Specialty Sessions – Page 7 – AIC Blog Archives: Conservators Converse

45th Annual Meeting – Paintings Specialty Group, May 31st, “The Monopoli Altarpiece: Rediscovery and recovery of a Cretan-Venetian masterpiece,” by Caitlin Breare

Caitlin Breare’s excellent talk on the Monopoli Altarpiece, a seven-panel polyptych in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, was part of a morning of presentations focused on challenges encountered during treatment of painted wood. The fifteenth-century altarpiece originated from the city of Monopoli in southern Italy, but – as became clear during Caitlin’s presentation – it represents an amalgamation of styles. This city was on a trade route between northern Italy and the Mediterranean Sea, and both Venetian and Cretan painting clearly influenced the aesthetic. The altarpiece’s format and use of European poplar for the support is consistent with Italian construction, suggesting that a Venetian workshop may be responsible, while the painting materials and style are consistent with Cretan technique.

The treatment and research of this work, which had previously been deemed unexhibitable, was begun in 2015. Technical analysis revealed a great deal about the altarpiece’s materials and artist’s technique. Caitlin compared the work’s Cretan aesthetic to the Byzantine style with relation to the elongated figures and gilded background. The original gilding consists of burnished water gilding over a yellow ochre preparatory layer. While a yellow bole might be considered unusual in other contexts, this was a common material for gilders in Crete to employ. The use of a mixture of umber, black, vermilion, and white as a base tone for the flesh was also standard practice for Cretan painters.

Infrared reflectography showed that the underdrawing between the seven panels is consistent. Meanwhile, examination of the X-radiograph indicated the presence of scored lines under the paint in each panel, presumably to give texture to the wood before application of the gesso. Such scoring has been observed in the works of other Cretan painters. Examination of tool marks resulted in an exciting discovery: from the way the tool marks match up, the two panels with the saints directly on either side of Virgin seem to have been switched at some point in the past. Reconfiguring the panels also makes more sense compositionally, as the saints’ postures now direct the viewer’s eye towards the Virgin.

Restoration consisting of oil gilding was easily distinguishable from the original water gilding and was removed in the course of treatment. Treatment also involved grime removal and the reduction of a discolored, locally applied coating, probably consisting of drying oil; fortuitously, the coating appears to have protected the paint in some areas.

The greatest challenge encountered during treatment was the presence of calcium oxalate on the paint surface. The formation mechanism of this highly-insoluble brown layer is unknown, although Caitlin postulated that perhaps it may be linked to a coating applied over azurite. Another hypothesis is that fungus may be the source. In any case, chelators and mechanical removal were used to reduce the layer as much as possible. Now that the work has been cleaned, George Bisacca will be completing the structural treatment of the panels in the near future, and the altarpiece will be returned to the MFA for compensation.

For more on the altarpiece’s examination and conservation, there is a detailed summary on the MFA’s website: Conservation in Action: Monopoli Altarpiece. Although the language in the text is directed towards the general public, the post includes great images and time lapse videos of the treatment.

Study of the calcium oxalate layer and methods for its removal were prominent focuses of this treatment, and Caitlin hinted during the question and answer session that she will be looking further into medical techniques that reduce kidney stones as a potential solution for the removal of this type of layer. I look forward to seeing how Caitlin’s research progresses!

45th Annual Meeting – Paintings Specialty Group jointly with Research and Technical Studies, May 30th, “Re-examining Old Findings and Inferences: The Study of a Magus at a Table by Jan Lievens,” by Shan Kuang

This presentation by Shan Kuang focused on the technical analysis and reattribution of Magus at a Table from Upton House, National Trust.

Multiple versions of this composition exist, variously attributed to Rembrandt, circle of Rembrandt, Lievens, copy after Lievens, and so on. The attribution of this particular work has long been contested. The painting was listed as an original Rembrandt, then reattributed as a “copy after Lievens” after a 1983 examination. Dendrochronological analysis conducted at that time indicated that the tree from which the panel was fashioned was felled after 1660. Additionally, samples were taken and examined in cross section, and the results of this analysis seemed inconsistent with the painters’ techniques.

New scholarship on Lievens provided the impetus to reexamine the attribution, and the work was sent to the Hamilton Kerr Institute for treatment and study in 2014. At this time, dendrochronology specialist Ian Tyres revisited the prior dating, questioning the methodology used and ultimately rejecting the 1660 date. This once again opened up the possibility that Rembrandt or Lievens had a hand in the painting.

New imaging technologies showed that an initial sketch had been revised significantly in the final composition and that the color of the table had been revised. Furthermore, macro X-ray fluorescence scanning revealed pentimenti that had been previously undetected by X-radiography. An arc of foliage that had been painted out by the artist was particularly notable. These changes indicate the likelihood that the painting is an original artwork rather than a copy. Additionally, such extensive reworking is fairly common for Lievens.

Previous analysis of the cross sections from the painting had concluded that copper green was present, which was used as evidence against attributing the painting to either Lievens or Rembrandt. However, re-examination of the cross sections indicated that the element copper actually corresponds to blue particles and that a mixed green is present, which is in line with the practices of both artists.

