3D Digital Dossiers -- a new way of presenting cultural heritage on the Web

Anton Eliëns, Yiwen Wang, Chris van Riel, Tatja Scholte

Webster New World Dictionary

• dossier (dos-si-er) [ Fr < dos (back); so named because labeled on the back ] a collection of documents concerning a particular person or matter
• archive -- 1) a place where public records are kept ... 2) the records, material itself ...

requirements

• It must serve as an information source for conservators and curators of contemporary art,
• It must present rich media recordings of all artworks, and,
• It must provide background information for the general public (non-expert users).

...

information

• conceptual information type -- that represents categories
• content information type -- that represents actual (media) content

media

• text -- providing for example interview transcriptions
• pictures -- representing artworks by images
• videos -- for interviews and recordings of performances

...

...

structures

• Video -- to display video fragment, including interviews
• Picture -- to present pictures of the artwork
• Artwork -- a grouop node, that contains all information connected to a work of art
• TextItem -- to present text, from the interview or any other source
• MaterialItem -- to present information about material(s) used
• GroupNode -- to combine nodes in the concept graph
• Information -- acts as the outer container for all nodes

concept graph

  Information {
   informationNodes [
    GroupNode {
  	ID "MAIN"
  	shortName "Main"
  	longName "Main"
      urlModel "models/cg/main/modelMain.wrl"
  	description [ "Central information node" ]
  	connectedNodesIDs [ "ARTWORKS", 
  	   "KEYWORDS", "INTERVIEWS",
  	    "REPORT" ]
  	}
    GroupNode {
  	shortName "Artworks"
  	longName "Artworks"
  	description [ "Node that connects to all the artworks" ]
  	ID "ARTWORKS"
  	connectedNodesIDs [ "MAIN", "TRANSITORY", 
  	  "ULAY", "VIDEOINSTALLATION", "ABRAMOVIC" ]
  	urlModel "models/cg/artworks/artworksGroup.wrl"
  	}
  	## ...
   ]
  }
  

artwork node

  Artwork {
    shortName "Terra degla Dea Madre"
    longName "Terra degla Dea Madre"
    description ["15:40 min, colour, sound."]
    ID "AV24"
    connectedNodesIDs ["VIDEOINSTALLATION", "DTV24", 
               "TTV24", "PV24", "CV24", "VV24", "G0"]
    urlPreviewImage "images/previewImages/AV24.jpg"
    widthPreviewImage 479
    heightPreviewImage 349
  }
  

video node

  Video {
    ID "CV24"
    shortName "Interview clip Terra degla Dea Madre"
    longName "Interview clip showing Terra degla Dea Madre"
    url "interviewclips/interview_terra_degla.avi"
    width 320
    height 360
    urlPreviewImage "images/previewImages/interview_terra_degla.jpg"
    widthPreviewImage 320
    heightPreviewImage 240
    description [""]
    connectedNodesIDs ["CLIP", "AV24"]
  }
  

text node

  TextItem {
    shortName "Instruction"
    longName "Green Dragon Lying instructions for the public."
    description ["Text explaining the way the public has to interact with the artwork."]
    ID "ITO05"
    connectedNodesIDs ["AO05", "INTERACTION"]
    url "text/AO05_instruction.txt"
  }
  

...

style issues

• what icons should be used to identify the elements of the concept graph?
• what categories and relationships are most appropriate?
• how should the information be displayed, simultaneously or more focussed?
• how do we allow the user to choose between multiple information items?
• how do we avoid visually disturbing elements?

next generation dossier(s)

1. adaptation of representation to Dublin Core
2. XML-based content management, with php forms
3. there should also be a possibility to present the information and material in a 'plain' web format
4. as well as in (a new version of) 3D dossiers, and
5. we should think about the proper presentation parameters.

...

guided tour(s)

• automated (viewpoint) navigation in virtual space,
• the (narrative) presentation of a sequence of concept nodes, or
• an animation explaining, for example, the construction of an artwork.

issues

• the selection of items in the guided tour, as well as
• the presentation of these items in an immersive manner.

...

guidance

• filtering the information space according to the user's perspective, and
• intelligent agents, that (pro) actively aid the user in searching the information space.

...

+ 3D visualizations of cone trees make optimal use of screen space and provide the opportunity to visualize larger hierarchical structures.
- The cone tree presents all information at once. In case of a large amount of highly inter-related information structures this could lead to an information overflow.

concept graph in 3D -- the abramovic dossier

+ The 3D concept graph presents information nodes in 3 levels of the hierarchy. By move and click, the 3-level structure changes dynamically due to the center node. It offers an overview of multiple relationships among different information nodes.
+ The information nodes are created as 3D models mimicking real objects. A variety of realistic models give users a direct and clear expression related to the original objects.
- The complicated relationships between lines, models in the concept graph might confuse users, especially non-experts. More explanation or guided tours are needed.
- Some 3D models might mislead users. Some abstract 3D models are made based on artist’s definition/explanation and designer’s understanding. It is not precise enough to present without any misunderstanding or slight errors.

+ The 2D flash version of concept graph is very easy and friendly to users without too much confusion and difficulty.
- The information nodes in same style/template are not able to provide a vivid and rich image of the hidden information until click for the content presentation.

immersion

• immediacy -- a tendency towards transparent immersion, and
• hypermediacy -- the presence of referential context

We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the following people to the development of the digital dossier. Students of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Tim Verweij, Olav van Zon, Eric de Boer, Pascal Snijders Blok, Olaf van Zon. Students of the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Abeer Mahdi, Jina Menke, Michela Negrini, and the Technische Universiteit Delft, Jurgen Koster From the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage, Ijsbrand Hummelen and in particular Tatja Scholte, and from Montevideo, Bart Rutten, Gaby Wijers.