This talk was something I was super excited about since I am an emerging conservator myself. Having this type of platform for students and professionals in the field of conservation is something that will strengthen the communication about sustainability within the conservation world. Caitlin Southwick was such an animated speaker and really brought what she wanted to discuss to life. Southwick is a MA Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage student at the University of Amsterdam specializing in glass, ceramics, and stone. Through her many achievements and degrees in her art conservation education, it has spread to the conservation of the world around her. There are resources for large scale initiatives, but how as a student can she make her practice more sustainable?
The Sustainability in Conservation: Student Ambassador Program (SiC), formerly known as the Students for Sustainability in Conservation (SSiC), will help conservators, conservation treatments and labs become more ecofriendly on a smaller scale. One way Southwick has started this ecofriendly wave is with the recycling of nitrile gloves. The RightCycle Program is on a trial run at the University of Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. This program is a propriety program from Kimberly-Clark Professional, which offers a range of high quality gloves under the KIMTECH brand that meet conservator’s needs. Nitrile gloves cannot be recycled the same way as other plastics due to their chemical makeup. Once nitrile glove recycling bin is full, the bin is picked up through the RightCycle program. The gloves are then broken down to a powder using cryogenic processes that make new ecofriendly products such as patio furniture.
Sustainability in Conservation has a wonderful website and can be found on Facebook as well as Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This is where the conservation community can ask questions about how they can make their practices and labs more environmentally conscious. There are SiC researchers ready to help find the answers you are looking for when you do not have the time to research in depth. Southwick and her team want to help bring these findings to you. As Southwick stated during her presentation, these are the steps “to address the issue of sustainability in a comprehensive and clear way.”
In her bio, she explains how she “hopes to continue conservation and make saving the cultural heritage also about saving the planet.” I definitely know she will be a strong voice in the conservation world about conservation practices as well as how to practice saving the environment through programs like RightCycle. Her discussion at AIC was an eye-opener as to what we as conservators can do to conserve more than just what’s on our benches, but also the environment around us. These small steps she has introduced have and will create a huge impact. Thank you for sharing your love for the world, Caitlin!
This discussion was an area that I had not researched myself, and I was interested to see what types of pest treatments were being practiced. Five professional conservators shared their different techniques when carrying out an anoxic treatment. After the discussion of the different techniques, a comparison was compiled together about the different treatments.
Rachael Perkins Arenstein from A.M. Art Conservation, LLC discussed this type of treatment being used on-site or at home. This type of anoxic treatment uses oxygen scavengers in a completely enclosed chamber to modify the atmosphere to almost entirely of nitrogen. Keeping the oxygen levels below 0.5% for an extended amount of time will eliminate the insects within the enclosure. The object being treated was placed within the barrier film and vacuumed sealed with the oxygen scavenger packets inside. A monitor to read the oxygen levels as well as the RH/temperature was placed inside the chamber. A small window can be cut to allow the viewing of the monitors. Examples of the type of barrier film used were MarvelSeal 360 or MarvelSeal 470, and for the oxygen scavenger packets, Ageless® Z1000 were used for the treatment discussed. The amount of time to keep the object within the chamber depends on the insect, and the amount of oxygen scavenger packets depends on the size of the chamber. Another system called AnoxiBug® also deals with enclosing the object with scavenger packs within a vacuumed sealed chamber. These ready-made chambers are offered in different sizes depending on the type of the object being treated. This chamber should also have an oxygen monitor inside and a window to view during treatment.
William Donnelly from the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library explained the modified atmosphere CO2 treatment within their collection. This type of treatment was carried out in a fixed location where the object was brought to the chamber. The CO2 canisters were attached to the framed enclosure by a hose hookup, as well as an oxygen sensor, gas monitor, vacuum pump, internal data logger, and a computer system to collect the data during the procedure. The CO2 concentration was maintained above 60% and completed on a 21-day cycle. The RH does dip with the introduction of CO2 in the atmosphere inside the chamber. This treatment is carried out on all the textiles coming into the collection.
Julie Wolfe from the Getty Conservation Institute at the J. Paul Getty Museum discussed the nitrogen treatment used on a variety of objects within the collection. This treatment can also be carried out on a variety of scales. The one discussed was on the larger side and took time to construct and prep before the actual treatment with nitrogen started. Instead of taking the object to the chamber, the chamber was built around the object with a Rentokil 6 m3 PVC reusable bubble. A skeletal structure from PVC tubes were constructed around the object so the chamber would not collapse on top of the object during the nitrogen treatment. A Liquid Nitrogen Dewar was used to hookup to the chamber as well as an oxygen monitor, and their home-made “bubbler”. The home-made “bubbler” was constructed to adjust the flow of humidification. To create the “bubbler”, it took about one week to build which included ordering the equipment. The construction of the chamber took about 2 days to build, and the time to flush the atmosphere to the correct percentage took between 2-5 hours.