In light of this new information, the painting was reattributed to Lievens based on stylistic grounds and consistency of materials and technique. Shan presented this research logically and effectively, and the analysis of this painting provides an impressive case study of how re-examination of paintings – utilizing new research and improved technologies – can lead to exciting discoveries and contribute to our understanding.

Abstracts for STASHc Flash IV Storage Tips session – May 29, 2017 at the AIC Annual Meeting

The 2017 STASH Flash storage tips session at the Chicago annual meeting will have three themes:

Building on the conference theme Innovation in Conservation and Collection Care, the first group of presentations offer solutions that eliminate the need for treatment or complement an interventive treatment.
The second group of presentations are supports that that serve more than one purpose such as storage, transport, and/or exhibition.
Group three presentations focus on supports that can be mass produced to deal with collection-wide storage issues as well as other novel ideas.

Presentations will be posted on the STASHc solutions pages after the meeting.

Group 1

Presenter(s): Clara Deck
Affiliation: The Henry Ford Museum
Collection type: Edison Diamond Disc Records
Abstract: THF counts among its wide-ranging collections a nearly complete run of the Edison Diamond Disc recordings, produced by Thomas A. Edison, Inc. from 1912 to 1929. Played with a diamond stylus, these records are ¼” thick and made of a Bakelite-type plastic over a wood-pulp core. This collection is cataloged in over 6500 entries, which includes the 6000 discs. Most came directly to THF from the Edison factory in West Orange, NJ and are generally in excellent condition. However, they are housed in their original acidic, wood-pulp paper jackets, which have become brittle over time. Some of the jackets bear unique printed information. Handling closely-packed records in their original jackets causes damage. THF conservators worked with vendor Hollinger Metal-Edge to develop a custom-made preservation sleeve that will safely store the thicker-than-normal discs, as well as a “jacket-sling” to re-house the original record jacket. Some assembly is required.

Presenter(s): Basia Nosek and Susan Russick
Affiliation: Northwestern University Libraries
Collection type: Glass Plate Negatives
Abstract: Photographic materials on glass supports are prone to cracking, braking, and flaking emulsion. With large collections, treatment may not always be an option. For this reason, proper housing and implementation of preventive conservation methods is the only viable solution to prolong the longevity of the collections. While the National Archives’ recommendation of housing negatives individually in paper sleeves sounds straightforward, non-standard sizes, broken plates, and the need to maintain association with original envelope enclosures or groupings can complicate the process. By filling-in the negative space of standard four-flap enclosures we were able to accommodate different sizes and broken glass plates. Additionally, this method allowed us to keep all of the collection materials in standard size boxes. Ties and dividers were used to help indicate association of subsets of objects, keep items in order, and distinguish original housing groups. Lining boxes with foam and using corrugated board spacers added additional protection.

Presenter(s): Emilie Duncan
Affiliation: Graduate Fellow at Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation
Collection type: library/bound materials
Abstract: The separation of book spines from books, whether through natural deterioration or through treatment intervention, is commonly encountered in collections containing bound materials. Oftentimes – especially if the spine is leather – the replacement of the spine on the book is impractical or unsafe, as it can cause significantly more damage through continued use. As a result, there is a need for a storage solution that allows separated spines to be stored with their books. This can be achieved by modifying the design for a clamshell box to add a compartment to hold the spine. The compartment is located at the spine of the book, and has a Vivak window, allowing the leather spine to be visible while the box is closed and shelved. Not only is the spine material protected from the physical strains of being reattached to the book or flattened for traditional storage methods, but it remains intellectually and visually connected to the book from which it has physically been separated.

Presenter(s): Skyler Jenkins
Affiliation: Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona
Collection type: Ethnographic and Archaeological
Abstract: The Arizona State Museum (ASM) basketry collection became an official project of the Save America’s Treasures (SAT) program in 2011. Known as the Woven Wonders: Basketry Project, this effort addressed the need for new environmentally controlled, secure, unified space for over 35,000 catalogued items. Treatment protocols have been developed, approved, executed, and refined with funding from two IMLS awards. ASM’s five plus year long basketry project had many new treatment and storage techniques that evolved through collaborative treatment. Among these innovative ideas, an internal storage support for more flexible basketry material emerged. This allowed flexible baskets to be treated more easily, to be handled without damage, and to reduce the required space for storage. This session will explore the various types of internal supports created to be an alternative to unnecessarily large external supports, and to assist those who cannot expand their storage space.

Presenter(s): Gretchen Anderson
Affiliation: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Collection type: Saddles
Abstract: Saddles are large and awkward to store. They are often set on shelves or placed on sawhorses that are padded out with polyethylene foam. Plastic sheeting is draped over them to protect them from dust and potential water drips. The sawhorses take up a large foot print in a crowded storage room, and the legs are a tripping hazard. The sawhorses get moved around, creating additional risks for bumping and dropping the saddle. This article describes a practical method to store saddles, improving support, maximizing space use, and generally protecting them in a cleaner and more efficient manner. This system is primarily for long term storage, but can be adapted for display or for transport. The basic mounting system currently being used at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History will be detailed. Refinements from the Science Museum of Minnesota will be described as well.

