Two artists- Jan Nelles and Nora Al-Badri covertly scanned the rare artifact of a bust of Nefertiti (currently in show in Berlin) using a hacked xbox kinect and released the 3D scan for free online. They also posted a video of them pulling off the 'heist'.This has sparked an argument between two museums but also a large discussion over the ethics of sharing and reproducing artifacts. But now another controversy has struck the Nefertiti: hack; many experts have confirmed that the quality of the Nefertiti 3D scan is far beyond the quality that a kinect can achieve meaning that the artists must have stolen the 3D file from the museum that owns the bust who had hi quality scans made of some of their collection (but not available publicly). Hacking and stealing is far more illegal!
So.. in an age that many museums and art galleries have full digital archives that are publicly available online and we have websites like the internet archive- should museums and art galleries be allowed to with hold digital images of pieces?
Here is an argument for the sharing of this data from 3D artist, Cozmo Wenman:
Link to Hyperallergic article which seemed to kick off the public attention:
http://hyperallergic.com/274635/artists-covertly-scan-bust-of-nefertiti-and-release-the-data-for-free-online/
Artists have already produced all sorts of things from the 3D file and many people have 3D printed their own busts.
I will look for a few examples of art that's been made... but first I need to go to sleep!
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