The Red Dot takes its name from the small sticker that once marked slides in a physical archive, flagging them as worth a second look. We’re keeping that spirit alive here.
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.
The Red Dot © 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
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Wayne Thiebaud’s CA license plate helps raise money for California Arts Council
In 1993 the California Arts Council teamed up with state government officials for the first “specialty plate” in California: a sunset and palm tree motif, titled Coastline, designed by Pop artist Wayne Thiebaud. Now Governor Schwarzenegger is launching a Million Plates Campaign for the Arts to aggressively help the CAC raise at least $40 million… Read more
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Ghent Altarpiece undergoing new technical analysis
Today in the LA Times there’s an interesting article about the history of the Ghent Altarpiece, and the conservation team working on a detailed analysis of it. The work, paid for by a $230,000 grant from the Panel Paintings Initiative of the Getty Foundation, is being done in a high-security room in a side chapel… Read more
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Painting in Yale storage by Velazquez?
A painting was discovered in Yale University’s museum storage that may be by Velazquez. Former curator John Marciari has been arguing for the attribution and is supported by museum director Laurence Kanter. The Education of the Virgin is believed to have been painted for an altarpiece c. 1617. The painting was donated to the museum… Read more
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Obama given the Photoshop treatment by The Economist
The photo of President Obama on the cover of the June 19 Economist was altered in Photoshop to make him appear more “alone”, alleges the New York Times. The Economist photo editor argues the others in the photo were removed to keep the focus on Obama, and to not confuse the viewer. What do you… Read more
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Faking it at the National Gallery
One of the summer exhibitions at the National Gallery, London explores scientific examination of paintings and what it can reveal. Close Examination: Fakes, Mistakes and Discoveries showcases works from the museum’s permanent collection that have been scientifically examined and some discoveries meant re-attribution, refutation or reappraisal. The show runs until 12 September but, if you… Read more
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A helpful copyright chart from Cornell University
If you have ever wondered whether an image or text is copyrighted or in the public domain, this chart from Cornell University is a great reference (and it was updated in January, 2010). Copyright is never easy to figure out, but at least this has all the rules and exceptions in one place. Read more