Group 2

Presenter(s): Connie Stromberg and Lara Kaplan
Affiliation: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Contract Objects Conservators (for Inaugural Exhibitions). Stromberg Conservation, LLC and Lara Kaplan Objects Conservation, LLC
Collection type: 369th Hellfighters Gas Mask and Canister, Historical Artifact
Abstract: This gas mask is part of the field equipment worn during WWI by a soldier in the 369th Infantry, an African-American regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. It consists of a canvas mask with glass eye pieces connected to a painted steel canister by a collapsible hose. The object was in very poor condition: the mask was extremely fragile with many tears; the hose had ripped loose from the mask, and was deteriorated, deformed, and splitting at the seams; and the canister was rusting and had lost about half of its paint. Slated to go on view in the inaugural exhibition of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, creative collaboration among conservators, mount makers, and curators was necessary to successfully treat and permanently support the mask for its safe display, transport, and storage.

Presenter(s): Rebecca Beyth
Affiliation: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Collection type: 3-D Object Collections
Abstract: In 2016, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum built a new off-site collections and conservation center to house its collections. The relocation from a previous off-site facility was critical to the museum’s preservation mission, and improved its storage, research and transportation capacity. Rehousing was necessary to safely transport many of the 3-D objects. An initial survey determined which 3-D objects required specialized housing. Staff used four common methods to house 3-D objects based on their material, size, shape and condition:

Secure 3-D object to a tray, which could be removed from the box.
Secure 3-D object directly into the box with ties.
Secure 3-D object in the box using a shaped bumper, which is held in place by the box lid.
Cavity pack 3-D object in the box.

Using these methods (with modifications as needed) the team successfully rehoused approximately two-thirds of the 3-D object collections, including all items classified as high-priority due to their material or condition.

Presenter(s): Vasarė Rastonis
Affiliation: Columbia University Libraries
Collection type: oracle bone enclosures
Abstract: Columbia University’s C.V.Starr East Asian Library contains one hundred and twenty eight oracle bones. These are the library’s oldest documents, some of which are dated as early as 1554 BCE. The bones had been stored in roughly two different manners; the first group of sixty three bones was enclosed in plexiglass sleeves with board inserts, and the second group of sixty five was housed in a variety of boxes and cardboard trays. In the Autumn of 2015 the storage methods were reviewed and revised with the assistance of Eugenie Milroy of A.M. Art Conservation. Upon consideration it was determined that the plexiglass enclosures of the first group were almost ideal and could be used with a few modifications and that the second group would be enclosed in a set of prefabricated boxes fitted with Volara® foam and Tyvek®. Although the two types of storage systems are quite different from one another, not only in their appearance but also in the amount of time needed to prepare them, they both achieve the desired goal of safely storing the oracle bone collection.

Presenter(s): Annie Hall
Affiliation: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Collection type: Product Design and Decorative Arts – smaller objects
Abstract: Cooper Hewitt’s recent mass digitization rapid capture project required the development of object support systems to safely and efficiently move over 30,000 objects from storage to the photographic stage and back to storage. A team of contract art handlers were hired by the mass digitization company and Cooper Hewitt staff were required to provide guidance and ensure handling protocols were in place. Systems for movement of object types were developed so the team could safely and efficiently move objects for each object category within the given time. A modular bin system with movable dividers was devised for smaller fragile objects such as glass and ceramics. Custom-sized cavities lined with Volara were constructed for each object and a previously designed object storage support system was modified to ensure objects were fully supported during the short trip to photography and back to storage.

Presenter(s): Jakki Godfrey, Lisa Bruno, Carol Lee Shen
Affiliation: Brooklyn Museum
Collection type: Ancient Egyptian Objects (but could be for any varied object collection)
Abstract: From 2008-2012, 127 of the Brooklyn Museum’s ancient Egyptian objects traveled on a 12-venue loan exhibition. To minimize handling, many objects were mounted to Medex boards or plinths for both transport and display. Boards and plinths were either coated in Zinsser® Shieldz® primer sealer, painted and padded out with polyethylene foam or covered with Marvelseal 360, padded out with polyethylene foam and/or polyester batting and covered in fabric. Objects meant for vertical display included hanging hardware on the back of the transport/display board. Plinths used to display large heavy objects were furnished with handling access to fork lift or gantry in place. Many objects held up well during the exhibition tour; however some very fragile objects such as the Museum’s animal mummies suffered some damage. Methods for traveling these fragile objects has since been modified.

Group 3

Presenter(s): Hildegard Heine and JP Brown
Affiliation: The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Collection type: Housings for lightweight oversize organic objects
Abstract: This presentation discusses a modular framing system that we adapted to make supports for fragile, oversize (and occasionally poisonous) organic objects from world cultures, especially oversize masks in the Pacific. Although the no ‘one size fits all’ approach is possible for these objects, we developed a housing design that can be customized to several different object geometries. The main construction material is lightweight, square-section aluminum structural framing tube. Polyethylene or Mylar sheet is stretched over the framing, providing a barrier to prevent loss of loose material and to mitigate against dust deposition, air currents, and damage during handling and transport. The framing can also easily be modified to include bottom, top or side panels. A reversible flap sealed with a magnetic strip provides access for one side of the housing to allow for access. Handles attached to the framing permit easy transport of the entire structure. This modular framing system based on standard materials suits a wide range of object types and allows for flexibility in designing supports for specific object needs.

