AIC's 44th Annual Meeting: Full Schedule

2:00pm EDT

Totebag Stuffing Volunteer Opportunity

Speakers

Ryan Winfield

Membership Manager, American Institute for Conservation

After graduating from Mary Washington College in 2004 with a BA in art history and historic preservation, Ryan moved to DC, where he got his first job working for a small association management firm. After that he worked at a national arts advocacy organization before coming to AIC... Read More →

Wednesday May 11, 2016 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 210C

6:00pm EDT

(Tour) Chinatown Tour and Progressive Dinner

Limited Capacity filling up

Le quartier chinois de Montréal is located in the area of De la Gauchetière Street in Montreal. The area was once home to Montreal's Jewish community, with thousands of Yiddish speaking immigrants settling in the area from 1890 to 1920, as part of a Jewish quarter centered on Saint Laurent Boulevard. In the mid-19th century, Chinese immigrants started to move into the area, because it was convenient for many of them who worked for the railways. By 1902, the area officially became known as Chinatown. Unfortunately though, from the 1970s onwards, the neighborhood underwent many of the cities' redevelopment plans, such as the construction of the Complexe Guy-Favreau and the Palais des congrès. Still, the area remains home to a thriving Chinese community and is host to many culinary and entertainment offerings enjoyed by the whole city. Take our tour of Montreal's small but very culturally-rich Chinatown. Come learn about aspects of everyday Chinese immigrant life: religion, beliefs, family, education, social relations, architecture, arts and entertainment, and enjoy a progressive dinner with friends while you learn! We will visit three restaurants, which specialize in Peking duck, dumplings, and Mongolian hot pot. Sorry -- this tour is not a good choice for vegetarians.

Thursday May 12, 2016 6:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

9:00am EDT

(Pre-Conference Meeting) IAMFA Meeting

Limited Capacity seats available

$115 AIC/CAC members/$135 Non-members

Share the Care: Collaborative Preservation Approaches:a joint AIC/IAMFA Seminar
May 13, 2016 – 9 am to 5 pm, Seminar
5 pm to 6 pm, Reception, sponsored by Tru Vue, Inc.
May 14, 2016 – 10 am to 12:00 pm - Special Post-Session on "Choosing and Implementing an Automatic Fire Suppression System for a Collecting Institution"

Held in conjunction with the 2016 AIC/CAC/ACCR Annual Meeting, Palais des congres, Montreal, Canada

Join AIC, CAC, IAMFA, and allied collections professionals to focus on our shared risk and responsibility at a specialized and interactive seminar held before the start of the 2016 AIC/CAC/ACCR meeting.

Learn how to further preservation priorities collaboratively within your museum or institution.Explore how facilities managers, conservators, collections managers and other related professionals interact, as well as how that relationship can be improved.Check your institutions’s emergency plan – one size doesn’t fit all.Review the Current State of International Environmental Guidelines – Review of the ISO 11799 draft, EU standard, PAS 198, ICOM, Bizot perspective, etc. A discussion will follow of the work with constituent groups and the best path forward.Discover if shared risk and responsibility can live together under one roof in a Historic House MuseumMore information, confirmed speakers, and a detailed agenda coming soon.

Registration rates will increase on March 1, 2016. Registration for the AIC/CAC-ACCR Annual Meeting is encouraged but not required. AIC/IAMFA Meeting attendees also have access to the AIC/CAC-ACCR room block at the Hyatt Regency Montreal. To book a room, visit the Where to Stay page.

Waitlist
If the seminar is sold out, and you would like to be placed on a waitlist, please email the Meetings Associate, Katelin Lee, at klee@conservation-us.org, with the subject as “Seminar Waitlist -AIC & IAMFA Joint Seminar". You will be notified if a spot becomes available.

Friday May 13, 2016 9:00am - 6:00pm EDT
Room 510 AC

Pre-Conference, Collection Care

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

1:00pm EDT

(Seminar) Conservators in Private Practice

Limited Capacity filling up

Topics discussed in the seminar will include legalities, estimating factors to consider (a follow up to the 2015 Annual Meeting Estimating Session), the bidding process on multi-disciplinary RFQ/RFPs, and international collaborations. The seminar will also discuss reasons to collaborate with other firms, and how to choose and contact other firms. There will be two mini-sessions in the seminar, both of which will follow up on topics discussed in the 2015 Annual Meeting's Practical Teaching Sessions. The first mini-session will be on online content creation for outreach, focusing on answering questions and providing updates, led by Scott M. Haskins. The second mini-session will be about business software and training, led by Chris Stavroudis.

Organized by the Conservators in Private Practice Group

Friday May 13, 2016 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 511 C/F

Workshop, Private Practice

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Private Practice
Cost Ticketed

1:00pm EDT

(Tour) First Nations Collections

Limited Capacity filling up

Learn more about the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations history of Canada through textiles, garments, and art during a guided tour of collections at the McCord Museum and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. Your visit will start at the McCord Museum where you will be taken on a behind-the-scenes tour led by the curator of Ethnology at the McCord, Guislaine Lemay. You will have the rare opportunity to tour the First Nations Collection storage with Ms. Lemay. You will then receive an introduction to the Wearing our Identity – The First Peoples Collection exhibit. This exhibit showcases the importance of clothing in the development, preservation, and communication of the social, cultural, political, and spiritual identities of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.

You will then be taken to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal where you will be able to explore the museum’s Inuit art collection which includes works from the 1700’s to contemporary pieces. Jacques des Rochers, curator of Canadian art will lead this tour.

Friday May 13, 2016 1:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour, Objects

Specialty Objects
Cost Ticketed

1:00pm EDT

(Tour) Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal (Contemporary Art)

Limited Capacity filling up

Join your colleagues on this special behind-the-scenes tour of the conservation labs at the iconic Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. In addition to your tour of the conservation facilities, you can also choose the focus of your tour of the collections – attendees can select either the Decorative Arts Track or the Contemporary Art Track, both of which are described below:

Decorative Arts Track
Explore one of North America’s most important decorative arts and design collections on a guided tour led by Diane Charbonneau, curator of modern and contemporary decorative arts. Renowned for its scope, the collection comprises over 4,000 objects, including silverware, glass, ceramics, metal, textiles, enamels, and furniture. The richness of the materials and the range of styles testify to the quality of the collection and illustrate the evolution of the decorative arts between 1400 and 1900.

In addition, the collection includes many contemporary pieces. The collection retraces the major movements that have marked the history of decorative arts and design since 1900, especially Art Nouveau, Art Deco, modernism, and post-modernism. Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the world’s top decorative arts and design collections with your peers.

Contemporary Art Track
Enjoy a special guided tour given by the Head of conservation services, Richard Gagnier. As you are viewing the artwork, you will hear about conservation treatments and challenges of these complex pieces. The museum’s galleries showcase works created since 1980 by local, Canadian, and international artists: abstract and figurative paintings, multimedia projects, and minimalist and monumental sculptures are a testament to contemporary preoccupations. You will also have time to view the Sculpture Garden which constitutes a major collection of the most prominent names in contemporary sculpture: David Altmejd, Jim Dine, Antony Gormley, Henry Moore, and Jean-Paul Riopelle.

Friday May 13, 2016 1:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Musée des beaux-Arts de Montreal

Tour, Objects

Specialty Objects
Cost Ticketed

1:00pm EDT

(Tour) Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal (Decorative Arts)

Limited Capacity filling up

Friday May 13, 2016 1:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Musée des beaux-Arts de Montreal

Tour, Objects

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Objects
Cost Ticketed

1:30pm EDT

(Tour) Canadian Centre for Architecture Labs and Collections

Limited Capacity filling up

$29 Attendees will have an incredible opportunity to go behind the scenes of the Canadian Centre for Architecture. Following an introduction to the institution, attendees will tour the grounds, including the Alcan Wing, Shaughnessy House historic building area, library, and receive an introduction to sculpture garden. Next, the tour will enter the vaults, viewing the archives and seeing how the collection is stored while not on display, as they have conversations with curatorial and archival staff members. There will be a guided tour of the conservation lab, led by Karen Potje and/or David Stevenson, followed by a tour of the Archaeology of the Digital exhibit. Attendees will then have time to explore the galleries on their own and see the grounds.

Want to delve deeper into the photographic collections of the city? Join us as we explore "Montreal in Pictures – the Notman Photographic Archives Storage at the McCord Museum" on Saturday!

Friday May 13, 2016 1:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Canadian Centre for Architecture

Tour

Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Tour) Behind the Curtain at the McCord Museum

Limited Capacity full

The McCord Museum houses a leading collection of Canadian costume and includes almost 20,000 objects of women’s, men’s and children’s wear and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present day. It also contains an important group of embroidered samplers, quilts and other textiles. This tour, led by Anne MacKay, Head of Conservation, will give visitors an overview of the collection and a look at the installations, exploring the two reserves at the museum dedicated to costume and textiles.

Friday May 13, 2016 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
McCord Museum

Tour, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Tour) Public Art and Food Tasting Walk

Limited Capacity seats available

$55 Too often art is viewed within the confines of a museum. Come explore Montreal's vibrant public art scene and experience the city's history and culture on your feet. Stop every so often to rest and sample local cuisine! You'll walk through a number of neighborhoods along Saint Laurent Boulevard, including Little Portugal. To the East of Parc du Mont Royal, you'll see the western portion of the borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal. Now a predominantly Portuguese neighborhood, Saint Laurent Boulevard was also part of a historically Jewish neighborhood. See how cultures blend in the city through food and art! Still hungry? Join us as we continue to explore the neighborhood in the Little Portugal Walking Tour and Dinner!

Friday May 13, 2016 2:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour, Objects

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Objects
Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Tour) Public Art and Little Portugal Dinner Combo

Limited Capacity seats available

$59 Join us at l'Étoile de l'Océan for a delicious Portuguese meal! Little Portugal is a neighbourhood in Montreal, situated in the western portion of the borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal. Portuguese businesses can be found along several blocks of Saint Laurent Boulevard between Pine and Marie-Anne Street. This area has largely absorbed what used to be the traditional Jewish neighbourhood and is now home to over 46,000 people of Portuguese descent.

This dinner pairs well with the Public Art and Food Tasting Walking Tour - plan to meet us at the restaurant!

Friday May 13, 2016 2:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

2:30pm EDT

(Tour) St. Armand Paper Mill

Limited Capacity seats available

$25. Founded in 1979, the St. Armand Paper Mill still makes paper the old-fashioned way. Come see how paper is made and how they are "re-inventing the Industrial age on the shores of the Lachine Canal, the cradle of Canadian Industry."

Friday May 13, 2016 2:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Ticketed

3:00pm EDT

(Tour) Old Montreal Walk

Limited Capacity filling up

$25. Visit Old Montreal, the oldest part of the city and a heritage gem in North America. With a professional guide, come take an in-depth look on the different facets of its history and its architectural treasures, and discover the characters that have marked its development. Admission into the Notre-Dame Basilica is included with this tour! After this visit, Old Montreal will have no more secrets for you.

Friday May 13, 2016 3:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

5:00pm EDT

(Networking Event) Conservators in Private Practice Reception

Friday May 13, 2016 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Room 511 B/E

Business Meeting, Private Practice | Networking Event, Private Practice

Interest Private Practice
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Tour) Mount Royal Sunset Hike

Limited Capacity seats available

$25 Enjoy a beautiful, easy hike on the highest summit of Mount Royal, the mountain that gave Montreal its name! Fly in on Friday and explore Parc du Mont Royal, right in the heart of Montreal – attendees will learn about the history of the space itself, discussing First Nations, colonial, and contemporary uses of the land. Much like another famous urban greenspace, Mount Royal’s modern appearance is in part due to Frederick Law Olmsted – while his plan was never completed, attendees will learn about the impact of his vision, design, and legacy. Learn about the rich biodiversity of Montreal while walking forest trails to dynamic panoramic views of the city. The tour will begin and end at the Mount Royal Chalet, where attendees will have the opportunity to see the sun set from the mountain. While the highest altitude is under 800 feet, the hike will take place on unpaved paths in the late afternoon. We recommend that attendees be prepared for a two-hour walk in potentially chilly or rainy weather.

Want to see the city by day instead? No problem! You can also enjoy the same hike on Saturday! Enjoy daytime vistas of Downtown Montreal and the St. Lawrence River valley instead, while still having the opportunity to learn about this fantastic greenspace.

Friday May 13, 2016 5:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

5:00pm EDT

(Tour) St. Lawrence River Architectural Cruise at Sunset

Limited Capacity filling up

$35. Come aboard with us on an electricity-powered, eco-friendly boat ride and enjoy a charming excursion along the Old Port. Along the water, you’ll discover the Old Port’s marine life and historical heritage, as well as the simple pleasure of navigating the river on a beautiful spring evening. Learn about Montreal’s history from the water as you view the Old Port and Clock Tower, as well as viewing architectural and industrial landmarks such as Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie for Expo 67, and the Lachine Canal, which provides safe passageway past the Lachine Rapids, which promoted Montreal’s industrial growth. You’ll have a front-row view of the sunset on the river as you ride by the islands of the Hochelaga Archipelago and the St. Lawrence River valley. Please plan to dress accordingly, as temperatures are often lower on the water and after dark.

Friday May 13, 2016 5:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

6:00pm EDT

(Tour) Little Portugal Walk and Dinner

Limited Capacity filling up

$69. Little Portugal is a neighbourhood in Montreal, situated in the western portion of the borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal. Portuguese businesses can be found along several blocks of Saint Laurent Boulevard between Pine and Marie-Anne Street. This area has largely absorbed what used to be the traditional Jewish neighbourhood and is now home to over 46,000 people of Portuguese descent. This walking tour will end with dinner at l'Étoile de l'Océan for dinner.

Friday May 13, 2016 6:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

TBA

IMLS Grant Proposal Consult Appointments

Limited Capacity seats available

Do you have an idea for a collections care or conservation project that you’d like IMLS to support? Has an organization asked you for advice on crafting a successful proposal to help them address their collections care needs? Do you wish that someone could walk you through the process of constructing an appropriate budget—direct costs, indirect costs, and all? Then consider scheduling an appointment to discuss your idea, get feedback on your proposed approach, and walk away with implementable suggestions for submitting a successful application in the next round. Bring as much information as you wish, but at a minimum, we’ll want a basic description of the project and general categories of expenses that you’d like to include. Sessions will be one-on-one and 30 minutes in duration.

Instructor(s)

Connie Bodner

Supervisory Grants Management Specialist, Institute of Museum and Library Services

Saturday May 14, 2016 TBA
Room 512 B

Workshop

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

8:30am EDT

(Workshop) Gap-filling for Ceramics

Limited Capacity full

$149

This hands-on workshop will provide the opportunity to compare and contrast properties of familiar fill materials such as plaster, Modostuc, Flugger, Polyfilla, and bulked adhesives. The workshop will incorporate worktime with the materials, facilitated by discussions of their properties and examples of their use effectively. Instructors from institutions with large ceramic collections will provide tips and tricks for preparing lacunae for fills, finishing techniques, workflow and other concerns in choosing materials. The focus will fall on low-fired to medium-paste ceramics rather than porcelain.

Instructor(s)

Rachael Perkins Arenstein-[PA]

Partner, AM Art Conservation LLC

Rachael Perkins Arenstein is a Professional Associate member of the American Institute for Conservation. She is a principal of A.M. Art Conservation, LLC, the private practice that she co-founded in 2009. She has worked at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem, the Smithsonian's National... Read More →

Elisheva Kamaisky

Head, Pottery Conservation Unit, Israel Antiquities Authority, Israel Antiquities Authority

Elisheva Kamaisky is Senior Conservator and Head of the Pottery Conservation Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority where she has worked since 1989. Her research interests center on the technology of ancient pottery production and manufacturing, preventive conservation and analytical... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 8:30am - 3:30pm EDT
Room 510 B

Workshop, Objects

Specialty Objects
Cost Ticketed

8:30am EDT

(Workshop) Gellan Gum Applications for Paper-based Objects

Limited Capacity filling up

This workshop will provide theoretical and practical experience working with gellan gum on paper-based artifacts. The workshop will include demonstrations and discussions on paper washing, stain removal, backing removal and humidification, and other effective uses of gellan gum as a paper conservation tool. Participants will also be introduced to the chemistry and mechanics of gellan gum to support the exploration of current and potential uses of this versatile material. Participants should wear lab-appropriate clothing.

Sponsors

Canadian Conservation Institute

The Canadian Conservation Institute advances and promotes the conservation of Canada's heritage collections through its expertise in conservation science, treatment and preventive conservation. CCI works with heritage institutions and professionals to ensure these heritage collections... Read More →

Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) (in French: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is a federal institution tasked with acquiring, preserving and making Canada's documentary heritage accessible.

Instructor(s)

Greg Hill

Senior Conservator, Archival and Photographic Materials, Canadian Conservation Institute

Saturday May 14, 2016 8:30am - 4:30pm EDT
Canadian Centre for Architecture

Workshop, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Ticketed

9:00am EDT

(Workshop) Identification of East Asian Paper for Conservation

Limited Capacity filling up

$89

This workshop will provide an opportunity for conservators and students to explore the differences among East Asian papers, with an emphasis on Japanese papers. The experience will enable participants to observe the differences in the quality of paper and to make informed choices for future treatment decisions. The workshop will consist of lectures and hands-on sessions. Participants will learn about the process of Japanese papermaking and the raw materials in their composition. Through engaging in practical sessions, participants will develop their ability to identify qualities of various papers, taking into consideration the importance of selecting papers with the desired properties for conservation purposes.

Instructor(s)

Nancy Jacobi

President, The Japanese Paper Place

Washi, uses and what are the quality differences.

Megumi Mizumura

Saturday May 14, 2016 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Room 510 D

Workshop, Book and Paper

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Ticketed

9:00am EDT

(Tour) Little Italy and the Market Walk with Tastings

Limited Capacity seats available

$45 Begin this culinary tour of Montreal’s Little Italy with an exploration of the Jean-Talon Market, Canada’s largest outdoor market. Highly appreciated by foodies, it’s the ideal place to shop for authentic international products as well as fresh produce from local farms and artisans. In addition to interesting historical anecdotes about the market’s evolution, you’ll be charmed by the colorful vegetable stalls, the atmosphere and the culinary and cultural diversity. We will pursue our stroll into the heart of Little Italy to learn more about Montreal’s Italian community and the district’s development from trendy shops to authentic institutions. Of course, along the way, we’ll enjoy a few tastings in order to get a real taste of Montreal’s Little Italy!

Saturday May 14, 2016 9:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

9:00am EDT

(Workshop) Building Emergency Response and Salvage Decision Making Skills

Limited Capacity filling up

$149 This workshop is designed to develop knowledge and skills in emergency response and salvage decision-making for conservation professionals working in any specialty with any degree of emergency response training. Through lectures, group exercises, and hands-on demonstrations and activities, workshop participants will learn from experienced colleagues with NHR (Formerly AIC-CERT) training and from each other, increasing their ability to contribute to collections salvage following disasters.

Sponsors

AIC Emergency Committee

Canadian Conservation Institute

National Heritage Responders Working Group

The National Heritage Responders (NHR) - formerly the American Institute for Conservation - Collections Emergency Response Team (AIC-CERT) - responds to the needs of cultural institutions during emergencies and disasters through coordinated efforts with first responders, state agencies... Read More →

Instructor(s)

Robert Herskovitz, [PA]

Outreach Conservator, Minnesota Historical Society

Bob Herskovitz has been an objects conservator since 1975, first with the Arizona Historical Society and, since 1987, with the Minnesota Historical Society. He is responsible for the development and implementation of the Minnesota Historical Society Conservation Outreach Program... Read More →

Susan Duhl, [PA]

Conservator/Collections Consultant, Conservator/Collections Consultant/AIC CERT Working Group/AIC Emergency Committee

Susan is a Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation National Heritage Responder (FAIC -NHR) and on the Boards of FAIC Emergency Committee and FAIC-NHR Working Group. Susan teaches Disaster Protection and Recovery worldwide, including Nepal and Greece. She responded... Read More →

Ann Frellsen

Collections Conservator, Emory University Libraries

Ann Frellsen has just retired after nearly 27 years as the Book and Paper Collections Conservator for the Emory University Libraries. Her other specialties are training, disaster planning and response, and bookbinding.

Irene Karsten

Preservation Development Advisor, Canadian Conservation Institute

Irene Karsten has an MSc (1998) and PhD (2003) in Human Ecology with specialization in textile conservation science from the University of Alberta (Edmonton) as well as a Diploma in Art Conservation Techniques (1994) from Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario. She was the Conservator... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Hyatt Regency - Soprano

Workshop, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

9:30am EDT

(Tour) Saint Helen's Island - Public Art, Stewart Museum, and River Cruise

Limited Capacity seats available

$75. Discover more of Montreal’s waterfront and islands on this full day tour! Get off the beaten path and enjoy a boat ride to St. Helen’s Island, where you’ll learn about Montreal’s thriving public art before delving into over 5 centuries of island history. Attendees will be given a guided walking tour of the public art artworks on St. Helen’s Island, including works by Alexander Calder, Jean leFébure, Robert Roussil, Yves Trudeau, and Sebastián. The walking tour will focus on the preservation challenges being addressed by Montreal’s Bureau of Public Art as they work to maintain these works. Next, lunch is served at the Stewart Museum, followed by tours of the exhibition spaces, guided by curator and Head of Collections, Sylvie Dauphin. Ms. Dauphin will guide attendees through the Stewart Museum’s new exhibit, Cabinet de curiosités, as well as provide an opportunity to observe and interact with collection items not on view. Afterward, attendees will have time to explore the permanent exhibit, History and Memory, at their leisure. The tour will finish back on the water, where you’ll view the Old Port and Clock Tower, as well as architectural and industrial landmarks such as Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie for Expo 67, and the Lachine Canal, which provides safe passageway past the Lachine Rapids, which promoted Montreal’s industrial growth. You’ll have a front-row view of the city as you ride by the islands of the Hochelaga Archipelago and tour the St. Lawrence River valley. Please plan to dress accordingly, as temperatures are often lower on the water.

Saturday May 14, 2016 9:30am - 5:30pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

10:00am EDT

(Pre-Conference Session) Choosing and Implementing an Automatic Fire Suppression System for a Collecting Institution

Automatic sprinkler systems have long been an important element in the preservation tool kit of collecting institutions, yet the threat of accidental discharge has also made them a great source of anxiety and, on rare occasions, of water damage. Halon, once seen as an ideal replacement for sprinklers, is no longer an option due to its environmental effects, and there is no easy drop-in gaseous replacement. Water mist and Vortex, a nitrogen/water hybrid system, offer hope of very low-wetting fire suppression. In this panel presentation we will discuss what makes mist and nitrogen/water hybrid systems so promising and why so few museums, libraries and archives in North America have implemented them.

Is this due to lack of precedent? Confusion and conflicting information about the efficacy of these systems in the context of collecting institutions? The difficulty of proving their effectiveness to insurers and regulatory bodies? Cost? Can we do anything, as museum professionals, to put water mist and the nitrogen/water hybrid more easily within our reach as tools to suppress fire in museums, libraries and archives? Panel members will include two conservators and a museum building engineer who have each pitched, successfully or unsuccessfully, for low-water fire suppression systems at their institutions, as well as an expert from the Canadian Conservation Institute, and a fire protection engineer.

Speakers

Nick Artim

Principal, Heritage Protection Group

Nick Artim is principal of the Heritage Protection Group, a Vermont based collaborative that specializes in the fire protection of cultural properties. With more than 25 years of experience Nick's projects are worldwide and range from local historic societies to national libraries... Read More →

Israël Dubé-Marquis

Head of Building Services, Canadian Centre for Architecture

Israël Dubé-Marquis, Head of Building Services, Canadian Centre for Architecture, trained as a mechanical engineer at the École de Technologies Supérieures (ÉTS) in Montreal. Active member of the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec since 2011. He spent some years as the Head of... Read More →

Carolyn Morgan

Conservator, Bruce Peel Special Collections & Archives

After graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in History (University of Lethbridge), Carolyn went on to obtain her Diploma in Collections Conservation and Management from Fleming College. Since then, she has worked in a wide variety of collections, including the Royal Alberta Museum... Read More →

Karen Potje

Head, Conservation, Centre Canadien d'Architecture

Ms. Potje has been Head of the Conservation/Preservation Department of the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) since 1992. A graduate of the Master of Art Conservation programme at Queen’s University, she spent three years as a paper conservator at the Montreal Museum of Fine... Read More →

Ala Rekrut

Manager, Preservation Services, Archives of Manitoba

Ala Rekrut came to archives with a background in visual art and theater and experience in museums and arts administration. She completed her Master of Art Conservation degree at Queen’s University, and interned at the National Gallery and at the National Archives of Canada before... Read More →

John Ward

Preservation Development Advisor, Heritage Interiors, Canadian Conservation Institute

John Ward is trained as a built heritage conservation architect who has worked with the Heritage Conservation Directorate, PWGSC, between 1996 and 2009, focusing on providing advice on federal heritage buildings including those on Parliament Hill, and since 2010 has been a Preservation... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 10:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 511 B/E

Pre-Conference

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

10:00am EDT

(Workshop) Ferrous Attractions, The Science Behind the Magic

Limited Capacity filling up

$89. Magnets have the potential of providing a strong solution for fastening artifacts, but some professionals avoid magnets as they have caused damage in the past. This workshop will address how damage can be prevented with a full understanding of how a magnetic system is created and adapted to mount any specific artifact. Participants will experiment with various combinations of magnets and metal components, explore the different methods of implementing a magnetic system and evaluate the strength of commonly available magnets. The workshop will also include discussions on the history of magnets, what makes them “permanent,” and how they differ from one another.

Sponsors

SmallCorp

SMALLCORP manufactures products for the display, conservation and storage of works of art, textiles and objects. Our frames and display cases figure prominently in museum and corporate collections. SmallCorp customers include picture framers, galleries, art conservators and related... Read More →

Instructor(s)

Gwen Spicer-[Fellow]

Conservator, Spicer Art Conservation, LLC

Gwen Spicer is a Textile, Upholstery, Paper, and Objects Conservator, and full-time principal of Spicer Art Conservation, LLC, conveniently located in upstate New York. She received her Master’s degree from the Art Conservation Program at Buffalo State College, State University... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 10:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Room 510 C

Workshop

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

10:00am EDT

(Tour) Montreal in Pictures – the Notman Photographic Archives

Limited Capacity filling up

$29 The Notman Photographic Archives at the McCord Museum in Montreal contains over 1,300,000 images, documenting the social history of Montreal, Quebec and Canada. About 400,000 images were taken by the Notman Photographic Studios, founded 1856. The archive also includes about 900,000 images by other Canadian photographers, dating from the 1840’s to the 21st century. This tour, led by Anne MacKay, Head of Conservation, will give visitors an overview of the collection and a glimpse of the museum’s photography reserve. Want to delve deeper into the photographic collections of the city? Get in a little earlier and join us on the "Canadian Centre for Architecture Labs and Collections Tour" on Friday!

Saturday May 14, 2016 10:00am - 1:30pm EDT
McCord Museum

Tour, Photographic Materials

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Ticketed

10:00am EDT

(Workshop) Digital Assessment Techniques for Video Works

Limited Capacity filling up

$149. This workshop will provide conservation professionals a firm grounding in the proper assessment and analysis of digital video works. Participants will learn about the latest methodologies and tools to properly analyze, describe and manipulate this material. Key parameters of digital video files will be covered by considering the utilization of various tools to effectively identify critical aspects of a file. Visual assessment methods and environments will also be reviewed as participants become familiar with various software tools to accurately assess, document, playback, and manipulate digital files.

Sponsors

AIC Electronic Media Group

The purpose of the Electronic Media Group is twofold: (1) to preserve electronic art, electronic-based cultural materials, and tools of their creation; and (2) to provide a means for conservators and related professionals to develop and maintain knowledge of relevant new media and... Read More →

Instructor(s)

Kelly Haydon

Preservationist, Bay Area Video Coalition

Kelly Haydon holds an MA from the Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Program at New York University, where she focused on digital preservation strategies, community archiving, and the conservation of audiovisual material. Through her project work in the program, she implemented... Read More →

Peter Oleksik

Associate Media Conservator, Museum of Modern Art

Peter Oleksik is an Assistant Media Conservator at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. He holds an MA in Moving Image Archiving and Preservation (MIAP) from New York University, where he is currently an Adjunct Professor teaching video preservation. His past work includes the access... Read More →

Erik Piil

Associate Conservator, Kramlich Collection & New Art Trust

I’m currently a conservator at the Kramlich Collection, one of the world’s largest private collections of video and media art. I’ve previously worked at Anthology Film Archives, a center for the preservation, study, and exhibition of experimental film and video, and DuArt Restoration... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 10:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Room 510 A

Workshop, Electronic Media

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Ticketed

11:00am EDT

(Tour) St. Lawrence River Architectural Cruise

Limited Capacity filling up

$35 Come aboard with us on an electricity-powered, eco-friendly boat ride and enjoy a charming excursion along the Old Port. Along the water, you’ll discover the Old Port’s marine life and historical heritage, as well as the simple pleasure of navigating the river on a beautiful spring day. Learn about Montreal’s history from the water as you view the Old Port and Clock Tower, as well as viewing architectural and industrial landmarks such as Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie for Expo 67, and the Lachine Canal, which provides safe passageway past the Lachine Rapids, which promoted Montreal’s industrial growth. You’ll have a front-row view of the city as you ride by the islands of the Hochelaga Archipelago and tour the St. Lawrence River valley. Please plan to dress accordingly, as temperatures are often lower on the water.

