significance assigned to the equipment in relation to the meaning and identity of an artwork. This chapter introduces current practices and methodologies to assess and categorize equipment and to assist those tasked with caring for time-based media (TBM) artworks in making strategic decisions on its care, maintenance, and storage. Receiving equipment from the artist or their representatives at the point of acquisition can be a low- or no-cost way of providing for an artwork’s equipment needs and, in some cases, is the best way of ensuring a work is presented exactly how the artist desires, which is especially true when it comes to complex systems such as software-based artworks. Modern equipment, which typically requires less maintenance by virtue of age and design, is generally dealt with by larger companies and companies affiliated with manufacturers.