Presenter(s): Kate Wight Tyler
Affiliation: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Collection type: Modular Support System for Decorative Arts Objects on Compact Shelving
Abstract: A reproducible storage system consisting of support components in standardized shapes and sizes was developed to respond to targeted collection-based needs at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. Primary stability issues were first identified and categorized and support components were designed and manufactured to:

Stabilize vulnerable objects on mobile and static shelving
Economize shelf space
Promote visibility and access
Provide a mechanism for safe object handling
Economize supplies and resources
Encourage sustainability through re-use

The most useful and innovative designs were:

Circular Tyvek pillows filled with a mixture of polypropylene pellets and glass beads for weight
Accordion-fold divider system that was designed to efficiently re-house boxes of flatware (but could work well for other objects of similar size/shape – hairpins, fans, pens etc.) and was mass produced by Talas using their archival board.

A detailed description (including patterns and designs) for components and all materials and sources will be included.

Presenter(s): Louise Stewart Beck
Affiliation: The Henry Ford Museum
Collection type: Electrical objects; Scientific & Industrial Collection
Abstract: Thanks to a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, we are currently rehousing a collection of electrical artifacts. As we go through the process of removal from storage, conservation, digitization, and packing for transport and storage, we have encountered objects that present interesting packing challenges. These include objects without a stable resting position, extremely dense and heavy objects, and hazardous objects. Our presentation will demonstrate the materials and methods we have used to solve these issues, including ‘scaffolding’ for unstable objects and the accommodations that we have made for the high total weights that we are dealing with when palletizing. In addition, our conservation department frequently receives queries on the movement of this type of material from smaller institutions, and in response to that we have begun to work on a series of handling and packing videos that address scientific and industrial collections, including this project. Our presentation will include brief clips from that undertaking as well.

Presenter: Ben Fino-Radin
Affiliation: Associate Media Conservator, The Museum of Modern Art
Collection type: Digital Materials in Time-based Media Art Collections
Abstract: At many institutions and collections, increasingly, conservators of objects, paintings, prints, and photographs are tasked with the new and added responsibility of stewarding and defining the storage conditions for collections of time-based media art. No matter how small the collection, the storage needs of the digital components of time-based media artworks, has ushered in the need for a wholly new set of vocabulary and skills and understanding in order to employ proper digital housing for transportation and transmission, and in order to collaborate with experts to specify a proper storage environment. This lightning round will offer tips on the fundamental concepts and vocabulary needed in order to approach the housing and storage of digital materials in collections that include time-based media art.

Call for Submissions – Sustainability Committee Tips Session

Call for Submissions – Sustainability Committee Tips Session
45th Annual AIC Meeting May 28 – June 1, 2017 in Chicago, IL
The Sustainability Committee of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) invites submissions for its sixth annual session at the 45th Annual Meeting, in Chicago from May 28 to June 1, 2017.
Do you choose solvents because they have minimal toxicological effects? Have you found ways to minimize solvent use? Can your mannequins be reused and retrofitted from one exhibition to another? When making a new frame for a painting, is it made from sustainably harvested wood? Do you reuse shipping crates? Do you recycle gloves or other lab supplies? Get creative!!
The Sustainability Session will use a Lightning-Round Tip format to explore this year’s theme, “Treatment 2017: Innovation in Conservation and Collection Care.”
We invite abstracts that explore sustainability within conservation specialties (archaeological, architecture, book and paper, electronic media, objects, paintings, photographic, textiles, wooden artifacts). We also invite abstracts that explore sustainability within collections care, health and safety, research and technical studies, as well as how you incorporate sustainability into your private practice.
Tips will be grouped into blocks with a Q&A component.
The deadline for submission of abstracts is Friday March 31, 2017.
Please submit abstracts via email to sustainability@conservation-us.org .
Abstracts are not to exceed 500 words, not including title or biographical information.
All abstracts should be submitted in English.

44th Annual Meeting, Photographic Materials, Tuesday, May 17, Separation Anxiety: Kiss Your Acetate Goodbye! – by Nicole Christie and Cindy Colford.

In a presentation related to the Disaster theme of the conference, speakers Colford and Christie spoke of the recovery of flood damaged photographic collections of the Peterboro Municipal Archives, in Ontario in 2004. The area wide disaster created such demands on affected infrastructure that the response began two weeks after the peak flood, which led to a decision to freeze all the of works, including glass plates and film negatives as other methods of drying had not been possible. The PMA participated in a CCI risk assessment which reported back with recommendations to keep all film stabilized in freezers for continued cold storage, and to identify cellulose acetate negatives as a specific priority for treatment due to their autocatalytic behavior, leading to eventual change and loss of values.
The authors, looking to Pavelka & Naipavel-Heidushke’s paper on successful treatment and separation of gelatin image layer from acetate support, called out Pavelka’s suggestion that insurance companies might provide financial assistance for treatment in their coverage. Following the protocol suggested in the article, the authors proceeded and achieved inconsistent results. They noted the process per negative could take up to ninety minutes, resulting in only four negatives treated over two days, They cited concerns of prolonged exposure of the negative to solvents, yet found it hard to keep solvent from evaporating, which could induce curl and tensions while drying. A new question developed, what was the difference between the article’s case studies vs. theirs? An obvious variable was the fact that these items had been frozen. Whether or not this actually factored into the negatives’ behavior. Consulting further with Greg Hill (currently of the Canadian Conservation Institute) & Gayle McIntyre (Sir Sandford Fleming College), the protocol was revised to include the following steps, which helped increase the reliability of the method across different negatives:

Silver gelatin pellicle being separated from acetate support

1. Remove material by cutting away some of the lip/edge of the negative to allow ingress of solvent
2. Prewet the negative using sequential solvents
3. Use visual and tactile clues to determine the moment of separation (need slide 3.1, 3.2.) not a fixed amount of time
4. If the gelatin is still disrupted, reshape while it is still wetted using gentle prodding (with brushes on silicon release Mylar*) to lay flat before drying completely. The unsupported pellicle, thin as tissue, can be left to release final residues of solvent in a non-stick drying pack in fume hood to offgas.
(More images of these steps available in the downloadable Kiss Your Acetate Goodbye images of layer separation, pdf file kindly provided by the speakers.)
The images, now supported on Mylar sheets, were digitized, and the storage solution after treatment includes use of polypropylene sleeves in a clamshell binder. In an added benefit, the items are no longer taking up space in cold storage. The authors report that after eight years, the images appear unchanged in these conditions. While having a positive outcome, the speakers note that is still a lengthy process involving time and material costs, requiring trained professionals. This technique may not be a catchall for all collections, but for prioritized ones, it can be effective management tool for severely decaying negatives.
*Additional note: Silicon tip tools may also be useful here. See related content from 2016 BPG Tips Session on Silicon Shapers, as found in art supply stores today among the brush selections for working thick paints, in the BPG wiki.

44th Annual Meeting: Architecture and Objects Joint Session, Sunday 15 May 2016, "A Methodology for Documenting Preservation Issues Affecting Cultural Heritage in Syria and Iraq" by LeeAnn Barnes Gordon

Providing assistance in war-torn areas in Syria and Iraq is a complicated matter. The humanitarian crisis has resulted in protests in Syria against the government while a civil war led to the emergence of extremists groups, the most active threat being daesh (ISIS/ISIL). Collateral damage to the area has resulted in the militarization of archaeological sites and historic neighborhoods being obliterated. Organizations such as the ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives (CHI) are continually working on meeting the challenges of this cultural heritage crisis. Through diligent monitoring, CSI is able to assist the nations by documenting damage, promoting global awareness, and planning emergency and post-war responses.

LeaAnn Barnes Gordon gave an insightful presentation into the complications of providing international support to local residents and institutions. A highlight of Gordon’s presentation was showcasing CHI’s extensive digital mapping of over 7,800 cultural heritage sites. These maps help to assess the affects on cultural heritage by analyzing different types of damage as well as current and prospective threats. By utilizing satellite imagery, CHI can monitor changes over time in areas that have been damaged by military occupation or that have been illegally excavated. Information is compiled into reports using photographs and textual records of observations; some of these records are currently available online and others are being added regularly.

CHI is standardizing documents and terminology to avoid ambiguity during documentation (e.g. threats vs. disturbances). In the presentation, Gordon provided examples of types of documents utilized including field guide assessment forms, photo-documentation guides, and technical advice in Arabic to assist those currently living/working in Syria and Iraq. In addition, CHI is providing resources and funding for local institutions for efforts such as cleaning and removing debris and erecting temporary structures.

The presentation discussed ongoing CHI projects as well as general challenges faced when attempting to protect cultural heritage in conflict zones. Constant monitoring allows CHI to identify potential damages and share this information with conservation/preservation specialists in the area. These measures help prevent and decrease future damage to culturally rich sites and collections as well as helping to create standardized documents that can be used in other areas of conflict zones.
To learn more about CHI and the important work they are doing, please see:
http://www.asor-syrianheritage.org/

44th Annual Meeting – Textile Session, May 15, “Inherent Vice in the Woven Structure of Northwest Coast Spruce Root Hats” by Sara Serban

