Named after the small red sticker that once guided scholars through legacy 35mm slides, The Red Dot is here to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of visual and material research. While rooted in the University of California, Santa Barbara community, our posts are open to all.
At MIRL, we engage with art history, digital humanities, and material culture through hands-on research and archival projects. Guided by our core principles—critical engagement with visual and material culture, ethical stewardship of images and data, and innovative approaches to research and pedagogy—we work at the intersection of technology and the humanities. We are especially interested in how digital tools can expand the study of images, objects, and spaces.
Here, we’ll share insights on Digital Art History and Architectural History, highlight new image and data resources, discuss copyright and ethical considerations, and spotlight events that shape our field.
The Red Dot © 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
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Middle Eastern image resources on ARTstor
One of the ways ARTstor helps users find material relevant to their teaching or research is through their subject guides. They have just published an excellent user guide on finding materials relevant to Middle East studies, covering the whole geographic/social/cultural region. In addition to objects from museums and archives, the rich holdings include contemporary and… Read more
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Assumptions about Fair Use
Inside Higher Ed has an interesting article today, called “Myths about Fair Use“. It does a great job of breaking down the myths in an easy-to-understand way. Read more
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Neutra’s Kronish House to be demolished?
Rumor has it that Richard Neutra’s Kronish House in Beverly Hills may be headed for demolition very soon. It is unclear whether a permit has been filed yet to raze the 6,891 square foot house off of Sunset Boulevard that was built in 1955 for real estate developer Herbert Kronish. However, the house is currently for sale… Read more
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Ghent Altarpiece IRR images now available online
A first look at the IRR (infrared reflectography) analysis of the Ghent Altarpiece is now available. The entire altarpiece has been photographed using the IRR technique as a way to study its underdrawings and to determine its different phases and contributors. It was initiated as part of an urgent conservation treatment in 2010. Twenty of… Read more
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Getty encourages Google Goggles searching
The Getty Museum has partnered with Google to encourage museum visitors to use the smartphone app Google Goggles™ in the galleries. The Getty created mobile versions of some of their collection Web pages, some including audio, which Google then incorporated in their visual search technology. For a sample page, click here. The app also allows… Read more
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Cy Twombly dies at 83
American artist Cy Twombly, a long-standing figure in modern art, has died in Rome at age 83 after a battle with cancer. Twombly is known for creating paintings that combined elements of drawing and writing with gestural abstraction. via LA Times Read more