Saturday May 14, 2016 11:00am - 2:30pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

1:00pm EDT

(Tour) St. Lawrence River Architectural Bike Ride

Limited Capacity filling up

$75 Join us on our first ever bike tour and experience some of Montreal’s best panoramic views! In a unique experience, attendees will gain a better understanding of the significance of the St. Lawrence river to the development of Montreal as a city while enjoying its architecture and cuisine. From Old Montreal, attendees will visit the Old Port, Lachine Canal, Atwater Market, St. Gabriel House, Jacques Cartier Bridge, and Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67. Crossing the St. Lawrence River, attendees will then view a number of Expo 67 related sites on Saint Helen’s Island, such as Alexander Calder’s sculpture “L’Homme” and Buckminster Fuller’s American Pavilion, now known as the Biosphere, a museum dedicated to ecology and the environment. Additionally, attendees will have an opportunity to actually ride their bikes on the Formula 1 racetrack after biking to neighboring Notre Dame Island. The bike ride will be roughly 12 miles (20 kilometers) long and last for four hours, including a stop for a tasting at Moisson Bakery in the Atwater Market. Your bike rental, along with helmet, tasting, and complimentary water are all included in the price of attendance.

Saturday May 14, 2016 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

1:30pm EDT

(Tour) Mount Royal Afternoon Hike

Limited Capacity filling up

$25 Want to see the city by day? Treat yourself to daytime vistas of Downtown Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. Enjoy a beautiful, easy hike on the highest summit of Mount Royal, the mountain that gave Montreal its name! Explore Parc du Mont Royal, right in the heart of Montreal – attendees will learn about the history of the space itself, discussing First Nations, colonial, and contemporary uses of the land. Much like another famous urban greenspace, Mount Royal’s modern appearance is in part due to Frederick Law Olmsted – while his plan was never completed, attendees will learn about the impact of his vision, design, and legacy. Learn about the rich biodiversity of Montreal while walking forest trails to dynamic panoramic views of the city. The tour will begin and end at the Mount Royal Chalet, and while the highest altitude is under 800 feet, the hike will take place on unpaved paths in the late afternoon. We recommend that attendees be prepared for a two-hour walk in potentially chilly or rainy weather

Saturday May 14, 2016 1:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Place Riopelle Bus Departure Point

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

1:30pm EDT

(Tour) Canadian Centre for Architecture Labs and Collections

Limited Capacity filling up

Saturday May 14, 2016 1:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Canadian Centre for Architecture

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

1:30pm EDT

(Workshop) Identification of East Asian Paper for Conservation

Limited Capacity filling up

$89. This workshop will provide an opportunity for conservators and students to explore the differences among East Asian papers, with an emphasis on Japanese papers. The experience will enable participants to observe the differences in the quality of paper and to make informed choices for future treatment decisions. The workshop will consist of lectures and hands-on sessions. Participants will learn about the process of Japanese papermaking and the raw materials in their composition. Through engaging in practical sessions, participants will develop their ability to identify qualities of various papers, taking into consideration the importance of selecting papers with the desired properties for conservation purposes.

Instructor(s)

Nancy Jacobi

President, The Japanese Paper Place

Washi, uses and what are the quality differences.

Megumi Mizumura

Saturday May 14, 2016 1:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 510 D

Workshop, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Tour) Art Deco Walk

Limited Capacity seats available

$45 There are Art Deco districts in Berlin, Paris and New York, but there is also one in Montreal, which evokes the 1920s and 30s. Accompanied by an enthusiastic guide, discover buildings and Art Deco elements in a tour of Old Montreal. The tour begins with a presentation of about 45 minutes on the origins and characteristics of Art Deco, followed by a tour of Old Montreal, where the guide will point out some buildings of this style and bring them to life. After a break for lunch, you can continue your tour by following the guide to the city center. You will then have the opportunity to admire the Eaton building, the Holt Renfrew store and the former home of Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Saturday May 14, 2016 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Tour) Flavors and Aromas of Old Montreal

Limited Capacity filling up

$59 This walking tour will allow you to discover the delicious cultural and historic culinary charms of the oldest district of Montreal. Speciality shops and boutiques in the area are housed in old factories and showrooms from the 19th century. As you follow the narrow and winding streets of Old Montreal, your professional tour guide will feed your hunger for knowledge on the history of Montreal and its many culinary pleasures. You will learn how the native people have influenced Canadian food habits and how the world fair Expo 67 brought exotic food on our tables. That and much more… Come discover the flavours and aromas of Old Montreal!

Saturday May 14, 2016 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Workshop) Ferrous Attractions, The Science Behind the Magic

Limited Capacity seats available

$89 Magnets have the potential of providing a strong solution for fastening artifacts, but some professionals avoid magnets as they have caused damage in the past. This workshop will address how damage can be prevented with a full understanding of how a magnetic system is created and adapted to mount any specific artifact. Participants will experiment with various combinations of magnets and metal components, explore the different methods of implementing a magnetic system and evaluate the strength of commonly available magnets. The workshop will also include discussions on the history of magnets, what makes them “permanent,” and how they differ from one another.

Sponsors

SmallCorp

Instructor(s)

Gwen Spicer-[Fellow]

Conservator, Spicer Art Conservation, LLC

Saturday May 14, 2016 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 510 C

Workshop

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

3:00pm EDT

(Pre-Conference Session) Government Funding for Conservation Research and Treatment Panel - Presented by NCPTT

The American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) are hosting a panel on government funding for conservation research and treatment. The goal of this six-person panel is to encourage creative research and treatment projects within conservation and to connect the potential grant recipient to the right governmental grant program. The panel will include three Canadian and three United States giving programs. The group will provide the audience with a brief overview of their grants programs and provide examples of past successful grants. Additionally there will be plenty of time for questions and answers as well as one on one time with potential applicants.

The format of the panel will be a seven-minute presentation from each program. After the opening hour-long presentation, the floor will be open to questions and answers.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Saturday May 14, 2016 3:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 511 B/E

Pre-Conference

Cost Free
Tags Highlight

3:00pm EDT

(Tour) Old Montreal Microbreweries

Limited Capacity seats available

$59 Beer is known for its many virtues, but it’s the celebratory side that makes it today’s drink of choice. Join us for this brewery tour, and find out everything on the history of this loveable liquid, while we also take the opportunity to demystify certain preconceptions about beer. This three hour tour will be held in 3 different microbreweries that will each present 3 different types of beer to savour as well as a few munchies.

Saturday May 14, 2016 3:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Cost Ticketed

3:00pm EDT

(Tour) Old Montreal Walk

Limited Capacity filling up

$25 Visit Old Montreal, the oldest part of the city and a heritage gem in North America. With a professional guide, come take an in-depth look on the different facets of its history and its architectural treasures, and discover the characters that have marked its development. Admission into the Notre-Dame Basilica is included with this tour! After this visit, Old Montreal will have no more secrets for you.

Saturday May 14, 2016 3:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Registration Desk

Tour, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

4:00pm EDT

National Heritage Responders Business Meeting

A meeting of the National Heritage Responders, formerly AIC-CERT, to discuss upcoming goals of the group.

Moderators

Rebecca Elder

Conservator, Rebecca Elder Cultural Heritage Preservation

Rebecca Elder is an experienced cultural heritage preservation consultant who specializes in finding practical and achievable solutions for challenging situations.In 2014, Rebecca founded Rebecca Elder Cultural Heritage Preservation to provide preservation advice to library, museum... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Hyatt Regency - Symphonie 3

Business Meeting

Interest Emergency
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Pre-Conference Session) STASH Flash III

Devising storage solutions that mitigate damage to collections from both threats small and expected, and large and catastrophic is a core task for preservation professionals. Doing so in a way that makes use of an institution’s human, financial and material resources makes this task an even bigger challenge.

To help meet this challenge FAIC, with funding from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, created STASH (Storage Techniques for Art, Science and History collections) www.stashc.com, a web-based resource to share well-designed storage solutions. The site contains the original entries from the printed text, Storage of Natural History Collections: Ideas and Practical Solutions, originally published by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), and, since the site's launch in 2014, new submissions on innovative and creative storage solutions including projects that were presented at the 2014 and 2015 STASH Flash sessions as part of AIC’s annual meetings. The website project is interdisciplinary and the site’s editorial board is composed of representatives from a range of allied organizations

As in the previous two years, the 2016 session will utilize a lightening round or “Tips” session format, as well as guided, audience participatory discussion. The selections will be presented in a format that closely aligns with web site entries, allowing presentations to be easily reformatted for online submission after the conference. Presentations will be followed by small group discussions where individuals from different specialties have the opportunity to talk about the modifications, materials choice as well as other creative ways to carry out these projects. In 2016 two themes are proposed for the call for submissions:

Building on the conference theme, presentations will be solicited on storage mounts that were either specifically designed to mitigate against the threat of a disaster or inappropriate environment, or presentations that assess how rehousing solutions performed in protecting (or not protecting) collections in a disaster or emergency event.

Building on a topic that came out of the 2015 STASH Flash discussion session and the TSG Tips session, the second proposed theme focuses on multi-function mounts; supports that serve storage, travel or exhibition purposes.

Innovative storage solutions for individual or collection groups that do not conform to either theme may be accepted if space allows.

Organizer biographies

Rachael Perkins Arenstein – Project Leader for STASH. Rachael is currently the Conservator at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem while remaining active in her US based private practice which focuses on preventive care projects. She is a Professional Associate of AIC. As AIC’s e-Editor, she oversees the development of professional content on AIC online platforms. Rachael has experience writing and creating websites on preservation topics including the Museumpests website www.museumpests.net, Paleontology Portal – Collections Management http://collections.paleo.amnh.org/, and Paleontology Portal – Fossil Preparation http://preparation.paleo.amnh.org/.

Shelly Uhlir – is an Exhibition Specialist/Mount-Maker at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. She is also a founder and leader of the MountMakers Forum www.conservation-wiki/mountmaking. Her areas of professional interest include: design, fabrication, and installation of mounts for both exhibition and photography; technical expertise on mount-making standards and design review, mannequin-making.

N.B. STASH Editorial Committee Chair Lisa Goldberg has a personal commitment that prevents her from attending the 2016 meeting but she will be actively involved in the session planning and follow-up.

Moderators

Rachael Perkins Arenstein-[PA]

Partner, AM Art Conservation LLC

Shelly Uhlir

Exhibits Specialist, Mountmaker, National Museum of the American Indian

Shelly Uhlir works in the conservation department at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC where she has been staff mount and mannequin maker since 2001. She has collaborated with conservators for over 30 years and has been a TSG and OSG member... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Pre-Conference, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

4:30pm EDT

(Pre-Conference Session) NCPTT Reception

TBA

Saturday May 14, 2016 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 511 B/E

Pre-Conference

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

5:45pm EDT

(Pre-Conference Session) Film - Franco Zeffirelli’s Florence: Days of Destruction

Popcorn Reception; Film starts at 5:45pm

Saturday May 14, 2016 5:45pm - 7:30pm EDT
Room 710 A

Pre-Conference, Emergency

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed
Tags Highlight

6:30pm EDT

(Business Meeting) AIC Publications Committee

Saturday May 14, 2016 6:30pm - 7:30pm EDT
Room 512 B

Business Meeting

7:15pm EDT

(Networking Event) Emerging Conservation Professionals Network Happy Hour

Sponsors

Tru Vue

Museum and Conservation Liaison, Tru Vue, Inc.

With over 45 years of proven protection and preservation, Tru Vue fine art acrylic and glass solutions, including Optium® Acrylic Glazing and UltraVue® Laminated Glass, are trusted by conservation and fine art professionals to protect and display the most celebrated artworks in... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 7:15pm - 9:30pm EDT
Hyatt Regency - Saveur and Terrace

Networking Event

Audience Emerging Conservation Professionals
Cost Free

7:30pm EDT

(Workshop) Respirator Fit Testing Lecture

Limited Capacity seats available

Free

Whether using hazardous chemicals in a lab or working with mold-infested artifacts after a flood, the right equipment is needed to ensure protection. This workshop lecture will provide information to help establish and maintain a Respiratory Protection Program for a workplace, as well as understand proper selection, care and use of a respirator. The fit testing session is critical to determining which mask provides an acceptable face-to-seal fit and will include a wide variety of half-mask air-purifying models and sizes to try. Participants wishing to schedule a fit testing appointment must attend the lecture AND complete a medical evaluation within the twelve months prior to fit testing. Fit Testing appointments will be conducted in 20 minute intervals by a Canadian-based Registered Occupational Hygienist and a U.S.-based Certified Industrial Hygienist. Registrants will be contacted by the Health & Safety Committee before the meeting to facilitate scheduling appointments. Medical evaluations and approval forms (Canadian and U.S.) are available on the AIC Health & Safety Committee’s webpage (http://www.conservation-us.org/fittest).

Sponsors

AIC Committees

Instructor(s)

Sandra Deike

Manager, Health & Safety, Art Gallery of Ontario

Sandra Deike has been practicing Occupational Hygiene for almost 20 years in the education and healthcare sectors, holds ROH, CIH and CRSP designations and is currently the Manager, Health and Safety at the Art Gallery of Ontario. New to the world of the arts, she has found... Read More →

Julie Sobelman

Independent Consultant, Health, Safety and Sustainability, CIH, CSP, LEED AP

Julie is a consulting industrial hygienist based in Vienna, VA. She has over 30 years of professional experience in the recognition, evaluation and control of potential hazards in the work place, in homes and in the surrounding community. She has worked in senior level professional... Read More →

Saturday May 14, 2016 7:30pm - 8:30pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Workshop, Health and Safety

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Health and Safety
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

9:00pm EDT

(Reception) West Dean Reception

Saturday May 14, 2016 9:00pm - 11:00pm EDT
Hyatt Regency - SIX Resto Lounge 1255 Jeanne-Mance, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H5B 1E5

Networking Event

7:00am EDT

CCN Officer Breakfast

Limited Capacity filling up

Sunday May 15, 2016 7:00am - 8:30am EDT
Room 512 D/H

Business Meeting, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care

7:00am EDT

Health & Safety Committee Breakfast

Limited Capacity full

Sunday May 15, 2016 7:00am - 8:30am EDT
Room 512 G

Business Meeting, Health and Safety

Interest Collections Care

8:30am EDT

(General Session) General Session Keynote Speaker: Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice

Following a welcome from AIC President, Pam Hatchfield, Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice will present the Keynote presentation for the opening general session.

Speakers

Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice

Director, American Folk Art Museum

Anne-Imelda Radice, PhD, has more than thirty-five years of expertise in the cultural and non-profit worlds as a curator, administrator, and director. Prior to her appointment as Director of the American Folk Art Museum, she served as a principal in an international public affairs... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

General Session, Opening

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

9:00am EDT

(Workshop) Respirator Fit Testing Appointments

Limited Capacity seats available

$39

Whether using hazardous chemicals in a lab or working with mold-infested artifacts after a flood, the right equipment is needed to ensure protection. This workshop lecture will provide information to help establish and maintain a Respiratory Protection Program for a workplace, as well as understand proper selection, care and use of a respirator. The fit testing session is critical to determining which mask provides an acceptable face-to-seal fit and will include a wide variety of half-mask air-purifying models and sizes to try. Participants wishing to schedule a fit testing appointment must attend the lecture AND complete a medical evaluation within the twelve months prior to fit testing. Fit Testing appointments will be conducted in 20 minute intervals by a Canadian-based Registered Occupational Hygienist and a U.S.-based Certified Industrial Hygienist. Registrants will be contacted by the Health & Safety Committee before the meeting to facilitate scheduling appointments. Medical evaluations and approval forms (Canadian and U.S.) are available on the AIC Health & Safety Committee’s webpage (http://www.conservation-us.org/fittest).

Sponsors

AIC Committees

Instructor(s)

Sandra Deike

Manager, Health & Safety, Art Gallery of Ontario

Julie Sobelman

Independent Consultant, Health, Safety and Sustainability, CIH, CSP, LEED AP

Sunday May 15, 2016 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Room 512 C

Workshop, Health and Safety

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Health and Safety
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

9:30am EDT

(General Session) Emergency Management since the Florence Flood – The Crooked Timber of Progress

The state of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation resources related to the emergency management of cultural materials has improved significantly since the Florence Flood of 1966. There are many noteworthy accomplishments over the past fifty years. Our body of knowledge concerning emergency salvage techniques, especially in the area of freezing and freeze drying, has vastly improved the likelihood of successful recovery for many types of materials, even in large disasters. Emergency preparedness activities have greatly increased in many cultural institutions, especially medium to large ones. In the United States emergency plans at the national level now include cultural resources and a variety of organizational structures such as the Heritage Emergency Task Force, AIC-CERT, the Alliance for Response, and WESTPAS now exist to harness the experience and knowledge we have fifty years after Florence. However, despite these many accomplishments our capacity to respond is small and can be overwhelmed by the scale of an incident, especially in regional disasters. Bluntly put, we lack significant on-hand rfunds to respond to emergencies and to assist those in need of financial assistance. The presentation will compare and contrast recent disasters involving cultural resources, such as the Katrina and Rita hurricanes of 2005, the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan of 2010 and 2011, Superstorm Sandy of 2012, as well as the recent 2015 INION fire in Moscow, with the Florence Flood to better understand the current state of collection emergency management and to discuss ways to improve our ability to respond to, and recover from, disasters that harm cultural materials.

Speakers

Andrew Robb

Special Projects Officer, Library of Congress

Sunday May 15, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

General Session, Opening

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

10:00am EDT

Exhibit Hall Break

This meeting features the largest North American gathering of suppliers in the conservation field. Mingle with exhibitors and discover new treatments and business solutions. Posters on a range of conservation topics also will be on view in the Exhibit Hall, with an Author in Attendance session on Monday from 3:30 - 4 pm. Coffee, tea, and refreshments are available during session breaks on Sunday and Monday, at 10 am and 3:30 pm.

There will be product demonstrations in the Exhibit Hall (see p. 44) from Noon - 2 pm on Monday, May 16. It’s a free event, with lunch available for purchase. Join us for demos and explanations of the latest conservation products and services!

Lunch will be available for purchase in the Exhibit Hall both days.

Sunday May 15, 2016 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
Room 210 CD/GH

Break, Opening

Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(General Session) Visions of Disaster: bringing the blur into focus

The Mackintosh Building at Glasgow School of Art, designed and built from 1896-1909, is widely considered to be Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Masterpiece, and one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau in the world. The building was voted the best building of the last 175 years by the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) in 2009 and is widely recognised as one of the 20th century’s most important buildings as a prescient of the modern architectural style. However, on 24th May 2014, a devastating fire broke out. At the time of the fire, the building housed students from across the School, GSA Archives & Collections, and the Mackintosh Library. The fire and water severely damaged the building, its original fixtures and fittings, and the Archives & Collections. The iconic Mackintosh Library was destroyed along with the book collections it contained. Just as Charles Rennie Mackintosh was often described as a ‘visionary’, this paper will use vision and sight as a metaphor through which to present GSA’s story. The paper will look at how the school responded to the emergency initially, and how the visibility of the School to national and international audiences, instantly, both helped and hindered progress. It will then look at the approach taken in the building’s restoration and the collection’s recovery projects. In particular it will explore how preconceived boundaries were blurred – between the building and the collection; between the artefacts and the infrastructure within which they sit; between the original and the authentic; between preservation and ‘future-proofing’, repair and renewal; between what has value and what incurs cost; between old and new; past and future. We will discuss how, while all the differing elements affected by the fire needed to be assessed individually, their interdependencies and overlaps demanded an holistic vision and integral approach to restoration, reconstruction and conservation, from both a strategic and logistical perspective. Ultimately the restoration must ensure that the building is equipped to fully function as a living, breathing art school, as it always has, whilst recognising and preserving its cultural significance. We will look at how the architects, librarians, archivists, curators, contractors, conservators and managers worked together to bridge the gaps, focus the blurs and re-imagine, re-construct and re-organise the school’s assets. The paper will illustrate the complexities of the tasks, by looking at the approaches taken in a number of contexts – for example, how assessing the water-damaged textiles was necessarily done blind; how the conservation of the fire damaged plaster casts were governed by the building restoration; how re-building the library raised questions and insights on the nature of authenticity, and thence the tension between the authentic and the functional; how negotiating with insurers prompted a review of GSA’s heritage. The team from GSA will share strategies, experiences and learning from the disaster, and will ponder the benefits of re-envisioning GSA’s cultural assets in preparation for potential future, unforeseen disasters.

Speakers

Polly Christie

Recovery Project Lead, Archives & Collections, Glasgow School of Art

Polly studied languages as an undergraduate and completed her Masters at the School of Library, Archive & Information Science, UCL in 2000. Since then Polly has worked in the arts sector, promoting the access and use of art and archive collections for teaching, learning and research... Read More →

Sarah MacKinnon

Project Manager: Mackintosh Restoration, Glasgow School of Art

Sarah MacKinnon studied at the University of Greenwich and The College of Estate Management. Sarah is a Chartered Building Surveyor and holds the RICS Post Graduate Diploma in Building Conservation and full membership of the IHBC. She spent a total of 10 years as a Local Government... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

General Session, Opening

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(General Session) When disaster mitigation is a priority: Evidence from risk analysis of rare events

Since resources are always limited, disaster risks, which are by nature rare events, may not get enough attention until the disaster occurs. Recent comprehensive risk assessment projects conducted by the Canadian Conservation Institute have shed light on the magnitude of risks such as fire, water leaks, floods and tornado relative to loss of value due to other agents. In this paper we present the results of generalized risk analyses that clarify not simply the common-sense notion that different places have different disaster risks, but that under certain conditions these may become priority risks relative to all the other risks facing the collection. Risk analysis in these situations relies on incidence and severity data that may be organized geographically, or by type of building, or often both. Analysis also depends on models developed by experts that relate the presence or absence of various features and behaviours (levels of control) in a building with the degree of damage to the contents. Specific examples we will describe include the following. Flood risk becomes a priority if collections are stored below grade in locations at high risk of overland flooding once in 1000 years or more frequently. Physical damage due to storms becomes a priority risk in many building types in regions at risk of Category 3-5 hurricanes and EF4-5 tornadoes even when the chance of a direct hit is small. Earthquakes become priority risks in non-seismically stable buildings in regions experiencing earthquakes categorized as zone 4 in the Munich Re world map. Fire risk is high for collections even in fire resistive buildings unless fire suppression is present throughout and there is on-site security presence 24 hours daily. When risks are high, mitigation is highly recommended. Reducing the risk due to rare and potentially disastrous events has three stages: reducing the likelihood of the hazard in the first place (preferable, if possible), reducing the exposure of susceptible collections during the event, and preparing an effective response and recovery that one can implement after the event. Cost-benefit analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of even high cost facility upgrades, even though museums may consider disaster risks as “too rare” to warrant action. For hazards where avoidance and blocking are not feasible, cost-benefit analysis of respond and recover options can also show the effectiveness of preparing for the unexpected.

Speakers

Irene Karsten

Preservation Development Advisor, Canadian Conservation Institute

Co-Author(s)

Stefan Michalski

Senior Conservation Scientist, Preservation Services, Canadian Conservation Institute

Stefan Michalski earned a B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics and Mathematics (1972), trained as a conservator in the Queen's University Master of Art Conservation program, and then joined the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) in 1979. During his career, he has initiated the development of... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

General Session, Opening

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(General Session) Preserving Trauma: Treatment Challenges at the 9/11 Memorial Museum

History museums, especially memorial museums, present particular challenges to the conservator because the condition of an object can play a paramount role in its interpretation. Many of the objects in the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s collection are severely damaged, having suffered physical trauma on the day of the attacks. It is this visible destruction which so powerfully allows the museum to tell the story of the attacks and their aftermath. The conservators’ role at the 9/11 Museum is to preserve this damage, allowing the objects to tell their stories to future generations. This presentation will discuss three items in the collection which exemplify the challenges faced by the museum’s conservators. When Hurricane Sandy struck Manhattan in 2012, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which is mostly below grade, was not yet complete. The storm surge flooded much of lower Manhattan, including the Museum site. Several collections objects were already on-site, their size dictating that the museum be built around them. These large objects were submerged by the flood, including a section of wall from the World Trade Center parking garage level that was struck by the 1993 truck bomb. A “B2” mark on the wall was covered in soot after 9/11 when the pile at Ground Zero burned for months. When recovery workers reached the garage level, this wall section was saved. During Sandy, the object was protected by a wood framework covered in plastic. The floodwaters penetrated the plastic and left behind a layer of silt on the sooty surface of the slab. Conservators had to remove the silt, while leaving the soot intact. At the concourse level of the World Trade Center there was a shopping mall which included a Warner Brothers store. During the recovery, workers discovered the remnants of a “That’s All Folks” sign, still attached to a portion of the wall. They removed this remnant in pieces, including portions of the concrete tile backing. The exhibition plan called for this remnant to be installed as it appeared when discovered. This required that the parts be reassembled in such a way as to not obscure the damage. This treatment required careful interpretation and close consultation with curatorial staff. When the towers collapsed, Chelsea Jeans, a clothing store nearby, was inundated with the dust that was ubiquitous across lower Manhattan that day. The owner of the store, rather than clean up the dust, erected a glass wall in front of a portion of his store, preserving it as a stark memorial to the events of 9/11. When the store went out of business a year later, the owner gave the contents of this “case” to the New-York Historical Society, which removed and crated the contents using asbestos-handling techniques. The NYHS has given the Chelsea Jeans store display to the 9/11 Museum, and the museum has put the display on exhibit, still coated in 9/11 dust. The toxic nature of the dust required special preparation, handling and case design in order to exhibit this material.

Speakers

John Childs

Principal, Childs Conservation Consulting

John Childs graduated with a BA in history from Yale University in 1985, and earned a master’s degree in conservation specializing in furniture from Winterthur in 1992. Since then John has worked at museums in New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, and from 2006 to 2011... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Maureen Merrigan

Assistant Conservator, 9/11 Memorial and Museum

Maureen Merrigan is an Assistant Conservator at the National September 11th Memorial Museum. While a student at Texas A&M Universityâ€™s Nautical Archaeology Program she trained at the Conservation Research Laboratory. As the project conservator at the National Museum of Bermudaâ€™s... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

General Session, Opening

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

12:00pm EDT

(Luncheon Session) JAIC Editors Luncheon

Sunday May 15, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 512 D/H

Business Meeting

12:00pm EDT

(Emerging Conservation Professionals) Luncheon

AIC’s Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) and CAC’s Emerging Conservators Committee (ECC) are hosting a mentorship and networking luncheon. The luncheon is open to both emerging and established conservators with the specific intent to foster mentorships. After registering for the event and before the meeting, participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire on their career interests and experiences. ECPN and ECC will use the information provided by the questionnaires to arrange thoughtful seating that pairs potential mentor and mentees at the tables. While participants enjoy a provided lunch, speakers will address the group to give tips and advice on how to cultivate mentorships throughout their careers. Afterwards, each table will be prompted to discuss provided topics, in the hopes of encouraging people to find mentors/mentees at their site. Since the luncheon occurs on the first day of conference, participants will have the opportunity to continue discussions throughout the remainder of the meeting.

Moderators

Marie-Catherine Cyr

Assistant Conservator, Paintings and Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Canada / Musee des beaux-arts du Canada

Marie-Catherine is the Assistant Conservator, Paintings and Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). She has been active within the CAC for a number of years, first as one of six co-founders of the CAC Emerging Conservators Committee (ECC) and now as a translator... Read More →

Stephanie Lussier, [PA]

Paper Conservator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Stephanie M. Lussier is the conservator for works on paper and photographs at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Stephanie is interested in interdisciplinary projects that enhance the dialogue among conservators and allied professionals. She is actively engaged in education... Read More →

Fran E. Ritchie

Conservator, Harpers Ferry Center

Fran Ritchie is the organic objects conservator at the National Park Service (NPS) Harpers Ferry Center where she focuses on natural science materials, Indigenous collections, and archaeological and utilitarian cultural heritage. Prior to the NPS, she worked on projects at the American... Read More →

Michelle Sullivan

Assistant Conservator, Department of Paper Conservation, J. Paul Getty Museum

Michelle Sullivan is Assistant Conservator of Drawings at the J. Paul Getty Museum. She holds an M.S. and Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation and a B.A. in the Art History and Studio Art from the... Read More →

Speakers

Sarah Melching-[PA]

Silber Director of Conservation, Denver Art Museum

Sarah Melching received her M.A.C. in paper conservation from Queen's University. She also had additional training at the Library of Congress, National Gallery of Canada, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. From 1992-2007, Sarah was in private practice in the Pacific Northwest... Read More →

Tracy Satin

Heritage Officer/ Curator, Westbank First Nation

Tracy Satin spent her teen years growing up in Rome (Italy), which had a profound impact on her life. Upon completing high school, she moved back to Canada and worked to get her BA (Brock University) and MA (University of Alberta) in Classical Archaeology. After working several years... Read More →

Jeanne Beaudry Tardif

Team Lead, Conservation, Library of Parliament

Sunday May 15, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 510

Lunch and Learn, Emerging Conservation Professionals

Audience Emerging Conservation Professionals
Cost Ticketed

12:00pm EDT

(Luncheon Session) Socratic Dialogue Luncheon: The Best Laid Disaster Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Awry - Now What?

