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The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin unveiled a new endeavor titled Project REVEAL, at the end of June. The project allows users around the world to view over 22,000 images from the museum and research library’s collection. The images encompass original manuscripts, handwritten notes, drafts and sketches by noteworthy English and American literary contributors including Joseph Conrad, Henry David Thoreau and Oscar Wilde.
Stemming from more open access policies recently adopted by the Harry Ransom Center, the project marks an interesting departure from the frequently restricted nature of high academic research materials. In an article published June 29th, 2015 on the Harry Ransom Center website, affiliates of the collection stated that the common access is intended to promote research and “creative re-use” of the items.
With copyright issues the subject of continuous debate in the art world, it will be interesting to see if this “creative re-use” will result in examples of appropriation art, and whether that will encourage other archival collections to adopt similar rules. Appropriation art experienced a recent spike in attention when high-profile British artist Richard Prince was embroiled in a controversy following his use of Instagram photos originally posted by the Suicide Girls. In an interesting turn, the victims of the plagiaristic art practice retaliated not by suing, but by selling their virtually identical “artworks” at a fraction of the price of Prince’s works.
Perhaps Project REVEAL’s aim is reflected in the actions of the Instagram posters. By opening access to all users, collections waive their right to police how the collections are used – and yet, depending on who you ask, this could create a growing space for conversation on the ownership and authorship of art.
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