Bret Headley from Headley Conservation Service, LLC discussed his anoxic treatment using a nitrogen-based system. The object he was treating could not fit into a freezer, so an alternative treatment was constructed. Headley highly recommends the Inert Gases in the Control of Museum Insect Pests by Charles Selwitz and Shin Maekawa (Getty Conservation Institute, 1998) when researching treatments such as the ones discussed during this panel. This treatment was also built around the object using barrier film along with the appropriate hookups for the gases and monitors.
Eric Breitung from the Metropolitan Museum of Art discussed an anoxic treatment using argon and oxygen. The setup also used MarvelSeal 360 for the chamber around the object with a hose hookup to the chamber which included the argon tank with a flow meter, water bubbler as well as an oxygen monitor. The MarvelSeal 360 was heat sealed for the treatment, and this mechanism took about 1-2 hours to setup which does differ with the size of the object. When flushing out the system it took about 1.5-4 hours for a smaller object and 4-20 hours for larger objects. The amount of time to leave the objects in the chamber was about 4 weeks which was based on kill times from the Getty Conservation Institute publications.
What I found most interesting in these types of pest control treatments, is it offered other options instead of using freezing or thermal techniques. The conservators in the panel were able to share and discuss their findings and the supplies they have found most effective. After all the presentations, the conservators were asked two survey questions about their treatments (Tables 1-3). I look forward to hearing and seeing more anoxic treatments and techniques. Thank you to everyone involved with this discussion!
*** APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS PAST – PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION ***
DURHAM UNIVERSITY
The interdisciplinary Department of Archaeology is ranked first in the Guardian University Guide 2018 and is listed as one of the top four archaeology departments in the world in the 2017 QS World University Rankings list. You will therefore bring your expertise of Archaeological Conservation to the department, offering detailed insight into ancient and historical materials and artefacts, and the way in which they are decaying or have been conserved. Taking the lead in “MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects” (which you will ensure remains a professionally recognized conservation qualification), you will also teach various undergraduate and postgraduate modules, reinvigorate our Artefacts Research Group and publish your research with a particular emphasis on conservation.
You’ll need:
To be a qualified conservator with professional accreditation (FIIC, ACR or equivalent) and practitioner experience.
An excellent track record in internationally recognised research outputs, with particular prominence in the fields of archaeological and historic materials and artefacts.
Experience of teaching the practice of conservation, including conservation ethics and preventive conservation.
Good leadership and communication skills.
A clear research plan covering the next three to five years with knowledge of generating income for research projects.
To have a teaching qualification or be willing to attain fellowship of the UK Higher Education Academy.
If you also have a PhD in archaeological/object conservation or a related field, and are able to supervise PhD students, that would be ideal.
This blog post series will look at United States citizens who trained abroad and are currently practicing conservation in the US. The goal of these interviews is twofold: to provide pre-program students with a starting point for understanding international training through a range of student perspectives and to bring awareness of overseas conservation training programs to conservators practicing in the United States. It is the hope that the discussion of international training will answer questions and start an open dialog of the challenges and benefits of training abroad.
This blog series takes the form of interviews with established and emerging conservators who have trained abroad. Each interviewee offers their personal and professional perspective. So, while themes are apparent throughout these interviews, no single interview can summarize all the challenges and rewards of international training.
These interviews do not reflect the opinions of AIC or the training programs being discussed. The series has been created to reflect a range of experiences, and the personal accounts will not reflect the views of all students from any specific program.
What is Your Name, Specialty and Current position?
Noah Smutz, Books and Library Materials, Book Conservator at Smithsonian Libraries
Why did you pick your specialty?
As I became interested in conservation, the functional aspect of books greatly appealed to me. I view books as organic machines and enjoy the problem solving involved in making them function as books again. The variety and ingenuity found in historical bookbindings are also a large draw for me. I enjoy studying the different ways that have been developed to bind a book.
Noah fixing a volvelle, checking that it works correctly (Image courtesy West Dean College)
Can you describe your training pathway?
I began my training pathway my junior year of undergrad. I had come to the decision that I no longer wanted to pursue a career in Archaeology and began exploring a career in conservation. I got a job in the Stannard Conservation Lab at the University of Kansas as a student worker treating general collections materials under the supervision of Whitney Baker and Roberta Woodrick. Within a month, I knew that I wanted to become a book conservator.
