Uncategorized – Page 3 – AIC Blog Archives: Conservators Converse

Call for speakers at MuseumNext in Europe

MuseumNext Europe
June 26-28, 2017

Open Stage – Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The MuseumNext Open Stage is a high-speed mix of smart ideas, bright insights, project demos and brave stories. In the past we’ve seen art pushed through wifi networks, Twitter robots, the intimate details of Hieronymus Bosch, keyboard drumming, museums without electricity and tons of other short presentations. The line up consists of your fellow participants and usually involves lots of audience participation.

Do you have a radical idea but your boss won’t listen? Did you do an amazing project the world needs to know about? Have you always wanted to speak at an international conference? This is your chance to share your story! We’re looking for quick-fire 5-minute presentations, send us your title and 200-word description before 4 May.

Please note, you must have a ticket to attend the conference.

Info: https://tinyurl.com/mlj2jzq.

Survey Results for Library and Archives Conservation Education

In 2016, The Library and Archives Conservation Education (LACE) Survey was commissioned by a consortium of American graduate-level conservation programs (SUNY Buffalo State, New York University, and the University of Delaware/Winterthur) to assist the Consortium in understanding employer expectations of entry-level conservators within research libraries and archives and as an aid in setting instructional priorities that will meet the changing environments of libraries and archives. The survey was funded as part of a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Consortium retained the services of Robert Waller, president and senior risk analyst, and Tessa Thomas, both of Protect Heritage Corporation, to conduct the survey.

Protect Heritage obtained input from 29 conservators and preservation administrators at major research libraries, archives and regional centers who were identified as leaders in the field and to whom entry-level conservators report. The survey process consisted of twenty online questions and a telephone interview. Respondents were asked to identify and rank the skills, subject areas, and degree of mastery expected in entry-level conservators. They were also asked to indicate the degree to which this instruction should take place during graduate study vs. on-the-job training.

Survey respondents ranked two kinds of skills and competencies as most important for entry-level conservators to acquire primarily during graduate education: basic hands-on treatment skills and a broad functional knowledge of conservation techniques, theory, and ethics. They also expect that entry-level conservators will receive most of their training in documentation (written and photographic) and in material and conservation science during their graduate education. Other skills or competencies, such as advanced treatment skills and basic preventive conservation were identified as skills that would be partially learned on-the-job, building on a basic foundation laid during graduate education. Finally, competencies such as advanced preventive conservation skills and a functional knowledge of digitization, audiovisual preservation and reformatting could be largely developed on the job but respondents expected a reasonable degree of familiarity with the basic literature and issues developed during graduate education.

Many respondents also emphasized that it is imperative for entry-level conservators to understand, at least at a basic level, how this broad functional knowledge applies specifically to libraries and archives in contrast to museums. While many said parts of an MLIS were helpful, most did not feel it was necessary as long as entry-level conservators had a relevant masters degree and a sound understanding of the operational structural and research functions of libraries and archives that would inform their decision making and relationships with colleagues. They specifically recommended training in preservation management as applied to libraries and archives.

The survey also queried the importance of material-based competencies in the functional knowledge of the history, fabrication and conservation treatment of bound materials, paper and photographs. This functional knowledge of bound materials and paper was very important to most respondents. Functional knowledge of photographs was very important to 21% of respondents and moderately important to an additional 61%, suggesting that basic instruction in photographic conservation be included in the curriculum.

The complete survey report and appendices can be found at:
http://artconservation.buffalostate.edu/sites/artconservation.buffalostate.edu/files/uploads/LACEsurvey.pdf

Lectures & Tour – Athens: Coexistence of Memory and Modernity

Application deadline: May 1, 2017
Summer (June 25 – July 6, 2017)

The International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies (IIRPS) is now accepting applications their 12-day visit of Athens. This is a thoughtful exploration of the history, preservation and conservation issues facing the city of Athens, starting from the prehistoric era to the present. The tour is organized around a series of lectures and visits led by some of the top Athenian archaeologists, architects, historians, conservators, and planners who have been dealing with the problem of surveying, planning, and preserving monuments and cultural heritage in the midst of a growing modern city.

The faculty of our program includes internationally renowned scholars, such as Dr. Manolis Korres, who was Chief Architect on the Acropolis Restoration Project, who will be leading lectures and visits to the Acropolis area (awarded with the “International Feltrinelli Prize” for his contribution in the field of Archaeology and Restoration), as well as Dr. Fani Mallouchou Tufano, an expert on the history of restoration and was director of the Documentation Office of the Acropolis Restoration Service (recently president of “EUROPA NOSTRA”).

Please visit our website (scroll down for the Athens program) and syllabus to see a complete list of faculty, lectures and visits.

The program is intended for people studying, or professionally involved in, the fields of: History, Archaeology, Architecture Art History, Architecture, Urban Planning, Anthropology, Conservation, and Historic Preservation, but is also open for people with a general interest. Our deadline for applying is May 1, 2017.

