Job Posting: Paintings Conservator, Paper Conservator & Registrar, Loans and Exhibitions (Hong Kong)

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority welcomes exceptional talent with a passion to realize the dream of making The West Kowloon Cultural District the prime international and local destination for arts, culture and entertainment.
We are currently recruiting the following positions to join M+.
M+, the new museum for visual culture in Hong Kong, is currently building a world class collection of Contemporary Art, Design, Architecture as well as Film, Video and New Media.
 
1. Conservator, Paintings (Ref:14031)
You will be responsible for:

  • monitoring the physical condition of the paintings in the collection;
  • planning and implementing preventive conservation measures for the collection;
  • dealing with practical work, treatments, examination, photographic and written documentation related to the physical condition of the collection for exhibition and storage needs;
  • advising the curatorial staff on conservation matters related to acquisitions; and
  • collaborating in the planning of the future Conservation Department of the museum.

You should:

  1. possess a recognized university degree in conservation with specialization in paintings conservation or equivalent;
  2. have at least 5 years of professional experience in treating, assessing and installing modern and contemporary paintings, preferably in a museum setting;
  3. have diverse knowledge in material preservation, preferably have familiarity and experience with cultural materials in South East Asia; and
  4. have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and preferable in Chinese.

 
2. Conservator, Paper (Ref:14032)
You will be responsible for:

  • monitoring the physical condition of works on paper in the collection;
  • planning and implementing preventive conservation measures for the collection;
  • dealing with practical work, treatments, examination, photographic and written documentation related to the physical condition of the collection for exhibition and storage needs;
  • advising the curatorial staff on conservation matters related to acquisitions; and
  • collaborating in the planning of the future Conservation Department of the museum.

You should:

  1. possess a recognized university degree in conservation with specialization in conservation of works of paper or equivalent;
  2. have at least 5 years of professional experience in paper conservation, preferably in a contemporary art museum setting;
  3. have diverse knowledge in material preservation and photographic conservation, preferably have familiarity and experience with cultural materials in South East Asia; and
  4. have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and preferable in Chinese.

 
3. Registrar, Loans and Exhibitions (Ref:13113R1)
You will be responsible for:

  • managing all loan requests (incoming and outgoing) for M+, ensuring all loans are carried out in accordance with the international museum standards and agreed lender requirements;
  • supporting the curatorial team on the implementation of M+ exhibition program, including assisting with travelling exhibitions management.
  • overseeing shipping and packing arrangements for the loans;
  • monitoring the exhibition insurance budget; and
  • overseeing documentation of loans and object locations and  ensuring that all records are accurate and up to date.

You should:

  1. possess a recognised university degree in Art History, Fine Art, Museum Studies or related disciplines or equivalent;
  2. have around 3-5 years of experience in exhibition registration and/or loans management in a museum or arts organization;
  3. have proven organizing and planning skills;
  4. have a high degree of computer literacy – experience of The Museum System (TMS) or equivalent collections management system is desirable;
  5. have the ability to work both independently and also cooperatively with others in a fast-paced team environment; and
  6. have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and preferable in Chinese.

 
For interested parties, please send your application letter on or before 26 September 2014 along with your CV outlining how you fulfill the role requirements, expected salary and your availability, quoting the reference number and name of the position to:
Ms Catherine Lee
West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
29/F,Tower 6,The Gateway,
9 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
 
or via respective email address:

  • Conservator, Paintings (Ref: 14031)
    hr.recruit-2@wkcda.hk
  • Conservator, Paper (Ref: 14032)
    hr.recruit-3@wkcda.hk
  • Registrar, Loans and Exhibition (Ref: 13113R1)
    hr.recruit-4@wkcda.hk

Data collected will only be used for job application processing.  Applicants not being invited for interview within 4 weeks from 26 September 2014 may assume their applications unsuccessful.
All related information will be kept up to 24 months and all personal data will be destroyed afterwards.
 
For more information
http://www.westkowloon.hk or contact
Ms Catherine Lee at 2200-0121
 

Job Posting: Beal Family Postgraduate Fellow in Conservation Science (HARVARD ART MUSEUMS, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies)

HARVARD ART MUSEUMS, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies
Beal Family Postgraduate Fellow in Conservation Science
 
The Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies is seeking a postdoctoral scientist for a 3-year research fellowship in the field of conservation science. Reporting to the senior conservation scientist, the fellow works with scientists, conservators, conservation fellows, curators, and academic art historians on research projects, utilizing a broad range of art and artists’ materials collections in the Harvard Art Museums and other institutions. Emphasis will be shared between traditional and modern/contemporary artists’ materials and techniques. Provides analytical services to the Harvard Art Museums’ conservators and curators in the study and preservation of the collections and documents findings. Organizes workshops and symposia to engage others in examining issues related to conservation science research. Assists with instrument maintenance and repair as necessary, and in training others to use the instruments.
 
Required Education, Experience, and Skills
Basic Qualifications
PhD in chemistry/physical science, combined with experimental research experience and an ability to conduct academic research required.
 
Additional Qualifications
The successful candidate will have a high level of scientific achievement and a serious interest in a career as a scientist in the museum field. Experience with microscopy of diverse types, image analysis, and advanced computational skills desirable. Strong oral and written communications skills required. Demonstrated interest in the visual arts, record of publication and/or presentation, and knowledge of one or more foreign languages preferred.
 
