Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology Equipment Upgrade
Lead Research Organisation:
Birkbeck, University of London
Department Name: Film, Media and Cultural Studies
Abstract
This Capability for Collections funding supports a substantial computer equipment upgrade for the Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology at Birkbeck, University of London. Founded in the late 1980s, the Vasari is a pioneering centre for the study and development of new technologies in the fields of art history and museum collections. Past research projects completed at the Vasari Centre have included the development of early high-resolution scanning technology for use in the analysis of paintings (in collaboration with the National Gallery and the Uffizi Gallery, Florence); the AHRC-funded National Inventory Research Project, a comprehensive survey and database of pre-1900 European paintings held in all UK galleries and other institutions; and the AHRC-funded CACHe (Computer Arts, Contexts, Histories, Etc.) and CAT (Computer Art and Technocultures) projects which helped establish the V&A's Computer Art Collections. This computer equipment upgrade will provide the infrastructure required for the Vasari Research Centre to continue its work exploring the innovative use of new technologies in the study of art and museum collections. The three computer workstations funded by the Capability for Collections Fund will support a number of current research projects, including the AHRC-funded Preserving and Sharing Born-Digital and Hybrid Objects From and Across the National Collection project (part of the Towards a National Collection initiative) and the AHRC-funded Collecting Born Digital Images in the Contemporary Museum Collaborative Doctoral Partnership, both collaborations between the V&A and Birkbeck. The equipment, which includes a Deep Learning workstation, will also enable the development of new machine learning and computer vision approaches to museum collection study and management.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Joel McKim (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Arrigoni G
(2022)
Experimentation and collecting practice: balancing flexible policies and accountability in developing born-digital museum collections
in Museum Management and Curatorship
McKim J
(2021)
Oscillons and cathode rays: photographic hybrids in early computer art
in photographies
| Description | The AHRC Capability for Collections Fund has allowed us to significantly upgrade the computer infrastructure of the Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology at Birkbeck. More specifically, the grant has funded the purchase and installation of two high-end Mac workstations and one Deep Learning workstation. Since the 1980s, the Vasari has been a pioneering centre for the study and development of new technologies in the fields of art history and museum collections. This much needed computer infrastructure upgrade has allowed us to continue to explore innovate digital research methods for the analysis of contemporary and historical images, including the development of new Machine Learning and computer vision approaches to collection studies. The workstations have supported continued work on the AHRC-funded Preserving and Sharing Born-Digital and Hybrid Objects From and Across the National Collection project (part of the Towards a National Collection initiative) and the AHRC-funded Collecting Born Digital Images in the Contemporary Museum Collaborative Doctoral Partnership, both partnerships between the V&A Museum and Birkbeck. Most significantly, the Deep Learning workstation has provided the Vasari Centre with previously unavailable Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence capabilities. This new infrastructure has allowed us to develop collaborations with our Birkbeck colleagues in the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems and the Birkbeck Institute for Data Analytics (BIDA). Dr. Alessandro Provetti (Director of BIDA) and Vasari Centre Director Joel McKim successfully applied for a Capabilities for Collections Public Engagement Award in partnership with the V&A Museum. This award funded a public engagement project entitled The Design Generator, an initiative that involved extensive experimentation with current Machine Learning algorithms and Neural Network technology to develop an interactive tool for exploring the styles and characteristics of objects in the V&A's collection. We were able to hire two research associates with expertise in machine learning to work on the project. The primary outcome of the project is the "Design Generator" tool, a text to image generator, that allows members of the public to combine key terms from the V&A's collection categories (periods, styles, materials, techniques, etc.) in order to generate images of new, imagined museum objects. The AI tool aims to encourage creative learning and exploration of the defining characteristics of the key periods, styles and materials around which the design museum is organized. The project culminated in a series of public-engagement events taking place during the V&A Digital Design Weekend (23-25 September 2022). There we exhibited the project at a permanent stand during the three day event and also ran three public workshops involving approximately 70 participants. The workshop and exhibit stand introduced members of the V&A public to the capabilities of AI technologies and their current and potential use within the arts and the museum sector. The public engagement events also provided participants with an opportunity to trial the prototype Design Generator application and provide feedback on its development. The AHRC Capability for Collections infrastructure has facilitated a number of other initiatives including three projects supported by the Open Society Foundation funded Experimental Humanities Collaborative Network. These projects include: a collaborative teaching unit on AI Ethics between Birkbeck and Al-Quds Bard in Palestine. The collaboration included student workshops on the responsible use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, DALL-E and Midjourney; a Generative AI and Experimental Pedagogy workshop organized by Birkbeck, Bard College NY, and the Central European University; and a funded artist residency allowing New York artist Aarati Akkapeddi to spend two weeks at the Vasari Research Centre using the Deep Learning Workstation in order to develop an AI project exploring the histories of the V&A's South Asian design collection. |
