On March 25th, the IDA will participate in a panel discussion as part of the BBC Arabic Festival 2019 on “Digital Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Crisis”.

Tickets are available here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/date/arabicfest19_digital

Description from the BBC Website:

Special Presentation and Panel Discussion: Digital Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Crisis
BBC Arabic Digital Investigation

In recent years, the digitization of cultural preservation has become a priority among researchers, artists, and developers at institutions ranging from the Victoria and Albert Museum to UNESCO. This special event explores the role of investigative documentary in these efforts, unearthing histories and contemporary threats - such as siege, bombing, looting and smuggling - to their remains. Using digital technology to advance their investigation, BBC Arabic have been able to capture stories in more detail than ever before, presenting an opportunity for future generations to experience, examine and study these sites.

This is an active investigation. The results of this research will be revealed for the first time at this event.

Panel Discussion

These exclusive presentations will be followed by an expert panel discussion on media and technology’s role in cultural preservation. Speakers include Bettany Hughes (historian/broadcaster); Sarah Nankivell (Forensic Architecture); Vernon Rapley (Victoria & Albert Museum); Alexy Karenowska (Institute for Digital Archaeology); Rosie Garthwaite (BBC Arabic).

Explore the IS Tunnels

5’ | Namak Khoshnaw

During their occupation of Mosul, the Islamic State group destroyed the shrine of Nabi Yunis, revealing an ancient palace underneath. It was found that the palace was surrounded by tunnels, believed to be built by IS, in order to loot the antiquities and sell them. BBC Arabic was the last team of journalists allowed into the site before it was shut by the Iraqi government. The team used the latest 360 and photogrammetry technology, to create a detailed digital reconstruction. These can now be seen online in interactive and video formats.

Stolen Treasure

25’ | multi-media | Sarah Saey and May Abdalla

What has international law done to protect the heritage of countries in conflict? A year-long investigation across three continents reveals a lawless antiquities trade that is ultimately robbing the Middle East of its own history. BBC Arabic’s Digital Investigation team, working with award-winning research agency, Forensic Architecture, will take you on a multi-media journey tracing the stories behind the looted objects. With the help of video footage, interactive animation, stills and documents collected using cutting edge digital technology they will reveal the trail of these antiquities.

TICKETS: http://getty.edu/visit/cal/events/ev_2465.html

Join the IDA at the beautiful Getty Villa for a fascinating discussion of how the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria, can be protected, preserved and reconstructed in the digital age. The panel will touch on the technical and philosophical aspects of digital reconstruction, as well as issues of authenticity, practicality and ethics.

Speakers

Alexy Karenowska - The Institute for Digital Archaeology

Amr Al-Azm - The Day After Project (TDA) and the Heritage Protection Initiative (HPI)

Elly Harrowell - Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University

Erich Hatala Matthes - Professor of Philosophy at Wellesley College

TICKETS: http://getty.edu/visit/cal/events/ev_2465.html

Join fellow book lovers for a roundtable discussion of various volumes.

Club of Odd Volumes

Boston, MA

1:00PM

Join fellow book lovers for a roundtable discussion of various volumes.

Old Library, Old Parsonage

Oxford, UK

1:00PM

Your Future, Your Ambition is a UK based organization that aims to inspire students from diverse backgrounds to pursue study in STEM subjects.

Their 2018 event, ‘Technology of Tomorrow’, focused on creating access for younger students to the most important new technologies driving the world forward, including AI, VR and AR. The IDA’s Alexy Karenowska participated in a panel discussion on the intersection of AI and other STEM subjects.

The IDA's flagship exhibit, the replica Triumphal Arch of Palmyra, will be displayed in Washington D.C. from September 26 - 30 2018. 

Honoring National Book Award Winner

David Ferry

Featuring a reading of his new translation of the Aeneid by a very special guest

Prof. Ferry was honored by friends and colleagues at the Club of Odd Volumes on January 5th, 2018. Acclaimed stage and film actor Marc Kudisch (Assassins, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hand to God) gave a reading from Ferry’s translation of the Aeneid.

The IDA will host a press conference at La Rocca Park in Arona to formally announce the launch of the Arona 2020 Fund. The fund will provide money and expertise for the restoration of the Parco della Rocca Borromea di Arona

The Past through the Eyes of the Future: the new physics of cultural heritage. Presented by Dr. Alexy Karenowska at the Department of Physics Alumni Garden Party, 2017. 

