Collecting and preserving media art in Portuguese museums

This research aims to map the practices surrounding the collection of media art in Portuguese museums, with a particular focus on the preservation strategies employed by relevant institutions. At the core of the study is a critical analysis of data gathered through an online survey, completed by the following institutions: Museu da Bienal de Cerveira, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, Centro de Arte Oliva, Coleção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado, and Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea do Chiado. The findings indicate a significant shortage of specialized conservators in Portugal, along with a lack of standardized terminology in the preservation of media art. The brevity of the sample suggests a lack of transparency from the institutions and limited public access to digital documentation concerning our object of study. Nonetheless, this sample provides valuable insight into current practises that typically remain inaccessible to the public.