Month: January 2016

AIA and SCS 2016 Annual Conference – A Conservator's Perspective

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View of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, January 2016

 
The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and the Society for Classical Studies (SCS) recently held its annual conference on January 6-9, 2016 in San Francisco (conference program). This was my first time attending an AIA annual meeting. Although the conference was obviously geared towards archaeologists, I did find many of the sessions useful for conservators. The talks and workshops were generally organized by geographic location, time period, or specialized topics. Additional activities were organized by specific graduate programs or archaeological projects.
The conference began with the AIA public lecture given by Professor Lord Colin Renfew and the opening reception. The talk touched on some of the troubling world events that are currently affecting cultural heritage sites and some of his work on the island of Keros. The presentation was very well attended (standing room only of those who did not show up early). The opening reception immediately following the public lecture was a time when people could informally gather and discuss their work.
The AIA meeting had many different sessions running simultaneously and I had to strategically choose the talks I wanted to attend. I tried to go to all the presentations about archaeology sites that I had done fieldwork. I was interested to see how the material was presented to a specialized audience of archaeologists and to support my colleagues. I also attended several technical sessions such as archaeological photogrammetry and archaeometric approaches to the Bronze Age.
One of the themes that was touched on in many of the talks was addressing the current threat to cultural heritage in zones of conflict. There was a specialized workshop on the topic that brought leading experts to discuss not only the extent of destruction but the role of the international cultural heritage community. While overall these were sobering discussions, there were a few ideas that have the potential to be actualized and could possibly make a noticeable difference. Many organizations are working to document the damage using local reports and remote sensing in the hopes that the data could be of legal use for future war crime prosecutions. There was also the suggestion that resources should be allocated to reflect the racketeering cycle to have the maximum affect.
On Saturday morning, there was a special workshop entitled Innovation at the Junction of Conservation and Archaeology: Collaborative Technical Research moderated by Anna Serotta and Vanessa Muros. Below are the four talks presented during the session.

  • “Looking Closely: Microscopy in the Field” –  Colleen O’Shea and Jacob Bongers
  • “Archaeologist-Conservator Collaboration through Imaging: Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) on the Sardis Expedition, Turkey 2015” – Emily Frank, Harral DeBauche, and Nicholas Cahill
  • “Same Data, Targeted Uses: Site Photogrammetry for Archaeologists and Conservators” – Eve Mayberger, Jessica Walthew, Alison Hight, David Scahill, and Anna Serotta
  • “Drilling, Zapping, and Mapping for more than a Decade: Collaborative Project to Source Classical Marble in the Carlos Museum” – Renée Stein and Robert Tykot

I was honored to co-present the collaborative work undertaken at Selinunte during the 2015 excavation season. Following the talks, there was a general discussion regarding the role of conservation in fieldwork and the specialized knowledge that conservators can contribute to archaeological research questions. I hope that the AIA will continue to allow a space for conservation to engage with the larger archaeological community within the context of their annual meeting.

Health & Safety Committee – Call for Student Member

Are you concerned about the health and safety of yourself and others? Do you want to get involved in AIC and be part of a great team? Will you be enrolled in a graduate conservation program during the upcoming academic year?
The Health & Safety Committee of AIC is seeking a new student member to serve a 2-year term (2016-2018).
Health & Safety is a very active committee, with members contributing articles and guides to the AIC News and AIC wiki; hosting an informational booth, workshops, and sessions at the Annual Meeting; and regularly addressing questions and issues related to health and safety in our field.
Membership parameters:
The Committee is composed of eleven members (maximum) that include:

  • Up to nine Conservation Professionals, who serve a  four-year term with a possible renewal for a second term.
  • A Conservation Student, who serves a non-renewable two-year term, 50% of which must be in school and/or internship.
  • At least one allied Health and Safety Professional (s), who serve a two-year term with up to three possible renewals.
  • All Committee members must be members of AIC

Student member position description:
The student member will share with the other committee members the responsibility to plan for AIC Annual Meeting activities, attend meetings/conference calls, contribute to H&S projects, and represent the organization. This position will also offer the student member an opportunity to act as the liaison between H&S and the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in health and safety issues, and a desire to participate and learn from the more experienced members of the committee.
For more information on the H&S Committee, please visit our website. If you would like details on the duties and commitment of the position, please contact current student member Miranda Dunn, mirandahdunn@gmail.com.
Potential candidates should submit a resume or CV and statement of interest to Co-Chair Kerith Koss Schrager, Kerith.Koss@gmail.com, by March 1, 2016.

