Catherine Hale, Curator of African and Non-Western Art at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, joined the studio for a demonstration of UIMA’s ongoing GIS mapping project and a discussion about the benefits of incorporating this technology into museum operations.
Hale stressed the ability of the map to simultaneously display descriptive, geographic, and catalog data for a work of art. As an example, Hale demonstrated the layers of information available for an Ibo maiden spirit mask. “The metadata art this piece leads users to period maps, shows historical context for the work,” she said, explaining how artwork is indicative of cultural histories and values. Hale believes art is inherently interdisciplinary, so researchers should evaluate artwork from as many perspectives as possible.