National Trust for Historic Preservation: 2017 Preservation Award Nominations Open

Last year the National Trust for Historic Preservation showcased 10 outstanding projects, organizations, and individuals at PastForward Conference in Houston, TX, including the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago’s Southside, the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, and several exemplary preservationists for their individual impact in the field of preservation.

The nomination submission period for the 2017 National Preservation Awards is now open.

Nominate a deserving individual, organization, or project by March 1, 2017.

For more information, visit: forum.savingplaces.org/2017-preservation-awards.

6th International Architectural Paint Research (APR) Conference

The 6th International Architectural Paint Research (APR) Conference will be held from March 15 – 17, 2017 in New York City on the historic campus of Columbia University. This conference promises to bring together many members of this vibrant, creative community that includes historic paint analysts, scholars of historic interiors, art and architecture conservators, material scientists, decorative painters, preservation architects, and heritage managers. The conference agenda is on the website: http://www.apr2017.org.

The theme of the conference, “Powers of Ten,” is reference to a short film from 1977 by Charles and Ray Eames. Like the film, Architectural Paint Research (APR) deals with magnitudes of scale, from a single pigment particle, to a painted house, to the decorative tastes of an entire region. In the spirit of the film, the 2017 APR conference aims to take a closer look at how we carry out our research at every level, from the micro to the macroscopic.

The conference includes an incredible line up of tours but they are filling up fast. The conference includes behind the scenes tours of some of New York’s most unique and special sites. The tours range from an in-depth look at the conservation of Herters Brothers and Tiffany Studio rooms at the 7th Regiment Armory to a tour of the conservation of the “ruin” rooms of the Lower East Side Tenement. We also have a tour of a wallpaper manufacturing facility, the south side of Ellis Island and a look at the conservation of the Keith Haring mural in the LGBT Center. Details of these tours are now available on the conference website.

Registration is open at: http://www.apr2017.org/registration/.

IIC Presents: Exploring the historic and conservation challenges of objects created for social protest and solidarity

by IIC Point of the Matter Dialogue Series

The International Institute for Conservation (IIC) invites you to register for their free* Point of the Matter Dialogue on “Viral Images. Exploring the historic and conservation challenges of objects created for social protest and solidarity.”

Historic events of the past years have highlighted art as a creative means of social expression as well as a powerful tool used during social protests. A few images and words scribbled on a collection of post-it-notes or a graphically designed phrase captured in a Tweet heard around the world have had an unexpectedly lasting influence. But what happens to the art work when the protesters leave? Was it ever intended to be collected or preserved? Is there precedence for archiving these ephemeral materials? Who is collecting them? How do we preserve the intent and impact of these creative works for posterity? Archiving this form of cultural heritage presents many challenges.

The dialogue will take place on February 14, 2017 from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., in the Bonnie J. Sacerdote Lecture Hall of the Uris Educational Center of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (5^th Avenue & 82^nd Street, New York City). There is no charge to attend.

Panellists:

Aaron Bryant, Mellon Curator of Photography at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Michael Gould-Wartofsky, sociologist and author of “The Occupiers. The Making of the 99% Movement”
Christian Scheidemann, conservator and founder of Contemporary Conservation Ltd.
Gregory Sholette, founding member of Political Art Documentation/Distribution and Associate Professor, Sculpture and co-founder of Social Practice Queens(Queens College, City University of New York)
Lidia Uziel, Head of the Western Languages Division (WLD) and Bibliographer for Western Europe, Harvard Library
Ralph Young, Professor of History, Temple University and author of “Dissent: The History of an American Idea” and “ Make Art Not War: Political Protest Posters from the Twentieth Century”

Space is limited, so register now to receive your admittance ticket. Just visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iic-point-of-the-matter-dialogue-on-protest-art-viral-images-tickets-30359401788.

To support this event, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/iichaw/point-of-the-matter-dialogue-on-protest-art.

*A limited number of reserved seats are available in advance for a minimal $5 administration fee. All other ticketed seating will be unreserved, with open seating available the day of the event. Please visit our Evenbrite page for further details.

We hope to see you there!

Amber Kerr and Rebecca Rushfield, IIC Dialogue Organizers

Workshop: Lithography for Conservators and Museum Professionals: Hands-On Stone and Plate Lithography , Houston, TX

February 22-24, 2017
Burning Bones Press and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
**Open to conservators and museum professionals**

Lithography is a complex, chemical printmaking process that requires first-hand experience to fully grasp the technique and potential artistic applications. Conservators and museum professionals are often responsible for the technical identification of prints without having hands-on printmaking experience themselves. This workshop introduces participants to various lithographic processes and techniques commonly utilized by artists and studios, both historically and up to this day.

The workshop consists primarily of hands-on printing activities at Burning Bones Press but will also include lectures, group discussions and examination of prints in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) collection. A comprehensive resource binder will be assembled by the participants throughout the workshop from a combination of lecture slides, notes, printing materials (plates and prints), and other useful references. This will allow participants to walk away with a strong understanding of the technique and have invaluable resources at their fingertips.

This three-day intensive workshop is geared towards both emerging and established conservation and curatorial professionals, especially those who work regularly with lithographic prints.

