GLAM & The Lost-Wax Casting Process

Significant portions of the data and images belong to the public “for the benefit of all the people, forever” in line with the CMA’s mission to  create transformative experiences through art.

Cleveland Museum of Art

Times are changing! We now live in a world that offers seemingly unlimited access to what was previously only available to the select view.  On January 23, 2019, Cleveland Museum of Art threw open its doors to Open Access, removing all restrictions from use.

Join me as I explore the Lost-Wax Casting process with Susan Bergh, Curator of Pre-Columbian and Native North American Art, CMA.

Figure with Deer Antlers Pendant

“This emphatically male figure combines a human body with a composite animal head. The antlers are the stag’s; the snout, perhaps a snarling feline’s; and the hair is formed of braided serpents whose heads hiss from the figure’s shoulders. The extended tongue may convey aggression or perhaps death because dying animals are depicted with lolling tongues. Either condition is in keeping with the creature’s ferocity.” The Cleveland Museum of Art

What is Open GLAM?

According to Douglas McCarthy, in his February 2021 CODART article, “Almost 1000 cultural heritage institutions around the world¹ have published some or all of their online collections for free reuse, modification and sharing. They are part of the ‘Open GLAM’ (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) movement that views liberal access² and reuse (where culturally appropriate³) of digital collections as fundamental to education, research and public engagement.“

GLAM signifies Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums. The words “Open GLAM” refers to endeavours made by GLAM institutions to provide high-resolution downloadable images free of charge to maximize the ability of the user to interact with, share, and reuse the image. Over the past two years, galleries, libraries, archives and museums have moved their collections and exhibitions online to reach a global community. Open access is the gift of knowledge.

Everyone should be able to access and reuse cultural heritage in the public domain.

OPENGLAM