C2CC Webinar 2/9: Reframing the Problem: Caring for Framed Objects in Small Institutions (aka: On a Budget)

Do you have a stash of framed objects and old frames and don’t know what to do with them? Join our next webinar, “Reframing the Problem: Caring for Framed Objects in Small Institutions (aka: On a Budget),” Tuesday, 2/9, 2 p.m. ET. This webinar will focus on the ways that smaller institutions can care for frames and their contents safely and economically. It’s free!
Sign up: http://www.connectingtocollections.org/reframing-the-problem-caring-for-framed-objects-in-small-institutions-aka-on-a-budget/
Connecting to Collections Care (www.connectingtocollections.org), a program of the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation, provides free training and resources to help smaller cultural institutions take better care of their collections.

Job Posting: Chief Preparator – Carnegie Museums (Pittsburgh, PA)

If interested please apply on our website at http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/

Location: Pittsburgh Pa (Oakland)

Title: Chief Preparator

Duration: Full Time

As a key member of the collections division, the Chief Preparator manages the work of full-time and temporary preparators and shared collections coordinator in the preparation and installation of art in the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and storage facilities, including outgoing loans. Provides strategic vision in planning and implementation for all installation-related activity. Works collaboratively with Chief Registrar and Chief Conservator, as well as Curatorial and Exhibitions colleagues, in achieving goals and organizing staff and schedules for all museum installation, collection management, and storage activity. With collaboration, communication, and advocacy, fosters a team-oriented environment in the museum while efficiently and productively meeting scheduling and budgeting objectives. Assumes physical work as needed in art installation and preparation.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s degree, preferably with concentration in museum studies, studio art, or similar area. At least 3-5 years of art handling experience in a museum with increasingly higher level of responsibility, leadership, and team management. Proven excellence in showing creativity, aesthetic sensibility, ingenuity, and problem-solving. Proficiency in handling a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, textiles, works-on-paper, furniture, ceramics, metalwork, glass, jewelry, stone, film, video, digital imagery, and time-based media, as well as knowledge of the exhibition furniture required to display and support such art. Familiarity with architectural and design plans is encouraged. A valid Pennsylvania driver’s license is required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES (MANAGEMENT SKILLS): Demonstrated ability to provide critical thought for long-range planning. Meets deadlines and works well under pressure. Excellent communication and time-management skills and proven success in organizing, leading, and managing staff, working with living artists, and collaborating with colleagues across departments. Knowledge of appropriate care, handling, and storage for a wide range of materials, as well as policies and regulations regarding workplace safety. Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs and experience with collections management systems is required.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to use diverse hand and power tools (including cabinet and shop equipment of varying sizes and complexity), moving van, hydraulic lifts, dollies, etc. Must have good dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and ability to climb and to work on ladders for extended periods of time; to reach works of art above shoulder level; to lift heavy objects (up to 50 pounds); and to stand or to walk for an eight-hour work day. 
The following PA Act 153 clearances, or proof of application of clearances, are required prior to beginning employment and as a condition of continued employment: 
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance 
• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
• FBI Fingerprint Criminal Background Check
To apply/register online for the clearances, please visit http://www.dhs.state.pa.us/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htm
Carnegie Museums is an EEO-1 Affirmative Action Employer-M/F/Veteran/Disability

Pity the famous masterpieces that have undergone very many restoration campaigns

In the January 16-17, 2016 issue of The Wall Street Journal, Inti Landauro writes about the forthcoming restoration of the Louvre’s “St John the Baptist” by Leonardo da Vinci (“Another Leonardo to Come Clean”). In the article Landauro mentions that, while the “Mona Lisa” does not need treatment at this time, it is inevitable that it will undergo another restoration in the future. Think of all the lesser known works (or privately owned works) which have for the most part been left alone over the centuries and pity the famous masterpieces that have undergone very many restoration campaigns, some of them unnecessary or disastrous.

Two messages from the aftermath of a botched restoration; one positive and one not

According to an article in the January 25, 2016 issue of The New York Times (“Egyptian Officials Face Tribunal for Damaging Mask”, by Declan Walsh), eight Egyptian museum officials have been suspended from their jobs and face permanent dismissal  as well as fines  after having been charged with negligence and violation of scientific and professional rules in connection with the 2011 repair of the burial mask of King Tutankhamen. That repair, made with epoxy, and attempts to remove the epoxy   left the artifact with permanent damage.  Eventually, the epoxy was removed and the mask repaired correctly  by German conservators.   One positive message we get from this sad occurrence is that conservation is now taken seriously in Egypt.   Another message—not at all positive—is that Egypt lacks trained conservators who are able to care for its cultural heritage.