With financial support from the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
Follow the link for more details and registration:
http://www.burningbonespress.com/lithography-for-conservators-and-museum-professionals-hands-on-stone-and-plate-lithography/

TREASURED LANDSCAPES: National Park Service Art Collections Tell America’s Stories launch

The National Park Service Museum Management Program is pleased announce the publication of TREASURED LANDSCAPES: National Park Service Art Collections Tell America’s Stories (book) and a companion virtual exhibit in celebration of the National Park Service Centennial, 1916–2016. Artworks from over 50 national parks are featured in the book and the exhibit.
Landscape art played a major role in the establishment of the National Park Service and inspired national leaders to protect and preserve these special places for all Americans. Stunning paintings, watercolors, sketches, and works on paper from National Park Service museum collections are seen together for the first time. They capture America’s treasured landscapes from Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Death Valley, to works displayed in the homes of such eminent Americans as Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Laurence Rockefeller. Other works mirror American experiences, from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, to solitary Southwestern scenes, to wildlife in nature. These works of art convey a visual record of the Nation’s stories and reveal the remarkable diversity and engaging history of the National Park Service.
Book available through Eastern National eParks
National Park Service Virtual Exhibit

Control of Health and Safety Hazards in Museums and Collection Care

The Washington Conservation Guild, the Potomac Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, and the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Safety, Health & Environmental Management present a Professional Development Seminar:

Control of Health and Safety Hazards in Museums and Collection Care

Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Smithsonian American Art Museum, McEvoy Auditorium
9:00 – 9:30 am Coffee and Registration Enter the museum at 8th and G Street NW, Washington DC. Doors open at 9:00 AM. (All other doors will be locked at this time)
9:30 am Program begins – see details below
5:00-7:00 pm Stay to network in Courtyard and enjoy the Galleries
Registration cost is $60 and includes lunch
Register at: http://www.potomacaiha.org/
Registration will close COB Friday November 4, 2016.
There is NO ONSITE registration, so you must pre-register
Program includes…
Special Guest Speakers on AIHA and AIC Collaboration
Daniel H. Anna, PhD, CIH, CSP; past President, American Industrial Hygiene Association
Eryl Wentworth, Executive Director, American Institute for Conservation
Collaborative presentations by Health, Safety, Fire Protection, and Conservation Professionals
Lead and Asbestos Issues with the National Museum of African American History and Culture Collections and Artifacts
Hayes C. Robinson, III, M.S., Associate Director for Environmental Management, Smithsonian Institution, Office of Safety, Health & Environmental Management (OSHEM); Sophia Kapranos, Industrial Hygienist, OSHEM.
Fluid Collections Storage at the Smithsonian
Michael Kilby, P.E., Associate Director for Fire Protection, Smithsonian OSHEM; Joshua Stewart, P.E., Fire Protection Engineer, OSHEM.
Moving Beyond “Is it Mold?”
Nora Lockshin, PA-AIC, Senior Conservator, Smithsonian Institution Archives; Sophia Kapranos, Industrial Hygienist, Smithsonian OSHEM.
Occupational and Environmental Risk Assessment of Elemental Mercury at the Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, NJ
Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA; Managing Partner, The Windsor Consulting Group, Inc.
OSHA: Small Business Resources
Bruce A. Love, MBA, Program Analyst, Office of Small Business Assistance, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington, DC.
Safe Access: Exposure Assessment of Residual Legacy Pesticides on Anthropology Collections
Michele Austin-Dennehy, Contract Conservator, Anthropology Conservation Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution; Kathryn Makos, CIH, Research Collaborator, NMNH; (Ret) Smithsonian OSHEM
New Uses of New and Old Technologies: Marvelseal, Lugol’s Iodine, and Scavengers for Mercury Mitigation in a Mineral Collection
Leslie J. Hale, National Rock and Ore Collections Manager, Dept. of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution; Catharine Hawks, AIC-PA, IIC-Fellow, Conservator, NMNH, Smithsonian Institution; Kathryn Makos, CIH, Research Collaborator NMNH, (Ret) Smithsonian OSHEM

Health and Safety Survey on Portable Fume Extractors

Conservators frequently rely on filter-based particle and fume extractors to remove or reduce airborne contaminants in their work spaces. Health and safety professionals often warn about the hazards of using these extractors and even discourage their use for a variety of reasons. However, the Health & Safety Committee recognizes that they may be the only options for conservators working in temporary work sites, studios that are situated inside homes or rented spaces, rooms without windows, or where the building structure cannot be altered. Therefore, the Committee is currently working on a guide to help conservators research, purchase, and safely use portable extractors based on experiences of both conservators and health and safety professionals.

If you have purchased a fume and/or particle extractor, we’d like your feedback on how you rate your particular model and your experiences using an extractor in general. The purpose of the resulting guide is not necessarily to recommend any specific model, but to identify particular features and concerns that will assist conservators in purchasing the correct product for their work and how to use extractors properly.

To contribute to the guide, please complete the following survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5GWBS6P