Limited Capacity full

In the past two decades, conservators, collections managers, and other museum professionals have benefited from increasing experience with risk analysis and disaster planning methodologies. With proper training and practice, many more valuable objects and collections of cultural heritage have been saved than ever before. The 2016 AIC annual meeting provides an ideal opportunity to share and review this experience in disaster planning and management, review the success and failures in practice, and discuss how approaches to disasters and the unexpected can be further improved.

However, disasters by definition, don’t follow plans. What should we do when confronted with the unexpected? We won’t know until we are actually confronted with the situation. This conference is thus also providing an opportunity to pause and take some time to reflect about what it is we want to achieve in disaster planning and management, and why. With that in the back of our minds, we can perhaps better cope with the unexpected when it does happen.

In the continuing series of so-called Socratic dialogues at AIC annual meetings, a Socratic dialogue will be conducted to help us investigate our thoughts on these questions on disaster planning. A Socratic dialogue is a structured form of dialogue in which all participants actively contribute. The purpose of the dialogue is not to solve the question at hand, that is, specifically determine how we should react in an emergency and what to do when the unexpected occurs, but to investigate each other’s experience, and concerns about how to handle unexpected situations, concerns such as,

-   Disasters don’t always follow disaster plans. What do you save if you only have a few seconds or minutes, and why?

-   How much damage is acceptable in order to save as much of a collection as possible?

-   Do we let bystanders or volunteers help save and initially stabilize (large numbers of) objects if the professionals can’t get there on time?

The Socratic method provides a safe, open environment for participants to investigate what the essence behind these issues is, and to understand their own points of view as well as those of others. In practice, it provides a better foundation for that moment when the best laid disaster plan goes awry, and one then has to make split second, gut decisions about what to do.

Speakers

William Wei

Senior Conservation Scientist, Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed

Dr. Wei (1955) is a senior conservation scientist in the Research Department of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE - Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed). He has a B.S.E. in mechanical engineering from Princeton University (1977) and a Ph.D. in materials science... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 516 E

Lunch and Learn

Cost Ticketed

12:00pm EDT

(Luncheon) - Strategic Management of Collection Storage to Serve an Institution & Society [Collection Care]

Limited Capacity filling up

Strategic Management of Collection Storage to serve an Institution and SocietyModerators: Lisa Elkin, American Museum of Natural History and Christopher Norris, Peabody Museum, Yale University
Collections are not simply to have and to hold. The point of keeping collections is to enable an institution to fulfill its mission and, more broadly, to serve the continuance and betterment of society as a whole. Speakers will provide varying perspectives:

Democratizing the Museum/Respectful and Responsible Stewardship (speakers: Sanchita Balachandran, Johns Hopkins University and Kelly McHugh, National Museum of the American Indian)
The speaker(s) will discuss the practical work of democratizing collections care. All collections demand a deep and sustained engagement with non-museum stakeholders who have claims to both the tangible and intangible aspects of museum objects. The ultimate aim of preservation is to restore the social and cultural relevance of collections, thus transforming and revitalizing not only collections, but also collecting institutions, stakeholders, and staff.

Partnerships in Collection Care (speaker: Christopher Norris, Peabody Museum, Yale University)
The speaker will discuss the importance of collection care professionals working closely with allied professionals to preserve collections more effectively and make them ever more broadly accessible. These allied professionals include both staff within the institution and consultants bringing special skills and knowledge. Dynamically forming teams with members ranging from maintenance staff to directors of foundations will greatly enhance the power of collection care professionals to benefit their institution and society as a whole.

Risk Management and Preventive Conservation (speaker: Robert Waller, Protect Heritage Corp.
The speaker will describe preventive conservation as a system and as a sub-system within larger institutional and societal systems further supporting concepts covered in the previous talks. A risk assessment and management approach will be introduced. That approach provides a rational framework for ensuring that resources for preventive conservation are as effective deployed as possible for retaining values of the collection to the institution and to society. That is accomplished by ensuring that, even from multiple perspectives of hazards, collection units, locations, values, and so on, there are no egregious risks affecting collections.

These presentations are born from content developed for the upcoming book, Preventive Conservation: Collection Storage, an AIC, SPNHC, SI and GWU partnership publication (expected publication date, winter 2017). All talks will use examples from subsequent chapters in the book to illustrate points.

Speakers

Sanchita Balachandran-[Fellow]

Associate Director, Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum, The Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum

Sanchita Balachandran is Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. She teaches courses related to the technical study and analysis of ancient objects, as... Read More →

Lisa K. Elkin

Chief Registrar and Director of Conservation, American Museum of Natural History

Lisa received her MA in art conservation from the Buffalo State College and since 1994 has been working as a conservator at the AMNH, first as assistant and associate conservator in the Anthropology Department, and since 2001 as Director of Conservation for the natural science collections... Read More →

Kelly McHugh

Supervisory Collections Manager, Cultural Resources Center. The National Museum of the American Indian. Smithsonian Institution

Kelly McHugh recently became the Supervisory Collections Manager at the National Museum of the American Indian. Prior she served as an object conservator, when she began working for the museum in 1996 in New York, based at the museum’s former storage facility in the Bronx. There... Read More →

Christopher Norris

Senior Collection Manager, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History

Chris Norris is Senior Collections Manager for Vertebrate Paleontology at the Yale Peabody Museum. He received his doctorate in Zoology from the University of Oxford in 1992 and has worked in natural history collections for more than 20 years at Oxford, the American Museum of Natural... Read More →

Robert Waller

President and Senior Risk Analyst, Protect Heritage Corp.

Specializing in cultural property risk assessment and management. Strong background in natural sciences, preventive conservation, material science and conservation science. Accredited by Canadian Association of Professional Conservators.

Sunday May 15, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 511 C/F

Lunch and Learn, Collection Care

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

2:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) The Rationale for Rebinding at the Pierpont Morgan Library in the Early Twentieth Century) A Case Study

In the United States, scholars rarely see manuscripts and incunabula in their original bindings. Most texts in American rare book collections have been rebound at least once, if not many times, between the time they were created and the present day. Rebinding is therefore an important point to consider in the study of these objects. When and why did it occur? How were decisions made, and who made them? What informed the practice of rebinding? This paper attempts to contextualize the practice of rebinding in the early twentieth century in America – a time when American collectors were particularly interested in the acquisition of rare books – by using the rebinding practices at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York (now the Morgan Library & Museum) as a case study. From 1908 until 1958, much of the rebinding work for the Morgan was carried out by one person – Marguerite Duprez Lahey (1880-1958). Duprez Lahey, born in Brooklyn to a well-to-do family, took up bookbinding as a hobby at the turn of the twentieth century. She studied under several French bookbinders and finishers before beginning her employment at the Morgan. Despite being widely hailed at the time as the best bookbinder in America, she did not receive formal apprenticeship training and from today’s viewpoint, many of her bindings are stylistically idiosyncratic and physically problematic. A study of the Morgan archives reveals that Duprez Lahey was not the sole decision maker in rebinding manuscripts – John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) and his son, John Pierpont (Jack) Morgan, Jr., (1867-1943) as well as Belle da Costa Greene (1883-1950), the Morgan’s first librarian and director, played active roles in the eventual fate of the books. Their decisions, in turn, were influenced by aesthetics, a possible concern for durability, and the way in which best practices were understood at the time. Conservation is a very young field, and book conservation is an even more recent development. At the time Duprez Lahey was practicing, conservation ethics were not yet codified. The practice of rebinding rare books had not received the depth of attention that it has today. As such, Duprez Lahey’s work was necessarily limited by the knowledge available to the binder and her employers. While a lack of documentation makes it difficult to determine exactly why specific books were chosen for rebinding over others, or why certain books were bound in certain styles, an examination of rebinding practices at the Morgan during the first half of the twentieth century offers a glimpse into practices in a library at the forefront of the book world at the time. It provides a new understanding of the relationship between bookbinder and collector, the various influences (artistic and economic) on bookbinders, and the aesthetic values of the collectors of the era.

Speakers

Saira Haqqi

Associate Book and Paper Conservator, Minnesota Historical Society

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Comprehensive collection risk assessment at the Museum Victoria

Occupying multiple buildings, holding large and highly diverse collections, and working within a large matrix management structure are issues that create heightened challenges and opportunities for collection care and preservation. These factors necessitate whole-of-collections and enterprise-wide preventive approaches. Museum Victoria is committed to comprehensive collection risk assessment, as its key framework to drive future investment of resources in collection care and preservation. The cultural property risk analysis model (CPRAM), including its most recent revisions, is being used to structure and document this assessment. Methodological enhancements, such as precautionary defaults for risk variables and delineating respective risk accountabilities for different stakeholders,have clarified communication about risk issues between internal stakeholders.

Speakers

Maryanne McCubbin

Head, Strategic Collection Management, Museum Victoria

Maryanne McCubbin is Head, Strategic Collection Management at Museum Victoria. With multiple tertiary qualifications in history and information management, Maryanne has worked in archives and museums for close to thirty years. Her work has centered on the development, care and preservation... Read More →

Robert Waller

President and Senior Risk Analyst, Protect Heritage Corp.

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Conservation and Digital Preservation: (Where) Do the Two Roads Meet?

To state an obvious fact, Conservators are concerned with tangible things. Objects that we can see, assess, and address is central to all conservation pursuits. Without the ability to observe and assess, as Conservators we cannot move forward in our efforts. To state another obvious fact, you can’t actually see binary code, the basis of all digital information. Collecting institutions are in the earliest days of acquiring what will become a more prominent aspect of their collections: digital material. In years past, the word 'digital' in the context of archives, libraries and museums has evoked ideas of digital portable physical media, including hard drives and optical media. The real digital object is not the physical information carrier, but rather, the digital file, with all of the intellectual, creative and informational content that it holds. However, unlike the physical paper object, photograph, artifact, book or painting, the properties of these files may not be immediately evident, or even accessible. The majority of digital preservation is non-tangible: the software or the operating system to support access to files, the bit stream of the file, or the metadata that is buried in an associated file. And yet, preservation efforts are essential, as digital objects are constantly at risk and require attention and monitoring over time. Also too, processes of preservation are unfamiliar: metadata extraction, file normalization, and auditing. For preservationists, this deviation from our standard methodologies of observation and assessment raises so many concerns and questions. Can the mindset and training of the Conservator, given our natural preoccupation with the physical object, aid in understanding the esoteric digital object? Do digital objects have “artifactual” properties? If preservation efforts necessitate change to the digital object, what principles will guide us? Are there transferrable concepts, or practices, between these two different but necessarily linked fields of practice? This presentation would aim to address the questions above, by using the Canadian Centre for Architecture as an example; while at the same time looking at the bigger picture from different perspectives.

Speakers

David Stevenson

Conservator, Canadian Centre for Architecture

Collections Conservation and Management Diploma from Fleming College; M.A. in Digital Heritage from University of Leicester School of Museum Studies.

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Emergency) National strategy and regional reality: A systematic approach to disaster preparedness and recovery for cultural property

For several decades, the Swedish National Heritage Board (SNHB) has provided information regarding fire protection and disaster recovery through publications and conferences. Several fires in buildings of both national and regional cultural importance, as well as floods and spectacular thefts, have high-lighted that the information in question needs to be better disseminated and to be implemented by fire authorities, insurance companies, property managers and other stakeholders. In 2006, less than ten years ago, a more systematic approach was implemented. A national cross-sectional network on disaster preparedness and recovery for cultural heritage, chaired by SNHB, was established. Today it is a functioning network, including organisations such as the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the Kammarkollegiet (for government indemnity), the Swedish Property Authority, the Church of Sweden, several federal museums and the Swedish Fire Protection Association. An online handbook with practical checklists was created by SNHB with a cross disciplinary reference group, including insurers, fire fighters, security managers, conservators and building conservators. A national expert advisor is available to observe and collect information from different disasters, and contribute to national and international disaster preparedness networks. SNHB is aiming for the inclusion of cultural heritage in risk management and disaster planning in general, especially when at present national, and international work is focussing on climate change. One example is the European Flood Directive where cultural heritage is one of four main aspects. In line with the Hyogo framework for action and the upcoming Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, SNHB has been a member of the Swedish National Platform for disaster risk reduction since 2011. In addition, SNHB exchanges information regarding risks in other arenas, for example conferences on fire fighting. This paper will present the challenges of implementing national strategies at a regional and local level. How does cooperation between fire authorities and cultural heritage management work? How shall the information reach those who really need it? These challenges were put to the test in the summer of 2014 during a forest fire which threatened the World Heritage Site Engelsberg’s Ironworks and several churches, as well as during extensive flooding on the Swedish west coast a couple of weeks later. These disasters high-lighted the importance of already existing networks. Protecting cultural heritage within the areas was therefore high on the agenda from the very start. We will present case studies from the museum, archive and library sectors, as well as the Church of Sweden, where the national strategy has been implemented. These organisations have taken the fire and flood threat very seriously and put financial and other resources into disaster preparedness. Which arguments did they use to implement their strategy? How was information received by stakeholders? How were resources used? Did there need to be an accident/incident before measures were taken? Finally, we ask about the role of the enthusiastic individual, those persons with an intimate interest in the property – is a disaster plan ever made without their initiative?

Speakers

Erika Hedhammar

Advisor, Swedish National Heritage Board

Erika Hedhammar is risk management advisor at the Swedish National Heritage Board. She has a BSc in conservation from the University of Gothenburg. With her background as textile conservator, she has often dealt with water or fire damaged objects. The ICCROM course First aid to cultural... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Lisa Nilsen

Advisor, Swedish National Heritage Board

Lisa Nilsen works part-time as advisor for the Swedish National Heritage Board. She has a BSc in conservation from the University of Gothenburg. Lisa Nilsen worked for three years with the Norwegian Museum Authority on protection from fire and theft for Norwegian museums. She also... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Objects + Architecture) A Methodology for Documenting Preservation Issues Affecting Cultural Heritage in Syria and Iraq

Armed conflict in Syria and Iraq has resulted in a humanitarian crisis with hundreds of thousands of casualties, millions of refugees, and nearly twice as many millions of internally displaced persons. As violence and extremism continue to escalate, so too, has the destruction of cultural property, another dimension of the humanitarian crisis. Following the first few years of the war in Syria, international responses for heritage protection increased rapidly, including the formation of the Cultural Heritage Initiatives (CHI) project in August 2014. CHI is a cooperative agreement between the US Department of State and the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) to implement cultural property protection by documenting damage, promoting global awareness, and planning emergency and post-war responses. This paper discusses the development of CHI’s methodology for documenting preservation issues affecting cultural heritage in Syria and Iraq. Since the onset of the war, thousands of cultural properties have been damaged through combat-related incidents, theft, and intentional destruction. The CHI project has developed a remote condition assessment methodology with aims to better understand the types and patterns of threats and damage, which will inform future safeguarding and post-conflict restoration efforts. The CHI condition assessment process is closely linked to other activities of the project, including the development of a digital inventory and map of heritage sites using Arches heritage management software and the archiving of information about cultural heritage from major news outlets, online media, satellite imagery, and in-country sources. To integrate the assessments with CHI’s digital inventory, the methodology was initially based on the Arches Condition Assessment module, designed primarily to record the physical condition of a property and threats and/or disturbances. Terminology and evaluation scales were adapted in part from the MEGA Jordan Guidelines (the underlying schema used in Arches) and other sources, with the addition of terms more specific to armed conflict and a unique category for Military Activities. A Condition Issues section was developed in order to track the effects of damage and the components of a property that may be affected. Later additions include a section designed to rate the priority for an on-the-ground assessment in the post-conflict period. CHI has engaged heritage experts to test and provide feedback on the methodology, which has been used to make revisions and improvements. One of the biggest challenges has been to design a system that is flexible and can provide meaningful data despite the inability for assessors to observe the cultural properties firsthand. Differing from traditional condition assessments, this lack of primary observations has led to an increased emphasis on recording sources of infromation and an awareness of the reliability of the data used to complete an assessment. However, initial results of assessments of properties within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Aleppo indicate that the process provides useful data, and it is anticipated that broad trends in the heritage situation will emerge and priorities for preservation efforts will be identified as larger areas are assessed.

Speakers

LeeAnn Barnes Gordon

Assistant Conservator, Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

LeeAnn is currently an objects conservator at the Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and is also a Consultant for ASOR’s Cultural Heritage Initiatives. She earned her graduate degree from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, and has... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Allison Cuneo

Project Manager, Cultural Heritage Initiatives, American Schools of Oriental Research

Project Manager for ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives, she is responsible for managing and providing logistical and research support for the Syrian Heritage Initiative. Ms. Cuneo is a doctoral candidate in Archaeology at Boston University who conducts research in Iraq. Her MA in... Read More →

Bijan Rouhani

Project Specialist in Risk Management and Built Heritage, ASOR

Bijan received his PhD in 2010 in Conservation of Architectural Heritage from La Sapienza, the University of Rome, Italy. His research was on International Principles for the Protection of Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflict. He works as a conservation architect and cultural heritage... Read More →

Susan Penacho

Project Manager of Geospatial Imaging

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Architecture

Specialty Architecture, Objects
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Paintings) The Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy – Rescue and Treatment

Although warned of the arrival of Hurricane Sandy on October 26, 2012, it was nonetheless a rude awakening for all New Yorkers who were unprepared for the magnitude of the disaster. On November 4th the Museum of Modern Art hosted a free presentation (1) by speakers from the American Institute for Conservation Collections Emergency Response Team along with conservators from MoMA. Focusing on “recovering wet art and cultural materials”, the meeting brought together artists, collectors, and Conservators reaching out to one another for information and assistance in the aftermath of the storm. A united volunteer investment in recovery at the Westbeth Artist’s Residence is one story among many across New York City. The basement storage that housed innumerable works by artists living in this residence as well as the Martha Graham Dance Company historic collection had been flooded by over 12 feet of water from the Hudson River along with overflowing sewage. AIC-CERT volunteers, resident artists and area Conservators provided services to support the rescue efforts. The proposed presentation for the 2016 AIC/ CAC-ACCR joint meeting in Montreal, Canada intends to describe firsthand the salvage activities undertaken. The presentation further intends to describe the construction of a stretching device (2) based on a design by Prof. Winfried Heiber. The stretching device aims to restore planarity to paintings suffering severe shrinkage and undulations from direct water exposure. Two Hurricane Sandy related case studies along with one case study of water damage due to roof leakage would be used to elucidate the efficacy as well as limitations of the stretching device. 1. A free public presentation on recovering wet art and cultural materials will be held Sunday, November 4 from noon until 2 p.m. at The Museum of Modern Art. Speakers from the American Institute for Conservation Collections Emergency Response Team (AIC-CERT), along with conservators from MoMA, will provide suggestions and answer questions on how to safely handle and dry wet materials such as paintings, drawings, books, sculpture, and other artistic and cultural works. The consortium will take place in MoMA’s Celeste Bartos Theater, in the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building, 4 West 54 Street, New York. 2. “A Tensioning Device for the Reduction of Severe Planar Distortions in Paintings”, by Carolyn Tomkiewicz, published in the WAAC Newsletter Volume 35, Number 2 of May 2013

Speakers

Carolyn Tomkiewicz, [PA]

Paintings Conservator, Conservator of Paintings, Private Practice

Carolyn Tomkiewicz works in private practice in Brooklyn. She worked as Paintings Conservator at the Brooklyn Museum from 1986, caring for the collection, as well as supervising interns. She retired from the museum in 2012. She has co-taught workshops on “Adhesives for Conservation... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies) Photography, Continuity and Change: Impact on the Conservation Field

View from afar, the history of photography seems to be a long quiet river (to paraphrase the title of a French movie from the 1980s). Technically, each decade and each century has brought its tribute of innovations and discoveries through a linear evolution process. Like in the 19th and 20th centuries, we are still producing photographs with our cameras, and trying to keep them. It is true that photography today inherits from all the technical and artistic contributions from the past. However, the introduction of digital technologies has created discontinuities that are not always clearly tangible. The first one is the use, for a sake of convenience, of the traditional terminology such as «photograph» for naming digital images. This may create the feeling that we are still in the same domain, however, technically, we have moved in another dimension that has impacted our private, public, and professional areas. This paper will address, through a few examples, some changes that digital imaging has induced on the way we are assessing or preserving images and on the scientific researches in the conservation field.

Speakers

Bertrand Lavedrine

Professor, Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Collections / MNHN

Bertrand Lavédrine received the doctoral degree from the Faculty of Humanities, University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, with the thesis in Art and Archeology, and got a Master degree in organic chemistry. In 1983, he was appointed to carry-out scientific researches on the preservation... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Textiles) Dissociation Risks: The Conservation of Two Aboriginal Figurines and Their Textiles

In 2011, two intriguing North-Eastern Woodlands aboriginal figurines were submitted to the labs at the Centre de Conservation du Québec. Our original treatment proposal had been based on the enchanting (but partly erroneous) history of the figurines. It was thought that they were contemporaries of a set of known mid-17th century representations of individual members of the aboriginal community who had been converted by Jesuit missionaries. Such figurines were created as a means to introduce the individuals represented to the Catholic clergy and demonstrate their religious devotion. This paper will discuss two distinct conservation issues concerning these figurines. The first pertains to information that is lost when the caretakers of such rare and unique objects, those who are able to properly identify them, take their retirement or are lost to us without transferring their wealth of knowledge. In the current context of retirements, budget cutbacks and loss of institutional memory, we are at a critical time where the risk of dissociation of aboriginal objects in museum collections from their cultural context is increased. With the aim of keeping the younger generations of aboriginal communities connected with their culture, conservators thus have a responsibility to contribute as much as possible to the history and identification of these objects through current analytical methods and treatment. The second part of the paper will deal with the conservation treatment of the figurines. As these objects were originally intended for study, not display, minimal treatment to non-textile components, and no textile treatment other than careful conditioning, had been at first considered. However, it became clear that consolidation (at the very least) of the textiles would be necessary as they quite literally were falling apart before our eyes. The fragility of the textiles, combined with limited access, ruled out more traditional treatments involving stitching onto a supportive backing. Fresh with ideas gained at the 2011 conference on adhesives and consolidants organized by the Canadian Conservation Institute, we began investigating consolidation of the textiles via ultrasonic misting as one of the treatment options. Though we have not come across this method used on textiles in the literature, with the encouragement and collaboration of some of our colleagues from other disciplines, we tested a number of consolidants in aqueous solutions, and successfully worked out a treatment protocol for the textiles of one figurine using this method. A second treatment option, inspired by facings, thread-by-thread repair and serendipity, was successfully used on the other figurine.

Speakers

Nicole Charley

Textile Conservator, Centre De Conservation Du Quebec

Nicole Charley obtained her Maîtrise in conservation, textile stream, from the Institut national du patrimoine (Paris, France) in 2004. In 2008, she was accepted into the paid internship program at the Canadian Conservation Institute, and in 2009, was hired at the Centre de conservation... Read More →

Jean Dendy

Conservator of ethnographic materials, Centre de Conservation du Quebec

Jean Dendy completed the Queen's University Master of Art Conservation program, objects stream, in 2008. After having interned at the McCord Museum of Canadian History, the Canadian Museum of Civilisation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she then went on to work in furniture conservation... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Embers in the Ashes: Challenges Encountered During the Restoration of Fire-damaged Woodwork in a Historic House Museum

This paper will share lessons learned from recovery efforts in response to a fire at a historic house museum, and in particular from the use of commercial dry ice blasting services to remove charred wood from damaged woodwork. In January 2009, the interior of Craigflower Manor National Historic Site in Victoria, British Columbia was severely damaged by a flash fire caused by an electric heater located beneath its central staircase. Catastrophic charring reduced the thickness of most of the wooden members composing the substructure of the staircase by up to 50% and caused extensive damage to surrounding architectural millwork and interior surfaces.

In an attempt to salvage the heritage character-defining fir and arbutus staircase, site custodians, The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC) contacted a commercial disaster restoration company shortly after the fire for advice on recovery. The restoration company suggested dry ice blasting. The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) was also contacted for advice, resulting in a site visit to inspect the damage, observe the blasting, and provide recommendations for the restoration of damaged architectural woodwork.

The operator demonstrated the dry ice blasting and the technique proved to be a well-controlled reduction method for the charred wood. At the request of TLC, the restoration company sealed the doors of several adjacent rooms and erected a polyethylene sheeting tent to isolate the staircase and protect the interior during blasting. Although the restoration company confirmed that dust extraction equipment would be installed in order to capture the primary waste generated by the blasting, after the work was conducted and re-entry was permitted, it was immediately apparent that adequate dust extraction was not installed and the isolation tent had failed. It was also evident that attempts to seal off some adjacent rooms from the dust were insufficient. Not only was the air thick with harmful particulate, but a substantial deposit of the black, carbonaceous dust had settled on all surrounding horizontal surfaces including those of the artifacts displayed in several rooms.

This paper will elaborate on the circumstances of the initial disaster and the ensuing complications caused by the insufficient capture of primary waste from the dry ice blasting. It will describe the recommendations provided by CCI for the treatment of the interior millwork and will share results from the restoration project led by TLC. Finally, it will offer precautionary advice for those who might consider the use of commercial restoration services to remove charred building materials within a historic structure damaged by fire.

Speakers

Amanda Salmon

Conservator, Furniture and Heritage Interiors, Canadian Conservation Institute

Amanda Salmon has a B.A. Honours in Art History and English from Queen's University (Kingston, Ontario) as well as diplomas in Collections Conservation and Management from Fleming College (Peterborough, Ontario) and Cabinetmaking from Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Deborah Hudson

Heritage Museologist

Deborah Hudson holds a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from the University of Toronto, and a Certificate in Heritage Conservation Planning from the University of Victoria. She has twenty-five years of experience working in museums and galleries, including a number of historic... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 514

Breakout Session, Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Book and Paper) You wanted WHAT, WHEN? An Issue of Scale: Delivering high end treatments on a large collection of illuminated manuscripts

Senior managers at the Weissman Preservation Center (WPC) at Harvard University routinely establish protocols for the treatment of large collections and projects. These protocols are designed to integrate expert skill and techniques, provisions for quality control, and an efficient workflow. This talk will provide an overview of the guiding principles for best practices in the treatment of large collections, focusing on the consolidation of friable media in over one hundred and fifty medieval manuscripts requested for loan to a multi-venue exhibition. This protocol is rigorous and includes detailed instructions that define procedures used to evaluate, treat and document the consolidation of the manuscripts. The current work flow involves up to ten conservators using two fully equipped microscope stations. Our protocol ensures uniformity in treatment procedures and judgment. Consensus is critical when more than one person works on any project and is an essential component on large group projects involving many conservators. We have learned that the quality of treatment and the degree of uniformity are substantially greater when multiple conservators collectively agree and follow the same guiding principles. This approach goes beyond procedural processes – it aligns decision making and judgment. The result of having all conservators follow the same protocol gives the appearance that one person treated the entire collection. Best practices are achieved through collective and collaborative understanding. The process of developing the protocol requires extensive discussion, being open minded, sharing observations and suppressing ego. A team approach (of two or more people) is essential to help ensure the development, refinement, and execution of best standards of practice. Finally, it is extremely important that the quality of the work be uniformly high throughout the entire treatment project. And by sharing the work load, large quantities of high-quality work can be performed without burn-out and in a reasonable time frame. The presentation will discuss the details of the equipment set up and procedures used to evaluate and treat friable media in illuminated manuscripts. This includes cradles, tools for evaluating media friability, working magnification for examination and treatment, the judgment of when and when not to treat, methods of consolidation, the system for verifying that treatment was successful, and the method of digital record keeping.

