From the Series Transcoding the Museum, Transcoding, TranscodingtheMuseum.fyi, website projection, dimensions variable, exhibition view, March 1st, 2025, University of Miami, Florida. Photo © Alian Rives' Studio
In The Language of New Media, Lev Manovich proposes five “principles of new media”—to be understood “not as absolute laws but rather as general tendencies of a culture undergoing computerization.” The five principles are numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and transcoding. This fragment video documents the Lowe Art Museum's collection of tribal art idex website and is the signature piece of the exhibit Transcoding the Museum, exploring Lev Manovich's fifth principle of New Media Art. The website serves as a central hub, showcasing all other pieces in the exhibit and applying additional principles of New Media Art.
Lev Manovich defines "transcoding" as translating cultural forms and practices between different media formats and technological systems. This translation involves converting information from one format to another, often altering perception and interaction.
The intent of using this precept is to explore how the materiality of physical artifacts translates into a digital format on a website, highlighting the shift from their original cult value to their new role as exhibition items.