My supervisors’ willingness to help and their advice proved invaluable. They directed me to begin taking chemistry courses, to explore what options there were for book conservation in graduate school, and to keep an eye out for internship opportunities. These discussions took place in the fall of 2011, after the University of Texas program had shut its doors, but before Buffalo, Delaware, and NYU had provided publicly available information about how these programs were going to add book conservation education. Even had this information been available, I would not have given the American programs much consideration. All three programs have significant requirements around studio art. I did not come from an artistic background nor did I think for my desired specialty that investing the time in studio art courses (and further delaying graduate school) would be a good return on investment.
Very early in my graduate school explorations, I began looking abroad for English-speaking graduate schools because I did not want to try and do a graduate degree in a non-native language. I quickly found Camberwell’s and West Dean College’s programs. West Dean immediately appealed to me. A school in a converted manor house, set on an idyllic estate of 6,400 acres, and a program started by the late Christopher Clarkson equipped with equipment from Roger Powell and Peter Waters’ workshop (though I didn’t learn that fact until much later). I don’t think I am overstating to say that these three men were all extremely influential on the development of book conservation as a field in the United Kingdom and the United States. I found the idea of going to a program, even only tangentially linked to these men, extremely appealing.
West Dean was the only program that I applied to in the fall of 2011. West Dean does offer the option of a Skype interview, but I felt if I were going to invest two years in graduate school I wanted to see the place before going. When I visited in early 2012 for an interview, I knew West Dean was the correct fit for me. Their emphasis on developing hand skills, studying and recreating historical bindings, and a 6-week work placement in the second year cemented my belief it was the correct school for me. I was offered a spot beginning fall of 2013 as they had already filled the class beginning that fall. I had hoped to go straight from undergrad to graduate school. However, this was a blessing in disguise as it allowed me a year to save money for school and gain more experience.
In the summer of 2013 I interviewed for multiple internships and was awarded a paid internship at the Smithsonian Archives under the supervision of Nora Lockshin. This was my first experience working with special collections materials and proved to be a great launching pad as I entered West Dean.
While at West Dean, I had the opportunity to work with many visiting conservators and to spend six weeks as an intern at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Once I completed my masters degree, I did not find full time employment immediately. I moved back to the United States and lived with my parents in St. Louis while doing private work and applying for jobs. During this time I worked on many family bibles, as well as projects for the St. Louis Art Museum, Nelson Atkins Art Museum, and the Missouri State Archives. My job search began while I was still a student at West Dean and spanned 22 months, 40 positions applied for, and 3 second places before getting my current position at Smithsonian Libraries. I believe part of the reason this search took so long is because my professional network was UK-based. During my first year back in the States I worked diligently to expand my network of American conservators attending conferences and workshops, getting to know the conservators in my local area, and joining organizations I was not yet a part of (the Guild of Bookworkers and the Midwest Conservation Guild). In addition I sent cold-call style emails to as many book and paper conservators as I could get email addresses for. These emails did not lead to a position but I received a surprisingly high percentage of responses (above 90%). The replies tended to include encouragement to keep looking and to not get discouraged. I believe building a network is important because knowing someone, or knowing someone they know can be the difference in getting or not getting a position.
Noah toning a Japanese paper hinge repair on the book (Image courtesy West Dean College)
What were the advantages of your program of choice:
West Dean’s greatest advantage is its emphasis on developing hand skills and teaching conservation science in an extremely practical way. Week one in the Books program involved making a paring knife out of a hacksaw blade, in order to understand the materiality of our tools as well as to learn how to sharpen knives (an invaluable skill for a book conservator), and documentation and treatment of a clothbound book. From this starting point, more and more treatments were added to our slate as well as scientific research papers and bookbinding projects. This resulted in spending 30-40 hours a week for 72 weeks spread over two years treating objects and learning bookbinding (research and writing accounting for another 10-20 hours a week). I went from being able to confidently work on certain types of general collections repairs to confidently working on anything found in a special collections library. This is a result of the high emphasis on hand skills at West Dean.
The weekly three-hour chemistry, biology, and physics lectures at West Dean were specifically tailored to provide the knowledge students need to become successful conservators. In addition to these lectures, every lesson was reinforced in the workshop. We would go directly from a science lecture about the chemical makeup of collagen and how it degrades to looking at samples of leather at different levels of degradation. Personally, I know of no better way to learn and remember scientific concepts, learning the abstract scientific concept and immediately seeing how it manifests in objects.
The program at West Dean is also loosely structured, which allows for the exploration of personal interests. For example, I have a scholarly interest in bookbinding structures dating roughly from 500-1500 AD. I was able to do research projects learning about these bindings, while my classmates researched other things of interest to them, all as part of the program. This flexibility is a real asset of West Dean’s program structure and dovetails nicely with the flexibility required in the field of conservation to successfully treat objects.