We all love the topic of inherent vice. And in this talk, the topic is presented as it relates to basketry, hats, and an exhibition at a museum of Canadian social history.
Sara Serban, Objects Conservator at the Musée McCord in Montreal, spoke about painted and woven spruce root hats she prepared for “Wearing our Identity: The First Peoples Collection,” a ‘permanent’ exhibition planned to last five years (with rotations). The five hats selected for display were made between 1850 and 1920 by weavers from the Northwest coast of Canada, including the Haida and Kwakwaka’wakw cultural groups. In her talk, Sara discussed how the hats’ materials, complex woven structure, past storage and environmental conditions, and previous treatments relate to current condition issues and present treatment challenges.
Sara consulted with Isabel Rorick, a talented Haida weaver (see some of her work here), in order gain a better understanding of the materials and techniques used to make these types of hats. Sitka spruce roots are used for weaving because they grow in long straight lines. Roots are usually 3 to 20 feet in length, but can be as long as 50 feet. After harvesting, the outer layer of bark is removed from the roots by heating with hot coals, causing the bark to peel, and then pulling the roots through a split stick. The root is then split lengthwise one or more times. The interior pithy core is discarded, the inner layer is used for the warp of the hat, and the outer polished layer is used for the weft.
The processed roots are soaked in water and then woven from the top down using a combination of two-and three-strand twining techniques. Three-strand twining is almost always used for added strength at the crown of the hat, and twill twining is used to create geometric patterns at the brim. Continuous warps are used in the beginning, with additional warps added in as needed. A wooden disk form can aid in shaping the hat during weaving. An awl is often used to push the stitches together, and when complete, the hats are watertight.
Sara reviewed condition issues and previous treatments of the hats chosen for exhibition. As can be expected, the older hats are more fragile, and they all have experienced deterioration from low humidity. Darkening of spruce root, from cream-colored to dark brown, as a result of oxidation is a condition issue I was not aware of and seeing this contrast surprised me (compare the historic hat in the image above with the light color of this contemporary spruce root hat made by Rorick). Sara pointed out that while woven spruce root baskets are stored resting on their bottoms, hats are usually stored resting on their brims, and this positioning may cause additional stresses within the hat structure over time. She also noticed that certain areas, like the top disc, top edge (or turn), and crown, are more susceptible to breakage.
The majority of hats had undergone previous treatments (sometimes multiple campaigns), and many of these interventions caused further damage to the root fibers. For example, one hat had been repaired with a thick, raffia-like fiber that caused overall distortions in shape and breakage of adjacent root fibers. Sara questioned whether this type of mending was a traditional repair carried out when the hat was in its source community, or if it was later work. After a survey of spruce root hats in the museum’s collection, she found many had similar repairs, and because of this consistency, the repairs were likely carried out in the museum.
The museum’s conservation records indicate that treatments using methyl cellulose, wheat starch paste, and mixtures of Lascaux 360 HV and 498 HV were carried out in the 1980’s. Additionally, Paraloid B-72 in acetone was previously used to repair at least one hat because wheat starch paste was not found to be strong enough, although it was noted that acetone did affect the black paint on the surface. The common basketry repair technique using twists of Japanese tissue coated in adhesive was found not to be reliable, as these repairs often failed (e.g. the tissue lifted) not long after they were applied.
Examination of these past treatments helped Sara plan her treatment approach. Since the hats did not respond well to the adhesive mends of the past, she created mechanical mends using hair silk to hold the sides of the breaks together. She used a pattern of stitching with horizontal stitches on the outside of the hat and vertical stitches bridging the split on the interior. Prior to mending, she humidified distorted hats in a chamber with water and ethanol and then reshaped the hats, with the aid of carbon rod clamps (one of my favorite conservation tools). Tinted Japanese tissue, with twists to imitate weft strands, was used to fill losses on the hat’s crown. For loss compensation at the top turn of the hat, Sara first made molds of the woven surface using dental molding putty and then cast paper pulp into them. The paper fills were cut to shape, toned, and adhered with wheat starch paste.
After the presentation, an audience member asked about storage recommendations for the hats. Sara responded that ideally each hat would have a custom form with some type of cover that would offer protection from dust but not touch the surface of the hat.
This was one of several talks in the Textile Session that discussed more 3-D textiles (or textile “objects”), which were of particular interest to me as an objects conservator (see Muppets, Egungun,and a Digitally Printed Reproduction Sleeve). Also check out this blogpost about a related talk in the Objects Session: “The Aftermath of Meds: Removing Historic Fabric Tape from Tlingit Basketry” by Caitlin Mahony.

44th Annual Meeting – May 15th – (Textiles session) Dark Side of the Force: Magnets, Velcro & Unintended Consequences – Maureen Merrigan and John D. Childs

A site-specific artwork to span the distance of a corridor which joins the two central thematic halls was commissioned for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, which was awarded to Spencer Finch for his proposal,“Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning”. The museum’s exhibition staff worked with the artist to design a suitable mounting understructure, which only revealed problems within days of the official opening.
The underlying structure proposed by the exhibition staff was to mount the 2,983 pieces of heavy watercolor paper that make up the composition onto a steel mesh grid using bulldog clips. However, the artist’s desire was for the watercolors to appear to float, with a varied distribution – the clips restricted positioning to a linear grid, so the team worked to create a more randomly positionable mounting strip using earth magnets, contained in small coin enclosures affixed to the back of each component piece.
The work had to be installed during construction phase, and so when completed, the team wrapped it entirely in polyethylene sheeting. Despite these precautions, when checked prior to opening day, it was noted that a circular pattern of dirt, focused around the underlying magnets, had appeared upon pieces of the art work, which would be come to be called the “owl eyes” phenomenon.