NEW APPROACHES TO MATERIAL TEXT IN THE ROMAN WORLD 2017

MATERIA: New Approaches to Material Text in the Roman World is a day-long workshop presenting new research in the area of the ancient book in the Roman World, broadly conceived. This event brings together six speakers from across the country who work on different aspects of the intersection of classical text and material culture to present work in progress. Each speaker will have a significant block of time to present his/her findings, with ample time for questions and feedback from the audience and fellow panelists. Audience members are encouraged to come for length of the day, throughout which refreshments will be provided.

This event is organized by Prof. Stephanie Frampton (MIT) and Prof. Joseph Howley (Columbia) and is made possible by the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in Critical Bibliography at Rare Book School and the Dean of the School of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at MIT, in collaboration with the Institute for Digital Archaeology and the History of the Book at Harvard.

Faces in Stone: an Italian perspective on the enduring strength of cultural heritage, a panel discussion at the Italian Consulate, Park Avenue, New York City, Thursday June 1, 2017.

The event begins with a panel of experts discussing cultural heritage in Italy, including Mr. Roger Michel, Dr. Alexy Karenowska, Giacomo Massari (TorArt), Andrea Angeli (Italian Foreign Ministry), Antonella Caruso (UNDP), Helen Malko (Columbia GSAPP) and Prof. Herb Golder (Boston University). 

Following the panel, the IDA's newest reconstruction project, the statue of Allat in the entry of the consulate. 

Guests also saw a preview performance of The Heracleidae, an arabic translation of Euripedes' ancient work. 

Civilisations restored by technologies was presented by Dr. Alexy Karenowska of the IDA at the Arab Media Forum, held in Dubai. The talk focused on the work of the IDA, in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation on the Triumphal Arch of Palmyra replica and educational programs. 

Can 3D printing, VR, crowd-sourcing, vast digital archives and a massive amount of perseverance, make our heritage indestructible in a virtual world?

Rossitza Atanassova - Digital Curator, British Library

Roger Michel - Founder, The Institute for Digital Archaeology

Ed Humphrey - Digital Director, British Film Institute

David Harrison - Investigative TV Reporter, Al-Jazeera International

The Global Web Summit: 21 Conferences around the world

There is no longer such a thing as a ‘tech’ industry – just industries that have been affected by tech. Just as the first industrial revolution 250 years ago left an indelible mark on the lives of the people who lived through it, tech is turning upside down everything we thought about work, social interaction, politics and life itself.

This year 53,056 tech CEOs, founders, startups, investors and political leaders driving change across the world came together in Lisbon for Web Summit. Over 2,000 of the world’s leading media attended. Together, they discussed the answers to the questions posed by the tech revolution we’re living through.

Participants:
Lisa Ackerman, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, World Monuments Fund

Dietmar Offenhuber, Assistant Professor of Art + Design and Public Policy and Head of MFA in Information Design and Visualization, Northeastern University

Roger Michel, Founder and Executive Director, Institute for Digital Archaelogy

Holly Rushmeier, Professor of Computer Science, Yale University

Host:
Adam Lowe, Founder and Director of Factum Arte and Adjunct Professor of Historic Preservation, Columbia GSAPP

Over the recent years, 3D scanning has become part of a coherent and non-contact approach to the documentation of Cultural Heritage and its long term preservation. New developments in digital recording are appearing everyday and the academic community, relevant private and public institutions, media and general public, are increasingly interested in the growing possibilities such technological developments have to offer in the face of the important challenges related to the preservation of our shared Cultural Heritage.

But as the global expectations increase, different, and often contradictory approaches to the same problem start to arise, making it not uncommon for terms and concepts to be confused or misunderstood. In this roundtable discussion, we will discuss the facts related to digital technology and its political, cultural and economic implications. We will also seek to shed some light on basic questions such as:
- What does ‘high-resolution’ mean?
- What types of data are meaningful in the preservation of Cultural Heritage?
- How should digital technology be applied?

The Triumphal Arch, City Hall Park

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

Celebrating memory, the power of history, and a shared vision for peace

“What could be more appropriate than to have this symbol of freedom in front of City Hall, so close to where we had our own challenges” Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen On Monday September 19th, the Institute for Digital Archaeology celebrated the official unveiling of their monumental scale reproduction of Palmyra’s Triumphal Arch with Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, cultural luminaries from New York's theater and arts communities, the international media, and the people of New York. The public reception of the installation has been tremendous with thousands of New Yorkers coming to show their support for the gesture of friendship that it represents. Touchingly, it has has even become a popular venue for newly-wed couples to take their photographs. This Thursday, join the IDA for an evening of interpretive reflections on the eternalism of memory and the power of new technologies in the preservation, restoration, and celebration of history. Conversations will encompass the history of the Triumphal Arch, the science underpinning the installation, and the use of new technologies to broaden access and enliven the world of cultural heritage with special reference to our current tactile exhibition at the New York Public Library’s Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library. The evening will feature an acoustic tribute to the 35th anniversary of another memorable event in the history of New York’s great public Parks: Simon and Garfunkel's legendary Concert in the Park on September 19th 1981. We are delighted to be welcoming the highly acclaimed Melissa Stylianou and Pete McCann on vocals and instrumentalists John Suntken and Michael Forfia.