What were the disadvantages of your program of choice?
Going abroad to graduate school does not come with the same financial advantages as going to an American program does. The cost can range from $30,000 to $60,000 and will vary dramatically and constantly due to the exchange rate. I was able to make this cost work through a combination of generosity on the part of my family as well as bursaries (scholarships) from West Dean that in the end accounted for approximately 40% of my tuition costs.
West Dean draws its strength from being deeply rooted in the handcrafts that created the objects we conserve. This is a wonderful thing. But just as technology has uprooted much of society within the last 30 years, it has had profound effects on conservation workflows as well. And it should not come as a surprise that a place so rooted in handcraft has been (in some but not all ways) slow to adapt to these changes.
A disadvantage of West Dean is (through no fault of its own) that it is not as well known in the United States. Conservators generally know what they’re getting from a Texas, Buffalo, Delaware, NYU, or North Bennet Street graduate. But they are not as certain when dealing with West Dean because usually they are not as familiar with how the program works. I have run into this at many professional conferences as well as in many job interviews. I have developed a 5-minute informational lecture to help introduce West Dean to people (if you see me at a conference I’ll gladly share it with you!). At times, I have had to deal with the opinion that the training at West Dean is lesser than what is offered in the United States. I do my best to show that this is incorrect. The education offered at West Dean is not better or worse than those offered elsewhere, it is different, but different does not mean lesser.
Noah using a Peachey board slotting machine (Image courtesy West Dean College)
What advice do you have for pre-programmers considering a similar path?
Speak to graduates! We all know the struggles of the pre-program phase and facing life-altering decisions related to our education. We are happy to answer questions and provide advice! If you’re a pre-programmer reading this feel free to contact me with any questions you have!
Regardless of what program you look to attend, if you plan to work in the field in a different country from the program make sure you are building your network of colleagues in the country you want to work in. These networks are invaluable professionally in a field as specialized as ours and can lead to wonderful friendships within the profession.
If you are faced with the attitude within the field that programs abroad are lesser than the American programs, remember that all the countries those programs are based in have incredible museums and works of art. The majority of the conservators working on those objects are trained in their home countries. If that training is good enough there, it is good enough for the States. During my job search, I constantly reminded myself of this fact. Going abroad is not an easier path than the American programs or a lesser path than the American programs it is only different, no better, no worse.
Noah is a book conservator at Smithsonian Libraries and can be contacted at: ndsmutz@gmail.com
To promote awareness and a clearer understanding of different pathways into specializations that require particular training, the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) is conducting a series of interviews with conservation professionals in these specialties. We kicked off the series with Chinese and Japanese painting conservation, and now we are focusing on practitioners in AIC’s Electronic Media Group (EMG). These conservators work with time-based media, which can include moving components, performance, light or sound elements, film and video, analog or born-digital materials. We’ve asked our interviewees to share some thoughts about their career paths, which we hope will inspire new conservation professionals and provide valuable insight into these areas of our professional field.
In our first interview from the EMG series, we spoke with Nick Kaplan, a graduate fellow in the Winterthur/University of Delaware class of 2019. Nick is pursuing a major in objects conservation and has a special interest in electronic media conservation.
ECPN: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Nicholas Kaplan (NK): I have just begun my second year as a graduate student in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation where I am pursuing a major in objects conservation and a minor in preventive conservation. In 2009, I received my BFA with a concentration in sculpture from Washington University in St. Louis. Between 2009 and the start of my graduate education, I worked as an intern and held various positions at The National Archives and Records Administration, Art Conservation and Restoration LLC., and the Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden respectively.
Nicholas Kaplan, graduate fellow in the Winterthur/University of Delaware class of 2019.
ECPN: How were you first introduced to conservation, and why did you decide to pursue conservation?
NK: I was first introduced to the field of conservation by my high school chemistry teacher. I didn’t think about it too much at that time, but then a few of my undergraduate professors reiterated the idea of pursuing a career in conservation. I had been studying fine art and chemistry independently up to that point. Despite my love of art, I think I knew that I didn’t really want to pursue it professionally. As I began to look in to art conservation more seriously, it became apparent that it was a good blend of my interests. So, I tailored my remaining time as an undergraduate toward the aim of attending one of the graduate programs in art conservation.
ECPN: Of all specializations, what contributed to your decision to pursue electronic or time-based media conservation?