Speakers

Debora Mayer

Helen H. Glaser Conservator, Harvard Library, Weissman Preservation Center

Debora D. Mayer is the Helen H. Glaser Senior Paper Conservator at the Weissman Preservation Center at Harvard University. Debora is responsible for the conservation of rare and unique materials, largely unbound, held in special collections throughout Harvard libraries. She has over... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Alan Puglia, [PA]

Senior Rare Book Conservator, Harvard Library, Weissman Preservation Center

Alan Puglia is the Senior Rare Book Conservator at the Weissman Preservation Center at Harvard University. Alan is responsible for managing and coordinating the conservation of special collections, primarily bound materials, throughout Harvard libraries. A graduate of the University... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Collection Care) Stuff happens, so what? Condition changes and loss of value in archival records

Conservators know that cultural property is constantly changing. As part of our preventive conservation work we try to slow down unwanted physical changes by managing the agents of deterioration to reduce the probability and the potential consequences of those changes. Many different kinds of value can be perceived in a single object and stakeholders may also have competing perceptions of value. Our resources are limited, so it makes sense to use them where they can be most effective within our area of responsibility – preserving what’s valued by our stakeholders by preventing the physical changes most likely to reduce that value for our stakeholders. This paper discusses the results of a series of exercises to quantify the relative loss of archival value resulting from a variety of physical changes to a range of archival materials. The initial exercise in 2007 was done with archivists responsible for government and private records at the Archives of Manitoba. A historic context scenario was provided and sample items in a variety of analogue media commonly found in archives and exhibiting a variety of types of physical changes were rated on a ten point scale, from no value remaining to no value lost. The types of records considered included manuscript documents, bound volumes, photographs and photo albums, and audio recordings. The types of change considered included mould, stains, cracks, tears, losses, colour shift, deformations, missing elements and musty smells. The agents of deterioration responsible for these changes included physical forces, water, pests, pollutants, light, particulates, dissociation and incorrect relative humidity and temperature. This exercise has been repeated annually with the students in the local Archival Studies program with only minor modifications to the objects and the scenario, and with very similar results. The general areas of agreement and contention regarding the amount of archival value lost in these objects as a result of these changes will be highlighted in the presentation. The presentation will also discuss the implications and practical applications of the results. At the Archives the results were used to create a decision guide to strategically direct resources to the conditions and risks that the archivists had identified as having the greatest potential negative impact on the archival value of records. For the students the exercise builds competency in thinking about materiality in archival record and in understanding changes, as well as introducing them to the agents of deterioration, risk assessment, and the role of preservation/conservation in maintaining, adding and restoring value in archival records.

Speakers

Ala Rekrut

Manager, Preservation Services, Archives of Manitoba

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Videotape Deterioration Mechanisms and Conservation Remedies: A Primer

Art as thin as a human hair, running a mile a minute, presents new challenges for the conservation community. Conservator Erik Piil will explore the landscape of common videotape deterioration mechanisms including binder instability through hydrolysis, repeated playback degradation, debris contamination, and other alteration processes affecting preservation. Erik will detail various communities’ efforts to establish a metric for videotape deterioration, highlighting ongoing projects centered around creating non-destructive, degradation-identifying tools.He will discuss his work developing an open-source videotape cleaner as an example of how the current body of scholarship intersects with emerging practices.

Speakers

Erik Piil

Associate Conservator, Kramlich Collection & New Art Trust

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Emergency) Implementing risk management strategies for the Manguinhos historic site: protecting built heritage and collections.

Manguinhos historic site, located at the north zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, houses a significant part of the scientific and cultural heritage of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), linked to the Ministry of Health of Brazil. It includes almost 40 collections (documental, bibliographical, museological and biological), historic buildings and archeological sites. Much of this heritage was generated over more than a century by the work processes of the institution, created in 1900 to produce medicines and conduct research in the public health area. It includes buildings considered national heritage by IPHAN (National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage) and collections recognized by UNESCO as Memory of the World. Seeking to enhance the preventive conservation actions already underway for institutional heritage, and following the principles defined by the Preservation and Management Policy of Cultural Collections in Science and Health, the Casa de Oswaldo Cruz (unit responsible for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Fiocruz) developed a medium-term program for implementation of risk management plans for heritage located in Manguinhos. An interdisciplinary working group was created, composed of experts responsible for the conservation of different types of collections and the built heritage, as well as representatives of the management areas of the unit. For the development of the work was adopted the CCI-ICCROM-RCE Risk Management Method (Canadian Conservation Institute - International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property - Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage) and an expert was hired as a consultant to guide the work of the group. The methodology consists of five sequential steps: establish the context, identify risks, analyze risks, evaluate risks and treat risks. For the development of the research a range of surveys was held seeking to characterize: the institutional context; the set of actors who have influence and interest in the conservation of heritage; the teams of employees who work in the management and preservation of buildings and collections; the existing policies and procedures; the valuation of the ensemble; and natural and anthropogenic features of the site. Threats related to fire, urban violence, high pollution, susceptibility to climate change and landslide were some of the issues mapped during the process. This information was crucial for the development of a joint risk assessment, which resulted in a holistic view of different types of risks for the buildings and collections and a comprehensive understanding of the most critical and emergency. This paper aims to present research results and discuss strategies to mitigate the identified risks, considering the diversity of types of cultural heritage under the responsibility of the institution.

Speakers

Marcos José de Araujo Pinheiro

Vice-director of Information and Cultural Heritage, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation/ Casa de Oswaldo Cruz

Doctor of Science and Master in Production Engineering from COPPE / Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ. Degree in electrical engineering from PUC - RJ (1981) and specialist in industrial management and economics engineering from UFRJ. Senior technologist at Fundação Oswaldo... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Carla Maria Teixeira Coelho

Architect / Researcher, Casa de Oswaldo Cruz / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz

PhD student in Architecture and Urbanism at the Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF. Architect and urbanist from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ (2003). Master in Architecture from PROARQ-FAU / UFRJ (2006) in the area of concentration History and Preservation of Historic... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Objects + Architecture) The Outdoor Sculpture Project at the Getty Conservation Institute

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) has embarked on a long-term research project into the conservation issues of contemporary outdoor sculpture, stemming from the recognition that outdoor sculpture is by its very nature prone to damage, often requires treatments that in other areas of conservation would be considered extreme, and that a significant body of research on this category of objects is needed. The initial phase of this project focuses on painted outdoor sculpture. Five different research strands were designed based on the outcomes of a focus meeting organized in June 2012 by the GCI, aiming at exploring issues posed by the conservation of twentieth-century and contemporary outdoor painted sculpture, and discussing possible solutions and areas of research. The meeting gathered thirty participants from the main groups involved in the conservation of outdoor painted sculpture: conservators, artists estates, foundations and studios, paint industry professionals, collection managers, and curators. One of the central goals of the project is to build bridges between industry and the conservation profession. The project activities include: • Documenting Original Painted Surfaces It is fairly common for outdoor painted sculpture to be entirely repainted, and frequently stripped if they exhibit deteriorated paint layers. This component of the project aims at defining protocols for the documentation of painted surfaces that can be easily adopted by conservators — including how to prepare coupons, photograph them, and measure color and gloss in the easiest yet most reproducible ways. • Analyzing and Understanding Paint Composition Industrial paints have very complex composition. Part of the project consists of developing analytical protocols specifically adapted to paints used for outdoor painted sculptures and building analytical libraries to more accurately identify them. • Developing New Paint Systems The requirements for paints used in outdoor painted sculpture conservation are complex: they need to replicate the original artist materials, while being as durable as possible in outdoor environments and accessible in terms of cost. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has been working to investigate new paint formulations suitable for conservation.and the GCI has partnered with the ARL and Abigail Mack Art Conservation to test these new paints and make them available to conservators. • Collaborating with Artists' Estates, Foundations, and Studios The project team is collaborating with artists', estates, foundations, and studios (EFS) to discuss how these organizations can provide conservation professionals with guidelines for repainting outdoor sculpture, focusing on the works' visual properties—color, gloss, and texture—and how best to replicate these using available paint resources. • Case Studies: The project includes a number of case studies – in the past two years the GCI has partnered with the University Art Museum at California State University, Long Beach to treat selected sculptures from the outdoor sculpture collection at CSULB, as well as to organize the conference: FAR-SITED: Creating and Conserving Art in Public Places in October 2015. Other potential case studies are being explored in collaboration with the Storm King Art Center. The presentation will give an overview of the project and present results and achievements to date.

Speakers

Rachel Rivenc

Associate Scientist, Getty Conservation Institute

Rachel Rivenc has been working within the Modern and Contemporary Art Research Initiative at the GCI since 2006. She is currently an associate scientist. She studies the diverse materials and techniques used by contemporary artists, and their conservation. She is currently leading... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Catherine Defeyt

Graduate Intern, Getty Conservation Institute

Julia Langenbacher

Research Lab Assistant, Getty Conservation Institute

Thomas Learner

Scientist/Researcher, Getty Conservation Institute

Tom Learner is head of the Science Department at the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI); he oversees all of the Institute's scientific research, developing and implementing projects that advance conservation practice in the visual arts. As a GCI senior scientist from 2007 to 2013... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Architecture

Specialty Architecture, Objects
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Paintings) Preparing for the worst: re-developing and tailoring a rapid response bag and procedure to the specific needs and limitations of the National Gallery.

Archival records show that most incidents of vandalism at the National Gallery have involved mechanical damage meted out with, or without, tools. Since 1863 to date, these occasions have involved 15 works of art and have included the use of knives, a hammer, a meat cleaver, razor, fist, and gun. Since 1863, there have been 4 incidents involving the imparting of a non-corrosive substance on 5 works and no instances involving corrosive agents. In total,19 works have been damaged in 20 incidents with one work undergoing more than one attack. A review of our disaster/vandalism kit and response procedure was prompted by the malicious damage sustained by two paintings in 2011. In rethinking the National Gallery’s grab bag, it was determined that although some types of attack are more time sensitive than others, having a kit which contained materials and equipment to address all three types, as discussed above, would be advantageous. The earlier kit was not designed to address mechanical damage, or those featuring non-corrosive substances. The rationale behind this was based on the recognition that chemical attacks represent a grave and ongoing threat to the object, while other damage could be dealt with in the studio, or at a less urgent pace in situ. However, the experience of the attack of 2011 highlighted the advantage of having a bag containing a range of solvents, swabs and absorbent cloths to speed up the removal of non-corrosive materials from the surface of a painting. The bag was used effectively in two further real-life incidents in 2012 and 2013. Rather than providing information about a 'one size fits all' approach to the provision of emergency supplies and the adoption of a specific procedure, this paper aims to inform other institutions about the steps required to first develop an appropriate response to damage to specific cultural material. The paper also outlines and emphasises the importance of maintaining the physical upkeep of equipment and the sustained working knowledge of a procedure amongst a range of respondent staff members. It is key to identify and take account of a broad range of various issues which are unique to some institutions and common to others, as they will be contingent on creating an effective response which can be relied upon over time.

Speakers

Morwenna Blewett

Paintings Conservator, National Gallery

Morwenna Blewett read the history of art at the Courtauld Institute of Art, completing her degree in 2000. She also trained as a paintings conservator at the Department of Conservation and Technology at the Courtauld Institute of Art in 2003. She held an Andrew. W Mellon Fellowship... Read More →

Lynne Harrison

Paintings Conservator, National Gallery

Lynne Harrison completed a first degree in Fine Art (1990) and a postgraduate diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London in 1995. She has worked as a freelance paintings conservator in the UK and abroad. From 2003 to 2012 she was a senior... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

David Peggie

Organic Analyst, National Gallery

David Peggie obtained a Masters degree in Chemistry at The University of Edinburgh (2002) and a PhD (2006) for research into the identification of dyes on historical textiles (in collaboration with the National Museum of Scotland). He then joined the scientific department at the National... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies) Analysis of historical tintype plates: materials, methods, and manufacturers

The tintype, a wet collodion photograph on a japanned metal support, became the most popular photographic technique in mid-19th century United States of America due to its durability, low cost, and the societal demands of the American civil war. Tintype plates consisting of a metal sheet with a protective varnish on the verso and the colored japanning layer on the recto were commercially available: at least 10 manufacturers are represented in trade advertisements of the time, and some offered plates with differently colored japanning layers (i.e. chocolate or black) or with different surface textures (glossy or eggshell). Despite the plenitude of manufacturers, and the production of millions of these cultural heritage objects, there is a dearth of information regarding what materials were actually used to create tintype plates. Two patents dating from 1856, the natal year of the process, list iron as the support material, and linseed oil, Japan varnish and colorants such as lamp-black, umber and asphaltum, as the constituents of the japanning layer. A third patent dating from 1870 cites the use of linseed oil and India red. However, japanning of tinware and leather was common and contemporary literature cites the use of shellac and other resins instead of (or in addition to) linseed oil, and so in an effort to maximize profit manufacturers may have used materials other than those cited in the patents. As part of an ongoing, comprehensive study on the material nature of tintypes, the metal supports and japanning layers of a study collection of 226 tintypes were analyzed by pyrolysis gas-chromatography (py-GC-MS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and microscopy. The predominant component of the japanning layers is drying oil, although some japanning layers also contain Pinaceae resin or shellac (64% and 3.5% of the collection, respectively). The primary material identified in the metal support is iron, although 22% of the collection also contain manganese. Dispersed sample microscopy revealed that the most common colorants in the japanning layer are iron oxide species and carbonaceous pigments, while py-GC-MS revealed only a limited use of asphaltum. The iron in the japanning layer may also have helped serve as a drier, as may the manganese and lead detected by XRF in 8% and 5% of the collection, respectively. Microscopy and cross-section analysis revealed that some japanning layers contain only a single homogenous layer, while others have been built up from multiple coats of material, with the lowest layer being the most highly pigmented. This densely pigmented layer likely corresponds to the ‘black face coat’ described in the sole historical essay describing plate manufacture. This first comprehensive analysis of tintype plates shows that the majority of plates differ from the patent literature in terms of the organic binders utilized. These results also reveal that the plate manufacturing process evolved through time and that different manufacturers used different formulations of materials to create their plates. Therefore, it may be possible to create ‘profiles’ for a given manufacturer- perhaps providing a date range for when a given plate was produced.

Speakers

Corina E. Rogge

Andrew W. Mellon Research Scientist, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Corina E. Rogge is the Andrew W. Mellon Research Scientist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Menil Collection. She earned a B.A. in chemistry from Bryn Mawr College, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University and held postdoctoral positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Textiles) Exploring Origins and Power: The technical analysis of two Yoruba masquerade costumes

This technical analysis of two Yoruba Egungun masquerade ensembles in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) investigates the fabrics and other materials present in these colorful costumes. Egungun masquerades are traditions in which composite ensembles are worn and danced to commemorate lineage ancestors in West African Yoruba communities. Constructed from layered patchwork lappets, each eye-dazzling ensemble conceals its wearer with an assortment of fabrics and other materials, sourced locally and internationally. This technical analysis builds on prior studies that have described the contextual importance of Egungun in Yoruba culture and one conservation study in which a revolutionary mount was made for an Egungun at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Consultations with scholars of Yoruba cultural material are helping to illuminate the cultural origins of the NMAfA’s Egungun, while research into West African fabric history aims to identify the fabric types and their sources. Characterization of the varied materials will complement this information by identifying fibers, metals, and elastomers through polarizing light microscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy at the NMAfA, as well as Raman spectroscopy at the Museum Conservation Institute. This will help date components in the costumes and plan for their long-term care in a museum context. Evaluation of the materials and manufacturing techniques in these large and complex garments will expand the biographies of these particular Egungun, which have minimal provenance, and contribute to the scholarship of Egungun and the West African textile trade. Additionally, examination of similar masquerade costumes in other museums is expected to provide a comparative look at the textiles in Egungun and may afford a starting point for understanding the aesthetics, provenance, chronology and cultural standards for their selection.

Speakers

Rebecca Summerour

Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Fellow, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

REBECCA SUMMEROUR is a Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Fellow at the National Museum of African Art. She earned a Master of Arts degree with a Certificate of Advanced Study from the Buffalo State Art Conservation Department (2012). She also holds Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Crafts... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Dana Moffett

Conservator, National Museum of African Art

DANA MOFFETT is Senior Conservator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art where she has focused on the care and conservation of African traditional and contemporary art for nearly twenty years. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Archaeological Conservation from the Institute... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

2:30pm EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Choices and Triage: The impact of early decisions on future treatment options.

After the water recedes or fire is extinguished important choices begin that can dramatically impact the nature of intervention, costs involved, and treatment options available to stabilize and restore collections in subsequent weeks or months. Many times these decisions are made by staff and consulting conservators under extra-ordinary stress and limited time for consideration. Though the hard decisions are made by collection management in discussions with conservators and insurance adjusters in due course and with time for deliberation many treatment choices are set in motion during the process of triage. This presentation will examine a range of decorative arts materials as they were found during or immediately following triage for water damage followed by a discussion that considers treatment options informed by hind sight from past disasters. The audience will respond to examples given with their preference for triage recommendations and potential treatment outcomes by using class room clicker technology. The resulting survey will be discussed and be published in the post prints as a reference tool for future disaster responders faced with similar choices. Better informed future triage will hopefully lead to improved outcomes.

Speakers

Steven Pine-[PA]

Senior Decorative Arts Conservator, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Steven Pine is Senior Decorative Arts Conservator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. He is a former co-chair of the AIC Emergency Committee and is active in Alliance for Response networks in Texas and New York. He has assisted in recovery assessments and clean up of public and private... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Room 514

Breakout Session, Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) All Over the Map: Bringing Buffalo’s Stars of Cartography to Light (One Lining at a Time)

This paper presents the conservation of eight rare maps of the city of Buffalo in the collection of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. The project was funded by a New York State Discretionary Grant and highlighted in a recent exhibit in the library’s Grosvenor Rare Book Display Room entitled, “You Are Here: Buffalo on the Map” (http://www.buffalolib.org/content/now-display/rare-book-room/buffalo-on-the-map). The conserved maps collectively depict the growth of Buffalo, New York, from village to town to bustling city between the years 1805 and 1909. The maps in their pre-conservation state ranged in size and structure, from a 7 x 9 inch engraved map mounted to acidic board to a nearly 3 x 4 foot hand-drawn map lined twice with cloth; however, they shared a generally poor state of preservation resulting from natural aging and use in combination with improper housing. Condition issues included overall discolouration and embrittlement, staining, delamination and loss, tears and inappropriate previous repairs, darkened surface coatings and aged backings. Several of the maps were stored folded and could not be opened up for viewing without risking significant further damage through handling. While the original treatment plan outlined in the grant proposal described a complete restoration of the maps, plans had to be scaled back due to an unfortunately late notification of the library’s award and a drastically reduced timeline for the work. In addition, unforeseen developments during treatment necessitated multiple reassessments and changes to the already modified treatment proposal. Six of the eight maps required linings to strengthen the weak paper supports, but traditional paste linings were not feasible in several instances due to unexpected sensitivity of media as well as poor quality papers that were compromised by water damage and mold. Two of the maps were so fragile that backing removals were deemed too risky, and the new linings were carried out over the existing cloth backings. In the interest of balancing the preservation needs of the maps with the need for economy of time and materials, a dry lining technique using toned heavyweight Japanese paper and a heat set film of Lascaux 498 HV and 303 HV adhesive was developed to simultaneously stabilize the maps and compensate for loss. This technique was applied, with slight modifications, to five of the maps. The treatment of three of the maps (“Map of Buffalo Village: 1805”, “Map of the City of Buffalo”, and “The Matthews-Northrup New Map of the City of Buffalo”), including a detailed account of the lining process, is discussed in depth.

Speakers

Stephanie Porto

Owner & Paper Conservator, Niagara Art Conservation

Stephanie Porto is owner and paper conservator at Niagara Art Conservation (NAC) in Niagara Falls, Canada. Stephanie holds a Master of Arts and Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College (Buffalo, NY). In addition, she has gained conservation experience... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Preventive conservation in changing times

For many museums, budgetary constraints and institutional reorganizations have created a concerning reality. In this climate of change and limited resources, it is easy to lose years of progress in preventive conservation. At the Canadian Museum of Nature (CMN), we have been adapting to this climate and have developed strategies for continuing our highly successful preventive conservation program. While managing increasing workloads, we have been experimenting with ways to leverage our work to keep preventive conservation from becoming an afterthought. By sharing our ideas, we hope to encourage a dialogue about these complex issues. Our immediate concern was to minimize the loss of institutional knowledge about collections preservation. We had already been gathering key foundation documents about our collections storage facility and preservation program. It was critical to continue this work and write a departmental history or framework before items were archived. While responding to and participating in expanding new initiatives, CMN Conservation staff attempted to mitigate preservation concerns by “protecting the core”. This meant focusing on immediate projects that would have a long-term effect on collections preservation, including capital renovations and space reallocation of the collection storage building, and highlighting longstanding preservation procedures that were at risk of being lost during a time of significant staff turnover. To ensure the continued strength of our longstanding culture of preservation, a collections-wide Preservation Committee was established to better share and disseminate information. Furthermore, we have contracted out our pest monitoring and have worked closely with the pest control company to ensure a successful IPM program. We have also worked very closely with key internal departments, in particular Facilities and Rentals & Events, to fine tune our approach to preventative conservation. We are also reaching out to museum management and working with new managers to educate them about our successful preventive conservation program so they can be ambassadors of collections preservation and make more informed decisions as we embark upon new ways of showcasing our collections. We view this as an opportunity to ensure that our highly successful preservation strategies in collections remain a priority in the day-to-day operations of the museum. We are also finding ways to work more efficiently - doing work once and distributing it many times. This involves a combination of reviewing and streamlining old information to ensure it reaches the widest audience possible. We are currently exploring ways of automating this process to facilitate widespread distribution while reducing the workload of Conservation staff. Further, we are trying to find new ways to better integrated into the Museum’s planning cycle to address preventive conservation issues as well as highlight outstanding risk assessment priorities.

Speakers

Luci Cipera

Conservator, Canadian Museum of Nature

Luci Cipera works as a conservator at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Luci joined the Canadian Museum of Nature in 2004 on the team responsible for moving the bird and mammal galleries during the museum’s renovation. She is a graduate of the Master of Art Conservation program at... Read More →

Carolyn Leckie

Conservator, Canadian Museum of Nature

Carolyn Leckie is a graduate from the Queen University Art Conservation program. Carolyn worked at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Canadian Conservation Institute, and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science before joining the Canadian Museum of Nature 10 years ago. She... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) How Sustainable is File-based Video Art? Exploring the Foundations for Best Practice Development

The acquisition of file-based video artworks into museum collections charged with ensuring their long-term viability and accessibility presents conservators and collection caretakers with many challenges. Masters and exhibition copies are delivered to museums as video files in a variety of wrappers, codecs, and compression factors, selected by the artists for deliberate or incidental reasons. Video file sustainability has been a focus of many discussions within the archival and preservation communities over the last several years, and some museums are now stipulating specific file deliverables and/or are normalizing artist-provided files to uncompressed formats for long-term preservation and access. Key concerns about the longevity of file-based video are (1) insufficient self-documentation due to inconsistent or incomplete metadata, (2) unannounced redesigns and updates of proprietary codecs by the industry, (3) incompatibilities with codec successors, (4) inconsistent file playback on software players due to industry changes to codec libraries or interpretation parameters of video image and sound, (5) legal restrictions on the exchange and dissemination of proprietary codec libraries, and (6) the lack of implemented practices for monitoring and quality control for file-based video, on the artist’s side and the museum’s side. This paper aims to explore these and further issues observed in daily practice at the Media Conservation Lab of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and is the product of a research consortium that was formed as part of an ongoing collaboration between the Guggenheim Conservation Department and the Master's degree program in Conservation at the Berne University of the Arts (Switzerland). The authors of the paper employed a research methodology that included literature review, practical tests, and interviews with internationally recognized experts engaged with codec development, software engineering, copyright law, archiving and conservation of digital video. The present study highlights specific areas of consensus around the risks and factors affecting sustainability, discusses different preservation strategies, and aims to contribute to the development of a basis for establishing best practices for the future acquisition of file-based video art.

Speakers

Sophie Bunz

MA Student at Berne University of the Arts, Berne University of the Arts

Sophie Bunz is currently completing a Masters program in Conservation of Modern Materials and Media at the University of Arts in Berne, Switzerland. She previously worked at the Schaulager in Basel, with conservator Andreas Hoppmann in his studio in Cologne and Dipl. Rest. Katharina... Read More →

Flaminia Fortunato

MA Student, University of the Arts, Berne

Flaminia Fortunato is currently a Master's student in Conservation and Restoration of Modern Materials and Media at the University of the Arts in Berne, Switzerland. Prior to this academic engagement, she completed an 8-month internship at the Laboratories of the Royal Institute for... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Carole Maître

MA Student at Berne University of the Arts, Berne University of the Arts

Carole Maître is currently a Master's student in Conservation-Restoration of Modern Materials and Media at the University of Arts in Berne, Switzerland. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Conservation-Restoration of Scientific, Technical and Horological Objects from the University... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Objects + Architecture) The Effect of an Unexpected Spring Thaw in Montreal: Natural Disaster as ‘Fifth Business’

At precisely 4:30 a.m. on March 11, 2015 a large block of ice fell from the roof cornice of McCord Museum; gained momentum over several storeys and smashed through the north end of a glass and metal sculpture below. This unexpected accident lead to the complete dismantling and conservation of Pierre Granche’s Totem Urbain/Histoire en dentelles, one of the Montreal artist’s major public commissions, completed in 1992. Totem Urbain/Histoire en dentelles pays homage to both past and present Montreal, its geography and culture. Composed of 17 elements in brass, six levels of glass panes and fragments, atop an aluminum substructure, the entire sculpture both figuratively and literally bridges the old and new McCord edifice, located along Victoria Street. While regular maintenance had tracked and mitigated preservation issues typical in the care of an outdoor sculpture – such as vandalism, theft, the effects of pollution, dirt, biological growth and debris, as well as the inherent vice of materials and techniques used, the sudden and violent impact on the sculpture from falling ice presented a unique opportunity to the McCord Museum: it not only allowed for the repair and replacement of damaged glass and metal, but also provided an occasion to improve the structural stability and the durability of the work. In addition to major work completed on the glass base, CSMO’s treatment also included the creation of a more easily accessible and secure anchoring system for the brass elements, an upgrade of the integrated but long defunct lighting system, and an improvement of the artwork’s drainage. As conservators, we look at how our buildings and public artworks are constructed - not in terms of double-paned windows and R-values, but public safety, artwork security and finding a balance between public access and preservation. The fall of ice from the cornice of the museum recalls the fateful snowball thrown by Percy Boyd Staunton in the iconic Canadian novel Fifth Business, by Robertson Davies. As the effects of that snowball reverberate throughout the remainder of the book, so did the impact of the ice: though devastating to the sculpture, it set in motion the type of discussion and conservation treatment needed to preserve this emblematic Canadian artwork for decades to come.

Speakers

Brittany Webster

Conservator / Restauratrice, Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects (CSMO) and B.Webster Restauration d'oeuvres d'art & design

Brittany Webster holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design (University of Manitoba, 2008) and a Master of Art Conservation (Queen’s University, 2012). She has interned and worked with Alexander Gabov of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects (CSMO) for the past 4 years, including the... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Alexander Gabov

Head Conservator/owner, Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects

Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects (CSMO) is a full-service conservation firm for the preservation, conservation and maintenance of sculptures, monuments, architectural elements, artifacts, and objects.

Anne MacKay

Head, Conservation, McCord Museum

Anne MacKay is the Head, Conservation at the McCord Museum in Montreal, where she oversees all conservation and preservation activities. She has interned and worked as a conservator in museums nationally and internationally, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Architecture

Specialty Architecture, Objects
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Paintings) A Disaster in the Making: Preserving Southeast Asian paintings at the Walters Art Museum

Preserving Southeast Asian paintings on cloth presents complex challenges that call for solutions bridging different fields of conservation. Inherent vice and unwieldy formats stretch the boundaries of painting conservation, confronting the conservator with multifaceted, and often unexpected, issues. Composed of water-soluble, lightly bound, gum-based paints, these works are extremely fragile and few survive from before the eighteenth century. The Walters Art Museum is well known for its Western painting collection but it also has one of the largest collections of Southeast Asian paintings in America ranging from wooden panels to long cloth banners. Prior to entering the collection the paintings had deteriorated due to less than ideal storage: hot and humid environments, exposure to pests, and repeated rolling and unrolling. The main condition issues are flaking paint, losses, stains, creases, and tears. Additionally, some exhibit mold and a problematic green pigment that has eaten away the canvas below, creating structural losses. Compounding these problems is the matte nature of the unvarnished surface and the large scale of many works, making the appropriate choice and method of application of adhesives more complex. Due to the delicate nature of these works it would be ideal to store them flat, however, a third are 3 to 6 feet long and space constraints pose challenges to unframing and rehousing. This presentation will discuss how the Walters is confronting the preservation of these paintings. When unrolling the fragile cloth supports for initial assessment and photography many inherent problems were exposed such as actively flaking under-bound paint. Conservators began condition surveys several years ago, but with limited space and resources the majority of the collection has remained in storage without proper documentation, preventing access to scholars and the public. In 2012 a grant allowed Walters’ staff to continue to survey Southeast Asian objects donated by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation which includes an important collection of paintings. As part of a two-year fellowship, the author is completing the survey of the remaining Southeast Asian paintings on cloth, as well as researching original materials and techniques, adaptations to current storage, display and treatment approaches. The project aims to improve the accessibility of this important and understudied part of the Walters’ collection with the current resources available. Closed gallery spaces are used to store and examine oversized works. Smaller paintings are surveyed in the Walters’ popular Conservation Window in an effort to inform the public about the collection and its complex issues. The survey provides information to create priority lists for long-range planning for rehousing, storage, treatment, and exhibition of the collection. It also establishes a photography protocol working towards providing online images in the Walters’ collections database for open access. Research trips to museums with similar painting collections in Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States has helped create a network of related professionals dealing with similar problems. As we move forward with the next steps in this project, this network will be an important resource for better care of Southeast Asian paintings worldwide.

