4300
Assar, Najam-Ul "Digital Colonization and Ethical Reconstruction: Digitizing Public Heritage in Developing Countries." MA Media Arts Cultures
, Donau-Universität Krems, 2021
80
pages, written in English
, copyright Najam Ul Assar
Abstract: The preservation of heritage and culture has gained new meaning and scope in the digital age through the use of 3D scanning and printing, where companies and artists can recreate or restore sculptures, landmarks, and other heritage sites destroyed by war, violence, or extremist groups with the use of these digital technologies. While the idea itself may be commendable, there are underlying issues that cloud the picture, and a close comparison shows many similarities between traditional colonial methods and rhetoric, and those used by many businesses or artists working in reconstruction. At present, this type of digital preservation lacks a clear ethical framework for who, how, what, where, and why to restore certain historical artifacts through the use of technology. The focus of this paper is particularly on cultural heritage in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan destroyed by extremist groups between 2015-2019, though the hope is that the recommendations may apply to any digital preservation project. This thesis will place digital heritage in context and explain the challenges associated with it by examining historical and contemporary examples, and compare how traditional colonial practices have transferred into this digital practice. Then, the associated factors that influence the ethical representation of an object will be identified and discussed in detail. In order to ground these ideas in reality, the theories presented will be compared with the case study of The Distributed Monument (TDM), an artwork by Iranian artist Morehshin Allahyari reconstructing a historical statue destroyed by ISIS in 2015. Finally, the thesis sets the groundwork for a potential ethical framework through a series of questions that may guide companies and individuals working in digital heritage, and draws conclusions around the associated aspects of transparency, interactivity, accessibility, sustainability, timeframe, and materiality which are required for ethical reconstructions.
Department: Image Science
, Donau-Universität Krems
Advisor(s): Francesca Franco, Oliver Grau