NK: When I began my pursuit of a career in conservation, I hadn’t actually heard of electronic media conservation as a unique specialty, and I had planned to focus on the conservation of contemporary art more generally. Modern and contemporary art has long been my favorite area of study, and its conservation seemed to present the most diverse range of areas for exploration. The number of unanswered and perhaps unanswerable questions appealed to me, as did the ethical and philosophical considerations of an artwork’s conceptual nature versus the material reality of its constituents. When I was introduced to the specialty of electronic media conservation, the issues that had initially drawn me to contemporary art conservation became magnified. The phrase “time-based media,” denoting a particular artistic genre, was also new to me, but it quickly became apparent that all of my own artwork fell solidly into this category. So, given my interests and previous familiarity with the materials and media, specializing in electronic media conservation seemed a very natural fit.
Image of Nick Kaplan conserving a computer that is part of the artwork Neither There Nor There (2005) by Siebren Versteeg [Photo: Alexandra Nichols, courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden]ECPN: What has been your training pathway? Please list any universities, apprenticeships, technical experience, and any related jobs or hobbies.
NK: As an undergraduate in the Sam Fox School of Art and Design at Washington University in St. Louis, I took classes in video production, circuit design and fabrication, and the use and manipulation of A/V feeds and playback equipment. At the time, all of that was geared toward my own artistic practice, which I continue to pursue independently. When I began to enter the conservation field, however, I was incredibly fortunate to get a position at the Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden where I began as a pre-program intern in the conservation department. I was eventually hired as the Collections Assistant in the museum’s collections management department. While I was there, Gwynne Ryan, now chief conservator, enthusiastically encouraged my participation in the museum’s artist interview program, its internal time-based media team, and the Smithsonian Institution’s time-based media working group. Thus, I was able to take part in workshops, learn tools for media analysis and playback equipment from experts, and work with colleagues across the Hirshhorn Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.
This helped me to build a comprehensive understanding of the various considerations surrounding the conservation of electronic media. Now as a graduate student in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, my advisors and instructors are very supportive of my decision to pursue electronic media conservation and have helped me to hone my education through independent studies and specialized projects. I have also had the opportunity to work with Christine Frohnert and Reinhard Bek as an intern at Bek & Frohnert LLC.
ECPN: Are there any particular skills that you feel are important or unique to your discipline?
NK: Like any conservation specialization, I think it’s important to have a familiarity with the material and media of the works being treated. For electronic media the specific information that might be important to familiarize oneself with can range from physical media to various coding languages to formats, codecs, and color spaces, as well as hardware and playback equipment. The list could go on and on, but I don’t think it is necessary to have an encyclopedic knowledge of all the video formats that have ever existed, for example. I think it is more helpful to look at these all as systems and be familiar with the parameters, their relationships, and how they come to define specific characteristics or aspects of a particular work. I also think it is important to be familiar with the tools and safeguards of examination. Again, these can vary but the list might include write blockers, checksums, activity logs, programs for metadata extraction, analog and digital scopes, multimeters, and imaging tools.
I think that possibly one of the most important things when working with electronic media is knowing the limits of your own knowledge and being comfortable reaching out to professionals in related fields to ask for help and advice. Given the breadth of materials that fall under the umbrella of electronic media and the speed with which that material changes, there will always be people who are more familiar and knowledgeable about particular areas. This may include professionals in IT, cyber security, video production, exhibitions, the library and archives community, electrical engineers, and other areas of computer science. I think it’s crucial that the conservation community be able to engage with people outside our field to draw on their expertise and the resources allied professionals can provide.
Image of Nick Kaplan and colleague evaluating Horizontal by artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila. [Photo: Andrew Doucette, courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden]ECPN: What are some of your current projects, research, or interests?
NK: Recently, I have become increasingly interested in exploring processor-based control systems as well as 3D printing software and technology. I am also interested to see how consideration for the materiality of legacy equipment and components becomes increasingly relevant in the face of obsolescence. Obsolescence is obviously an ongoing concern for the conservation of electronic media. As stockpiles of replacement equipment are depleted I see more treatment focusing on the retention of as much of the original equipment as possible with a focus on the inherent aesthetic qualities that anchor this equipment to particular moments in history. I hope to pursue research in this area with a focus on CRT monitors in the near future.
ECPN: In your opinion, what is an important research area or need in your specialization?
NK: Electronic media conservation is, in my opinion, still in the early stages of development, and there are any number of avenues for future in-depth research. One such that caught my attention recently had to do with the consideration of artwork that exists on social media platforms. I also think that with the increasing availability of things like virtual reality (VR) technology, which have given rise to more interactive pieces, it will be important to focus research and preservation efforts on aspects of designed user experiences.