Speakers

Meaghan K Monaghan

Assistant Conservator, Paintings, The Art Gallery of Ontario

Meaghan Monaghan is the Assistant Conservator of Paintings at The Art Gallery of Ontario. She received her Masters of Art Conservation in 2010 from Queen's University. After internships at the Australian Museum and Canadian Conservation Institute she held fellowship positions at Yale... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Karen French

Senior Conservator of Paintings, The Walters Art Museum

Karen French has been conserving paintings for over 30 years; the last 20 plus of which have been at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, where she is a senior conservator of paintings. Born and educated in the U.K., she trained in painting conservation at the Courtauld... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies) Investigation and optimization of electrochemical treatment for daguerreotypes

Due to their metallic nature, daguerreotype plates tarnish easily when exposed to atmosphere or other corrosive environments. The removal of such corrosion products has always been a controversial issue due to the irreversibility and potential damage inflicted by the treatment process. When performed using the proper technique and tools, electrochemical cleaning has been shown to remediate daguerreotype corrosion without causing damage to the object. This multi-year investigation explores in detail the effects of electrochemically treating daguerreotypes to better comprehend the physical, chemical, and aesthetic changes which occur during tarnish remediation. Such analysis includes understanding the extent to which tarnish is removed from the object, whether the microstructure and surface roughness are altered, and whether deposits are formed on the surface as the result of cleaning. Before characterizing the effects of treatment, a reliable and consistent electrochemical cleaning method was optimized on modern, custom-made daguerreotype coupons. These coupons were tarnished in controlled settings to produce either silver sulfide or silver oxide, then exposed to electrochemical treatment. Tests were executed to determine the most effective voltages for removing both silver sulfide and silver oxide. Full characterization of the modern coupons was performed prior to corrosion, after corrosion, and after electrochemical remediation to provide full understanding of the treatment effects. Characterization techniques included scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and confocal microscopy. The optimized process has also been tested on nineteenth century daguerreotypes, and the changes fully characterized and compared to those of modern samples. The results provide a much better understanding of the electrochemical treatment process on a chemical and microscopic level.

Speakers

Dr. Elyse Canosa

Conservation Scientist, University of Arizona

Elyse Canosa has a PhD in materials science and engineering from the University of Arizona, where she participated in the Heritage Conservation Science program. During her graduate studies, Elyse worked in the Conservation Laboratory of the Arizona State Museum and engaged in numerous... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Textiles) Inherent Vice in the Woven Structure of Northwest Coast Spruce Root Hats

This paper investigates a selection of Aboriginal Northwest coast woven hats, detailing their materials, fabrication and treatment history. It also describes current strategies undertaken for the stabilization of the hats and the decision making process applied to the care and maintenance of such a collection. The McCord Museum in Montréal is a Canadian social history museum that counts among its many collections a rich and diverse group of First Nations objects. As a means of highlighting this collection, the museum has mounted a permanent exhibition entitled Wearing Our Identity, which examines clothing and implements originating from several North American First Nations. The exhibition invites a discussion not only of the historical use and functionality of these objects in traditional and contemporary life, but also treats clothing as an expression of personal, political and spiritual identity in First Nations cultures. The scheduled exhibition length of five years has necessitated the rotation of objects from the collection as a means of limiting the exposure and stress placed upon such fragile artifacts. Among the objects chosen for the exhibition’s rotation schedule are five painted woven spruce root hats from Aboriginal Nations on the Northwest coast of Canada. A survey of spruce root hats in preparation for this exhibition revealed that conservation treatments had been undertaken on the majority of them at some point in their history, with several having undergone multiple interventions. It was necessary to thoroughly examine these past interventions in order to critically assess changes or improvements for newer treatments. Questions arose as to whether or not some repairs were traditional Aboriginal repairs done in communities where the hats originated, or resultant from later non-Aboriginal handling. The hats, in the shape of a truncated cone with a concave disc at the top of the crown, are woven in a continuous circular line that starts at the centre top of the crown and winds its way down through the brim to the outer edge. This complex weave structure can cause deformation, splits and breaks in the finished object. Several of the treatments failed soon after they had been completed, likely due to tensions present in the woven structure. The painted designs on a few of the hats have faded significantly, and in some instances there are large areas of loss. While the general shape and materials used for the hats are similar, there are numerous differences not only in fabrication technique, but also in application of painted decoration and of pigments and binders used. However, through the process of treating and stabilizing these hats, one finds parallels in areas of weakness and their ensuing problems. Notwithstanding the aesthetic beauty of the objects, one is confronted with the question as to whether the very process used to fabricate the hats may result in inherent vice, where structural tensions in the finished product may in turn lead to difficulties in its preservation.

Speakers

Sara Serban

Objects Conservator, Musée McCord

Sara Serban is currently Conservator of objects at the Musée McCord in Montréal. She has also worked at the National Gallery of Canada and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. In addition, she has worked for the Centre de Conservation du Québec, for whom she has treated... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

3:00pm EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) A Ghost of the Civil War: A Man, a Flag, and a Frame

For decades people walked through the basement of the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Massachusetts and never noticed the big, dirty frame propped against a piano. Then in January, 2014, two employees stopped, looked, and called the Greater Lowell Veterans Council to tell them that they had found something extraordinary―a tattered flag encased in an elaborately carved frame. Decipherable on the inner frame was an inscription reading, “Under this flag at Clinton, La., on June 3, 1863, Solon A. Perkins was killed.” Perkins, according to the bronze plaques upstairs in the Hall of Flags, was one of nearly 500 men from Lowell who died in the Civil War. Wooden artifacts conservator Melissa Carr took delivery of the frame and began the process of cleaning, stabilization, and compensation for lost elements. Camille Myers Breeze received the flag, which lay beneath the brittle glass and was glued and sewn to a sheet of century-old cardboard. Both the flag and the frame had damage caused by use, time, neglect, previous mounting campaigns, and souvenir hunters. At each step of the project, members of the board of the Greater Lowell Veterans Council collaborated with insight and decisiveness about levels of restoration. On May 31, 2015, the frame and flag were reunited and unveiled in the Hall of Flags to an audience of veterans and civilians. What had appeared at first to be a case of woeful neglect was, in fact, the rediscovery of a legacy of preservation, respect, and civic pride for a man and the flag with which he died.

Speakers

Camille Myers Breeze-[Fellow]

Director & Chief Conservator, Museum Textile Services

Camille Myers Breeze began her textile conservation career in 1989 at the Textile Conservation Workshop in South Salem, New York. After earning a BA in Art History from Oberlin College, she received an MA in Museum Studies: Costume and Textiles Conservation from the State University... Read More →

Melissa H. Carr

Masterwork Conservation

Melissa Carr trained as a chemist and cabinetmaker before completing her graduate work in the Furniture Conservation Training Program at the Smithsonian Institution’s Conservation Analytical Laboratory. She has also studied at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 514

Breakout Session, Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

3:30pm EDT

Exhibit Hall Break

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 210 CD/GH

Break

Cost Free
Tags Highlight

3:30pm EDT

(Emergency) Risk management In the Regional Museum of Anthropology Palacio Cantón in Merida

Risk management in the field of cultural heritage is essential to ensure the proper conservation and preservation of cultural objects. In the Regional Museum of Anthropology Palacio Cantón in Merida, Mexico, thanks to its young conservation and restoration department, has been designed an essential document determining the risks to which the collection is exposed. As a first step, were identified different types of agents of deterioration that threaten the objects, including natural, physical, environmental, organizational / management and operation agents. As a Result were designed plan of action in 5 Steps to respond to disaster (hurricane, flood, fire, theft) and a draft preventive conservation plans that have created monitoring and control of environmental conditions and biological attacks. In this case, the conservation of cultural objects is directly related to the building that houses the museum's collections, understand the systemic relationship of container and content is paramount in this case the source detected a problem as the original destination, it is say this space created in the early twentieth century, was not designed to house a museum or to protect a collection of nearly 20,000 objects that are part of the cultural heritage. In this situation, significant risks both for conservation and for the collection property is

Speakers

Laura Hernandez Pena

Conservator-Restorer of the Regional Museum of Anthropology Palacio Cantón in Merida, INAH

I am restorer Regional Museum of Anthropology "Palacio Canton", were I have dedicated, along with the rest of the team, to the design and implementation of the project of preventive conservation, the action plan in case of disasters for safeguarding patrimonioales goods in the deposit... Read More →

Diana Ugalde

Conservator, Museo Regional de AntropologÃa Palacio CantÃ³n

I am a professional conservator trained at the Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía in México City. Since 2012, I have worked work at the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia as a restorator-conservator in the department of conservation and restoration... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Recent Conservation Treatments of Portrait Miniatures at Library and Archives Canada

Portrait Miniatures present interesting challenges to conservators, as the materials used for substrates, media and encasements vary significantly, as do the techniques used by artists to create them. The portrait miniature collection at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) includes over 130 portraits. Since 2003, LAC has invested in the development of in-house expertise in the conservation of portrait miniatures. In 2015 a new survey of LAC’s portrait miniatures collection was conducted by conservators with several goals; to include newly acquired portraits, to address any outstanding items requiring conservation treatment, monitoring or additional preservation care such as re-housing or frame repair and to be used as a tool for succession planning. This paper will focus on the subsequent conservation treatment of several miniatures on ivory. Case studies will be presented, covering a variety of conservation procedures including; opening and cleaning the miniatures, mould removal, consolidation of flaking paints, humidification and flattening of warped ivory, repair of cracked or broken ivory supports and the often lengthy process of acquiring and replacing a missing or broken cover glass.

Speakers

Doris L. St-Jacques

Acting Head of Maps and Manuscripts conservation, Library and Archives Canada

Doris St-Jacques is a senior paper conservator at Library and Archives Canada’s Preservation Center in Gatineau, Quebec and a 1996 graduate of the 3 year Arts Conservation Techniques program at Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario. Doris is an accredited member of the Canadian... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Maria Bedynski

Senior Paper Conservator, Library and Archives Canada

Maria Bedynski received an M.A. in art history from the Catholic Theological Academy in Warsaw, Poland, in 1977. That year she accepted a position of assistant paper conservator in the Prints and Books Studio at the Conservation Center for National Treasures in Warsaw. After arriving... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Spoiler alert! Planning around the pitfalls of construction projects

Oftentimes the design of a new exhibition space is a moment of celebration within a museum. A new home for collection material on display promises enhanced visitor experience , opportunities for educational programs, the potential to reach a larger audience, and maybe (just maybe) a better environment for the cultural heritage itself. But the process of designing and then building brings with it a host of unexpected challenges that have the potential to direct the project away from institutional goals. These risks take several forms that affect collections care in multifaceted ways: Content Museum construction projects must balance the needs of visitors, future flexibility and collection preservation; these goals are often in competition with one another. For example, who determines light levels in the gallery – the architect pursuing LEED points for daylighting, the exhibit designer trying to tell a story, the lighting engineer creating a certain mood in the space, or the collections care staff who are preserving cultural heritage? How does the project accommodate the participation of multiple groups of stakeholders? Schedule Renovating or building a gallery space often accompanies the development of exhibits and conservation work, activities that extend far beyond the design and construction of the built space. How does a museum manage the entire process with overlapping projects and contracts that impact each other? How much time is needed by each party involved and what happens when the schedule begins to drift? What happens when expectations and requirements of the space change during the process? Budget Funding for cultural venues continues to decline, requiring museums to adapt to tighter budgets and nontraditional methods of updating facilities. Once a project is underway, cost management becomes complex. When cost control becomes a crisis, how do shifting funds affect critical project components? How does the museum make the best decisions for the overall project when the solution involves cutting corners that could jeopardize its collecting mission? Opportunity When the dust settles, how does the museum ensure that the project has met its goals of exhibiting and educating the public while preserving its collection? We suggest that project planning cast a wide net, both to bring an inclusive team to the table from the onset and to anticipate organizational and content-related problems early. • Identify problems in their entirety • Assign the right people to their solutions • Invite their ongoing participation This presentation draws from our experience as architects and engineers to outline the unexpected pitfalls in capital projects and show how they affect collection care. Understanding the context and complexity of problem solving allows museum professionals to ask better questions of project participants, find allies within their institutions and help manage the project’s content towards institutional goals. We will demonstrate how several tools, including simulation software, modeling techniques and mock-up installations, can help bridge gaps in expertise and build consensus that takes into account multiple concerns. We will also discuss strategies for untangling schedules and budgets with an eye towards the unexpected issues that arise during construction.

Speakers

Jeffrey Hirsch

Architect/Engineer, EwingCole

Jeffrey Hirsch, AIA, LEED AP With over 25 years of experience as an architect, Jeff Hirsch serves as the Director of EwingCole’s Cultural practice. He oversees the design and development of all work and leads the planning of projects that involve large numbers of stakeholders and... Read More →

Angela Matchica

Principal, Engineer, EwingCole

Angela Matchica, PE, LC, LEED AP Angela is a lighting designer and electrical engineer who incorporates her knowledge of emerging lighting technologies and integrated system design with her creativity and unique expression for a cohesive lighting display. She has applied these visions... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Recovering the Eyebeam Collection Following Superstorm Sandy: Conservation lessons for all revealed by a multimedia disaster

In the Fall of 2012, Superstorm Sandy struck the New York City region, destroying or badly damaging homes, businesses, and infrastructure. As is the case with all disasters, numerous cultural heritage materials, both personal and institutional, were amongst the damage. Once the storm passed, several museums, libraries, archives, galleries and other collecting institutions across the region, in particular those close to the city’s numerous waterways, faced the recovery of both their inundated buildings, as well as the artifacts contained within. Amongst those affected was Eyebeam, a non-profit art and technology center dedicated to exposing broad and diverse audiences to new technologies and media arts. Founded in 1997, Eyebeam supports residencies and fellowships by artists and creative technologists, stages exhibitions, and runs educational programs. Since it’s inception, Eyebeam has collected the creative output of its residents and fellows — including video, audio, and software-based artworks and their related documentation — as well as recordings of the organization’s numerous events. The result is a growing collection of over 3,000 analog and digital media items, many of these original art works, on formats ranging from data tapes and discs dating back to the late 1990s, to myriad video and audio formats. During the storm, Eyebeam’s building, located in Manhattan’s West Chelsea, filled with 3-4 feet of highly corrosive saltwater, submerging approximately 50% of this collection. This presentation will tell the story of the expert-lead, volunteer-driven effort to urgently stabilize the Eyebeam media collection in the days that followed the storm. The discussion will focus on methods used for establishing a network of responders while day-to-day communication lines were down, working with trained and untrained volunteers, triage efforts, conservation techniques used for the variety of formats, roles and teams, mechanisms used to mitigate risk of loss and further damage, and outcomes. The presentation will stress the critical disaster preparedness and preventative conservation lessons that emerged through this experience, including the requirements of intellectual control for collections in today’s data-driven conservation ecosystem, and the need for valuation and prioritization within large collections. Chief amongst these lessons is the role that digitization and proper digital preservation can play in protecting heritage from disasters and conflict, not only for media collections, but for collections of any kind.

Speakers

Kara Van Malssen

Senior Consultant, AVPreserve

Kara Van Malssen is senior consultant at AVPreserve, where she works with clients on digital preservation/conservation and metadata management initiatives. She is also adjunct professor at New York University (NYU), where she teaches courses in Digital Preservation and Digital Literacy... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Objects + Architecture) The Rescue and Conservation of the Lost Shul Mural

In the 1890s, Chai Adam Synagogue, a characteristic shetl (Jewish village) wood-framed structure was built in Burlington, Vermont. In 1910 a Jewish Lithuanian artist, Ben-Zion Black, painted a mural high on the tripartite wall of the sanctuary apse. His exuberant trompe l’oeil painting was derived from a long tradition of Jewish synagogue decoration in Lithuania. Black’s mural would be significant on its own merit, as an unusual example of immigrant art. However, it now has international importance as a rare surviving example of traditional Lithuanian synagogue art following the destruction of nearly every synagogue in Lithuania during World War II. In the 1940s, Chai Adam became a commercial building when the congregation moved to a new synagogue, Ohavi Zedek. In the early 1980s when the building was repurposed as apartments, the new owner agreed to implement emergency protection of the still-visible mural painting by isolating it behind a false wall in a second floor apartment. In 2012, the opportunity arose for the congregation to move the mural to Ohavi Zedek. Combined engineering and conservation studies confirmed that an innovative approach was needed to save the mural; the entire roof section of the sanctuary apse containing the mural had be cut away and moved as a single unit. On May 6, 2015, a pyramidal section of the sanctuary measuring 11 feet high, 20 feet wide, and 8 feet deep containing the mural supported by a steel superstructure, was safely relocated to Ohavi Zedek. This paper will describe how an interdisciplinary team of conservators, conservation scientists, engineers, an architect, historians, and preservation carpenters worked together over two years to address unexpected circumstances as the mural was consolidated, stabilized, protected, moved to Ohavi Zedek, and installed and restored in its new location. It will describe research carried out and the conservation treatments that were developed to address the mural’s unusual conservation problems. Black executed his mural paintings on standard lath and lime plaster that existed in the synagogue in 1910. However, by 2012 the mural was in such poor condition that it was unlikely to survive the move. The painted surface had been reduced to a network of curled, fragile and detached flakes. Paint analyses identified the inherent weaknesses of Black’s technique as well as several confusing but important incongruities in his paints that indicate he was hand-mixing them on site. Following a program of analysis and testing, the plaster was strengthened from behind using the consolidant HCT, followed by reconstruction of the plaster keys. To ensure the mural’s safety during the relocation process, a novel system of facings of Crepeline adhered with Acryloid B67, followed by cyclododecane reinforced with fiberglass micro-mesh, was applied to the mural. Foam-lined plywood panels were secured against the faced mural to provide uniform, rigid support during the move. The roof section of the apse containing the mural was surrounded by a permanent steel superstructure to minimize movement of the plaster and to allow safe suspension of the mural in its new location at Ohavi Zedek.

Speakers

Richard Kerschner

Principal, Kerschner Museum Conservation Services

Richard Kerschner is the principal of Kerschner Museum Conservation Services, LLC. He has extensive experience in preventive conservation and conservation project management and is recognized nationally for his expertise in practical and sustainable environmental control for museums... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Constance Silver

Professional Associate, Conservation of Cultural Property and Historic Preservation

Constance S. Silver is a fine arts and architectural conservator. She was the principal of Preservart, Inc. for 23 years, an award-winning company that undertook major conservation and historic preservation projects in the United States and internationally. She has published widely... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Architecture

Specialty Architecture, Objects
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Paintings) The Painting Materials and Techniques of J.E.H. MacDonald: Oil Sketches from 1909-1922

J.E.H. MacDonald (1873-1932) was a distinguished Canadian artist of the early twentieth century. He was one of the founding members of the association of painters known as The Group of Seven and is recognized particularly for his paintings of the Algoma landscape. This presentation provides results from a research project on MacDonald’s painting materials and techniques. The information obtained from the project will lead to a better understanding of MacDonald’s working methods and will provide valuable reference data for paintings of uncertain attribution or authenticity. The results will also inform storage and display decisions and future conservation treatments of his paintings. MacDonald’s career can be divided into five major periods: Early (1908-1917), Algoma (1918-1921), Nova Scotia (1922), British Columbia and Georgian Bay (1924-1931) and Barbados (1932). A representative group of 32 works (21 oil sketches and 11 paintings) spanning his oeuvre was chosen for the project. All the works were examined under magnification and using ultraviolet illumination. Microscopic paint samples were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/x-ray energy spectrometry (SEM/EDS), polarized light microscopy (PLM) and Raman spectroscopy. The presentation will focus on 13 of MacDonald’s oil sketches that range in date from 1909 to 1922. These sketches are particularly important in MacDonald’s oeuvre; they document significant changes in his method, from his earliest works, where he was developing his style and painting technique, to his more characteristic sketches produced during trips to Algoma and Nova Scotia. Results presented will include a discussion of the support, the use of preparatory layers and sealing layers, the choice of pigments and pigment mixtures, and aspects of his painting technique. MacDonald used various types of paperboard for the majority of his sketches. The dimensions of his supports changed over the 1909-1922 period; while his early sketches are of variable dimension, he began to favour a standard board size as his technique evolved. Although he used a ground layer on a number of his early sketches, he later abandoned this practice and simply sealed his boards with shellac prior to painting. The paintings from his early period show a multi-layered, wet on wet application and a muted palette. In the later works, he employed brighter colours, confidently applied with little layering, and left the support or ground layer visible at brushstroke edges. MacDonald used a limited number of pigments including viridian, ultramarine, alizarin lake, iron oxides, cadmium yellow and vermilion. The white pigment in almost all the sketches from the 1909-1922 period is a mixture of zinc white and lead sulfate. This characteristic white paint was also widely used by other members of the Group of Seven and its source has recently been established as the Cambridge Colours paint brand. A magnesium carbonate filler (hydromagnesite) was also found in some of MacDonald’s paints. Although common in Winsor & Newton oil paints, this is not a filler used in the Cambridge Colours, indicating that MacDonald employed more than one brand of paint during the period under investigation.

Speakers

Alison Douglas

Conservator, McMichael Canadian Art Collection

Alison Douglas earned an honours B.F.A. from Queen's University in 1994. She also studied Paintings Conservation at Queens University and received a Master’s Degree in Art Conservation (M.A.C.) in 1996. As part of the M.A.C. program, she interned at the Royal Ontario Museum... Read More →

Kate Helwig

Senior Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute, Canadian Conservation Institute

Kate Helwig has an honours B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree in Physical Chemistry from Stanford University in California. She studied artifact conservation at Queen’s University and received a Master’s Degree in Art Conservation in 1992... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Dominique Duguay

Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute

Dominique Duguay earned a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from Mount Allison University in 2007 and an M.Sc. in Inorganic Chemistry, specializing in carborane compounds for cellular imaging, from the University of Ottawa in 2010. She then worked in lithium-ion battery research and development... Read More →

Elizabeth Moffatt

Conservation Scientist (retired), Canadian Conservation Institute

Elizabeth Moffatt earned a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an M.Sc., specializing in organic chemistry, from the University of Ottawa. She worked at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) from 1978 until her retirement in 2015. As a Senior... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies) Characterizing RC Papers and Testing Adhesives Suitable for Their Hinging

For more than two decades, starting in the 1960s when they were first introduced, resin coated (RC) photographs have had a variety of flaws affecting the long term preservation of the different components. Today however, this paper type has fewer defects and has become widespread, particularly with the development of RC type papers for digital printing. The acquisition and display of these prints is now well established in museums that collect and exhibit contemporary art, however there remains a need for their safe and effective mounting. This research focusses on 8 name brand RC papers that are currently available in the US and one historic paper by Kodak from ca. 1978. ATR-FTIR data was collected from the recto using both diamond and germanium crystals to sample the coating at different depths. Results indicate the historic paper is coated with unmodified polyethylene while the modern papers range from the same non-polar polyethylene resin to more polar surfaces, likely via surface oxidization. A polar surface is intentional and designed primarily to improve the wetting and bonding of ink onto the surface but will also influence a tape’s ability to adhere. In this regard, tapes are being studied for shear and peel strength using conditions that approximate the load of the largest prints that might be exhibited. The shear mode findings are good for most of the adhesives tested, including wheat starch paste and methyl cellulose, but in peel mode - the Achilles’ heel for thermoplastic adhesives - tapes fail more rapidly or show signs of creep. This suggests that if the latter mode can be avoided in the hinge design, adhesives that are more easily reversible on demand could be utilized for any of the papers tested. In addition to ATR-FTIR studies, characterization of versos by tactile feel, optical surface roughness, and simplified aqueous contact angle measurements will be discussed in the context of adhesion.

Speakers

Chris McGlinchey

Conservation Scientist, Museum of Modern Art

Chris joined the Museum of Modern Art in 1999 to setup the science section of the conservation department. Prior to that he worked in the paintings conservation department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where he assisted with technical analysis of the collection and the development... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Lee Ann Daffner

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Conservator of Photographs, The Museum of Modern Art

Lee Ann Daffner is the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Conservator of Photographs at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City since 1998 and is responsible for all aspects of the preservation, conservation and materials research for photographs in all the Museumâ€™s collections... Read More →

Roberta Piantavigna

Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Conservation of Photographs, The Museum of Modern Art

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Textiles) The Creation of a Digitally Printed Reproduction Sleeve for an Eighteenth-Century Painted Silk Dress

This case study examines the use of digital printing for the conservation treatment of an eighteenth-century Chinese painted silk robe à la polonaise in the collection of the Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The gown was accessioned into the museum’s collection in 1976 with a missing left sleeve. In anticipation of the Spring 2015 Costume Institute exhibition, China: Through the Looking Glass, it was decided to use digital printing to update the previous hand-painted replica sleeve. Digital printing was chosen for its ability to more closely reproduce the textured appearance of the eighteenth-century hand-painted fabric. Although the original fabric was created with a combination of painted pigments and block printing, the two earlier hand-painted reproductions had proved that the eighteenth-century textile was difficult to duplicate with the paints and fabric available in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Digital printing on fabric has been in practice from the late 1990s and in use in textile conservation since the early 2000s. For this treatment, we had the experience of working closely with a skilled digital printing studio to recreate the fabric. The studio, which specializes in dyeing and printing for the fashion industry, was one of the first in the United States to work with digital printing technology. This collaboration proved invaluable to the success of the project. This presentation will illustrate the challenges faced by both the conservators and the digital printing studio in the process of recreating painted historic fabric. Through a review of the treatment from start to finish, this case study presents resources and considerations for conservators using digital printing treatments in the future.

Speakers

Alexandra Barlow

Assistant Conservator, Textile Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Alexandra Barlow is an Assistant Conservator in the Textile Conservation Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She received her BA in Anthropology from San Francisco State University and her MA in Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice from the Fashion... Read More →

Miriam Murphy-[PA]

Textile Conservator, Miriam Murphy Textile & Costume Conservation

Miriam Murphy received her MA in Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and her BA cum laude in French Studies from Wellesley College. Before attending FIT she worked as a fashion editor and as a maker of fine art quilts... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

4:00pm EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Aspects of the Manufacture of Chinese Kuan Cai Lacquer Screens

Speakers

Christina Hagelskamp

Assistant Conservator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Christina Hagelskamp is a conservator of furniture and lacquered surfaces. After completing her studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Potsdam in 2007, she started her career at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, working on Asian lacquer and japanned wooden objects. In 2010, Christina... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 514

Breakout Session, Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Treatment of a Terrestrial Cary Globe

Over a two year period ending in 2013, the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) treated a pair of globes made in 1835 by John and William Cary who manufactured globes in London UK in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The globes were constructed from papier mâché and plaster, supported internally at both poles by a wooden pillar. Each globe was suspended within a brass meridian ring with the ring mounted in a wooden floor stand with a horizon ring. This presentation focuses on treatment of the terrestrial globe that sustained damage during a fall from a window. Impact upon landing had forced the central pillar of the globe to move, pushing the sphere out at the North Pole and pulling it in at the South Pole. Extensive cracking, with losses of paper and plaster at both poles, had been repaired prior to the mid 1970’s with a generous application of polyvinyl acetate adhesive. An area of plaster loss, where the papier mâché foundation was indented, had been filled with thick plaster. Some varnish removal had been attempted with unknown solvents, resulting in loss of colour where cleaned and discolouration at each side, below the varnish. Following the mechanical and solvent removal of the discoloured varnish (colophony) and old PVA adhesive, the large plaster fill was removed, allowing for the insertion of a small video camera to inspect the central wooden pillar and the interior surface of the globe. It was decided not to remove the paper gores, but to locally reduce staining and discolouration via poulticing. Conservators tested and used Gellan gum as a controlled means of cleaning specific areas. In order to access and treat the cracks and losses to the plaster sphere, sections of the paper gores were lifted and rolled back. Distortions to the sphere were re-shaped as much as possible at the poles to create space between the sphere and meridian ring so the globe could move freely. Gore fragments were salvaged, treated and re-adhered to the globe. Losses to the paper gores were infilled with toned paper and digitally printed paper, inpainted, and then sized with multiple coats of gelatin. Six varnish resins were tested and the selected varnish of B-72 was applied via sprayer. Finally, reproduction hour dials, made from digital images of those from the celestial globe, were added to the terrestrial globe. The globe was re-assembled with the south point of the meridian ring placed at the North Pole in order to allow the still slightly distorted sphere to fit within it. A brass disc was placed at the base of the recess in the meridian ring that holds the south pivot to keep it as high as possible and create needed space between the globe and meridian ring.