Getting the Interview: Emerging Conservator Involvement in the FAIC Oral History Project

Amber Kerr interviewing Richard Wolbers, Associate Professor, Coordinator of Science, and Affiliated Paintings Conservator for the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation

Interviewing with iPhone
Diana Hartman interviewing Joy Gardiner, Assistant Director of Conservation and Textile Conservator at the Winterthur Museum, and Affiliated Assistant Professor for the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Since 1975 the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) has supported an initiative to chronicle the history of the field of conservation. The FAIC Oral History Project has resulted in a growing database of transcripts and audio recordings of interviews with conservators, conservation scientists, and individuals in related disciplines. This archive constitutes an invaluable professional resource.
I became involved in the project a little over a year ago, contributing to the archive by conducting interviews. I can testify that my involvement has been both immensely rewarding and unexpectedly challenging. It’s reasonable to feel pressure to do justice to someone’s legacy. Before even arriving at the interview, however, the greatest obstacle I’ve encountered has been to simply schedule a meeting.
Though some individuals firmly decline an interview, the most common response has been agreement to interview — but in a few months. These few months usually turn into several additional months, which may turn into a year or more. In many cases, this is understandable: I’ve found that the timing of my request and the career trajectory of the potential interviewee are crucial. Conservation professionals close to retirement but still working are generally difficult to pin down, while those who have just retired are in a transitional period and may have equal difficulty scheduling a meeting. A commitment to periodically following up is critical to securing an interview.
I’ve found thus far that conservators and conservation professionals generally tend to be modest individuals who would otherwise be inclined to downplay their achievements. Those who have agreed to interview seem to have done so with reluctance. It is in these instances that it is most important to advocate for the value of recording both professional and personal experiences, and to attest that a request for an interview reflects the richness of an individual’s career rather than age. Many members of the generation of conservators in question were fundamental to shaping training programs, treatment methodologies, and the field of conservation as it has emerged in its own right.
As for the interview itself, I admit that it can be a humbling experience. For one, it can be embarrassing to hear yourself on tape! Yet, on the whole, leading interviews has constituted a beneficial learning process for me. Through doing so, I’ve been developing a tangential set of skills to endeavor to employ in each interview: I research my subject thoroughly beforehand to develop meaningful questions; try to listen patiently and actively with minimal interjections; and attempt to direct the conversation organically in a way which puts the interviewee at ease. These are valuable abilities to be nurtured.
An interview I conducted last month confirmed for me how personally insightful it can be to speak with colleagues for the Oral History Project. Interviewing Ann Massing, Paintings Conservator and Assistant to the Director at the Hamilton Kerr Institute (Emeritus), provided insights into the formation and teaching philosophies of the Hamilton Kerr Institute at Cambridge University, where I am currently a Post-Graduate Intern. I was amazed to hear about how international the cohort at the Institute was from the get-go, a characteristic that is still cultivated today. I was exposed to the history of the Institute and its major players over the years, foremost being the first director Herbert Lank, whose influence has been lasting. This has enriched my understanding of working at the Institute. Through Ann’s interview, I also received a sense of how incredibly interconnected the field is, and I am grateful to her for having shared her personal history with me.
As an emerging conservator, it has been fascinating and rewarding to learn about the history of conservation through the Oral History Project. It is a unique way to discover more about institutions of interest or to become better acquainted with colleagues in your vicinity. Interviews provide a window into how the discipline has developed, as well as into current trends in the field and prevailing research questions. Speaking with such accomplished and influential professionals is a privilege, as is being an agent for preserving their memories and legacy, and I would highly recommend the experience.
If you’d like to become involved with the Oral History Project, contact Joyce Hill Stoner at jhstoner@udel.edu or visit the AIC page for more information.

Job Posting: Paper Conservator – NY State Archives (Albany, NY)

Paper Conservator Position at New York State Archives

New York State Archives, Office of Cultural Education, State Education Department

Archives Conservation Specialist 1 SG-14 (PEF)