ECPN: Do you have any advice for prospective emerging conservators who would like to pursue this specialization?
NK: I would recommend that emerging conservators interested in pursuing electronic media conservation not be daunted by the scope of knowledge and information that may be relevant. I would encourage them to try and gain as broad of an understanding of the types of media and materials as possible from inside the conservation field but also through practical experience working with the medium. A large portion of my knowledge of electronic media came out of my interest in learning how to make it. I would suggest that people try writing a program, assembling a controller, or shooting, editing, and producing a video. It doesn’t necessarily have to be focused on conservation but just as a way to build a foundation of knowledge of how these things actually work.
I was particularly interested in “Preventive Conservation in the Renovation of the Harvard Art Museums: Before, During, and Ever After” by Angela Chang, Penley Knipe and Kate Smith, as my employer LACMA is currently undergoing a similar museum building project.
Angela Chang, who presented the paper, began her talk with a brief summary of the museum’s history, which concluded with the presentation of the new LEED Gold building by Renzo Piano as well as the new storage facility that housed the entire collection during the museum building’s construction. She demonstrated how Harvard’s conservators successfully integrated the aspect of preventive conservation into an already established design and construction process. She also stressed the importance of cooperation and communication with external groups, such as administrators, donors, architects, and others, for the success of the project.
Angela discussed three main topics in conjunction with the new building.
Samples of all potential and existing materials in the construction of the storage facility and the new museum were tested using the Oddy Test. Results of the tests, among other topics, were discussed in weekly construction meetings held with architects, contractors, engineers, and project managers. Only 50% of 900 tested material samples passed the test and some materials needed to be tested repeatedly due to sample mix-ups. Existing fireproofing material made of cementitious plaster, for instance, was completely removed from the storage facility for the sake of the preservation of the collection and health of humans.
300 computerized and smart, single or double blinds control the light levels in the exhibition spaces and the conservation labs, but the new museum building turned out to be more light flooded than initially expected. A seasonal programming schedule was derived from a light monitoring program based on over 50 readings and requirements from the facility department. Based on the seasonal occurrence of light leaks, conservation staff needed to identify exhibition areas not suited for light sensitive artworks and still works on permanent displayin order to safely exhibit parts of the collection. Light blocking films, for instance, are currently being tested to address light leaks.
For a short time now, visitor incidents are recorded systematically and measured with a program developed by Security, Conservation, Collections Management, and IT called Art Touch Cards. The 46 guards can notify conservation and collection management staff immediately with urgent issues; minor issues are reported by filling out cards that are compiled and reviewed daily. Based on quarterly analysis of the data, artworks and galleries with a high incident rate can be identified and issues can be addressed. Improvements were made by adding colored lines of tape in the galleries as visual barriers, editing label texts, limiting the amount of visitors in one room, staffing galleries, and training guards.
Angela summarized her presentation by pointing out that all departments serve a collective purpose and that how relatively simple management systems, like the Art Touch Cards, can bridge interdepartmental communication gabs.She reiterating how the success of the building process, as well as its maintenance, is dependent on the close collaboration of different departments and external groups.
Judd Foundation was created in 1996 with the mission to maintain and preserve Donald Judd’s permanently installed living and working spaces, libraries, and archives in Marfa Texas and New York. The Foundation promotes a wider understanding of Judd’s artistic legacy by providing access to these spaces and resources and by developing scholarly and educational programs. The Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
Position and Responsibilities: The Conservator, based in Marfa, Texas, will manage the long-term preservation of the Foundation’s collection of art and objects permanently installed and stored in properties in Marfa and at 101 Spring Street in New York. The collection is comprised of a wide range of organic and inorganic materials, including sculpture, paintings, works on paper, furniture, books, photographs, textiles, and ethnographic objects. The Conservator will report to the Director of Operations and Co-Presidents, and will work closely with Collections and Facilities staff and the Archives and Research departments of the Foundation.
Responsibilities include:
Collection Preservation and Conservation
Manage and conduct the preventative conservation program of the Foundation and routine maintenance and cleaning of the installed collection.
Supervise the Collections Assistant and manage specialist conservation consultants.
Advise Foundation staff on the proper care and maintenance of the collection.
Conduct treatments on artworks, continue research, and develop guidance on best practices for the preservation and conservation of the collection and Judd artworks.
Oversee environmental monitoring of the installed spaces and provide conservation expertise to the architectural preservation and restoration of the Foundation’s Marfa properties.
Advise and assist with the installation of Judd artworks in conjunction with Foundation staff.
Advise and assist with the preservation and conservation of archival materials including photographic and film materials in conjunction with the Archivist.
