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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World Columbian Exposition of 1893 – UCLA’s latest simulation project
The Urban Simulation Team at UCLA is working on some really interesting projects that recreate environments at levels from satellite imagery to the finest details, and even video tours. Their biggest project is Virtual LA, an attempt to recreate the entire Los Angeles area, which will have numerous uses for architects and urban planners. Other… Read more
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Additions to the VRC image database, part 3
A lot of new material was added to MDID over the summer and in preparation for Fall courses. Some of the new material includes: over 450 images of architecture (including plans and drawings), city plans and environmental installations from Asia, Europe and North America 100 images of early landscape photography 600 images of Chinese painting… Read more
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ARTstor and MOMA collaborate again
ARTstor and the Museum of Modern Art have collaborated to add over 1,400 works from the permanent collection. This addition enhances two other MOMA collections in ARTstor: the Exhibition Installation Photograph Collection from the MOMA archives (over 16,000 images), and the Architecture and Design Collection (nearly 7,000 images). Read more about these collections and the… Read more
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Your chance to own a Neutra, Lautner or Wright house
An article in yesterday’s LA Times reports that several houses by important architects are for sale or have recently sold in the Los Angeles area. The most noteworthy is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House, the location of several recent movie shoots, which is on the market for $15 million. If that’s out of your range,… Read more
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Upcoming workshops on Using Image Resources
Two one-hour overviews on using image resources available at UCSB are scheduled over the next week. They will include a demonstration of the VRC image database (MDID), ARTstor and the OIV, instructions on how to set up accounts, new material in both resources, and other tips. The sessions are intended for graduate students but are… Read more
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Rose Art Museum and Brandeis University, continued
In May, we mentioned on our blog that Brandeis University had closed the Rose Art Museum and was threatening to sell off its collection. Well, good news has prevailed: the Boston Globe reports this week that a Brandeis University committee report recommends the Rose remain open and “directs the university to better integrate the museum… Read more