Location:  Albany, NY

Salary: $41,993

Application deadline:  February 5, 2016

Incumbent must begin work by April 7, 2016

The Office of Cultural Education (OCE), is seeking to fill an Archives Conservation Specialist (ACS) 1 position in the New York State Archives.  Under the direction of the Archives Conservation Specialist (ACS) 3, the incumbent will carry out duties of this position in accordance with the American Institute for Conservation Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. Other duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Participate in the examination, treatment, documentation, and housing of high priority paper-based collections of the State Archives, State Library, and State Museum. Treatments may include but are not limited to, surface cleaning, washing, deacidifying, flattening, mending, and lining. Housing may include encapsulation, mounting, matting, and framing;
  • Prepare paper-based collections for exhibition, including evaluating condition, documentation, treatment, housing, packing, transport, installation/de-installation, and post-exhibition review;
  • Participate in OCE collections stewardship activities and teams;
  • Assist in the delivery of presentations and demonstrations illustrating conservation principles, techniques and results for visitors to the OCE conservation lab and other audiences;
  • Provide preservation and conservation advice to cultural institutions and the public. Provide advice, assistance, and training to staff as needed.
  • Participate in disaster response outreach activities;
  • Participate in OCE lab management activities, including maintaining inventory of supplies, and maintenance and use of OCE equipment.
  • Supervise Historic Conservation Technician, interns, and support staff, as assigned; and
  • Carry out other tasks as assigned and appropriate for the ACS1 title.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: For provisional appointment, candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree or higher in paper conservation, OR a Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience as a conservation technician with duties including one or more of the following: assisting conservator with conservation lab treatments, such as washing, lining and deacidification; independently carrying out conservation lab treatments, such as dry cleaning, mending, or fabrication of custom storage containers; monitoring and recording environmental conditions; overseeing technical components of micrographics or imaging operations; or assisting conservator with preservation training activities.
For full job announcement, qualifications, and application process see:

Job Posting: Historic Conservation Technician – NY State Archives (Albany, NY)

New York State Archives, Office of Cultural Education, State Education Department

Historic Conservation Technician 2 SG-12 (CSEA-OPERATIONAL)

Location:  Albany, NY

Salary: $40,172  

Application deadline:  January 29, 2016

Incumbent must begin work by April 7, 2016

The New York State Archives is seeking to fill a Historic Conservation Technician (HCT) 2 position in the Office of Cultural Education.  The focus of the position is the digitization of selected records in the Archives holdings for online delivery and in response to research requests.  Under the direction of an Archives and Records Management Specialist (ARMS) 2 in the Collections Management Unit, duties of this position will include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Participate in the digitization of selected collections;
  • Conduct review processes to ensure the quality of resulting digital images and corresponding metadata;
  • Participate in preservation reformatting activities such as original microfilming and microforms duplication;
  • Participate in collections management activities such as stacks maintenance, monitoring environmental conditions in the Cultural Education Center, and disaster preparedness and response; and
  • Carry out other tasks as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  For provisional appointment candidates must have four years of professional experience in preservation activities in a library, archives, museum or public records repository. Qualifying experience may include micrographics or imaging activities or other preservation activities aimed at stabilizing collections materials such as rehousing and preparing records for permanent storage, assisting with laboratory conservation work, or experience with digital photography.

For full job announcement, qualifications, and application process see:

http://www.oms.nysed.gov/hr/flyers/OCE_952_26365.htm

Job Posting: Fellowship in Conservation of Contemporary Art – SFMOMA (San Francisco, CA)

Fellowship in Conservation of Contemporary Art at SFMOMA
The Conservation Department at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is pleased to offer a two-year, advanced Fellowship in the conservation of contemporary art, beginning fall 2016. The Fellow will participate in the inauguration of the new SFMOMA including the Snøhetta expansion and the museum’s Collections Center. The Fellowship will focus on 20th and 21st century art. In keeping with the nature of contemporary art, the Fellowship is designed to initiate constructive dialog between conservators working in different disciplines (including paper, paintings, objects, photographs, and electronic media) as well as artists, curators, art historians and other expert contributors. Honoring disciplinary expertise, the Fellow will be supervised by the staff conservator affiliated with her/his specialty.
Contemporary art often requires problem solving that diverges from traditionally prescribed conservation measures. In addition to performing technical examination and treatment on works in the museum’s collection, the Fellowship will give focus to the non-traditional methods that are employed in creating, and caring for, contemporary works of art. The Fellowship will also include activities such as exhibition planning, installation, and collection research. Effective methods for documenting these factors will be explored, since compiling information about artists’ materials, processes, and intentions may be among the most important contributions conservators of contemporary art can make toward future care of collections,. The Fellow will undertake research and/or a specific project related to contemporary art and will be encouraged to present a paper or publish the findings.
The applicant should have a graduate degree from a recognized conservation training program (or related program) and one to two years of post-graduate experience. A specialization in painting, objects, paper, photographs, or electronic media conservation is required. The applicant should have enough experience to be able to work with a degree of independence in the studio. The ability to collaborate creatively with other conservators and museum staff members is essential.
Stipend: $38,000 plus benefits with $2000 for research and travel to conferences.  For more details, contact SFMOMA Conservation Department at (415) 357-4054.  All applications and supporting documents must be received by February 15, 2016.  Candidates should submit curriculum vitae and a statement (no more than one page) as to the candidate’s reason for applying, and two letters of support to: Elise S. Haas Conservation Department, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 151 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.