Manage the conservation and collection budgets and conservation studio in Marfa Texas.
Loans and Exhibitions
Oversee the loan and movement of artworks between Foundation properties and to national and international museum and gallery exhibitions including: assessment of venues, condition reporting, organization of appropriate transport and storage and the preparation of loan documentation.
Qualifications: Candidates will have a master’s degree / Ph.D. from a recognized art conservation program and a minimum of 5 years practical experience of collection care and conservation. Demonstrated experience of the treatment of modern and contemporary art is required.
Additional qualifications include:
Knowledge of a wide range of materials and conservation techniques
Excellent writing and verbal skills
Strong interpersonal and organizational skills
Ability to manage budgets
Experience with Filemaker Pro databases, and MS Office and Adobe software
Location: The Conservator will be based in Marfa, Texas with annual travel to 101 Spring Street, New York; and national and international travel as required.
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package offered.
Procedure for application: Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter. Recommendations for candidates are also welcome. No phone calls please. Send applications or recommendations to: human.resources@juddfoundation.org. Please write: “Conservator” in the subject line.
Location: Science Museum and Blythe House – London
Salary: GBP19,000 per annum
Are you enthusiastic, competent and graduate-calibre in conservation? We are offering TWO 9-month internships to work with our conservation team, to gain excellent experience in the conservation of medical objects made from a wide variety of materials, and ranging in date from antiquity to present day. The internships will be based at Blythe House in Kensington Olympia and at the Science Museum in South Kensington depending on project activity.
These are unique opportunities to work on objects destined for our new Medicine galleries, the most ambitious element of the Science Museum’s Masterplan. Opening in 2019, we are creating a suite of five new Medicine Galleries which will showcase our world class Medicine collection in a new location at the heart of the Museum.
You will have a recognized conservation qualification, or comparable experience in conservation. The internship will provide an excellent experience in interventive conservation of historical objects and help to develop practical knowledge and understanding of preventive conservation.
You will need to be aware of hazard management procedures associated with historical objects and have a good knowledge of Health and Safety, including safe use of chemicals for lab safety and collections management.
The Science Museum Group (SMG) comprises the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Railway Museum in York and Shildon and the Science and Media Museum in Bradford. Together they share a unifying mission to engage people in a dialogue about the past, present and future of human ingenuity in the fields of science, technology, medicine, transport and media.
Interviews are expected to be held on the 2nd and 3rd November.
Please view the Vacancy Information Pack which provides you with detail of the role and explains how to complete your application.
The Conservation Guest Scholar Program at the Getty Conservation Institute supports new ideas and perspectives in the field of conservation, with an emphasis on the visual arts (including sites, buildings, objects) and the theoretical underpinnings of the field. The program provides an opportunity for professionals to pursue scholarly research in an interdisciplinary manner across traditional boundaries in areas of interest to the international conservation community.
Applications for the 2018-2019 residency period are now available. The deadline is November 1, 2017.
Primary location: Hartmann Fine Art Conservation Services, Inc. conservation facility in Carlisle, PA
Reports to: Chief of Conservation and Senior Paintings Conservator
Status: Full-time
Application period: Will remain open until filled
JOB DESCRIPTION Hartmann Fine Art Conservation Services, Inc. (“Hartmann Conservation”) is seeking a driven, self-motivated, experienced, professionally trained Conservator with 3 – 5 years of working experience in the field of Paintings Conservation. This individual needs to have had experience treating a wide variety of easel paintings or murals with differing supports and media. This position will primarily be based at our conservation facility in Carlisle, but may occasionally require travel for on-site work assignments. The Assistant Paintings Conservator must possess a strong working knowledge of art history; and chemistry as it relates to historic materials, or those used in the conservation process. Preferred candidates should: have a master’s degree in art conservation; and training in current conservation practices, material, and cleaning techniques; and be a Professional Associate member in good standing with the American Institute for Conservation. This demanding position will require the ability to communicate effectively, meet scheduled work deadlines, maintain strong ethical standards, and work cooperatively in a fast-paced team environment. We welcome the contribution of ideas and seek a positive, productive, and ambitious team member with a positive work ethic.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Completion of documentary artifact reports, including: Condition Reports, Treatment Proposals, and Treatment Reports
Skilled examination and treatment of historic and artistic paintings, painted surfaces, and artifacts in both the Hartmann Conservation studio and on-site for nationwide clientele, including artifacts and murals that are extremely large, visually damaged, and/or have severe structural damage
Familiarity and adherence to the American Institution of Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice and current museum-quality standards in all proposal development and treatment execution
Requires only periodic or indirect supervision to satisfactorily meet the daily requirements of this job
Ability to handle large works of art, including regular lifting and carrying of up to 50lbs., as well as long periods of standing, sitting, and working on scaffolding, ladders, or lifts
Observance of all building security, storage, reporting, and safety protocols and regulations
Active participation in periodic training sessions, conferences, and professional meetings
IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION: Master’s degree in Art Conservation, or commensurate conservation apprentice training and experience. In-depth working knowledge of art history, chemistry, studio art technique, and AIC conservation standards are a must.