For a quick fix, the visible dust was lifted in-situ with low-tack masking tape, but the team kept watch and eight weeks after opening, they repeated the cleaning upwards to a distance of eight feet from the floor level, based upon the ladder height. Due to high profile and high numbers, all exhibit maintenance has to be done after hours, and the work cannot be blocked from use or view, so scheduling and moving the scissor lift was prohibitive.
Knowing that repeated intensive cleanings were not a solution for an installation expected to last five years (and likely longer), the team considered a new mounting protocol for reinstallation that would reduce the attractive force of the magnets to atmospheric dust. The first intervention mocked up placed greater distance between the primary support and the magnet by embedding the mounting magnet into Velcro attached to the emptied magnet pocket but it was ultimately unsuccessful due to differential relative humidity causing curl of the papers away from the pressure sensitive adhesive on the back of the hook tape attached to the envelopes; the hook portion remaining attached to the loop up on the grid.
The dust/dirt were tested by both air sampling and particulate identification. The museum has a regular health and safety sampling protocol due to a high level of nuisance dusts from entries, and potential of asbestos release from the collections themselves. Interestingly, no iron was detected in the air sample, potentially because the deposition settles at a rate too slow or is too diluted over a volume for an eight hour test. Conversely, particle identification showed that seventy-five percent of the dust were definitively iron particles. Environmental sources for airborne iron in cities such as include vehicular traffic exhaust, brake dust, incinerators and more. (An aerial view of the site was provided to show adjacent high-contaminant zones, and sources of pollution near the intake vents.) Although the intake air for the museum is filtered, there are many sources of these at the densely settled and circulated location at the tip of Manhattan that can also enter via the access doors, loading dock, and on dust carried by visitors and staff. The thought that dust was one-time construction related was disproved, from having noted that other objects in cases that mounted with magnets around the same time do not have the same problem.
Therefore, with cooperation from the artist, elimination of the magnets was decided to be the best solution. In the full intervention, the team sliced away the leading side of the coin pockets, removed the magnet, and placed the pressure sensitive adhesive Velcro onto the remnant pocket, a total of 11,932 instances, which was performed in overnight shifts over four weeks. Unfortunately, within a few weeks, this was shown to be ultimately unsuccessful due to differential heating and cooling of the front of the artwork causing curl and failure of the pressure sensitive adhesive (from which to which?). A new round of testing was undertaken, with a goal to maintain the artist’s careful non-linear placement, by continuing to depend on the hook and loop attached to the wall mesh. The primary supports were carefully adhered overall to a mat board, which would be pressed to the receiving tape, now stapled through the mount support.
These test mounts using extra paintings supplied by the artist, were installed between the upper two air vents for an observation period. When the new method proved successful, 150 facsimile prints made from digital captures of the artwork components were created as placeholders while the artwork components were switched out overnight for remounting, so as to avoid interruption for the visitors, numbering in the thousands daily, and include in rapid succession heads of state, such as the Presidents of the United States, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Pope.
The question and answer period was lively with the following exchanges:
Q: if dust is still in the air, is that not a problem elsewhere for unglazed works such as paintings?
A: Yes, dust has been noticed also on vertical surfaces, and so there is a regular housekeeping program to clean these
Q: How do you protect against fading for this long exhibition?
A: In discussions with the artist, he selected Winsor & Newton colors with the highest lightfastness ratings, plus created digital captures. If fading becomes noticeable, they will be replaced with digital facsimiles, and there is a record copy of the artworks to compare against for the long term 5 year timeline, but that could be extended.
Q: [Gwen Spicer, conservator and author of a forthcoming book on magnets in conservation commented:] Noting that aerosols of particulates can be up to 10-20% in cities’ air [for more info on particulate matter and Air Quality Index, see data from the Environmental Protection Agency]. The particle size is critical to the attractive force – and in lower Manhattan with it many towers, you have a canyon effect for intake of highly concentrated flows of fine iron oxide particulates. This is a real health issue – and research is ongoing into low tech ways of finding and binding pollutants. In Oregon, tree moss is being used as a particle sink to identify pollutant sources. Also, it is now common for computers to have magnetic shielding/filtering to protect electromagnetic media, but not buildings. [In a suggested technology transfer, she noted] Could RFID blocking scrim be repurposed to protect indoor air?
Q: Why was choice made to use Lascaux in uncontrolled environment, versus paste & paper? Why were the artworks mounted to another hygroscopic board overall versus an inert support – was there a weight issue?
A: The choice was due to the need to turnaround multiple objects in limited space and time, without ability to lay out and weight a water based adhesive with a water soluble artwork. A paper support was preferred to reduce the differentiation in dimensional change or moisture uptake between the artwork and the support.
Q: Was actual Velcro(TM) used or generic hook and loop tape?
A: “We used generic hook and loop tape from Eastex Products. They were able to provide the custom sized pieces in the timeline we needed.”

44th Annual Meeting- Electronic Media Session- Recovering the Eyebeam Collection following Superstorm Sandy- by Karen Van Malssen

This presentation highlighted the risks to important collections that are located outside of traditional museum or library environments. Eyebeam, a non-profit multimedia art space was among the buildings inundated by flood waters in Manhattan’s West Chelsea neighborhood during Superstorm Sandy. Eyebeam is a collaborative workspace, rather than a museum with a “permanent collection,” but like many alternative arts spaces and contemporary art galleries with no “permanent collection,” Eyebeam maintains a collection of work created by former fellowship recipients (something that looks a lot like a permanent collection).
Just as many people in on the East Coast attempted to prepare for the storm, the art center’s staff had had underestimated the magnitude of Sandy’s storm surge, since the storm had been downgraded from the lowest level of hurricane strength on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The staff members had worked diligently to raise equipment off of the floors and to cover furniture and equipment with plastic sheeting. Unfortunately, three feet of water flooded the interior of the building, causing the loss of 1,500 media items and $250,000 worth of equipment. The presenter showed a video demonstrating the extent of damage to the media archive, contaminated with foul, polluted, flood water. Recovery primarily involved rinsing in clean water, but recovery required more than just the treatment process.