More information can be found at www.cityhallarch.org

All press inquiries should be sent to newyork@digitalarchaeology.org.uk or directed to Dr Alexy Karenowska on 1-646-520-5049

PLEASE VISIT OUR COMPANION CULTURAL HERITAGE EVENT FOR VISION-IMPAIRED VISITORS AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Designing Inclusive Cultural Experiences: Preserving the Past, Exploring the Future

Presented by the Institute for Digital Archeology

Tuesday, September 20, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM, Andrew Heiskell Braille & Talking Book Library, 40 West 20th St | New York, NY 10011

THE EVENT

This event marks the opening of our new tactile exhibition “the architecture of identity, celebrating history and a shared vision for peace”

Centered around Palmyra’s ancient triumphal arch, this exhibition represents the launch of a bigger project in collaboration with the UK’s Royal National Institute for the Blind, the USA’s National Federation of the Blind, and the New York public Library to develop and deploy 3D printing technology to help to make architectural cultural heritage — something which is traditionally very hard for those with sight difficulties to experience — more accessible. We aim, also, to draw attention to the extent to which emerging technologies have the power to transform the museum and gallery experience into one which is more welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring for those who cannot see.

A total of seven tactile exhibits complete with braille, large print, and audio exhibition guide will explore the key architectural and decorative features of this ancient structure. The exhibition will travel across the United States in parallel with a sister exhibition in the United Kingdom.

SCHEDULE

6:00 PM: Refreshments

6:20 PM: Opening Remarks

6:30 PM: Panel Discussion

8:00 PM: Exhibit Exploration

Open to the Public Wednesday September 21st to Tuesday October 11th

- Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10am - 5pm

- Tuesday and Thursday 12noon - 7pm

MODERATORS

Chancey Fleet is the Assistive Technology Coordinator at NYPL's Andrew Heiskell Braille & Talking Book Library.  This branch, located in Flatiron and serving patrons of all abilities, provides one-on-one Information literacy coaching and community workshops that educate assistive technology users, as well as developers and designers, about what's possible with accessible technology. From braille and talking books to programs that support tech novices, power users, creators and lifelong learners, visittalkingbooks.nypl.org  to connect with a library of possibilities. 

Alexy Karenowska is a magnetician with a research group based in the University of Oxford, UK's Department of Physics, and is also Fellow by Special Election of Magdalen College Oxford. A trained engineer as well as a physicist, Karenowska directs the IDA's technical team. She has a particular interest in the application of 3D printing and machining technologies to the restoration or replication of damaged or destroyed archaeological structures and artefacts, and the development of new technologies for the characterization and the development of new technologies for the characterization, preservation and appreciation of heritage objects. 

Panelists

Rebecca McGinnis is the Senior Managing Educator for Accessibility at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She and her colleagues are internationally recognized for their innovative programs for people with disabilities. In 2013 she developed and co-taught Museums, Accessibility, and Technology, a semester-long course in the MFA in Design + Technology program at Parsons the New School for Design, with Don Undeen, then manager of The Met’s MediaLab and professor Katherine Moriwaki from Parsons. She isan adjunct lecturer in the Museum Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, where she teaches Accessibility in the Museum. In 2014 the Met received the American Foundation for the Blind’s Access Award. In 2011 Rebecca received the LEAD Award for Excellence in Accessibility Leadership and the American Council of the Blind Achievement Award in Audio Description for Museums. Her publications include “Islands of Stimulation: Perspectives on the Museum Experience, Present and Future” in The Multisensory Museum: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Touch, Sound, Smell, Memory, and Space, ed. Nina Levent and Alvaro Pascual Leone, Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. She has MAs in Art History and Museum Studies and pursues a PhD in Cognitive Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. 

Steve Landau founded Touch Graphics in 1998. The company has received numerous federal RD grants, and produces interactive tactile signs, exhibits, and learning aids, based on the outcomes of government-funded research.  These materials communicate spatial concepts through touch, vision and hearing. Recent projects include a network of 40 universal talking tactile maps for Google's NYC headquarters; interactive talking sculptures of a seahorse and penguin for Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, tactile painting panels for the National Gallery of Art, and a touch-responsive campus model for Overbrook School for the Blind. Steve studied art at Oberlin and design at Harvard.

