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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Webinar: Getting the most from LOC.gov
The Library of Congress regularly offers webinars providing an interactive orientation to their vast online resources and services. For example, many records in their Prints and Photographs catalog include information on known publication restrictions and digital images that can be downloaded as large, high-resolution tiffs. The next offering of “Introducing loc.gov: Orientation and Research Strategies”… Read more
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Propose an exhibiton for UCSB Library
If you’ve ever come across items in UCSB’s Libraries that are visually arresting or would encourage engaging discussions, the UCSB Library Exhibitions Committee urges you to propose an exhibition. The Committee reviews submissions from UCSB students, faculty, employees, and affiliated organizations, especially proposals that support UCSB’s teaching and research mission or highlights the University’s curriculum, research,… Read more
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Kunstmuseum Bern lists Gurlitt hoarded art acquisition
Last week the Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland agreed to accept the Cornelius Gurlitt “Collection” of hoarded works of art that German police discovered in Gurlitt’s Munich apartment and house in Salzburg back in late winter 2012 (and made public only in November 2013). In the interest of transparency, the museum has now posted lists of works found… Read more
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MOCA announces 2015-2016 exhibition schedule
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles has posted their advanced schedule for 2015-2016 exhibitions at all three MOCA venues (MOCA Grand Avenue, The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, and MOCA Pacific Design Center), including: When Fashion Shows The Danger Then Fashion Is The Danger. Bernhard Willhelm and Jutta Kraus. 3000. (February 7 – May 17,… Read more
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Florence’s Pazzi Chapel seeks restoration funds via Kickstarter
Pazzi Chapel, a 15th-century landmark within Florence’s Santa Croce complex, is reaching out to potential donors around the world to help fund a much-needed restoration of the chapel’s loggia. The loggia, by Filippo Brunelleschi (but completed by Michelozzo and Guiliano da Maiano) and adorned with colorful tin-glaze terracottas by Luca della Robbia, is deteriorating due… Read more
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The Getty’s Online Scholarly Catalogue Initiative (OSCI)
The Getty Foundation partnered with leading art museums to launch the Online Scholarly Catalogue Initiative (OSCI) that offers online browsing of each museum’s chosen highlights and scholarly content. The goal of the initiative is to “create models for online catalogues that will dramatically increase access to museum collections; make available new, interdisciplinary, up-to-date research; and… Read more