Topics in Photographic Preservation now available online

pmg-siteDear colleagues,

It is with great enthusiasm that we announce Topics in Photographic Preservation, the Photographic Materials Group (PMG) biennial publication since 1986, is now available online: http://resources.conservation-us.org/pmg-topics/ 

To date PMG has published 15 volumes of Topics in Photographic Preservation with volume 16 to be printed soon. This new website, managed by PMG with AIC support is hosted by CoOL (Conservation OnLine), and makes volumes 1-14 available to the public online for the first time. Future volumes will continue to be added 2-3 years after their initial publication.

This new Topics website also points users to additional photographic preservation articles published in the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation (JAIC), and other resources created by PMG available for sale via the AIC store (www.conservation-us.org/shop/store-catalogs).

Completing this project has taken significant commitment during our tenures as PMG Chair and Publication Committee Coordinator. That said, there are many that assisted in making this valuable resource possible both before and during our tenures and we would like to thank all those who contributed over the years, especially Brenda Bernier, Paul Messier, Lisa Duncan, Brian Raniewicz, and Bonnie Naugle.

Enjoy!

Sylvie Penichon
PMG Chair

 Jae Gutierrez
PMG Publications Committee Coordinator


Please also note these conservation publications are freely available on CoOL:

See more at http://cool.conservation-us.org/publications.html, and learn more about AIC’s specialty group publications on our website! 


 

Bulletin of Research on Metal Conservation (BROMEC 35) is now available

The trilingual site BROMEC is the online resource for research dissemination by conservators and scientists of metallic cultural heritage artifacts.
BROMEC 35, the Bulletin of Research on Metal Conservation is now available online at the following websites:

Ten research abstracts and 5 announcements are presented, together with the usual lists of related contacts and informative metal research/conservation websites and discussion groups.
You will find English, French and Spanish language versions for downloading as PDF documents.
To subscribe for email updates about BROMEC:
http://www.warwick.ac.uk/bromec-subscription
BROMEC Editorial Team
Anglophone Editor & Translator:

  • James Crawford

Francophone Coeditor:

  • Michel Bouchard

Hispanophone Coeditor:

  • Diana Lafuente

Francophone Translators:

  • Nathalie Richard
  • Elodie Guilminot
  • Julie Masson-MacLean

Hispanophone Translators:

  • Ana Crespo
  • Ana Pastor

Mailing lists and listservs not reaching Yahoo, Hotmail users

Subscribers to listservs and distribution lists, including AIC listservs, have been running into problems. The culprit is a new layer of security added by certain mail providers, primarily Yahoo Mail, Comcast, and Hotmail.
Many people using these email accounts have noticed that messages are not coming in or the listserv’s automated “mailman” is disabling their accounts. Reactivating the account will not work, since the new security settings are not allowing any messages through. If this issue affects you, the best solution is to switch your listserv subscription to a different email—perhaps a work email address or a Gmail account. Another solution is to log in and read the archives on a regular basis, since access to the archives should not be restricted.
Members who are affected by this will be getting weekly emails from AIC with any important announcements related to the annual meeting. We are working on a long-term solution to be enacted after the annual meeting. Please contact your Specialty Group chair(s) with any issues.
Subscribers to the Conservation Dist-List should not be affected by this problem.

Considering the Research Habits of Conservators

Help Chart Conservation’s Digital Landscape.
Not long ago I saw that the Ithaka S+R, the folks behind JSTOR, released a report about the changing research practices of art historians. Turns out this report was one of a series, with the others looking at the habits of  historians and chemists. Reviewing these documents, I was struck by just how my my own research habits have changed over the last 10 years thanks to digital devices and sites that help me collect, organize, and share information as I do my work. It seemed like a great way to start thinking through some of the issues that will be discussed when FAIC kicks off Charting the Digital Landscape for the Conservation Profession with a forum at the AIC annual meeting. This project, funded by the Mellon, Kress, and Getty Foundations, is an outgrowth of conversations that have been held about Conservation OnLine and the Conservation DistList over the last 5 years. To help start the discussion at the forum during the annual meeting, I’ve been asked to offer a short presentation at this forum on key resources I use in my job, what’s missing, and how challenges to access affect how I do my work.
There will be 3 other short talks too. FAIC’s Eric Pourchot will briefly introduce the Digital Landscape project and hopefully report on preliminary results from the survey that was sent out to AIC members recently. If you missed it, here’s the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C83S9T2
Representing the Mellon Foundation, Ken Hamma will give us an overview of themes emerging from the various meetings they’ve held or funded around various projects such as ResearchSpace and ConservationSpace, the overall goals of those projects, and how they relate to what’s happening in other fields, particularly the digital humanities. I’m particularly looking forward to hearing from David Bloom, a biologist at University of California, Berkeley and coordinator of the collaborative biodiversity data sharing project, VertNet. He’ll be talking about interdisciplinary collaboration, building community online, and keeping that community engaged.
If you’re at the annual meeting, I hope you can come and voice your thoughts and ask questions. What would help you do your work better, more efficiently? The forum will be on Saturday, May 31 at 1:30-4 pm in Regency A&B, located on the street level of the Hyatt Embarcadero. If you’re at annual meeting, but only can stay for a little while, that’s fine — there will be a flyer available at the session with contact information to contribute thoughts or ask questions afterwards. If you’re not able to attend the session, I hope you’ll keep an eye out for updates on the project following this forum and other events related to this project over the next 8 months.

