On the temporary and the disposable in Contemporary Art

Ever since grad school, I have come across discussion over people having trouble preserving art from the Modern and Contemporary eras.  Mainly because the materials people use come from delicate sources.  We have gone from Old Masters using durable canvas to easily disposable readymade sculptures.

Do you think it’s because of the widespread use of recording technology, artists now have the freedom to dispose of their works as they see fit?  From Marina Abramovic’s performance art to One Minute Sculptures, people can capture these works’ motion and make it permanent.  As long as someone does not delete it.  While people have devoted articles to the hollow look of reproductive technology (hello Walter Benjamin!), recording equipment still captures the art (or a fragment at least) even after someone destroys it.

Anyone else consider this?  I can’t be the only one to notice this.

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