Additional Information
The Straus Center has a long history of multidisciplinary collaboration among scientists, curators, and art historians. The Harvard Art Museums house world-renowned art collections and important study collections of art and artists’ materials. The laboratories are equipped with polarized light and reflectance/UV fluorescence microscopes, and GC-MS, MALDI-TOF-MS, FT-IR, Raman, and XRF spectrometers. Beyond the resources of the center, Harvard University and other local universities and museums offer access to specialized analytical equipment and a large scientific community.
Please note this is a term position beginning September 1, 2015, ending August 31, 2018.
 
Application Instructions
A complete application includes a curriculum vitae and statement of interest, not to exceed one page, single-spaced, summarizing the applicant’s interests and intent in the fellowship.
 
Please apply online: http://hr.harvard.edu/search-jobs.
Search by School/Unit: Harvard Art Museums.
 
Application deadline: January 2, 2015
Interview notification: January 26–29, 2015
Interviews held: February 24–March 6, 2015
 
Inquiries may be directed to: am_straus@harvard.edu.
 
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Posting: Fellowships in Conservation, 2015–2016 (HARVARD ART MUSEUMS, STRAUS CENTER FOR CONSERVATION AND TECHNICAL STUDIES)

HARVARD ART MUSEUMS, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies
Fellowships in Conservation, 2015–2016
 
The Conservation Fellowship Program at the Harvard Art Museums is designed to broaden the experience of conservators embarking on professional careers in museum conservation. A ten-month fellowship will be offered in each of the following areas: objects, paintings, and paper conservation beginning September 1, 2015.
 
Duties and Responsibilities

  • The main focus for the fellow will be examination and treatment of works of art from the Harvard Art Museums’ collections. A technical research project focusing on a work(s) of art from the Harvard Art Museums’ collections will comprise approximately 15% of the fellowship.
  • The fellow carries out a broad range of activities, including treating works of art in the collections; preparing accompanying written and photographic documentation, estimates, correspondence, and condition reports for exhibitions, loans, and acquisitions; and presenting research and other projects.
  • Serving the museums’ teaching and research mission, the fellow helps provide content expertise and support for the Harvard Art Museums’ public and academic interpretive programs.

 
Required Education, Experience, and Skills
Basic Qualifications
MA, MS, or Certificate in Conservation from a recognized university program; a proven record of treatment and research; and proficiency in both written and spoken English.
 
Additional Qualifications

  • Demonstrated record of treatment and research.
  • Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills; ability to work independently as well as collegially.
  • Familiarity with state-of-the-art imaging tools used for conservation documentation, including digital photography, x-radiography, and infrared reflectography (IRR).
  • Proficiency with computer software, including image editing and management software and Adobe Photoshop.

 
Application Instructions
A complete application includes a curriculum vitae; a statement, not to exceed one page, single-spaced, summarizing the applicant’s interests and intent in the fellowship and their chosen specialization; transcripts of both undergraduate and graduate courses of academic study, with an explanation of the evaluation system if it is not equivalent to that of the United States; and three letters of recommendation. All application materials must be in English.
 
Please apply online: http://hr.harvard.edu/search-jobs.
Search by School/Unit: Harvard Art Museums.
 

  1. Please upload curriculum vitae, statement of interest, and transcripts.

 

  1. Please ask references to send letters of recommendation to: am_straus@harvard.edu. Letters of reference will be verified.

 

  1. Deadline for receipt of application materials and supporting documents is January 2, 2015. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

 
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

From Italy to Antarctica: Archaeological Conservation on the Web

View of Tumulus MM at Gordion, Turkey
It’s summer (at least for a few more weeks) and for many of us, that means travel.  Some conservators take travel one step further and fly around the world to do archaeological conservation at active excavations.  Luckily for us back at home, many of them are blogging about their experiences.  Here’s a roundup of several archaeological conservation blogs.
The Mugello Valley Archaeological Project/Poggio Colla has a long tradition of blog posts, going back to the late 90s – before they were even called “blogs.”  Recent posts from conservator Allison Lewis can be found here.  I love the use of RTI on incised bucchero sherds, as described by Poggio Colla intern and current UCLA grad student Heather White.   Earlier posts from Poggio Colla can be found in the MVAP archives.
Turkey seems to be the center of archaeological conservation blogs – it must be all the strong coffee and tea!  The conservators and interns at Gordion, where I was lucky enough to work one summer, blog about their time working at the ancient Phrygian capital here.  This post really captures the feel of village life in central Anatolia.  A great conservation-related post is this one about the on-going conservation of two Roman altars rescued from a nearby river.
Nearby in Turkey, the conservators at Kaman Kalehoyuk blog about their experiences at the Bronze Age and Iron Age site.  This post makes nice use of a digital microscope in examining and sharing pictures of artifacts.  Rounding out blogs about the Mediterranean world, the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology Dig Diaries are no longer being updated, but the archived posts still make for interesting reading.
The prize for the blog from the most exotic location, although certainly not the warmest, goes to the tough conservators of the Ross Sea Heritage Restoration Project in Antarctica, run by the Antarctica Heritage Trust.  They are doing some amazing work, like the conservation of these newspaper fragments under challenging conditions.
Close to home and happily active again after a temporary closure because of funding, the conservators at U.S.S. Monitor Center are blogging about their work conserving the massive remains of the Civil War ironclad.  This post gives one an appreciation for the complexity of working on such a large object.
That’s it for now.  Stay tuned for a future post about museum blogs focused on archaeological conservation.  If I missed a blog, feel free to let me know in the comments or via MemberFuse.  And I’d love to see more blogs started, especially about archaeological conservation in other parts of the world such as Asia or South America.
This post was developed by the AIC’s Archaeological Discussion Group (ADG).  For more information about ADG, please visit ADG’s Facebook page.