MIRL (Material / Image Research Lab)

The Red Dot

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 

  • Recent additions to the VRC image database

    Here are some recent image orders that have been added to the VRC image database – we will be posting periodic updates of new content: Russian posters and painting, 1920-2000 (Stalinism, propaganda, realism, recent conceptual art, etc.)  (90 images) Selections from “WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution” (catalogue) (110 images) The architecture of Frank Lloyd… Read more

  • Santa Barbara fire photo

    Here’s a photo of the Jesusita fire, taken at 8pm last night (May 6), which shows the numerous fires and hotspots.  It was taken on the hill near Las Positas and State (near the golf course) by our own Mike Rambour. Read more

  • Digital Preservation and Nuclear Disaster

    In case you have any questions about the benefits of metadata and proper digital preservation, watch this short YouTube video (Brought to you by your friendly digital preservationists at the VRC) Read more

  • News Flash: Gauguin cut off Van Gogh’s ear

    You heard it here first – Paul Gauguin cut off Van Gogh’s ear with a sword during an argument but they kept a “pact of silence”. via The Daily Telegraph Read more

  • More on copyright

    The Copyright Clearance Center has loads of information to help with copyright questions, including this 6-minute video that breaks down the basics. The Copyright Alliance is another organization with a very helpful website, including a section specifically for Educators. Read more

  • Is it copyrighted?

    Ever wonder if that manuscript, book, image, etc. is protected under U.S. copyright laws? The American Library Association has come up with a fantastic tool to help answer that question: http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/. It lets users scroll through numerous copyright terms for works published or created during different time periods and under various conditions. Read more