| Exploitation Route | Although Covid restrictions limited general access to the Vasari until recently, we are now welcoming faculty members and graduate students with an interest in digital image and museum studies to the centre. The CapCo funding has provided a valuable shared infrastructure for members of the Birkbeck community conducting research in art and technology. We have, for example, been able to use the new workstations to power the Vasari's Virtual Reality (VR) headsets and have conducted workshops exploring the potential uses of VR and Augmented Reality (AR) technology for museums and archives. The Design Generator project provides a valuable test case for future Machine Learning-based research projects to be undertaken in collaboration with the V&A and other museum partners. We are currently developing a significant follow up research project on generative AI in the museum. We are also in discussions with the Scottish National Gallery on a potential project using the Vasari's AI infrastructure to automate the generation of alternative text for images in the museum's digital collection. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | http://www7.bbk.ac.uk/vasari/2022/09/24/the-design-generator/ |
| Description | The Vasari Research Centre for Art and Technology Equipment upgrade has supported and continues to support a number of ongoing research and public engagement projects. Through projects like the AHRC-funded Preserving and Sharing Born-Digital and Hybrid Objects From and Across the National Collection project (part of the Towards a National Collection initiative) and AHRC-funded Design Generator project (CapCo Public Engagement Award), the Vasari Centre is contributing to the development of new approaches to the use of digital technologies within the museum sector. These projects are helping to improve professional practice and institutional policy in relation to digital image collecting and exhibiting, as well as developing new forms of public access to and engagement with museum collections. The new Vasari Centre computer infrastructure is helping us to develop an emerging academic research area that brings together computer science and the visual arts, applying Machine Learning and computer vision methods to the study of cultural archives and collections. More specific information on current and potential impact is detailed in other sections of the report. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | Collecting and Preserving Born-Digital Objects Museum Policy Recommendations |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
| URL | https://vanda-production-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/2022/01/20/12/49/45/92b733d4-929e-429e-9fd1-82d1344... |
| Description | CapCo Public Engagement Award |
| Amount | £34,991 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/X000575/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 09/2022 |
| Description | Experimental Humanities Collaborative Network - AI Ethics Teaching Unit (Birkbeck/Al-Quds Bard) |
| Amount | $10,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Open Society Foundations |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 04/2023 |
| Description | Experimental Humanities Collaborative Network - Artist Residency Grant |
| Amount | $9,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Open Society Foundations |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 06/2023 |
| Description | Experimental Humanities Collaborative Network - Generative AI and Pedagogy Workshop |
| Amount | $5,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | Open Society Foundations |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 04/2023 |
| Title | Design Generator AI Model/Tool |
| Description | The Design Generator is an AI tool that allows members of the public to combine key terms from the V&A's collection categories (periods, styles, materials, techniques, etc.) in order to generate images of new, imagined museum objects. For example, the user of the tool might choose to combine terms such as "art nouveau" and "stained glass," or "surrealism" and "tapestry" to produce new, perhaps even improbable objects. The AI tool aims to encourage creative learning and exploration of the defining characteristics of the key periods, styles and materials around which the design museum is organized. The publicly available AI model involves a process of "pre-training" and "transfer learning." The model is pre-trained on the open ruDALL-E text to image generator and refined using the V&A collection data through a process of transfer learning. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The model can be used as a starting model for future experiments in working with generative AI and museum collection data. We are currently exploring the potential of future use. |
| URL | https://github.com/ale66/VA-design-generator |
| Title | Design Generator AI Model/Tool |
| Description | The Design Generator is an AI tool that allows members of the public to combine key terms from the V&A's collection categories (periods, styles, materials, techniques, etc.) in order to generate images of new, imagined museum objects. For example, the user of the tool might choose to combine terms such as "art nouveau" and "stained glass," or "surrealism" and "tapestry" to produce new, perhaps even improbable objects. The AI tool aims to encourage creative learning and exploration of the defining characteristics of the key periods, styles and materials around which the design museum is organized. The publicly available AI model involves a process of "pre-training" and "transfer learning." The model is pre-trained on the open ruDALL-E text to image generator and refined using the V&A collection data through a process of transfer learning. |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The model can be used as a starting model for future experiments in working with generative AI and museum collection data. We are currently exploring the potential of future use. |
| URL | https://github.com/ale66/VA-design-generator |
| Description | Preserving and Sharing Born Digital and Hybrid Objects TANC Project |
| Organisation | British Film Institute (BFI) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The Vasari Research Centre Equipment Upgrade has facilitated the successful completion of the ARHC funded Preserving and Sharing Born Digital and Hybrid Objects, Towards A National Collection Research Project, a collaboration between the V&A Museum, the British Film Institute and Birkbeck. I am a Co-Investigator on the project and have been responsible for literature review research, co-writing a final industry report, co-writing academic journal articles, and co-organizing a series of workshops, case studies and a symposium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | V&A Design Curator Natalie Kane is the Principal Investigator of the Preserving and Sharing Born Digital and Hybrid Objects project and has been the primary supervisor of the projects Research Associate. Stephen McConnachie, Head of Data and Digital Preservation at the BFI, is a Co-Investigator on the project and has been responsible for generating a data model for acquiring and documenting born-digital objects in museum collections. |