Emilie Louise Gossiaux is an artist born and raised in New Orleans, and currently living in New York City. She began her undergraduate studies in the arts at the Cooper Union in 2007. Just before her Senior year, in 2010 she lost her vision due to a traumatic accident. After regaining her strength and independence, Gossiaux returned to the Cooper Union in 2013, and graduated with a BFA in 2014, with an award of excellence in sculpture. Upon graduating, Gossiaux began her year-long internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the Media Lab, and Access/Community programs. After completing her internship, she was hired as a Contractual Museum Educator, and is currently teaching blind and visually impaired visitors in the Seeing Through Drawing class, and has led several gallery talks for general audiences in Adult programs, exploring cross-sensory methods for experiencing art. As a practicing artist, Gossiaux has shown her sculptures and paintings in several art galleries and institutions around the world, including Pippy Houldsworth Gallery in London, Storefront Lab in San Francisco, Cantor Fine Arts Gallery in Los Angeles, 5 Press Gallery in New Orleans, Recess Gallery in New York City, and the Smithsonian Institute of Art in Washington D.C. In 2013, Gossiaux won an award of excellence from the VSA IN/FINITE EARTH Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and in 2014, she graduated from the Cooper Union with an Elliot Lash Memorial Prize for excellence in sculpture.

The Triumphal Arch of Palmyra will be unveiled in City Hall Park, NYC on the afternoon of September 19th 2016. 

War on Heritage

Why do warring parties destroy culture and heritage? How can societies reclaim it? Join a discussion of the importance of protecting cultural heritage, and the challenges of preventing destruction in times of war. With David Pratt, British Museum archaeologist Jonathan Tubb, Roger Michel from the Institute for Digital Archaeology, Rim Turkami, and biographer of buildings James Crawford. 

Brendan Cormier, Christina Riggs and Alexy Karenowska discuss the role of digital fabrication technologies and archaeological practice in global heritage preservation.  They discuss the future of museums in our transnational and postcolonial world.

Brendan Cormier is a design curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He recently curated A World of Fragile Parts for the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, which explores the possibilities of new digital fabrication technologies to help in global heritage preservation. He is also concurrently lead curator of a new V&A Gallery in Shenzhen.

Christina Riggs is a Reader at the University of East Anglia, specializing in Egyptology. She has written about ancient Egyptian art, museum collecting, and the colonial history of archaeology. As a curator at the Manchester Museum, she was involved in the Alchemy contemporary art project, featuring Mark Dion’s ’The Bureau of the Centre for the Study of Surrealism and its Legacy’ (2005). Christina is working on a book about photography and the 1920s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Alexy Karenowska is the Director of Technology at The Institute for Digital Archaeology, an organization dedicated to finding innovative technology-driven options for the documentation and preservation of heritage material. Alexy’s work is particularly focused on the application of 3D printing and machining technologies to the restoration or replication of damaged or destroyed archaeological structures and artefacts.

Alexy Karenowska will deliver a public lecture as part of the Institute of Physics Summer Sessions Series in Hillsborough. 

More information can be found here: https://www.iopconferences.org/iop/frontend/reg/thome.csp?pageID=461951&eventID=894&eventID=894

The IDA will attend the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science Conference on Digitization of Cultural Heritage, hosted in collaboration with the EU Presidency in the Netherlands. 

In the Framework of the Netherlands’ Presidency of the EU, the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science organizes a conference on the challenges in connecting digital cultural heritage collections cross-domain a cross- border and to explore the (unpaved) roads towards finding and serving wider audiences. Venue of the conference will be the EU Presidency building in the historic city centre of Amsterdam.

The conference will bring together some 40 international speakers and 250 participants from the culture, the heritage and the digitization sectors as well as ‘users’ of digitized content such as schools, the tourism industry and the wider creative sector and representatives from the EU institutions and EU Member States.

More Information can be found here: https://b-com.mci-group.com/EventPortal/Information/EventInformation.aspx?EventInformationPageCode=WELCOME&EventCode=OCWEUCDCH

On June 18th, Mr. Roger Michel and Dr. Alexy Karenowska will present the annual Bathurst Society Lecture at Trinity College Oxford in collaboration with the Ashmolean Museum. The lecture will cover the work of the IDA in reconstruction and the importance of cultural heritage preservation in the world today.