EXPERIENCE: 3-5 years of professional paintings and painted surface conservation.
CONSERVATION SKILLS REQUIRED
Familiarity with diverse bodies of art, art history, and artistic technique, including strong understanding of color theory
Working knowledge of chemistry as it relates to conservation, including intimate familiarity with the chemical properties, solubility, and long-term degradation of oil, acrylic, casein, tempura, gouache, fresco, and encaustic mediums. Understanding of chemical, biological, and physical processes and principles that contribute to long-term deterioration and/or preservation
Knowledge of appropriate current treatments for paintings and murals on panel, canvas, board, paper, metal, composite materials, hide, and synthetic supports. Includes demonstrated ability to repair complex tears, dents, flaking paint, cracked or warped supports, or delamination. Also includes demonstrated ability to complete routine filling, lining, stretching, inpainting and visual reconstruction with reversible and minimally intrusive techniques. Must have the ability to accurately match colors, paint application appearance, and technics of artists where compensation or inpainting is required.
Experience in the safe surface cleaning and removal of discolored varnish layers, embedded dirt/soot/nicotine, and previous restorers’ overpaint using traditional organic and modern aqueous-based solvent systems, mixtures, gels, detergents, and/or enzymes.
Skills in triage of emergency conservation and response to fire or water damage, mold, and hazardous materials abatement/containment. Experience in this area strongly preferred.
Working knowledge of safe and museum quality procedures for handling, storing, transporting, framing, crating, shipping, installing, and exhibiting fine art
Understanding of proper safety and chemical storage procedures, including training and work on scaffolding, in secure buildings, and with hazardous materials
Working knowledge and experience in carpentry, woodworking, safety, and use of power equipment
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL SKILLS REQUIRED
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well as part of a team, both in studio and in situ
Strong work ethic and commitment to meeting deadlines, solving complex treatment issues, working effectively and productively under pressure, and upholding confidentiality and ethical standards
Competency with collections management systems, including knowledge of Microsoft, iOS operating systems, Adobe and other software suites required for documentary conservation reports
Demonstrated sound judgment, risk management, and perception to details and artistic subtleties
Excellent communication and organizational skills
PREFERRED SKILLS
Strong experience with mural conservation is highly desired
Working knowledge of historic frame conservation and gilding techniques
Professional conservation experience at a major fine art institution, museum or collection
Interest and ability to research and adapt technical written material for publication or lecture
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Commensurate with experience, including paid time off and 401(k) match.
Final candidates for this position may be required to undergo a background check as evidence of their ability to secure federal government security clearance or other security clearances, as required by project specifications. To apply for this position, please send a cover letter, resume and curriculum vitae, three professional or academic references, available start date, salary requirements, and a sample Condition Report and Treatment Report example to info@hartmannconservation.com. Hartmann Fine Art Conservation Services, Inc. is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer.
About Hartmann Conservation Hartmann Conservation has performed fine art conservation project management, assessment, treatment, emergency response, environmental monitoring, handling, transportation, and cyclic collection maintenance services of the highest quality since 1985. Our mission is to provide the highest-quality professional conservation services to our clients and their artwork based on experience, knowledge, resourcefulness, and sound ethics. Our company is a Pennsylvania registered small business enterprise specializing in the conservation of historic paintings, modern paintings, murals, frames, historic furniture, and painted decorative or historic objects. We provide hands-on conservation services to local, state and federal governments; historic sites and preservation organizations; public, private and religious institutions; museums; corporate collections; and private clients both in studio and on site for clientele nationwide. Our company prides itself on the ability to handle the most complex and difficult of treatments on projects both large and small in accordance with the American Institute for Conservation’s Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Treatment.
![Image of Nick Kaplan conserving a computer that is part of the artwork, Neither There Nor There (2005), by Siebren Versteeg. [Photo: Alexandra Nichols, courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017_ECPN_EMG_Nicholas_Kaplan_2.jpg)
![Image of Nick Kaplan and colleague evaluating Horizontal by artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila. [Photo: Andrew Doucette, courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garnden, Smithsonian Institute]](http://www.conservators-converse.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2017_ECPN_EMG_Nicholas_Kaplan_3.jpg)