Speakers

Joanna P McMann

Assistant Conservator, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Joanna McMann is a graduate of the Collections Conservation and Management program at Sir Sandford Fleming College (2005). Joanna has been Conservator at the Archives of Ontario, Hudson’s Bay Company Archives and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. During her Fellowship... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Janet Mason

Conservator (retired), Canadian Conservation Institure

Janet Mason is a graduate of the Art Conservation Techniques program at Sir Sandford Fleming College (1980). Her association with CCI began in 1979 as a curriculum intern, then as an intern in CCI’s Mobile Laboratory Program, and in 1983 she became a staff conservator. From 1986... Read More →

Sherry Guild

Senior Conservator (retired), Canadian Conservation Institure

Sherry Guild graduated from the Art Conservation Techniques program at Sir Sandford Fleming College, now Fleming College (Peterborough, Ontario). In 1984, she started at CCI as a conservator in the Works on Paper Laboratory, specializing in the conservation of works of art on paper... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Collection Care) Art and noise: Is it a problem?

Today’s focus on attracting new audiences to museums to engage with exhibitions in a range of ways, has resulted in many museums hosting activities that are unusual in a gallery environment—including concerts, parties, and athletic and dance performances which often involve vigorous physical and extreme audio energy, sometimes close enough to impact works of art. At one such event, the use of “sub woofer” speakers, one floor above, caused visible movement of some sensitive artifacts. A preliminary review has provided several anecdotal reports of damage to fragile objects (mostly fine glass and minerals) after exposure to high levels of noise/vibration. But no information on noise levels or frequencies was documented. The purpose of this project is to review existing information on the effects of high noise/vibration on delicate artifacts and works of art; to quantify sound/vibration levels, including frequency analyses, during events and/or maintenance/construction activities; and to learn when damage may occur. Ultimately, the aim is to identify scenarios/situations where damage may occur and to prevent or mitigate this damage to art and, coincidentally to people (artists, gallery employees and visitors). In this presentation, the collaborators on this project, the Head of Conservation and Collections Care at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and a Professor of Occupational Hygiene from the University of Toronto will talk about the project and the preliminary findings.

Speakers

Margaret Haupt

Head of Conservation, Special Adviser on Collections Care, Art Gallery of Ontario

Director of a conservation concern pacticing conservation for federal state and local governments since 1985; works include PA state capitol bronze conservation since 2001, State Capitol of Georgia Cupola gilding, Ronald Reagan Fed Courthouse gilding Santa Ana, CA, National Trust... Read More →

Andrea Sass-Kortsak

Associate Professor, Occupational Hygiene, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Dr. Andrea Sass-Kortsak has been a faculty member at the University of Toronto for over 30 years. Her research focus is in Exposure Assessment including the development and validation of sampling methods used to determine exposures; and, identification and assessment of factors influencing... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Sandra Deike

Manager, Health & Safety, Art Gallery of Ontario

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Re-Constructions: Preserving the Video Installations of Buky Schwartz

Buky Schwartz (1932-2009) was an Israeli-American conceptual artist whose work focused on the nature of perspective and perception. Schwartz worked in many different art forms, but he is best known for his single-channel video works, and video installations. Trained as a sculptor in Tel Aviv, Schwartz studied at St. Martin’s School of Art during the 1960s, and moved to New York in the late 1970s where he began experimenting with video in his SoHo studio. His work was quickly noticed by John Hanhardt, a curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, who included Schwartz’s Yellow Triangle (1979) in the Whitney’s Re-Visions exhibition in 1979. Schwartz’s video installations often involve a distorted, unrecognizable pattern in real space, which, from the privileged perspective of a video camera, forms a coherent image fed to a monitor in the gallery in real-time. Concerned with the psychological process of perceiving three dimensional space, the artist’s video installations are often large, made up of a variety of materials, and must be installed to be appropriately experienced. As the nature of such a work is accumulated through multiple components, iterations and concepts, rather than any one particular object or thesis statement, the dizzying array of variables and treatments can easily become overwhelming. What are the limits of Schwartz’s installations? How rigid an interpretation is restrictive? How flexible can a work be before it loses its identity?

By accumulating relevant and significant forms of documentation, while examining the artist’s oeuvre and creative process, I hope to answer some of these questions. Correspondence between the artist and curators, photo documentation of installations, sketches and models created as studies, interviews with the artist and interviews with his collaborators were all reviewed and compiled to develop a comprehensive understanding of Schwartz’s installations. Using this information, garnered from the artist’s personal archive, the records from multiple museums, and published sources, I will outline prescriptive preservation policies for video installations which have not been exhibited in decades.

Speakers

Eddy Colloton

Time-based media conservator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Eddy Colloton received his MA degree from the Moving Image Archiving and Preservation program at New York University. Eddy has performed a collection assessment of pioneering video artist Paul Ryan's archive, developed a digital preservation workflow for the conservation department... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Objects + Architecture) Red Flames, Silver Linings

On a hot Saturday afternoon in August, 2009, a fire was started accidentally at the Ropes Mansion, an 18th century historic house owned by the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts. The fire threatened not only the structure but the accumulated possessions the Ropes family members had used and stored in the house over many generations. Many first responders, museum staff and contractors were mobilized to immediately respond to the fire. In the first of a two-part presentation, PEM's response on the day of the fire will be examined, its preparedness scrutinized, the many challenges and strokes of luck catalogued. The second presentation will detail the complexities of recovering from the fire, from the immediate triage to the long term treatments, necessitating a conservation project to be undertaken by a range of specialists. The scope of conservation work ultimately grew to encompass the entire contents of the house - nearly 1,000 objects - as a new interpretation strategy for the house was developed. As the house was reinstalled, a team of collection specialists was mobilized to track, move and install everything from four-poster beds to tiny doll house spoons. Specific treatments will be reviewed in the context of the collaborative recovery effort that culminated in the May, 2015 re-opening of the Ropes Mansion to the public. Ultimately, the immediate response to respond to the fire and the lengthy process to recover from it helped teach PEM valuable lessons about disaster preparedness.

Speakers

Mimi Leveque

Conservator of Objects, Peabody Essex Museum

Mimi Leveque is a conservator of objects and textiles with a special interest in archaeological materials, in particular ancient Egyptian artifacts. She has worked for over 30 years on the examination and conservation of Egyptian mummies and coffins. She has also conducted experiments... Read More →

Eric Wolin

Head of Collection Management, Peabody Essex Museum

Co-Author(s)

Angela Breeden

Move Coordinator, Peabody Essex Museum

Not Provided

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Architecture

Specialty Architecture, Objects
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Paintings) The History, Technical Study, and Treatment of Francis Bacon's Painting 1946

Francis Bacon’s seminal work, Painting 1946, has suffered from inherent material vulnerabilities since it was made in London in early 1946. The painting's condition issues, related to the fragile, faded, and flaking pastel background, have been addressed at least three times since the painting entered MoMA’s collection in 1948. Dissatisfied with the painting’s material issues, Bacon proposed scraping down and repainting the background on two occasions, though the proposals were never realized. In 1971 the painting was treated at MoMA, prior to its travel to Paris for Bacon’s retrospective at the Grand Palais. Though at the time, Bacon viewed the treatment as a magnificent restoration, fifteen years later the extensive areas of retouching had faded substantially. In 2015, the pastel areas were cleaned and consolidated, the faded retouching reduced and redone. The treatment methodology, the impact of the painting’s history and Bacon’s own artistic philosophies as they relate to that methodology, and an interpretation of the painting's compositional development as revealed by x-radiography are discussed here.

Speakers

Ellen Davis

Conservation Fellow, The Museum of Modern Art

Ellen Davis is currently a Conservation Fellow in Paintings Conservation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. She earned her M.A., C.A.S. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State, S.U.N.Y. in 2015 and her M.A. from Wesleyan University in 2007. Ellen completed her third-year graduate... Read More →

Chris McGlinchey

Conservation Scientist, Museum of Modern Art

Co-Author(s)

Lauren Klein

Yale University

Michael Duffy

Conservator, The Museum of Modern Art

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies) Identification of Chromogenic Colour Photographic Prints Brand by Spectral and Statistical Analysis

Recent scientific studies have been devoted to the identification and characterisation of monochrome photographic processes starting from the earliest time of the history of photography since they were the most significant part of the collections and the main source of questions. However since the turn of the century similar concerns addressed to color photographs that are increasing in the collections, especially question of brand identification. Actually, being able to identify a colour process, a brand or even a period of printing may inform us about the history of the artefact and also its sensitivity to the environment. It is well known that some brands and production times correspond to different thermal and light ageing behaviours. For instance some manufacturers have improved chromogenic colour prints stability in the 1980’s. Identifying a print manufacturer may help to define an exhibition strategy by referring to existing - or future - stability data. The name of the manufacturer is often printed on the back of colour prints with sometimes the year of production, however date or names are sometimes lacking and many prints in museums are permanently mounted on a polymer or aluminium support without access to the information written on the back and no proper documentation neither. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of distinguishing materials from various manufacturers and periods by comparing their spectral signatures using non-invasive fibre optical reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) in the near infrared range. First, spectra have been collected on a limited number of chromogenic colour photographs to create a database. Then we evaluated the rate of success in attributing a brand to a print by comparing it to known prints from the database by applying different statistical procedures.

Speakers

Christine Andraud

Professor, Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation / MNHN

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Textiles) Digital Mapping in Textile Conservation – New Documentation Methods with MetigoMap 4.0

Comprehensive documentation is key to conservation. Successfully used for many years in the heritage sector and for the conservation of paintings, the mapping software MetigoMap is a helpful tool for object documentation, analysis as well as planning, costing and promoting a conservation project. The condition of an object can be monitored and digitally updated over years to come. The software gives the opportunity to accurately overlap historic photographs in order to analyze and compare the objects condition in the past. As a free lance conservator in Germany since 2013, I have had the opportunity to use MetigoMap in various ways. Through case studies, this paper will demonstrate the use of the software in the field of textile conservation. Examples: The analysis of 16 C. tapestry and evaluating original vs. high quality material in weaves from the 1900’s. The pattern reconstruction and presentation of a rare 15 C. silk lampas through picture montage which will remain hidden to the visitor. The interpretation of the condition, detailed planning and calculating of the proposed treatment for an 18 C. wall-hanging. The software helps to record and evaluate the condition of an object in every day conservation questions but also gives the opportunity to react quickly in a case of emergency needing only high quality pictures as an work base.

Speakers

Christine Supianek-Chassay

Textile Conservator, Textilrestaurierung Supianek-Chassay

Christine Supianek-Chassay trained as a textile conservator in Germany after a career change from being an optician. In preparation and as part of her conservation degree Christine worked at different local as well as international textile conservation studios. Stations were the German... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

4:30pm EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Colonial Spanish American lacquered objects at the Hispanic Society of America

The Hispanic Society of America has a small but very fine collection of colonial Spanish American lacquered objects, decorated with two principal lacquer techniques, barniz de Pasto and Mexican lacquer or maque. Made using indigenous techniques for a European aesthetic which mimicked Asian lacquer, this group of exquisite objects demonstrate the extraordinary craftsmanship of these largely anonymous artisans whose techniques are still in use today in Colombia and Mexico. The colonial objects range in shape from indigenous forms such as gourds and bateas, large wooden bowls, to more traditionally European shapes and decorative domestic objects such as caskets, chests and small boxes, and even larger pieces of furniture such as wardrobes, secretaries, tables and folding screens. Colonial Spanish American lacquers are often misidentified as painted or japanned, or even as the Asian lacquers they sought to imitate. There have been few studies on these objects and only now conservation scientists have begun to conduct materials analysis to identify and establish the properties of these lacquers that originally were used to waterproof gourds, wooden objects and leather. MFA Boston’s conservation scientists have been analyzing samples from HSA’s lacquer objects and initial results confirm the contemporary records that describe the manufacture of these objects as well as reveal some surprises. This paper will focus on the Hispanic Society’s collection and will collate the information known so far about these two techniques: describing the process whereby these objects were made and decorated, using the intricacies of the techniques and stylistic parallels to arrive at a tentative theory about timelines and workshops.

Speakers

Monica Katz

Conservator, Hispanic Society Museum & Library

MONICA KATZ has been the conservator at the Hispanic Society of America since 2001. She is responsible for the treatments of ceramics, wooden objects (including furniture and South American lacquered objects), ivories, as well as surface treatments on metals, stone, and textiles... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Room 514

Breakout Session, Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Careful Consideration: Learning to Conserve a Kashmiri Birch-bark Manuscript

Acknowledging that treatment of any artefact requires nuance, this paper will examine how and why conservators make treatment decisions for particularly unfamiliar or unusual artefacts. The AIC Code of Ethics and guidelines for practice calls the conservation professional to “practice within the limits of personal competence and education;” similarly the CAC/ACCR Code states that the “conservation professional shall recognize his or her limitations and the special skills and knowledge of others.” As such, how do conservators ethically tackle the treatment of an entirely new (to us) or rare substrate? When do we judge ourselves to have sufficient competence? Through the lens of a case study of a paper conservator’s treatment of a codex form Kashmiri birch bark manuscript, this paper will examine the evolution of treatment decisions demonstrating the challenges, successes and uncertainties of treating an entirely unfamiliar material. Birch bark as a manuscript substrate, while not normative for western book and paper conservators, has a long tradition in other parts of the world, particularly in the Himalayan regions of the Indian subcontinent. During a high point of Indology and western Sanskrit scholarship at the turn of the 19th century, representatives of this manuscript corpus made their way into the libraries, archives and personal collections of North America and Europe. These artifacts now present many challenges of preservation, storage and access to their stewards. This case study will address the treatment of 176 approximately 7”x10” leaves, folded in nine folios, and written in carbon black ink on the naturally and artificially laminated structures of the inner bark of the Himalayan birch. The conservator’s basic toolkit of literature searches, in-lab simple material testing and consultations with colleagues are all demonstrated to be key in arriving at “an answer” for treatment, and indeed in deciding that treatment was the proper course for this rare artefact.

Speakers

Crystal Maitland

Conservator - Paper, Canadian Conservation Institute

Crystal Maitland joined the Canadian Conservation Institute in 2015 as their Works of Art on Paper Conservator. Prior to this, she served for seven years as the Paper Conservator at the Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries and Museums in Baltimore, MD. Originally from Western... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Conservation-exhibition design-HVAC: The design and implementation of a plan for the management of RH and temperature control for traveling exhibitions in an historic building.

From June to September 2015, the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso (ACSI) in Mexico City presented the traveling exhibition "Earthly and Divine: Islamic Art from the seventh to nineteenth centuries," curated by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In order to meet the lending institution's loan requirements for the preservation of the objects, a management plan was designed based on the efficient use of portable dehumidifiers, semi-industrial air-conditioning equipment and wall-mounted, mini-split air-conditioning units. This plan leveraged the thermal characteristics of the historic building while utilizing non-permanent HVAC systems in an otherwise non-climatized space in order to maintain the optimal temperature and relative humidity conditions within +/- 5% RH and +/- 2 degrees Celsius. The successful performance of this system makes it a viable model for traveling exhibitions in spaces without permanent climate control. This work was made possible through an interdisciplinary effort coordinated by the conservator and the Head of Exhibitions & Registration, and involved staff from LACMA, and the ACSI offices of Exhibition Design, Maintenance, Exhibition, and Administration, as well as HVAC technicians. The fundamental elements for the implementation of this plan include the management of visitors/group flow through the galleries, the construction of ventilation chambers (plenum space), a monthly program of equipment maintenance and daily monitoring. So, a strict management of the human resources of the museum can replace, at least for a limited period, an automated central air system. This model also works as a zone control or a humidity back up system that functions in the room as a low-cost improvement to a central HVAC system. This project also allows for reflection about the traditional and new roles of the museum conservator; our new roles go beyond the limits of a conservation that tends to be merely prescriptive, opening channels from which one can implement solutions based on interdisciplinarity. It also raises viable alternatives for inter-institutional negotiation on the basis of a realistic definition and practical approach to conservation problems. There is a clear difference between conservation and those departments committed to exhibition planning and design, and each serve very specific problems within the museum. At the institutional level, the distinction is marked in such a way that it promotes a separation between the conservator and the other departments. Nevertheless, from experience, for a conservator that uses more of an operational logic, more participative, the distinction does not exist, or at least the division is not so clear. In our case, the traveling exhibitions have forced us to adapt the classic scheme of conservation, and working as a team. We have managed to adjust the "rule" without trangressing it, understanding it well before application, streamlining the process, and given the necessary elements to work with, making simple and efficient solutions; unfortunately these situations and their results often stay within the private world of the individual museum. To grow as a field, we must open those doors and discuss this common experience.

Speakers

Tadeo Velandia

Conservator, Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso / Perpetua restauración

Restaurator/Conservator. Professional in Museums and Cultural institutions. Born in Colombia. Permanently live and work in Mexico DF. EMPLOYMENT 1999-2000 Conservator Museo Nacional de Antropología (MNA-INAH). Restoration of the Jade Mask of bat god from Monte Alban and ceramic urns... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Collection Care

Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Matters in Media Art III: Sustaining Digital Video Art

Launched in 2005, this collaborative project between the New Art Trust (NAT) and its partner museums – the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and Tate – has been designed to help those who collect and keep time-based media artworks. Conceived originally as a consensus building project for the three partner museums of the NAT, the enduring goal has been to affirm our commitment to time-based media art and artists by developing shared practices for the works’ care and preservation. It has always been the consortium’s hope that if the three museums could come together to agree on emerging stewardship practices, then by sharing these practices online they would be used, improved upon and refined by larger audiences of artists and collectors. The first two phases of Matters in Media Art on acquisitions and loans, published online in 2005 and 2008 respectively, established the project’s track record as a model for inter-museum exchange. Today we are thrilled to present the third phase in this exciting collaborative project: Sustaining Digital Video Art. This phase ventures to provide recommendations and assistance to collections of all sizes—from museums to artists, galleries, and small private collectors. By providing a comprehensive approach to assessing, managing, and storing digital video art, we hope to support and encourage practices and workflows in an area that is challenging to individuals and large institutions alike. Two representatives of the Matters in Media Art project, Martina Haidvogl (SFMOMA) and Peter Oleksik (MoMA), will present the background of phase III and provide a walk-through of the much anticipated, newly launched website.

Speakers

Martina Haidvogl

Associate Media Conservator, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Martina Haidvogl is the Associate Media Conservator at SFMOMA, where she has piloted documentation and preservation initiatives for the Media Arts collection since 2011. Martina has lectured and published internationally on media conservation and its implications for museum collections... Read More →

Peter Oleksik

Associate Media Conservator, Museum of Modern Art

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Objects + Architecture) Issues and challenges in conservation of living monastic heritage in the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, India

Ladakh is a high-altitude region in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and is bound by the Karakoram Mountains in the north and the Himalayas in the south and is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. The entire region of Ladakh is a cold desert with a barren landscape and very limited resources, yet it has been home to a thriving culture for more than a thousand years. Ladakh’s vigorous cultural identity is closely related to its institution of ‘Gompas’ (temples and monasteries). These monasteries are vibrant centres of Buddhism in this trans-Himalayan region and are repositories of rich art and cultural heritage. Besides performing their basic function of propagation of religious and spiritual knowledge, these traditional institutions play a significant role in preserving the cultural heritage of the region. Having been an important crossroads of trans-Asian trade for centuries, Ladakh’s unique cultural heritage reflects upon the profundity of cross-cultural exchanges between Tibetan culture, indigenous traditions and influence from the ancient Buddhist regions of Central Asia. The exquisite wall paintings, Thangka paintings (scroll paintings), manuscripts and other objects of art and craft comprise a very important part of Ladakh’s cultural heritage. The monastic or village community have limited awareness about the value of their cultural heritage and therefore, there is a lack of proper maintenance and care. Rampant, unplanned modernisation and civic development in the recent times pose serious threat to art and cultural heritage in Ladakh. The monasteries were built mostly on hills, isolated from villages to avoid disturbances. However, in last 15-20 years all the monasteries were connected with motorable roads without considering the potential risks involved. In several monasteries traditional architecture have been destroyed and rebuilt or added using modern materials without considering the local climate and other consequences. Climate change is the most recent issue and heavy rains in last few years witnessed damages to wall paintings in the monasteries and village temples due to water seepages from the traditional flat roofs. In the recent times there have been several incidents of art conservators and architects visiting from foreign countries and practicing conservation on extremely valuable painting is ancient monasteries and there is no check on their expertise, experiences and qualifications. This paper aims to highlight some of the major issues and challenges in preservation of monastic heritage in Ladakh and proposes a framework for sustainable conservation interventions to save the invaluable heritage.

Speakers

Satish C. Pandey

Assistant Professor of Art Conservation, National Museum Institute

Satish Pandey is an art conservator with major interests in heritage science and conservation. His research focuses on decay mechanisms of inorganic materials (environmental, chemical and bio-geochemical processes) and developing sustainable conservation methodologies and approaches... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Joyoti Roy

Consultant, Outreach Department, National Museum, New Delhi

Joyoti Roy is a consultant in the Outreach Department at the National Museum and is also Director of the Achi Association, India (a not for profit organisation dedicated to conservation of endangered Himalayan heritage). She has a Masters Degree in Art Conservation from the National... Read More →

Noor Jahan

PhD Candidate in Art Conservation, National Museum Institute, New Delhi

Noor Jahan is a PhD candidate in Art Conservation at the National Museum Institute, New Delhi. Her research topic is "Wall paintings in the center of Trans Himalayan Trading routes: A Technical study of wall paintings in Hunder Zimaskhang". Noor is also a freelance art conservator... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Architecture

Specialty Architecture, Objects
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Paintings) The Mellow Pad in layers, colors, and time: investigating the materials and technique of Stuart Davis

Stuart Davis took six years to complete The Mellow Pad (1946-51), an innovative and complex painting that he described as, “the most powerful objective Art realization of my life.” Inherently linked to the stimulating visuals, the artist’s working process and material choices affect The Mellow Pad’s current condition in two significant ways. The first of these is recurring interlayer cleavage resulting from Davis’s application of paint layers over a period of many years. The second is that two colors in The Mellow Pad have changed, variously fading and shifting over time. A generous grant from Bank of America made it possible to address both of these issues in preparation for the upcoming retrospective exhibition In Full Swing: The Art of Stuart Davis, organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art. In addition to stabilization treatment and encapsulation in a microclimate enclosure, the painting will undergo a technical study of the materials using primarily non-invasive techniques. Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and multiband imaging will be used synergistically to identify colorants. Additionally, X-radiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) will further elucidate the painting’s complex layer structure. With this range of non-invasive techniques, it is hoped that microscopic samples will only be required in rare situations. A similar investigation of four other Davis paintings in the Brooklyn Museum collection will give context to this research. Considering how crucial vivid color relationships are to Davis’s work of this time period, a better understanding of his materials will be beneficial to both preservation and interpretation efforts at the Brooklyn Museum and beyond.

Speakers

Jessica Ford

Paintings Conservator, Amann + Estabrook Conservation Associates

Jessica Ford is a Paintings Conservator at Amann + Estabrook Conservation Associates. She earned a Master of Science in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation and has previously held positions at the Brooklyn Museum, Smithsonian American... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies) Surface roughness, appearance, and identification of AGFA-Gevaert photograph samples

The age of digital imaging is rapidly pushing traditional photographic methods into the background. Furthermore, the replacement of discolored analogue photographic prints has become museum display policy, as it is seen as a solution in conservation, and is sometimes promoted by artists. There is therefore an urgent need for methods to characterize photographic materials while they are still available and/or in relatively good condition. Surface properties are some of the most important because they determine the appearance and perception of photographs as works of art These properties are also valuable for identification and authentication purposes. In particular, the roughness of the surface of a photograph determines the glossiness, but also affects the perception of color. Moreover, a surface’s physical character situates the print in time. The photographs materials collection developed by P. Messier, and associated raking light methods for surface texture characterization are a good first step in classifying and identifying photographic materials based on surface roughness. However, in many cases, more direct techniques for measuring surface roughness are required, especially when it comes to assessing the effects of surface treatments. These need to be related to the actual appearance and perception of the materials to allow for better identification, or assessing changes in appearance due to treatments or aging. Over the past 25 years, white-light or laser confocal profilometry has become a standard technique for measuring roughness in many branches of industry. Besides being a non-contact method, the technique measures roughness directly with a resolution down to tens of nanometers, much better than any current optical method. Roughness can be characterized by the calculation of industrial standard roughness values, for example, average roughness, Ra or root-mean-square roughness, Rq. 3D visualization techniques can be used to characterize changes in surface roughness due to treatments or, more generally, the identification of photograph types. Currently, a study is being conducted by the University of Amsterdam and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands on the relationship between surface properties and the appearance of photographic materials. The surface roughness of samples from an Agfa-Gevaert photographic sample book (1972 or 1973) was measured using a NanoFocus µSurf confocal white light profilometer, with a spatial resolution of less than 1 micrometer and a height/roughness resolution of 60 nanometers. The results are being related to the perception of a number of conservators and other museum professionals who were asked to judge the appearance of the samples. The results of this research thus far have shown that, when identifying photographic materials or making judgments about their condition, it is important that one considers both the “objective” values of surface properties such as roughness in relation to time and possibilities of the photographic industry, and the “subjective” interpretation of the observer, influenced by interest, cultural background, and time.

Speakers

William Wei

Senior Conservation Scientist, Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed

Co-Author(s)

Ms. Sanneke Stigter

Lecturer and researcher, University of Amsterdam

Sanneke Stigter holds an MA in Art History from the University of Amsterdam and concluded the 5-year postgraduate training program in Conservation of Contemporary Art at SRAL in Maastricht with honours. Between 2004 and 2011 she was Head of Conservation of Contemporary Art and Modern... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials & Research and Technical Studies

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Textiles) The Dark Side of the Force: Magnets, Velcro and Unintended Consequences

Opening a new museum can present interesting challenges that require nimble responses and quick thinking. Installation techniques that have worked successfully elsewhere can fail in new and unexpected ways, and procedures for handling exhibition problems may not have been developed. Conservation staff must be prepared to respond, sometimes on-the-fly, and sometimes with perseverance and stamina. In 2014, the newly opened 9/11 Museum was presented with a challenge that needed an immediate response and a long-term solution, requiring both nimbleness and perseverance. Prior to opening in May of 2014, the 9/11 Memorial Museum commissioned a work from artist Spencer Finch entitled Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning. Consisting of 2983 watercolors on heavy paper, each painted a shade of blue, the work occupies an enormous wall in a non-climate controlled space in the museum between galleries. It has become a hugely iconic image for the museum. The original mounts for the watercolors used rare-earth magnets affixed to the backs of the watercolors. Even before the museum opened, the magnets began to attract atmospheric dust to the surfaces of the watercolors, requiring a rapidly organized program of in-situ cleaning. The program could not continue indefinitely, however. The work required a new mounting system. Other mounting options were explored in consultation with the artist and professional colleagues, and a system using Velcro strips and acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive was selected. The second mounting system was installed in November 2014. This system also began to fail almost immediately. Curling of the watercolor paper during the heating season in the unregulated museum space caused the paper to peel away from the Velcro in isolated instances, requiring attention by conservation staff each morning before opening. The failure of this second mounting technique was discouraging, to say the least. A third mounting system would have to be implemented. A more intensive program for exploring mounting options was developed. Various mechanical methods of securing each watercolor were explored, but all were rejected by Museum senior staff and the artist as too visually intrusive. Finally, it was decided that 4-ply mat board squares slightly smaller than the watercolors, with Velcro mechanically attached with staples, would be affixed to the backs of the watercolors using adhesive. Several adhesives were selected, and test versions were prepared and installed on the wall for a period of 21 days and then assessed for durability. Jade-R, a water-soluble acrylic emulsion adhesive was selected for its effectiveness, cost, ease-of-use and reversibility. Installation of this third mounting technique required the use of 125 substitute watercolors supplied by the artist as placeholders while the originals were remounted in rotation. The process took approximately 3 months, and was completed in September of 2015. The experience of the 9/11 Museum in mounting this commissioned work by Spencer Finch specifically demonstrates a potential problem in the use of magnets in mounts of un-encased objects, but it also demonstrates the need for flexibility, creative thinking, and cooperation in dealing with the unexpected in a museum setting.

