The Webby Awards, which honor excellence on the web, were announced the other day, and with them comes a window on what the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences thinks of cultural websites — and what web denizens think, too, as each category has a People’s Choice award.
Specifically, arts institutions compete in three categories, though they might potentially squeeze into a couple of the other 100 categories, too. “Youth” maybe? This year, that award was won by National Geographic Kids, and I see no reason why a museum kids site couldn’t compete. “Best Visual Design — Aesthetic” and “Best Visual Design — Function” are also possibilities, though no cultural institutions made it to the finals this year, unless you count the National Geographic Society, again.
But more to the point:
In the “art” category, the Tate won with “The Unilever Series 2009: Miroslaw Balka, How It Is.” It is full of bells and whistles, and I understand its appeal to sophisticated members of the digerati. But I prefer the People’s Choice — MoMA popart. Be prepared to spend some time with each.
In the best Cultural Institution category, the winner was the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House Interior Restoration Project (left). I love this one; it’s fun to play with. The People’s Choice trophy went to the Smithsonian’s NMNH Ocean Portal. Surprisingly, to me, no visual arts entry — assuming there were some — figured in the finals.
The Best “cultural blog” was Mashable, and the People’s Choice here went to 1000 Awesome Things. Neither one is really a “cultural” blog using my narrower definition of the word, and for the purposes of Real Clear Arts.
Here’s a link to all the winners.
Photo Credits: Courtesy The Webby Awards, Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House Interior Restoration Project