Introduction
As I explored open access artwork and object collections, I wanted to see how repositories were cataloging mixed media materials. I discovered a gap in searchability, particularly concerning mixed media artworks and objects. Traditional search methods often fall short when it comes to effectively retrieving information about these multiple medium creations. Blending various mediums and forms, mixed media materials present a unique challenge for categorization and tagging within repositories. Driven by the passion for improving accessibility to cultural artifacts and creative expressions, my mission is to enhance the searchability of mixed media artworks and objects in open access repositories.
My approach was to focus on two parts: research and visualization. This was done through examining 10 open access repositories and the search functionality for mixed media materials. I selected a range of mixed media objects and analyzed their discoverability within each repository. The goal is to promote awareness and collaboration amongst repository curators and researchers in the realm of mixed media searchability. There were some instances where there were no results when searching for mixed media in the collections, in which I chose an object that contained multiple mediums and cataloged it myself. This is clarified through the use of a controlled vocabulary in which I noted if the object was searchable using “mixed media.”
This project also revealed the differing states of open access repositories, primary museum collection focused, and how work can be done to standardize appearances and navigability across different open access platforms. Mixed media as a term is mostly applied in relation to colleges, found object works, and assemblages. However, for more general searching, I believe the term can be applied to works containing more than one medium and also stretching the boundary for mediums blending together to create new forms. Materials are important for the documentation and conservation of objects and providing distinctions to the materials present in the artwork under the umbrella of “mixed media '' can allow for detailed exploration into the object. Within a taxonomy mixed media can be set above medium and then finally can have materials underneath.