Biography

My main interests lie in technical art history – a branch within art history that focuses more on the material and scientific aspects of artworks - and the crossroads between modern technology and art. I am focusing on the moral and ethical discussions that arise with the introduction of new technologies within the art world. Furthermore, I am interested in exploring the possibilities technology has to offer for both art conservation and art presentation.   Indistinguishable likeness is an in-depth inquiry into the impact of 3D printing in our contemporary digitized society and the importance of this technology for art historical research and the conservation & presentation of artworks. The ever-growing divide between authenticity and reproduction has been a topic of discussion since Walter Benjamin argued (1936) that reproduction strips artworks from their artistic relevance and connections to the past. Although nowadays art reproductions are omnipresent (e.g. on mobile devices and posters) 3D printing offers possibilities hitherto unperceived: artworks can be printed preserving every visual and material detail. Undeniably, 3D printing technology will continue to develop, yet the impact of this technology on how we view authentic artworks and the societal role of museums remains unresearched. This study critically analyzes contemporary ethics in the art world to understand, on the one hand, the way 3D printing challenges the notions of authenticity and copy, and on the other, to grasp the significance of this innovative technology for the appreciation of original artworks. Drawing from the disciplines of (technical) art history, 3D technology and conservation studies, a theoretic framework for a profound study of 3D printing is established. Based on this framework, paintings of Dutch museum collections that are (entirely or partly) 3D printed function as case studies to show the impact and significance of 3D printing for contemporary art theory and practice. Subsequently, this research proposes ways in which 3D printing can attribute to maintaining both museums’ critical function and artworks’ social and material integrity. 

Biography

I am Liselore Tissen and I am an external PhD candidate at Leiden University (supervised by prof.dr. C.J.M. Zijlmans) as well as Delft University of Technology (supervised by prof.dr.J. Dik). I hold an MA in Arts & Culture and during this program I specialized in conservation & restoration theory and ethics. My main interests lie in technical art history – a branch within art history that focuses more on the material and scientific aspects of artworks - and the crossroads between modern technology and art. I am interested in exploring the possibilities technology has to offer for both art conservation as well as art presentation.

Consequently, my PhD research focuses on the applicability of 3D printing and 3D reproduction for the conservation of paintings. From a humanities perspective I will analyze the importance of 3D printing in the art world. This way this research will address the moral and ethical discussions that arise from the introduction of modern technology in the art world. By working closely with various museums throughout the Netherlands my goal is to provide both theoretical and practical ways in which we can use this reproduction technology in the advantage of both the material qualities of paintings as well as their importance as artifacts of human history without harming the authenticity of the original artwork the reproduction is derived from. To be able to execute this research and come to conclusions I will thankfully use the expertise of Art and Archeology section of the Materials Science and Engineering department of the 3mE faculty together with the 3D printing technologies provided by the Industrial Design department.

Expertise

3D printing,  Ethics,   Technical art history,   Conservation,   Museum experience

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