Speakers

John Childs

Principal, Childs Conservation Consulting

Maureen Merrigan

Assistant Conservator, 9/11 Memorial and Museum

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

5:00pm EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Ghostly Evidence: Interventions in a 20th century Installation of Asian Lacquer Panels

Over the period 2007-2013 a campaign of research, documentation, and conservation treatment was undertaken for a group of 18th c Chinese lacquer panels - as well as an early 20th c panel added to the set - in the Breakfast Room of The Elms in Newport, Rhode Island. The Elms is a Beaux Arts mansion (1901) designed by Horace Trumbauer with interiors by Paris decorator Jules Allard for Edward Berwind, a coal magnate. It has been owned and administered by The Preservation Society of Newport County since 1962. The antique lacquer panels likely came from Canton to France in the mid-18th c as part of the China Trade. They probably enjoyed a period of high style in a Parisian town house; suffered subsequent degradation, salvage, and storage; followed by restoration/modification and reinstallation at The Elms. The work revealed a variety of techniques, repairs, and modifications using both Asian and Western materials and methods. Assumptions were made early in the examination that were refuted by evidence discovered later, with the greatest surprises found in the 20th century work. Cross section microscopy and scientific analysis that provided solid details about craft technique and materials was vital for the final interpretation, which also depended upon evidence provided by a collection of vintage photographs and the discovery of visual details previously unseen. All this provided material for an interesting and surprising chronology of construction and intervention by a cast of characters, some known, some intuited, and others of mysterious origin. This presentation will document the specifics of our dependence on the microscopy and the analysis for concrete details, the context of that work as we understood it to date, and especially the efforts of the somewhat ghostly practitioners whose evidence we see and interpret. It is hoped that future research will put flesh on their bones.

Speakers

Melissa H. Carr

Masterwork Conservation

Co-Author(s)

Charles Moore

Conservator (Retired), Preservation Society of Newport County

Charles Jeffers Moore (Jeff) Mr. Moore was trained and employed for eleven years as a cabinetmaker - the last three years as Chief Carpenter of the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Starting as the Furniture Conservator, and most recently Chief Conservator, he was employed at... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Room 514

Breakout Session, Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

5:30pm EDT

Pre-Opening Reception Viewing and Discussion

Join Richard Gagnier, Head of Conservation Services for a private viewing and discussion of the lengthy conservation process of the ensemble of Tiffany windows in the museum’s Bourgie hall. This ensemble is one of only two commissions by Tiffany in Canada and one of their few surviving religious series in North America. The talks will be 30 minutes and afterward you can walk over to the museum’s main building for the Opening Reception. Note: Bourgie hall will not be open to Opening Reception guests after 7:00 pm.

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Musée des beaux-Arts de Montreal

Tour, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

5:30pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Wiki Session

The Book and Paper Wiki Coordinators and Compilers invite you to join us for a discussion of what's new with the Wiki this year, and what we are planning for the future. We invite all BPG members to attend and hear more about the continuing development of this online resource, including new and evolving pages, more photos, usability improvements, and the adoption of nomenclature from the Ligatus Bindings Thesaurus.

Moderators

Katherine Kelly-[PA]

Senior Book Conservator, Library of Congress

Katherine Kelly is a Senior Book Conservator at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Previously, she has worked at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the National Archives, Iowa State University, Harvard University, and Cornell University. She received her MS in Information... Read More →

Evan Knight

Associate Conservator, Boston Athenaeum

He has conserved bound and unbound special collections materials at the Northeast Document Conservation Center, the Library of Congress as the 2010 Harper-Inglis Fellow, the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas, and the Municipal Archives of New York City. He... Read More →

Denise Stockman

Associate Conservator of Paper, New York Public Library

Prior to coming to NYPL, Denise was a fellow at the Morgan Library and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She interned at a variety of institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Barnes Foundation, and the National Galleries of Scotland; and was a technician... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 5:30pm - 6:15pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

6:30pm EDT

Pre-Opening Reception Viewing and Discussion

Sunday May 15, 2016 6:30pm - 7:00pm EDT
Musée des beaux-Arts de Montreal

Tour, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

6:30pm EDT

Opening Reception at the Musée des beaux-Arts de Montreal

One ticket is included in all base conference registrations. Extra tickets for guests not registered for the meeting are $45/each.

This year's Opening Reception will be held at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. Join us for a night of spectacular food, including Québécois specialties, and drink as you reconnect with friends across the museum. Enjoy the galleries and explore the collections, including the special exhibition Pompeii, A Roman City. Bourgie Hall and Bourgie Pavilion will open at 5:30 pm. Come directly after the sessions and have a private viewing of one of theworld's most extensive Inuit art collections before the reception starts. In addition, join Richard Gagnier, Head of Conservation Services, for a private viewingand discussion of the lengthy conservation process of the ensemble of Tiffany windows in the museum’s Bourgie Hall. This ensemble is one of only twocommissions by Tiffany in Canada and one of their few surviving religious series in North America. The talks will be 30 minutes each (beginning at 5:30 and6:30 pm); afterward, you can walk over to Bourgie Pavilion for the Opening Reception. Note: Bourgie Hall will not be open to Opening Reception guestsafter 7:00 pm, though Bourgie Pavilion will remain open.

Buses start boarding at 5:30pm at the Palais des Congrès side entrance and Hyatt Regency Montreal front entrance. They willshuttle between the Hyatt, convention center, and museum throughout the night. If you prefer to beat the rush, take a bus at5:30 pm. There will be a coat check at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal for your totebag.

Sponsored by Huntington T. Block Insurance, with generous in-kind support provided by Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal

Sponsors

Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency

The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) and Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc. (HTB) have partnered to provide AIC’s members with customized insurance programs. HTB’s specialized fine art policy for conservators protects artwork while... Read More →

Sunday May 15, 2016 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Musée des beaux-Arts de Montreal

Networking Event

Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

7:15am EDT

(Book and Paper) Book and Paper Group Business Meeting

Monday May 16, 2016 7:15am - 8:30am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Business Meeting, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

7:30am EDT

(Objects) Objects Specialty Group Business Meeting

Monday May 16, 2016 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Room 710 B

Business Meeting, Objects

Specialty Objects
Cost Free

7:30am EDT

(Textiles) Textile Specialty Group Business Meeting

Monday May 16, 2016 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Room 511 AB

Business Meeting, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Architecture) Weather-Related Events and Historic House Museums; A Ten Year Review of Emergency Preparedness and Mitigation at Historic New England

With thirty-six historic house museum properties and one collections storage facility spread out in five New England states, the small but dedicated staff at Historic New England are always working to protect the cultural resources under their care. From microbursts to hurricanes, there is a never-ending barrage of weather related events to deal with and climate change has only intensified these events with higher amounts of moisture, higher intensity of lighting, and more damaging winds. Emergency preparedness, by necessity, is a never-ending process at Historic New England. The Mother’s Day floods of 2006 stretched Historic New England’s resources thin during the worst flooding in New England since the hurricane of 1938. This storm highlighted some noble efforts to protect the resources but also major organizational deficiencies. Ice storms during 2008 showed the potential for damage if tree care did not receive a higher priority while a series of rain events in March 2010 resulted in an effort to explore and resolve drainage issues at the historic sites. A chain of severe lightning strikes during 2010 and 2011 led to analysis of existing lightning protection systems as well as the need for surge suppression in today’s age of sensitive computer equipment. More recently, the record-breaking winter of 2015 illustrated weaknesses in our snow and ice dam mitigation arsenal. Historic New England has continually evolved our approach to preparedness and planning with each event. For example, one outcome from the 2006 floods was Disaster Day, a day dedicated to emergency preparedness. Disaster Day started with only the building and landscape staff attending. In the nine years since, Disaster Day has grown to include staff from all areas of the organization including site managers, collections and conservation staff, IT, guides and educators; all participating in different forms of training and sharing their response stories and lessons learned. In addition to Disaster Day, Historic New England has also initiated a campaign of risk assessments, improved pre-storm communication protocols, reviewed the access and response issues related to being a regional organization, and has been working with a statewide preparedness group for cultural resources, COSTEP Massachusetts, on an initiative to better integrate cultural resources with local responders. The weather related events also resulted to mitigation initiatives that range from drainage to lightning and surge suppression. Working with a historic house property, each potential mitigation effort has to be carefully reviewed comparing its ability to mitigate the issue and protect historic fabric with the effect the effort might have on historical authenticity. This paper will discuss the key weather related incidents and highlight how each have affected both emergency and project planning at Historic New England, provide an understanding of basic and complex mitigation efforts that might be undertaken at historic properties, and detail the different preparedness initiatives undertaken over the last decade.

Speakers

Benjamin Haavik

Team Leader of Property Care for Historic New England, Historic New England

Benjamin Haavik, Team Leader of Property Care for Historic New England, is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of 37 historic house museums and landscapes open to the public. Ben manages fifteen full-time staff, including preservation carpenters, preservation managers... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Book and Paper) A Technical Exploration of a 19th century Qajar Artists’ Album

In 1960 the Harvard Art Museums acquired a 19th century anonymous Persian album comprised of sketches, designs, finished drawings, manuscript pages, and miscellany. The album had never been closely studied, despite the fact that it is one of the richest resources of its kind known today from the Qajar period. The 57 folios hold 141 varied works on paper, arranged singly and in groups. Many of drawings were apparently used by artists to make objects in different media, such as lacquered pen boxes. This is evidenced by the fact that a significant number of the drawings bear signs of being used as models such as pricking. This presentation will focus upon the papers in the album. The author was struck by their diversity and by the fact that most of the papers in this Qajar album are European. These papers provide much needed information about the album. They help group works and they provide information on dating, origins and assembler. A second area of interest for this presentation is the varied methods of transfer represented in the album, such as pricking, pouncing, rubbing and a transfer drawing technique. The album’s numerous transfer types led to explorations in the Materials Lab, a purpose-built hands-on space at the Harvard Art Museums where the students practiced pricking, pouncing and related forms of image transfer to better understand what they were looking at and how the drawings might have been used. The Qajar album will be shown in two years in an exhibition at the Harvard Art Museums. It was, thus, the subject of a graduate seminar last spring that the author helped teach. The seminar was intensively object-based and examined the album from numerous perspectives. The author led two sessions, one on media and one on paper, and sat in on the rest of the course, weighing in on physical characteristics and material issues as needed. This proposed presentation for AIC will focus on what has been learned through careful study of the papers and the various transfer techniques as well as the critical nature of hands-on practice and teaching with real objects.

Speakers

Penley Knipe

Conservator, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

Penley Knipe is the Head of the paper lab at the Harvard Art Museums and the Philip and Lynn Straus Senior Conservator of Works on Paper. Penley has worked at the Harvard Art Museums as a conservator since 1999. She was the Chair of the Book and Paper Group and she is a Fellow of... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Emergency) Lighting a Fire: Initiating an Emergency Management Program

Emergency preparedness is a critical part of collections stewardship, but the most challenging part can be getting started. Too often, cultural institutions plan in reaction to a disaster. Preservation professionals are often contacted to recover collections after a disaster, rather than serving as proactive institutional partners in planning. Preservation professionals must learn to be persuasive advocates to initiate and sustain an emergency preparedness effort as part of our commitment to preventive conservation. Garnering an administrative mandate can often be the most difficult task in emergency planning. This session offers the preservation professional tools for gaining a seat at the planning table and transforming good intentions into a robust emergency management program. The discussion will include developing and communicating your vision for an institutional program, identifying and building relationships with allies, crafting influence strategies, and educating administration about the need for a comprehensive plan. Resources that help foster a culture of preparedness and collect data to support your cause will be highlighted. The audience will learn to develop strategies to overcome institutional hurdles to preparedness and advocate for an ongoing planning budget. Maintaining the momentum is crucial. Ideas for keeping both administration and staff invested in supporting the emergency management program will be discussed.

Speakers

Rebecca Fifield

Senior Manager, Collection Management (Head), The New York Public Library

Rebecca Fifield is Senior Manager, Collection Management, a new unit that enriches access through improved physical management and documentation. Fifield has 30 years experience and holds an M.A. Museum Studies from George Washington University.

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Objects + Wooden Artifacts) The Treatment and Installation of a Monumental Cedar Sculpture by Ursula von Rydingsvard

Ursula von Rydingsvard (1942- ) is best known for her large-scale, structurally complex sculptures made from cedar beams, often displayed outdoors. These works change in dimension due to shifting environmental conditions, and may require supportive armatures and ongoing maintenance treatments to prevent pest and environmental damage. This presentation will address the treatment and installation of “Czara z Babelkami”(2006), at SFMOMA as part of the inaugural exhibition in its renovated galleries. The treatment involved close collaboration with the artist’s studio to flatten and stabilize the sections of the work in response to previous dimensional changes. A surface treatment and long-term maintenance plan involving the use of a biocide and wood sealant was also devised with the studio. This collaboration provided valuable insight into the construction of the work, parameters for acceptable changes, and a broader perspective of how this artist’s work is treated in other settings. Given the high seismic activity in San Francisco, a structural armature was designed in partnership with an engineer to support the work in case of a seismic emergency. The armature was designed to stabilize the work while allowing flexibility for further dimensional changes in response to outdoor environmental conditions. Installation on a newly renovated 5th floor terrace space necessitated extensive planning to move the sections safely with a crane and forklift, serving as a case study of project planning in unknown spaces.

Speakers

Emily Hamilton

Associate Objects Conservator, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Emily Hamilton holds an M.A. and Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in conservation from Buffalo State College and a B.A. in art history from Reed College. She is currently the Associate Objects Conservator at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Objects, Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Paintings) The Autopoiesis of Acrylic Paint and Monochrome Painting in Montreal

The object of art, according to anthropologist Tim Ingold, is an emergent autopoietic phenomena of an unfolding. Autopoietic form does not issue from idea, “rather [it] comes into being through the gradual unfolding of that field of forces set up through the active and sensuous engagement of practitioner and material” (Ingold, 1990:84). In short, things are not the product of artistic intentions, but instead a contingent collaboration between artistic intention and material forces. What comes first? Neither; they evolve together. Acrylic paint has a material will, a specificity and an elaborative potential that has enabled generations of artists to create in ways that no other medium would allow. This paper will focus on one iteration of acrylic paint; that produced by the Montreal acrylic paint manufacturing company, Chromatech, owned and operated by Michael Towe between approximately 1979 and 2000, and used by Quebecois monochrome painters, to name a few: Claude Tousignant, Guy Pellerin, Yves Gaucher, Guido Molinari, and Christian Kiopini. With evidence from personal and archived interviews with the artists and paint manufacturers, Chromatech (Montreal) and Tri-Art (Kingston), this paper documents the mutual evolution between acrylic paint and monochrome painting. One would not exist without the other. Importantly, this study begins to document the influence of the small acrylic paint company, Chromatech, and the paintings that contain these paints. Currently the primary conservation issues with acrylic monochromes are handling-related (their smooth, uniform surfaces are nearly completely incapable of recovering from abrasion or cracks from bumping). But the medium is a relatively young one and as highlighted by the CAPS (Cleaning of Acrylic Painted Surfaces) workshop series through the Getty, many acrylic conservation issues are only beginning to surface. It is important that we document, when we can, which paintings contain which acrylic polymers, and additionally how artists worked so we know which additives were added. Preemptive archiving, what I have identified as this stage of documentation, is critical to emergency preparedness with regard to the conservation of modern and contemporary art. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of integrative art historical and art conservation research. The acrylic paint medium allowed certain practices to exist; meanwhile certain cultural and art-making theories compelled a desire for the new medium and thus monochrome and colour-field painting. These painting practices were equally dominant in United States and Canada, but they were expressed and developed somewhat differently. Was it only the art-making cultures that led to the different expressions, or were there particular material-cultural interactions that led to similar, but visually and materially unique national styles?

Speakers

Jessica Veevers

Doctoral Student - Art History, Concordia University

Jessica Veevers is a PhD student in the Interuniversity Doctoral Program in Art History at Concordia University. She is a recipient of the Bourse de Doctorat en Recherche du Fonds de Recherche Société et Culture du Quebec, the Concordia University Faculty of Fine Arts Fellowship... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Facts and Fictions of Pink Prints

Distinctive pink discoloration of image silver is an increasingly common form of deterioration of silver gelatin prints made from circa 1960 to circa 1980. More than 50 cases have been brought to the attention of Paul Messier LLC conservators since 2003. Seemingly linked to the oxidation of image silver, pink staining is often accompanied by bleaching of highlights. This staining can be drastic and sudden, posing significant challenges for collections and conservators. Why do these prints turn pink, instead of the more typical signs of deterioration like silver mirroring, yellowing and fading? The root causes are unknown, but most agree that typical environmental catalysts (exposure to light, water vapor, and pollutants) are a factor. Further speculation centers on additional factors that may impact the stability of these prints including processing variables and changing manufacturing practices. The effective and complete clearing of hypo (sodium thiosulfate based fixer) dominates much of the 19th and 20th century literature on print permanence, but concerns about over washing are fairly new. Review of manufacturer recommended washing recommendations, particularly the use of hypo eliminators and washing aids, shows a circumstantial relationship between “aggressive” washing recommendations and the time period associated with pink prints. This review has specific emphasis on recommendations provided directly to photographers, not texts related to preservation or analysis of photographs. These decades are also notable for historically high silver prices and environmental protection imperatives. Using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, a survey of historic samples of photographic papers made from 1950 to 1990 is being conducted to determine if silver and heavy metal content vary during this period. This work involves unfixed and fixed samples in order to determine inorganic materials present before and after processing. Combined, historical context and data on inorganic content will provide steps toward understanding the facts and fictions of pink prints. This work will provide a platform for future research, including possible screening for undamaged but vulnerable prints, environmental recommendations, and treatment protocols.

Speakers

Jennifer McGlinchey Sexton, [PA]

Conservator, McGlinchey Sexton Conservation, LLC

Jennifer McGlinchey Sexton is an independent Conservator of Photographs and works on paper in Colorado Springs, CO. Jennifer holds a BFA in Photography from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2010, she earned an MA in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College with a concentration... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Paul Messier, [PA]

Head, Lens Media Lab, Yale

Paul Messier is the head of the Lens Media Lab at Yale University's Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. the LML is devoted to materials-based research on the 20th century photographic print.

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Looking closer, seeing more: Recent developments in the technical documentation of paintings

In recent years, major advances have been made in the technical documentation of art works and in the way that these data are made accessible. New on line archives have been created that significantly improve access to existing materials, for example on Cranach and Rembrandt. More innovative are the rapid developments in the fields of 3D scanning and printing; the standardization of documentation of art works; and the documentation of especially paintings and works of paper in extreme resolutions and in different modalities such as visible light, infrared, and X-radiography. These developments are increasingly impacting art history, technical art history, and art conservation, as well as museum practices and the art book publishing industry. It is also allowing specialists to create facsimiles of art works and other cultural heritage structures with unprecedented (and uncanny) precision. In this keynote presentation, I will discuss several aspects of these developments based on my involvement in recent and current projects such as Closer to Van Eyck and Even Closer to Van Eyck on the Ghent Altarpiece; Van Eyck Research in Open Access (VERONA); the Bosch Research and Conservation Project on Jheronimus Bosch; and The Hand of the Master on panels by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Ron Spronk Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Speakers

Ron Spronk

Professor of Art History, Queen's University, Art Conservation Program

Ron Spronk is a professor of art history at Queen’s University and at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. He is a specialist in the technical examination of easel paintings. From 2010-12, he coördinated the technical documentation campaign of the Ghent Altarpiece and... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Sustainability) Preserving cultural heritage through the development of digital technologies and community engagment

The continued threat and destruction of the world’s most precious cultural heritage in Syria has left the preservation community demanding greater and more innovative efforts to safeguard and accurately document tangible and intangible heritage worldwide, in any accessible method. This proclaimed crisis is not limited solely to the actions of ISIS; rather, risks associated with climate change, natural disasters, and tourism have each taken a toll on historical monuments worldwide. This paper will explore best practices in engaging local communities to use digital platforms that archive and publish open-sourced data and 3-D mapping photographs for global audiences. It takes a particular focus on women’s inclusion and empowerment to demonstrate the impact of engaging communities as a whole to increase margins of project participation, evolving societal gender roles, financial independence and women in leadership. Pulling from information and data collected from two case studies of Algeria and Morocco--which could be considered high risk areas—proven strategies for mitigating challenges associated with conservation and environmental risks (e.g. climate change), disaster risk reduction, sustainable practices and international collaboration with governments, NGOs and the private sector will be presented, analyzed and evaluated. Our findings conclude one of the most effective ways to address this ongoing crisis and urgency to preserve the world's cultural heritage must be through the development of sustainable solutions using Information Communication Technology (ICT). Furthermore, our research highlights education as a key factor in successfully engaging local communities, especially women; thus, ICT solutions are recommended to be paired with training workshops that boost interest within areas related to cultural preservation and long-term risk management. In both Morocco and Algeria, for instance, there is a strong correlation between residential proximity to historical monuments and high awareness of the intrinsic value their nation brings to the world. Ownership and responsibility are often felt, particularly among youth. Yet, often times knowledge of best practice in heritage management is not widely known, as governments continue to plan ineffective preservation solutions. As of 2015, seven of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites can be found in Algeria; yet many of the nation’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage has yet to be documented. This lack of available and accessible tools to foster community empowerment and grassroots initiatives that also include the female population is an opportunity that can no longer be ignored. Actively exploring ICT solutions that build on the passion of communities as a whole—including women—can ensure present and future generations remain connected to the history of their ancestors, even if disaster strikes.

Speakers

Sarah E. Braun

Owner, SustainEdge Marketing, LLC

Sarah Braun helped develop and complete a Sustainable Tourism Toolkit originally for the UNESCO Tourism Programme at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. She was an instrumental part of the team that compiled real-time case studies for implementation of the toolkit by sites around the... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Jessica Kaisaris

International Business Development, Octoly, Inc.

Jessica Kaisaris specializes in the sustainable business development of ICT projects, with a particular focus on human rights, across international borders. She is currently based in Paris, working with the French start-up, Octoly, to launch its innovative concept into new global... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Sustainability

Interest Sustainability
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Textiles) A Material Disaster: Preservation of the Muppets

The National Museum of American History (NMAH) had an exhibition, Puppetry in America, from December 2013 to April 2014, to feature various American puppetries which covered their 160 year history. Puppets for the exhibition included a shadow puppet, hand puppets, finger puppets, paper puppets, marionettes, a ventriloquist puppet, stop-motion puppets, and the Muppets. The condition of the puppets varied depending on the materials they were constructed from, how much they were actively used, and how they were stored. Among the NMAH puppet collections, Muppets such as Miss Piggy, Bert and Ernie, Swedish Chef, Elmo, Scooter, Cookie Monster, Count, Freggles, and others from Sesame Street had the most conservation concerns because they had been actively used, were constructed with non-archival materials, and were damaged from storing them without proper supports. Each Muppet wears a unique outfit, hat, shoes, and other accessories in a certain way. The face elements such as eyes, nose, lips, and ears are made from different materials including plastic soup spoons, leather shoe soles, Ping-Pong balls, wood, and various kinds of fabrics. Most materials used for the Muppets were not archival since they were not expected to last forever. The most tragic issue is that some of the visible parts were made of lower-density Polyurethane foam. This foam, also known as Scott foam, is a favorable material among puppet makers because it is easy to manipulate. Unfortunately, the foam has gradually degraded and is now sticky, dry, and falling apart. This process caused many of the Muppets to lose their shapes, and to finally become deformed, collapsed, and torn. This presentation will discuss the condition of the Muppets, the conservation treatment, the materials and methods used for display form, and other issues encountered during installation.

Speakers

Sunae P. Evans

Senior Costume Conservator, National Museum of American History

Sunae Park Evans serves as a senior costume conservator at the National Museum of American History. She has worked extensively on major NMAH and traveling exhibitions and has lectured on costume and textile preservation /exhibition in both the USA and Korea. She has Masters Degrees... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

8:30am EDT

(Electronic Media) Electronic Media Group Business Meeting

Monday May 16, 2016 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 513 D/F

Business Meeting, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Architecture) Involvement of Microbes in Cultural Heritage Protection at Angkor Thom, Cambodia

The temples of Angkor monuments including Angkor Thom and Bayon in Cambodia and surrounding countries were constructed with sandstone exclusively. They show severely deterioration caused by physical, chemical and biological processes and, among them, the active growth of microorganisms on the sandstone surfaces leading to biodeterioration cannot be ignored, but knowledge on the microbial community and composition of the biofilms on the sandstone is not available from this region. This study investigated the microbial community diversity by examining the fresh and old microbial biofilms of the sandstone bas-relief wall surfaces of the Bayon Temple by analysis of 16S and 18S rRNA gene-PCR amplified sequences. A comparison of the microbial communities between the fresh and old biofilms showed that the bacterial community of old and fresh biofilms was very similar, but the eukaryotic communities were distinctly different between them. This information illustrates the dynamic formation and succession of microbial communities on sandstone in tropic region. Because biofilms are detrimental to the bas-reliefs engraved on the surface of sandstone, information about the microbial community is indispensable to control biofilm colonization. Non-destructive sampling of biofilm revealed novel bacterial groups of predominantly Rubrobacter in salmon pink biofilm, Cyanobacteria in chrome green biofilm, Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi in signal violet biofilm, Chloroflexi in black gray biofilm, and Deinococcus-Thermus, Cyanobacteria, and Rubrobacter in blue green biofilm. Serial peeling-off of a thick biofilm by layers over depths with adhesive sheets revealed a stratified structure: the blue–green biofilm associated with serious deterioration was very rich in Cyanobacteria near the surface and Chloroflexi in deep layer below. Nitrate ion concentrations were high in the blue–green biofilm. The characteristic distribution of bacteria at different biofilm depths provides valuable information on not only the biofilm formation process but also the sandstone weathering process in the tropics. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) amoA gene was amplified and investigated from Bayon temple, Angkor Thom. The results confirmed the detection of three large clusters, namely the Soil/sediment, the Nitrososphaera gargensis, and the Water column/sediment. Our sequences obtained fell into all three clusters and most of the clones were in the Soil/sediment cluster. The diversity of AOA amoA gene in Bayon, Cambodia was relatively high, indicating their contribution to production of nitrate from ammonia. AOB amoA gene-based PCR primer failed to generate any target DNA fragment bands after PCR amplification. AOB 16S rRNA gene was then introduced to amplify and detect AOB existence and abundance, but no AOB species were detected. AOB in all of the three samples from Bayon were below the detection limits. The information collective suggest that microorganisms are widely present on surface of sandstone temples and they are responsible for the different colors on surface; their activity is responsible for biodeterioration through nutrient cycling.

Speakers

Ji-Dong Gu

Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong

currently working at The University of Hong Kong. He obtained MSc degree from University of Alberta (Canada), PhD degree from Virginia Tech (USA). He worked at Harvard University between 1993 and 1998 before joining The University of Hong Kong. He has been working on safeguarding... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Yoko Katayama

Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Conservation science of microbiology on Angkor monuments in Cambodia for 17 years.

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Book and Paper) Watercolor Pencils: Composition and Conservation Concerns

Within the last century, watercolor pencils have become more prevalent as a multidisciplinary artistic medium. They can be used wet or dry to achieve a multitude of colors, textures, and artistic effects. Little information regarding their general composition, aging characteristics, and risks associated with their treatment is available in art conservation literature. An understanding of watercolor pencils’ properties is necessary to avoid any pigment reduction or bleeding that could result from the unexpected, and potentially destructive, solvent reactions during conservation treatment. This work examines the composition of a variety of commercially available artist’s watercolor pencils (from Derwent®, Staedtler®, and Reeves®), and the pencils’ reactions to solvent immersion, on both artificially aged and unaged samples. Colorimetry and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy was used to quantify any fading or material loss throughout the experiment. Despite many similarities to traditional watercolor paints in both use and appearance, the pencils differ greatly in composition. All watercolor pencils tested were found to contain colorants, clays, a polysaccharide binder, and polyethylene glycol. Aging was found to reduce water solubility, while ethanol and acetone, before and after aging, had little effect on the media.

Speakers

Lauren Buttle

Paper Conservator, Queen's University, Art Conservation Program

Lauren Buttle completed her Masters of Art Conservation, specializing in the treatment of paper objects, at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. While undertaking these studies, Lauren worked on campus as a conservation assistant at the W. D. Jordan Special Collections & Music... Read More →

Natasa Krsmanovic

Assistant Conservator, Library of Parliament

Natasa Krsmanovic earned a Master of Art Conservation degree at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, specializing in archival objects and works of art on paper. She has completed internships at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, and the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Laura Hashimoto

Post-Graduate Paper Conservation Fellow, Canadian Conservation Institute

Laura Hashimoto holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in English Language and Literature (2012) from Queen's University, and recently completed her alma mater's Master of Art Conservation program specializing in archival objects and works of art on paper. She has completed internships... Read More →

Rosaleen Hill

Art Conservation Program, Queen's University

Rosaleen Hill is Director and Assistant Professor - Paper Conservation, Photographic Materials and New Media for the Art Conservation Program at Queen's University.

