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in that particular temporal continuum. In the context of the development of media art, I
would like to put this aspect up for discussion.
Siegfried Zielinski: My answer to that is twofold: First, it is often the second-rate artists
that operate in this way. Only, people don't dare talk about it, but they simply delegate
to the viewers what they can't do themselves, and rely on a delirium of creativity.
Second, in the case of works where this is done genuinely and to high artistic standards,
we are indeed dealing with a development towards a very temporal, performing art that
is constantly recreated by the participants. Processes, then, that we are very familiar with
from improvised jazz, from free jazz. There is a number of participants constantly performing
something new, and there is a certain agreed basic structure. In every other aspect,
the performance is free. I think artworks will develop in this direction, and that means
that originality will have to be redefined again and again; and I am saying quite deliberately
that it is 'originality', not 'the original' that will have to be redefined.
Axel Wirths: There is one topic we have so far not yet examined in detail, the area
of art on the Internet. I would like to ask Bärbel Otterbeck how the Wolfsburg Museum
is handling that, and the question also goes to Christine van Assche. Is that still an artform
that one should show in a museum? And is it an artform that should be preserved
there - and that is the job of the museum - in some way that may be questionable?
Bärbel Otterbeck: I think the museum has an obligation towards the artist who deals
with Net Art. We have to integrate Net Art in some form independent of any material
interests. In my work, I try to distance myself more and more from the material viewpoint.
I am not sure at the moment in what form, there has been input as early as five years
ago, there is something in store for us, and we have to face up to it. As yet, I don't know
myself exactly how I will deal with this art form. But I am sure that I will do so and think
it is important that Net Art is allowed into the museum.
Could I ask Michael Wenzke once more how the reduction in value which is closely
linked to the material, actually works. When I make a copy of a video tape on a digital
medium - a principally restorative measure to preserve the work - does that constitute
a reduction in value?
Rudolf Frieling: May I add to this. Michael Wenzke earlier quoted Nam June Paik
who says there are, as it were, two objects: an original and a 'better quality copy'. According
to this definition, however, the 'better quality copy' is of less value.
Michael Wenzke: According to the market definition that is true. Of course, one has
to ask what is meant in this context by 'better'. From the viewpoint of the market, the
copy is indeed less valuable, the object of less value. On the question of reduction in value
I would comment that we have relatively little experience with claims, so there are
simply no rules of thumb for such cases.
Reinhold Mißelbeck: My comment refers to the editions, and to the question of the
number of copies and the original. Of course, we know this distinction from other media
such as photography where it is common practice to produce a much higher number of
copies than in video art. In photography, you have editions of up to 20 copies, yet prices
remain high, but nevertheless it is usual even with these editions to speak of originals.
It is not customary to describe as the original only the concept of the artist, the ba-
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