Bulletin of Research on Metal Conservation (BROMEC 34) is now available

BROMEC34The trilingual site BROMEC is the online resource for research dissemination by conservators and scientists of metallic cultural heritage artifacts.
BROMEC 34, the Bulletin of Research on Metal Conservation’s April 2013 issue, is now available online at the following websites:

Eight research abstracts and 8 announcements are presented, together with the usual lists of contacts and informative metal research/conservation websites and discussion groups. The issue includes articles on:
Calls for collaboration:

  • Survey on the stabilization of marine iron-organic composite artefacts

New research projects:

  • New approaches and applications of electrochemical techniques and corrosion inhibitors for in situ monitoring of shipwrecks and treatment of recovered marine metal-organic composite artefacts
  • MAIA: Microbes for Archaeological Iron Artefacts
  • Fabrication, corrosion and conservation of the silver jewellery from Lumbe’s Garden, Prague Castle

Ongoing research projects:

  • The MIFAC-Metal project: a methodology for studying and analyzing microstructures and corrosion profiles of heritage metals; application to metallographic samples from Swiss collections
  • The St Maurice project: development of an electrolytic pen for cleaning tarnished gilt silverware with wooden cores

Finalized research projects

  • Conservation of a fluvial deposit of bronzes from Agde-La-Motte

English, French and Spanish language versions are available for downloading as PDF documents.
To subscribe for email updates about BROMEC: www.warwick.ac.uk/bromec-subscription
BROMEC Editorial Team
Anglophone Editor & Translator:
·      James Crawford
Francophone Coeditor:
·      Michel Bouchard
Hispanophone Coeditor:
·      Emilio Cano
Francophone Translators:
·      Nathalie Richard
·      Elodie Guilminot
·      Marc Voisot
Hispanophone Translators:
·      Diana Lafuente
·      Inmaculada Traver

New Issue of e-conservation Magazine Released for Download

We are pleased to announce that issue is now online and available to read and download from www.e-conservationline.com.

This is one of the most exhaustive issues we have published so far ncluding a large range of articles on conservation science, 3D documentation, preventive conservation and practical interventions, among others. We hope you will enjoy reading it. Follow them on facebook, twitter, and their blog.

Index
Issue 24,Autumn 2012
ISSN: 1646-9283

Editorial

Viral Conservation
By Rui Bordalo

News and Views

Profound Sounds: an Accidental Pilgrimage with John Cage
By Daniel Cull

Reviews

The Renaissance Workshop: The Materials and Techniques of Renaissance Art
Reviewed by Helen Glanville

Polychrome Sculpture: Artistic Tradition and Construction Techniques
Reviewed by Ana Bidarra

Connecting to Conservation: Outreach and Advocacy
Reviewed by Rose Cull

Copying, Replicating and Emulating Paintings in the 15th-18th Century
Reviewed by Sue Ann Chui

French Bronzes: History, Material and Techniques of Bronze    Sculpture in France (16th-18th centuries)
Reviewed by Carol Grissom

Conservation Matters in Wales
Reviewed by Rachel Robbins

CMA4CH 2012: Use of Multivariate Analysis and Chemometrics in     Cultural Heritage and Environment
Reviewed by Luciano D’Alessio and Pierina Ielpo

Interview

International Conservation Workshop Lopud: Student Perspectives
By Sagita Mirjam Sunara

Articles

British Carlo Maratta Picture Frame: Technical Examination and Restoration Process
By Damian Lizun