The presenter provided a convenient, numbered list of lessons learned:
Lesson 1. Know Your Context: Assess known risks and anticipate the worst-case scenario. Eyebeam was located near the water, but the staff members had not anticipated catastrophic damage affecting the entire region.
Lesson 2. Maintain Contacts with Local Responders: Assembling a network of contacts in advance of the disaster will greatly improve response time; plan a well-designed scalable system for working with responders
Lesson 3. Train ALL Staff for Recovery: You never know who will be available in an emergency; Be prepared to break all procedures into simple steps for training. The two biggest risks during recovery were dissociation (separation of related parts or separation of labels and other identifying markings) and mishandling (outside expertise in video preservation may be scarce).
Lesson 4. Label Everything: This makes it possible to reunite parts that were separated during recovery.
Lesson 5. Make Hard Decisions in Advance: Maintain records of collection salvage priorities, so resources will not be wasted on low-value materials.
Lesson 6. Know What Roles You Will Need: Do not allow people to multi-task; each person needs a clearly defined scope of responsibility.
Lesson 7. Keep Critical Supplies on Hand: Regional disasters cause shortages of supplies that might be plentiful at retail under normal circumstances.
Lesson 8. Adrenaline Wears off: Schedule breaks from work, and assign someone to provide food, water, etc.
Lesson 9. Integrate Preparedness into Institutional Culture
Lesson 10. Strive to Avoid Negative Press: Many anonymous critics on social media complained that Eyebeam should not have maintained an archive of analog videos or hard copies of digital content, that all of the content should have been duplicated on some cloud server not affected by the storm.
Since the disaster recovery, Eyebeam has relocated to Brooklyn.

44th Annual Meeting – Research and Technical Studies, May 17, "Binders and pigments used in traditional Aboriginal bark paintings” by Narayan Khandekar

This was the last talk I saw at the meeting and was a perfect way to wrap things up, with a travelogue-slash-fascinating research project on the materials and techniques of Aboriginal paintings from the northern part of Australia. Narayan traveled to various art centers and museums to look at and sample pre-1960s paintings, talk to artists and gather local materials. He took about 200 samples from 50 paintings (including some from Harvard’s collection), the oldest from circa 1878. He also obtained materials from artists working today, some of whom took him around to gather materials from local sources, including the beaches of Bathurst Island (part of the Tiwi Islands off the coast of the Northern Territories – thanks Google Maps!). Back at Harvard, he and his colleagues (co authors were Katherine Eremin, Daniel P. Kirby & Georgina Rayner) gathered information on pigments, binders and other materials present that may indicate previous treatments. Narayan pointed out that only two samples of similar paintings had been analyzed and published before, such that this study presents entirely new information.

Of particular interest was the investigation into possible binders. Oral histories and documentary evidence recorded various possible binders, including turtle eggs and orchid mucilage, but it was generally thought that paintings made before the arrival of missionaries in the 1920s didn’t have binders at all (a similar question has been on my mind regarding the paintings made in the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea). Binders were present in 77% of the samples analyzed. No proteins, waxes, fats or blood were detected. The analysis of the oldest paintings did reveal the presence of orchid juice, confirming that binders were in use that early. The techniques of using orchid mucilage could vary; the sticky juice could be mixed with the pigment, or laid down first before applying the pigments mixed in water.
As expected the pigments were largely ochres, and Narayan noted that the trace elements present in the samples provide a fingerprint that can in theory be used to begin to trace the occurrence of different ochres in different areas, but that more study and sampling is necessary to pursue this.

Other interesting findings included the use of dry cell batteries as a source for black manganese and zinc pigments on paintings from Groote Eylandt (yes a very great big island off the east coast of the Northern Territories); this area also shows the use of natural manganese-rich ores and charcoal for black pigments. A curious silver oil-resin paint on two paintings from the 1920s turned out to correlate with the roof repainting of a nearby lighthouse at the same time. The presence of DMP (dimethyl phthalate) in some paintings prior to 1957 resulted from the liberal use of insect repellent (FYI this is the main ingredient in Avon’s Skin-so-Soft; it fell out of use when DEET was invented). The presence of nitrocellulose on Groote Eylandt paintings was connected to records from the 1948 expedition suggesting that they had been consolidated with Duco.
As always, research continues, and Narayan mentioned that they would be looking further into the use of gums and of bloodwood, though I didn’t get down any details on that (I hadn’t actually planned to blog the talk, so apologies for any lacunae!). Also, I’m pretty sure there was a crocodile sighting mentioned, but that too didn’t make it into my notes, so here’s one of my favorites for good measure…