| Impact | The project has resulted in a public symposium held on January 20th and a publicly available project report containing key findings and museum sector recommendations. Two academic journal articles based on the project research are in the process of being finalized. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Preserving and Sharing Born Digital and Hybrid Objects TANC Project |
| Organisation | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The Vasari Research Centre Equipment Upgrade has facilitated the successful completion of the ARHC funded Preserving and Sharing Born Digital and Hybrid Objects, Towards A National Collection Research Project, a collaboration between the V&A Museum, the British Film Institute and Birkbeck. I am a Co-Investigator on the project and have been responsible for literature review research, co-writing a final industry report, co-writing academic journal articles, and co-organizing a series of workshops, case studies and a symposium. |
| Collaborator Contribution | V&A Design Curator Natalie Kane is the Principal Investigator of the Preserving and Sharing Born Digital and Hybrid Objects project and has been the primary supervisor of the projects Research Associate. Stephen McConnachie, Head of Data and Digital Preservation at the BFI, is a Co-Investigator on the project and has been responsible for generating a data model for acquiring and documenting born-digital objects in museum collections. |
| Impact | The project has resulted in a public symposium held on January 20th and a publicly available project report containing key findings and museum sector recommendations. Two academic journal articles based on the project research are in the process of being finalized. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Latent Space: From Datasets to Digital Heritage Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This workshop was led by our Vasari Research Centre visiting artist Aarati Akkapeddi, who spent a two week residency at the Vasari working with the machine learning workstation purchased through the AHRC Equipment Grant. It was attended by an audience of 36 participants which included museum professionals (curators and collection managers), graduate students and academics. The workshop addressed the Archival and AI ethics issues of incomplete data, acquisition transparency, and problematic taxonomies. The bias of major Machine Learning datasets like Imagenet is something that has been widely criticised, leading to debates over collection methodologies and consent. At the same time, in the past decade, many museums have undertaken mass digitisation efforts, producing large amounts of digital data. This event examined how both digital collections and digital datasets bring up similar ethical themes such as: The traces of often troublesome histories of taxonomy in the ways we categorise and classify digital data today The subtle and not-so-subtle ways bias is embedded in image descriptions Complexities of automating dataset/catalogue auditing (for example moving beyond keyword searches for finding and amending euphemistic, racist or sexist catalogue descriptions or data.) Terms & Agreements: rethinking open access, collecting and consent from source-communities The (human) labour involved in creating and maintaining digital data. The ethical implications of using digital heritage as training data for Machine Learning. This event included two presentations, a workshop, and an open discussion: Artist Aarati Akkapeddi presented their current creative exploration of the V&A's collection and spoke about the connections they find between datasets, collections and archives in their own practice. Researcher Ananda Rutherford discussed her work on Transforming Collections: Reimagining Art, Nation and Heritage at the Decolonising Arts Institute, UAL. Artist Anna Ridler led a hands-on workshop looking at several canonical computer vision datasets. This workshop tried to shed light on what has gone into training recent large language models (obscured and opaque). Participants built their own datasets, concentrating on words that are difficult to define, images that are hard to classify and languages that no longer exist. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.bbk.ac.uk/events/remote_event_view?id=37530 |
| Description | V&A Digital Design Weekend 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We introduced our Design Generator project to the museum public during the three day V&A Digital Design Weekend (23-25 September 2022). The Design Generator, a Birkbeck-based public engagement project, is an AI model trained on the V&A collection that automatically generates images of fictional design objects from text prompts. The AI tool aims to encourage creative learning and exploration of the defining characteristics of the key periods, styles and materials around which the V&A's collection is organized. We operated a permanent interactivev stand showcasing the Design Generator during the three days of the event, engaging with approximately 300 to 400 attendees during the weekend. We also ran three dedicate workshops during the Design Weekend, attended by approximately 70 participants in total. These workshops introduced participants to the wider developments of AI technologies being used in the museum context and allowed them to interact with our Design Generator model. We collected 27 survey responses from workshop participants, with 90% agreeing that they found the workshop very enjoyable and stimulating. We received a number of useful audience comments regarding the potential of generative AI tools for museum collections such as, "Could be a starting point for innovation in design across all sectors...." and "You can (potentially) see all the different categories of the collection in one place rather than walking around the whole area. Provides different experience from connecting with the archives and museum objects, and could reach a different audience from traditional museum goers." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/YgbjJRV1V5/design-generator |