Study and Conservation of the Painting “Paul III and Ranzio Farnese” by Parmigianino
By Fatma Helmi, Osama El-Feky and Yasmeen Alam Eldin

A Comparative Study of the Use of Aquazol in Paintings Conservation
By Elisabetta Bosetti

A Flexible Crossbar System for a 19th Century Panel Painting
By Angeliki Bakalarou, Charis Theodorakopoulos

Study and Conservation of the City Center of Shahr-e Ray, Iran
By Vahid Heidary

3D Documentation Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning of the Remains  of the Jesuit Mission in the Region of Lake Tana, Ethiopia
By Christian Dietz, Gianluca Catanzariti, Pablo de la Presa,  Victor M. Fernandez and Alfredo Jimeno Martinez

Between Tradition and Innovation: 3D Documentation of Enna’s monuments
By Antonella Versaci and Alessio Cardaci

Brushes for Retouching: How to Choose Them
By Ana Bailao and Sandra Sustic

The Use and Influence of Varnish on Paintings
By Marc Maire

Preventive Conservation of the Bark Cloth Collection of The University of Queensland Anthropology Museum
By Kate Stanway

Preventive Conservation: a Key Method to Ensure Cultural Heritage’s Authenticity and Integrity in Preservation Process
By Heidi Wirilander

The Concept of Cultural Heritage Preservation
By Ali Miri

Book Reviews

The AIC Guide to Digital Photography and Conservation Documentation, 2nd Edition
By Rose Cull

Materials, Technologies, Practice in Historic Heritage Structures
By Mirela Anghelache

Call for Papers: “Polychrome Sculpture: Decorative Practice and Artistic Tradition”

Interim Meeting of the ICOM-CC Working Group – Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decorations

Hosted by Tomar Polytechnic Institute
Tomar, Portugal
28-29 May 2013

This two day symposium will focus on artistic tradition within the field of polychrome sculpture relating to decorative practice. After two symposiums on construction techniques (Maastricht 2010 and Glasgow 2012), the main focus will now be on decorative practices, from painting materials, to varnishes or metal leaf applications, etc.

The meeting will be hosted by the Polytechnic Institute, Tomar (Portugal). Tomar is well known for the Convent of the Order of Christ (12th century),–originally a Templar stronghold–and one of Portugal’s most important historical and artistic monuments, classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1983. The Polytechnic Institute provides training for conservators in the form of a Master degree course in Conservation and Restoration.

The organizing committee and the ICOM-CC working group Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration invites papers and posters related to decorative practices within the field of polychrome sculpture and the conservation treatment of these objects. Several decorative techniques will be addressed such as painting techniques from different regions, gilding, estofado , use of incised and punched patterns, varnishes, lacquers, applications, etc.

The meeting will provide a forum for discussion between conservators, conservation scientists, researchers, educators and curators to discuss artistic practice within the field of polychrome sculpture. The symposium aims to bring together  international experts on polychrome decorative practice and to provide an opportunity for the worldwide conservation community to exchange new research, experiences and expertise within this field.

Original papers are invited for submission to focus on case studies and advances in research and treatment of polychrome sculpture. Authors interested in presenting a paper or poster should submit an abstract (400 – 600 words) by 31 December, 2012 to icomccspadtomar2013 [at] gmail__com

Work should be original and not have been published previously. Contributions of work-in-progress are also welcome. Abstracts should be in English and include the contact information for the author(s) (affiliation, address, telephone, fax and e-mail). The abstracts will be reviewed by the Conference Organizing Committee, and authors will be informed by 31 January 2013. Full papers are to be delivered by 30 April 2013. It is the intention of the organisers to publish all accepted papers in English.

Further details regarding this conference will be posted on the home page of the ICOM-CC Working Group: Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration, which is at www.icom-cc.org/38/working-groups/sculpture,-polychromy,-and-architectural-decoration

The Conference Organizing Committee:

Ana Bidarra
ICOM-CC Working Group Assistant Coordinator: Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration
Private Conservator-Restorer
Rua Almirante Candido dos Reis No. 28 3T
3800-096 Aveiro
Portugal
+351 966590968
bidarra.ana [at] gmail__com

Kate Seymour
ICOM-CC Working Group Coordinator: Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration
Head of Education
Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL)
Avenue Ceramique 224
6221 KX Maastricht
The Netherlands
+31 43 321 8444
k.seymour [at] sral__nl

Call for Papers: Heritage Wood – Research and Conservation in the 21st Century

Joint Interim Conference of three ICOM-CC working groups:

Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer
Scientific Research
Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration

National Museum in Warsaw, Poland
28-30 October, 2013

Hosted in collaboration with the National Museum in Warsaw, and the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw

The conference entitled “Heritage Wood: Research and Conservation in the 21st Century ” will focus on novel scientific methods and applied research into heritage wooden structures, as well as furniture, wooden sculpture, painted wood, gilded wood, varnished wood, lacquered wood, paintings on wooden supports, and all other heritage wooden objects.

Themes will include:

  • Advances in scientific research applied to heritage wood for analysis and conservation
  • The study and elucidation of mechanisms of wood damage and wood deterioration associated with environmental and physical conditions
  • The interrelation between the wood and various finishing layers
  • Novel conservation methods applied to unvarnished, varnished, polychrome, or gilded wood (sculptures, paintings on wooden supports, furnishings and furniture, architectural structures and decorations)
  • Case studies highlighting problems associated with heritage wood conservation, novel solutions and appropriate treatments
  • Case studies emphasizing complex research of artworks on wooden supports linking technical investigations with historical context and subsequent conservation treatment

The meeting will provide a forum for discussion between conservation scientists, researchers, educators and practising conservators. The conference aims to bring together international experts on heritage wood research and to provide a great opportunity for the worldwide conservation community to exchange new research, experiences and expertise.

It is the intention of the organizers to publish all accepted papers in English, however oral presentations at the conference will be allowed in both official languages of the meeting, Polish and English, and simultaneous translation will be provided.

Call for Papers deadline: February 28, 2013

Original papers are invited for submission to focus on case studies and advances in heritage wood research. Authors interested in presenting a paper or poster should submit an abstract (400 – 600 words) by February 28, 2013, to     heritagewoodconservation2013 [at] gmail__com

Work should be original and not have been published previously. Contributions of work-in-progress are also welcome. Abstracts should be in English or Polish and include the contact information for the author(s) (affiliation, address, telephone, fax and e-mail). The abstracts will be reviewed by the Conference Organizing Committee and invited experts, and authors will be informed by April 30, 2013.

The Conference Organizing Committee:

Kate Seymour
Coordinator, ICOM-CC Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration Working Group
k.seymour [at] sral__nl

Austin Nevin
Coordinator, ICOM-CC Scientific Research Working Group,
austin.nevin [at] ifn__cnr__it

Dr Malgorzata Sawicki
Coordinator, ICOM-CC Wood, Furniture, and Lacquer Working Group
margaret.sawicki [at] ag__nsw__gov__au

Marcin Draniak
Coordinator–contacts with the Director, Head of Laboratory, National Museum in Warsaw
mdraniak [at] mnw__art__pl

Dr Elzbieta Pietrusinska-Pilecka
Art Science and Conservation Specialist
National Museum in Warsaw
epilecka [at] mnw__art__pl

Dorota Ignatowicz-Wozniakowska
Head of Conservation Department,
National Museum in Warsaw
dignatowicz [at] mnw__art__pl

Prof. Iwona Szmelter
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
badania [at] asp__waw__pl

Call for Nominations: George Cunha and Susan Swartzburg Preservation Award

The  was established by the Preservation and Reformatting Section (PARS) to honor the memory of George Cunha and Susan Swartzburg, early leaders in cooperative preservation programming and strong advocates for collaboration in the field of preservation.

The award acknowledges and supports cooperative preservation projects and/or rewards individuals or groups that foster collaboration for preservation goals. Recipients of the George Cunha and Susan Swartzburg Award demonstrate vision, endorse cooperation and advocate for the preservation of published and primary source resources that capture the richness of our cultural patrimony. The award recognizes the leadership and initiative required to build collaborative networks designed to achieve specific preservation goals. Any person or group is eligible for this award; membership in ALA is not required. The Cunha/Swartzburg Award is sponsored by Hollinger Metal Edge and includes a $1,250 grant and citation.

Send nominations, including the name of the person or group being nominated; address, phone number and email address of nominee and nominating party; a formal statement of nomination, with rationale for the nomination; resume, vita or extensive narrative career outline upon which the award jury can base its determination; and letters of support and endorsement, to Kris Kern, chair, Cunha/Swartzburg Jury, kernk [at] pdx__edu

For more information, visit www.ala.org/alcts/awards/profrecognition/lbicunhaswartz

Kristen Kern
Fine and Performing Arts Librarian
Portland State Library
503-725-5218