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Emergency) Disaster Plan in Greece

Disaster preparedness in Greek cultural institutions is now becoming an important consideration and steps are being taken to understand the current strategies and improve prevention, preparation, and response. Until recently, disaster prevention has not been a mandate of heritage collections management in Greece. Research, training programs, and resources are being established in Greece, based on systems like American Institute for Conservation Collections Emergency Response Team (AIC-CERT) and other international programs. Greece is a county at risk for many types of disasters, regularly experiencing wildfires, earthquakes, floods, and building mechanical failures. A brief history of documented consequences of disastrous events such as flood, earthquake and fire in Greek cultural institutions and archaeological sites from 2002 – 2012 will be presented. This research is based on information provided by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL STAT).** Research* has been completed that identifies the degree of disaster readiness of Greek cultural institutions. The research, similar to the Heritage Preservation’s Heritage Health Index, took the form of a questionnaire and was sent to museums, libraries, and archives. The aim of the study was to investigate both readiness and strategies for cultural institutions to deal effectively with a catastrophic event. This study identified the number of Greek cultural institutions with formal written disaster plans and reviewed the roles and preparedness of staff to implement measures in protect institutional collections in case of natural, man-made, or accidental disasters. The study revealed that 75% of Greek institutions did not have a disaster plan. This survey provoked national awareness on this important topic. A national 4-day seminar was cooperatively organized “Disaster Plan in Cultural Foundations of Greece.” This seminar was organized by the Eugenides Foundation in collaboration with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, the Technological Educational Institution of Athens, Institute for Educational Policy, and the American Embassy and was co-taught by American and Greek specialists. This was the first seminar on disaster prevention and recovery and the training was similar to the AIC-CERT training, but adapted to the available resources and culture of Greece. 150 Participants included Museum Directors, Managers, Curators, and Conservators from many types of institutions, took part on this seminar . The seminar informed managers and staff both theoretical information and practical experience so that each organization had a foundation of knowledge to be able to prepare their own plan. The study has sparked interest in additional research and the results are being used to design new effective strategies, in preparation, prevention and response to disasters.

Speakers

Maria Lyratzi

Conservator, Pedagogical Institute

Professional Experience Conservator of Paper, Library of Institute of Educational Policy/Greek Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs, 2006 - current • Established Laboratory of Conservation of Books and Bookbinding. Institutional Disaster Assessment and... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Georgia Georgiou

Arheologist-Museologist, Ministry of Culture

EXPERIENCE Ephorate of Antiquities of West Attica, Pireus and islands Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre — May /2015- present Excavation on an ancient cemetery located in the area of Phaleron Delta (Phaleron Bay), on the South of Athens. Ephorate of Antiquities of West... Read More →

Ioanna Adamopoulou

Archaeologist-Museologist, Ministry of Culture

EDUCATION: 2014 :National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Greece Department of History – Archaeology & Department of Geology in collaboration with the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art of the Technological Educational Institution of Athens Master... Read More →

Kassiani Plati

Historian-Museologist, Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation "V.Papantoniou"

Kassiani Plati is a graduate of the Department of History and Ethnology of the Democritus University of Thrace and she has a Master of Arts in Museum Studies of the University of Athens. She has worked intermittently at the Museum of Geology and Paleontology of the University of Athens... Read More →

Stella Pateli

Fine Art Conservator, Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient and Modern Monuments, Piraeus 81,

Professional Experience • Restoration of wall paintings at the temple of Resurrection, Tatoi, Ministry of Culture: Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments, 2013 • Conservation and restoration of antiquities and works of Art, Ministry of Culture: Third Ephorate... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Objects + Wooden Artifacts) The study of boxwood prayer beads and miniature altars from the Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Thomson Collection of European Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMA) each holds an impressive number of early 16th century, miniature boxwood carvings known as prayer beads and miniature altars. These intricate objects have fascinated collectors and now museum visitors with their diminutive scale, intricacy and somewhat mysterious methods of construction. A technical research project exploring these objects is underway at the AGO and MMA: findings will be shared in an exhibition at the AGO, MMA and the Rijksmuseum. The study of carving techniques and strategies of joining tiny, interlocking pieces will help group the objects into clusters of makers and/or workshops and perhaps even determine a chronology of manufacture. Conservators and curators at the AGO and MMA have profited from different institutional collection strategies and staff expertise for the benefit of the project. The AGO’s investigation relies on micro-computed tomography (high-resolution X-ray tomography), a non-invasive tool which reveals the carvings’ internal structures and features. Imaging software allows 3D virtual models to be created from the high resolution X-radiographic scans which can then be examined and manipulated in a so-called “virtual deconstruction.” With the information provided by the micro CT scans of their objects, the MMA took the additional step of deconstructing their boxwood objects to the extent possible. With greater access to their interiors, specifics of tooling and fabrication could be documented microscopically, intrusive restorations reduced, broken elements re-adhered, and accumulated dirt and insect casings reduced. The AGO has also embarked on an ambitious program to photograph the entire opus of prayer beads and miniature altars extant internationally (about 130 objects) using high resolution, focus stacking software. This will allow the comparison of objects and examination of detail impossible to date with the constraints of traditional photography, which was only able to produce hazy images of these tiny works. To more thoroughly understand original manufacture and subsequent repairs and restorations, minute samples of the AGO works’ adhesives, coatings and polychromy are being analysed at the Canadian Conservation Institute with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS); pyrolysis gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS); and with a Bruker Senterra dispersive Raman microscope. Similar analytical work is being undertaken at the MMA. The employment of new technologies such as micro CT scanning, and focus stacking software along with the analytical work carried out at CCI and MMA, is providing previously inconceivable access to the prayer beads and miniature altars. The resulting data, including high quality images and previously hidden construction details, will allow conservators to posit credible theories about makers and chronologies of manufacture. The collaboration between institutions is yielding greater results than would otherwise be possible: there is access to a greater number of works for research purposes as well as the benefit of a collegial environment in which to share findings and deliberate their meaning.

Speakers

Lisa Ellis

Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts, Art Gallery of Ontario

Lisa Ellis has been the Conservator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Art Gallery of Ontario since 2007: she is the AGO's technical lead on an upcoming exhibition about boxwood carvings from the renowned Thomson Collection at the AGO. She has published conservation articles... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Alexandra Suda

Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts and Chair, Print & Drawing Council, Art Gallery of Ontario

Alexandra Suda is Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts and Chair, Print & Drawing Council at the Art Gallery of Ontario. She is currently completing her PhD focused on medieval manuscripts at the Institute of Fine Arts NYU and has a Masters Degree from Williams and an AB from... Read More →

Andrew Nelson

Sustainable Archaeology  at the University of Western Ontario

Dr. Andrew Nelson gained his PhD from UCLA in 1995 in Anthropology. His research interests are centered in two of the major subfields of anthropology, biological anthropology and archaeology. In the field of biological anthropology his research focus is human evolution. In the field... Read More →

Barbara Drake Boehm

The Paul and Jill Ruddock Senior Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Barbara Drake Boehm is The Paul and Jill Ruddock Senior Curator for the Met Cloisters at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is co-curator, with Alexandra Suda of the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Frits Scholten of the Rijksmuseum of the forthcoming exhibition on miniature boxwood carvings... Read More →

Elizabeth Moffatt

Conservation Scientist (retired), Canadian Conservation Institute

Jennifer Poulin

Senior Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute

Jennifer Poulin earned a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from Acadia University in 1992 and a Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry, specializing in gas chromatography, from Dalhousie University in 1995. She has worked in the analysis of natural products since 1996 and began work at... Read More →

Pete Dandridge

Conservator and Administrator, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pete Dandridge, Conservator and Administrator, came to the Museum in 1979 after receiving his MA in Conservation and a certificate of advanced studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works of Art. Since 1984, he has had primary responsibility... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Objects, Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Paintings) Bocour paints and Barnett Newman paintings: context and correlations

The productive artistic career of Barnet Newman (1905-1970) peaked during the time when new acrylic paints were first introduced to the market. Magna, a solvent-soluble acrylic advertised as “the first new painting medium in 500 years” was introduced by Leonard Bocour in 1947 and was followed by Aqua-tec acrylic emulsion paint in 1963-64. Although Newman was reportedly careful about his materials, choosing to use artist-grade paints that he presumed more stable than the commercial house paints favored by his abstract expressionist contemporaries such as Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline, his personal relationship with Bocour led him to adopt these new media relatively early on: he used Magna in 1949 on Abraham and acrylic emulsion in 1964 on White Fire III and the Ninth Station in The Stations of The Cross: Lema Sabachthani series. Upon Newman’s death in 1970, a wide range of Bocour paints were found in the artist’s studio: Aqua-tec, Magna, Hand Ground Oils, Artists’ Oils and Bellini Oils (a student-grade series). A selection of these materials were gifted by Newman’s widow to Robert Murray, a sculptor and colleague of Newman’s, who donated them to the Menil Collection in 2015. Analysis of these paints, additional paints from the artist’s studio gifted by his widow to the Center for the Technical Study of Modern Art at Harvard Art Museums, and of historic Bocour paints held by the Art Materials Research and Study Center at the National Gallery, was performed in order to provide comparison with the paints present on Newman paintings held at the Menil Collection and the works loaned by other institutions for Barnett Newman: The Late Work, an exhibition held in the spring of 2015. Surprisingly, XRF analysis of the paints on the paintings shows that, in the vast majority of cases, these do not correspond to the historical Bocour paints available for analysis. However, there are strong similarities in the elemental compositions of paints used on different paintings. For instance, the white paints on Now II (1967) and White Fire IV (1967) appear to be the same, while those on Unfinished Painting [The Sail 1970] (1970), Unfinished Painting [Red & White 1970] (1970), The Way II (1969) and Midnight Blue (1970) are clearly different from the earlier group and fall into a distinct class of their own. Such correspondences could arise from different batches of either Bocour or artist-derived custom made paints. However if Newman had been mixing his own paints, he must have either made large enough batches to use on multiple works, or followed recipes consistently enough to duplicate the elemental ratios so as to be indistinguishable by the technique used here. Finally, the analysis of the historic paints also reveals some discrepancies between the listed and actual pigment composition of certain Bocour products, namely supplementing more expensive colorants with synthetic organic pigments.

Speakers

Corina E. Rogge

Andrew W. Mellon Research Scientist, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Co-Author(s)

Bradford Epley

Conservator, The Menil Collection

Brad Epley joined the Menil Collection in 1999 as assistant paintings conservator and was appointed Chief Conservator in 2006, overseeing the museum’s conservation activities and co-directing the Artists Documentation Program. Epley received his undergraduate degree in chemistry... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Understanding Temperature and Moisture Equilibration: A Path towards Sustainable Strategies for Museum, Library and Archives Collections

Since 2010, the Image Permanence Institute (IPI), a department of the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY received funding from the U. S. National Endowment for Humanities for two consecutive three-year research projects, to investigate new methodologies for sustainable management of collection environments. Collections of enduring research value and cultural significance reside mainly in libraries, archives and museums that are under pressure to reduce their use of energy. While it is widely recognized that providing a proper environment is the most important element for preservation, HVAC operations are under scrutiny. In response, institutions are considering a variety of strategies to minimize energy use, such as moving from a static environmental management approach, where macro-environmental temperature and humidity settings remain stable and constant, to a dynamic approach involving methodical nightly, weekend, or seasonal settings adjustments. IPI’s current research addresses the lack of systematic study of what happens to collection materials when short-term climate changes occur; it is also testing the efficiency of new environmental profiles that might combine potential energy savings with efficient humidity control. Looking to common material-enclosure configurations, such as books on shelves, prints and photographs in boxes, maps in flat-file cabinets, IPI’s research explores several key questions: How do temperature and humidity changes propagate through objects and collections? How do seasonal changes affect collections? How can collection managers assess the risks or benefits of dynamic environmental changes that occur in a repetitive pattern over long periods of time? Which sustainable HVAC management approach has the greater potential for the future? The thrust of this presentation is to report new findings regarding thermal and moisture transfer between materials and collection environments. These results will be based upon extensive laboratory testing and field experimentation. IPI’s research will provide new and significant insights into the dynamic relationship existing between the changing conditions of the macro-environment, the micro-environment surrounding a collection object, and the object’s core. Most notably, it will underscore the role of collections in controlling their own macro-environment. It is believed that the gained knowledge will enable and support profound changes in the way HVAC operations are managed.

Speakers

Jean-Louis Bigourdan

Senior Research Scientist, Image Permanence Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology

Jean-Louis Bigourdan is a senior research scientist at the Image Permanence Institute (IPI), Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA. He has a background in Chemistry, photography and conservation of photographic materials. He received his diploma in the conservation... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Combining RTI with Image Analysis for Quantitative Tarnish and Corrosion Studies

Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) has become an important part of the documentation repertoire of many conservation laboratories. The ability to enhance details of surface shape and color helps in discerning surface information not otherwise easily visible. RTI is usually used to obtain qualitative data, such as reading difficult-to-see inscriptions and decorative details. We have been experimenting with combining RTI with image analysis for quantitative applications. Image analysis starts with algorithms that enhance visual separation of different features in an image and mark for analysis (in a process called ‘segmentation’) features of a specific color, contrast, size range, and/or morphology. Satisfactory segmentation is the core requirement for successful image analysis. Once this is achieved, a variety of quantitative data on those highlighted regions can be collected simultaneously. RTI plus image analysis is a natural coupling. Since quantitative analysis of surface features first requires the best possible segmentation, the enhanced surface detail produced by RTI is a clear advantage. One application we have been experimenting with is the use of RTI plus image analysis to obtain quantitative data on surface corrosion. The technique has been applied to coupons from Oddy tests, coated coupons artificially aged in a weatherometer, and metal sheets used for rapid corrosion tests. Oddy tests are used to assess compatibility of storage and display materials with metals found in collections. The test provides qualitative data as to whether a material is advisable for long-term use, for short-term exhibitions, or not at all. Reading the results of these exposure tests on coupon surfaces, however, can be tricky. For example, the British Museum has recommended that to reduce surface reflections from silver and copper coupons, a sheet of white paper should be held at an angle of approximately 60° to horizontal over the coupons while making assessments. Another difficulty is that control coupons themselves can change due to the elevated RH of the test. These changes have to be accounted for in making judgements about the degree of change in non-control coupons. RTI can improve the test by allowing qualitative assessments to be made under the best standardized viewing conditions. Adding image analysis allows surface effects on the controls to be subtracted from all other coupon images, and can add quantitative data on percentage of surface tarnish. We applied this process to weatherometer tests of coatings recommended for outdoor architectural brass. Image analysis gives the percentages of pitting and corrosion products present. However, using images obtained through RTI, rather than through typical photographic or scanning methods, provides more satisfactory results. We also used this approach to assess the results of rapid corrosion tests developed in industry to test the efficacy of corrosion inhibitors. Two indicators are important but cannot be assessed easily in one image: the percentage of surface area covered by corrosion products, and the degree of pitting attack, which has the effect of darkening the shiny, polished metal surface. Using the RTI viewer followed by image analysis these two indicators can be separated and quantified.

Speakers

Dr. Chandra Reedy

Professor and Director, University of Delaware

Chandra L. Reedy is a professor of historic preservation at the University of Delaware’s Biden School of Public Policy & Administration, and Director of the Center for Historic Architecture and Design. She also directs the Center’s Laboratory for Analysis of Cultural Materials... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Kevin Barni

Research Assistant, Center for Historic Architecture & Design, University of Delaware

Ying Xu

Research Assistant, Center for Historic Architecture & Design, University of Delaware

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Sustainability) Climate change: A new threat to our Paper Material Heritage

Northwest part of India, better known as ‘ Thar’ Desert has always been famous for its Dry climatic condition, thin vegetation cover and comparatively low biological activities. Any change in climate may lead to destabilization of its balance with surrounding living and non living things including art material heritage. Climate change is being discussed frequently at political and research level, mostly focused on environmental, industry, energy, and health. Until now it has not been considered as threat to material heritage which needs to be transmitted to future generation. Thar desert which includes western part of Rajasthan has very rich cultural heritage, especially world famous Marwar Miniature painting on paper which consist sophisticated technique and material science, considered to be very sensitive to its surrounding climate so any change in climatic factors could initiate complex inter or intra molecular activity to cause irreversible damage in painting. In recent years as indirect effect of global warming, wind patterns are gradually changing in this region and normally blowing southwest winds are being replaced by eastern and other abnormal wind direction, as a result receiving more rain and consequently generating more moisture in air and soil, facilitating favorable conditions for microbiological activities including molds and insects. In this way climate change not only inducing destructive internal structural changes in painting but also promotes external damages as indirect or direct consequences of biological activities on and around object’s surface.

Speakers

Vikram S. Rathore

Deputy Manager, Conservation Center, Mehrangarh Museum

Vikram S. Rathore is currently working as Deputy Manager at Conservation center, Mehrangarh Museum, India with specialization in Paper conservation, precious miniature paintings in particular. He is actively involved in conservation center’s various projects, including prestigious... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Sustainability

Interest Sustainability
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

9:00am EDT

(Textiles) A Biological Disaster to Costume

Natural disasters come in many forms, but rarely is an entire museum’s collection inundated with a predatory insect infestation. In the fall of 2006, the Smithsonian’s newest museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), initially requested that the Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) assess and evaluate the condition of the Black Fashion Museum (BFM) in Washington, D.C. Its former director and owner, Lois K. Alexander Lane, had traveled the United States collecting garments that were designed, sewn, and, or worn by African Americans spanning the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. She headed the Harlem Institute of Fashion before founding the BFM and moving the collection to Washington, D.C. However Lane was now incapacitated; while the family continued to manage the collection they found it overwhelming. Her daughter sought to donate the collection in its entirety to the new Smithsonian NMAAHC. The BFM filled a two-story townhouse with costume and accessories. When the Smithsonian inspected and evaluated the collection it was stored in a closed environment and infested with live carpet beetles in all stages, along with spiders. This paper will recount the survey, removal, initial treatment, and rehousing for this stunning collection that took place during 2007-2014 and the numerous participants in the early stages of BFM’s recovery.

Speakers

Cathleen Zaret

Associate Conservator, GWU/Textile Museum Washington DC

Cathleen Zaret will begin work as an associate conservator at George Washington University / Textile Museum, Washington DC this June. She launched her private practice Zaret Textile & Costume Conservation LLC in November of 2015 conserving and mounting three-dimensional and flat textiles... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Carol Grissom

Senior Objects Conservator, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

Carol A. Grissom has been Senior Objects Conservator at MCI since 1984. She received a B.A. in art history from Wellesley College and an M.A. in art conservation from Oberlin College. She then took advanced training at the national conservation institutes of Belgium and Italy and... Read More →

Mary W. Ballard

Conservator, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

EducationB.A. Wellesley (1971)M.A. and Diploma in Conservation New York University Institute of Fine Arts (1979)Additional coursework: North Carolina State University, College of TextilesResearch Specialties and InterestsInterested in coloration of textiles and in the evidence of... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Architecture) Use of Façade & Art Documentation Surveys for Historic Cultural Architecture and Art for Future Possible Restorations in Case of Disaster

Presenting high quality information in a usable format is the key to guiding a successful restoration project after an emergency or disaster. We describe how 21st century photogrammetry laser scanning, drone based video coupled with web based technology, computers and internet, were used to document and guide a 1936 Texas Centennial Fair Park Bas Relief Existing Condition Assessment and Preservation Plan development in anticipation of a future restoration project. Modern methods of documentation of monumental sculptures and architectural art. These investigation and documentation methods resulted in documentation that provided better information and hence more project control, reduced equipment and manpower effort during the investigation phase. Detailed scaled documentation would provide the bidders as well as the next generation of preservationists and owner representatives a readily accessible record on which to base restoration project in the event of a disaster. Photogrammetric imagery used to produce blueprints with full surface texture is demonstrated. These blueprints enhance productivity, development of work scope and project management. High resolution photo inspections viewed interactively side-by-side online with these blueprint substitutes were used to assist in RFP development and bidder review of work scope for the project. In a partial disaster future imagery could be paired with baseline documentation to develop work scope using the comparison viewer. We demonstrate how the documentation tools allow for close-up assessment of the original surface features on a scaled rendering. The web based display facilitates interactive use, and “on-image” recording of forensic investigation data, e.g. drill resistance testing, ground penetrating radar, impact echo and ultrasonic graphs and data, as well as pre and post damage and post restoration comparisons. The use of the technology to make work scope and forensic data retrievable, accessible, and understandable to the field user is illustrated. Photogrammetric scaled photo-renderings with enhanced surface texture as CAD blueprint substitutes and high resolution photo inspection tool allowing pan and zoom capability is demonstrated to show how greater control can be established for projects, reduce bidder uncertainty, and rely less on artistic interpretation and more on original artist/architect intent in a restoration. These tools ultimately allow for the evaluation and documentation of the conditions not possible until current development in computing and the internet, leading to a more robust conservation effort, and better longitudinal record of weathering, deterioration, and repair.
R. Alden Marshall & Associates, in association with Manassas Consulting, are leading the way in drone aerial HD video and laser documentation that will work in conjunction with the photogrammetric imagery so that surveys of Architecture Monuments and Architectural Art that were previously inaccessible without great expense can now be surveyed and documented at a more reasonable cost.

Speakers

Battle Brown

Founder/Owner, Manassas Consulting, LLC

Battle Brown has been involved in architecture and documentation of art, architecture as art, and buildings since for a nearly a decade. He has worked on Peirre Bourdelle's bas reliefs at the Texas Centennial World Fair Park, the U.S. Custom House at Philadelphia both Art Deco era... Read More →

Robert Alden Marshall

Director, Senior Conservator, R. Alden Marshall & Associates

R. Alden Marshall& Associates, Caring for Architectural and monumental art in North America for over 30 years National Trust award winner for restoration In the northeast 408 2nd Street New Cumberland, PA 17070, Kingfield, ME & In the southwest, 1575 West Travis, Business 71 La Grange... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Book and Paper) Paper Tapestry: Wallpaper Preservation

From 1866 to 1982, Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens was home to four generations of the Austin family. Opened to the public as a museum by the City of Toronto in 1984, Spadina Museum is one of ten historic museums operated by the City of Toronto. Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture division decided to update the original restoration of Spadina Museum commencing in 2009. After extensive interior renovations to depict how the Austins lived during the 1920’s and 1930’s, it was reopened to the public in 2010. The first and second floor renovations included digital reproductions the wallpaper based on original source material maintained in the Austin family’s records. That restoration project was presented at the 2011 CAC Conference in Winnipeg. This paper picks up where that one left off. In 1912/13, the Austin family added a third floor to their Spadina home which included servant spaces. The third floor was not included in the previous restoration activities. In 2012, in preparation for opening the third floor servants’ quarters to the public for the first time, Spadina Museum undertook the in situ stabilization and treatment of the wallpaper in the servants’ hallway, believed to be original to the 1912/13 renovation. This space shines on a light on “the other half” of life at Spadina allowing visitors to now see the servants’ living quarters, including the bathroom and water closet, a bedroom and the servants’ sitting room, all of which are accessed by a hallway decorated with tapestry inspired wallpaper. The space was also the site of a travelling exhibit featuring costumes from the popular television series “Downton Abbey.” Prior to the 2012 renovation, the servants’ space was being used by museum staff as a storage area and had been renovated to incorporate an elevator. As a result, the wallpaper suffered physical damage from items being moved through the space and from construction related activities. Damage included numerous small losses and abrasions to the wallpaper; areas where the paper was delaminating from the walls; and other areas of significant large losses. Additionally, there were water stains from previous ceiling damage, and tears in the wallpaper due to cracks in the lathe and plaster structure it was pasted to. The wallpaper was further obfuscated by a buildup of decades of soot, dust and grime. A different approach was taken with the restoration of the servants’ quarters. The original wallpaper was preserved by modifying traditional conservation techniques to clean and treat it in situ, whereas the large losses were infilled with full scale digitally reproduced wallpaper. This paper will discuss the challenges of undertaking this treatment in situ and those of colour matching and achieving the correct scale, proportions and perspective for the digitally reproduced paper, as well as working as an independent contractor with staff and volunteers at the historic property and other City of Toronto divisions and private” partners”. This project highlights an emerging approach and modality in conservation and tells the next chapter in the renovations at Spadina Museum.

Speakers

Joanna P McMann

Assistant Conservator, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Electronic Media) Putting the Time Base back in Time Based Media Conservation

Leitch. Digital Processing Systems. Fortel. Snell & Wilcox. For the video formats that require the stabilizing force of a time-base corrector (TBC) to be digitized, the selection of TBC is second to only that of the videotape recorder. But despite the critical role played by these remarkable, increasingly obsolete machines (the earliest of analog-to-digital devices), their inner-workings remain a mystery to many of those responsible for reformatting analog video materials. Color, definition, stability, interlacement errors, preponderance of drop out—these things all rely, and, to a certain extent, vary, depending on the choice of TBC. During this presentation, members of the Bay Area Video Coalition’s (BAVC) Preservation team will stake a renewed claim for the significance of TBCs in media conservation, under-discussed, yet essential components of video and digitization systems. Beginning with an overview of helical scan recording technologies, Haydon and Turkus will deconstruct the time base, which, like all forms of video technology, is rooted in the rapid-fire transformation of light into electronic signal. Pinpointing the various distortions (tape damage, stretching, mechanical speed variation, oxide loss) that can affect the sync pulses that play a critical role in the playback of recorded signal, Haydon and Turkus will walk the audience through why time base errors occur, and how they are “corrected” by these devices. Presenting a series of case studies from the recent BAVC preservation projects, with a particular focus on formats from the heyday of video art (CV, EIAJ-1, ¾’’ U-Matic), the speakers will use side-by-side visual comparisons and analytical data provided by QCTools to demonstrate the at-times subtle, at-times significant differences between time base correctors. With relevance for both in-house and outsourced video digitization projects, Haydon and Turkus will guide collections holders in taking a more active role in the selection of TBC, communicating with vendors both at the outset of a project (the RFP/SOW process) and during playback testing. Haydon and Turkus will conclude with a critical look at the omission of “peripheral” machines such as TBCs from discussions of the magnetic media crisis. The obsolescence factors that affect TBCs, and the difficulties (and expense) of repairing and procuring functioning TBCs on the open market will only increase in magnitude in the coming years. Just as time-based media conservators should know the names of TBC manufacturers, they should also begin actively preparing for this inevitable decline.

Speakers

Kelly Haydon

Preservationist, Bay Area Video Coalition

Benjamin Turkus

Preservation Project Manager, Bay Area Video Coalition

Ben Turkus oversees all of BAVC’s preservation and digitization activities, developing workflow, documentation, and technical practices. He has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in Film Studies from Columbia University, and is currently pursuing a MA in Moving Image... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Emergency) Renovating the disaster preparedness plan of the renovated Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

With the upcoming reopening of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam after a 9 years renovation in 2013, a review of the disaster preparedness plan was necessary. The disaster plan of the museum was over 10 years old and although it functioned well, the prospect of moving back 8000 objects into new and unfamiliar showcases, with new hanging systems in a changed museum building with many new members of staff, was not to be under estimated. The basic concept of the old plan was simple: Any damage or possible damage to the collection is reported to the so-called collection coordinator on duty. The collection coordinator being a member of staff with knowledge of art handling, knowledge of the museum organization and the ability to stay calm in stressfull situations. The new plan: A clear definition between ‘incident’ and ‘calamity’ was introduced to make the organization in moments of stress during unusual events such as the rescue of damaged or endangered art more effective. An incident is defined as an event that can be managed by the staff of the museum and the normal state of affairs in the museum can continue with only minor disruption. If the rescue operation can not be managed by the staff and/or the state of affair has to be interrupted, it is called a calamity and the crisis team is mobilized. This gives the collection coordinator on duty the authority to act quickly and is therefore more efficient. If the situation can’t be handled with the people available it also creates the possibility to ‘upscale’ the rescue operation quickly. In the months before the reopening around 80 new members of the security staff received an in company training. Half a day of the course was reserved for the prevention, and reporting and assisting in the first recovery. Over 80 % of all incidents is first noted by members of the security staff. Raising the awareness of the security staff is vital to the success of any disaster plan. A new registration system of incidents and calamities to the collection was introduced: code yellow. Collection coordinators were trained to prepare for the new situation, for example how to open show cases in case of an emergency and evacuation of objects. Looking back at the first year: Record breaking visitor numbers showed that some of the routes in the galleries were too crowded and therefore a danger to objects and people. The introduction of an annual report and evaluation of all incidents combined with recommendations for improvement proved to be effective. Challenges for the future: Better relationships with local authorities are to be established. Extreme whether conditions in the summer of 2014 showed the museum’s vulnerability. A new risk assessment on this specific risk was carried out. Implementing the advised improvements based on risk assessment of a recently renovated building are not easy to sell. Keeping the constantly changing security staff well trained proved to be a challenge too, designing a program of exercises and drills is in progress.

Speakers

Idelette Van Leeuwen

Head of paper conservation, Rijksmuseum

Idelette van Leeuwen graduated as a book and paper conservator at the State Training School of Conservation in Amsterdam in 1989. After working on some short conservation projects in the Dutch Institute in Rome and the Municipal Archives in Amsterdam she took a position as senior... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Objects + Wooden Artifacts) Decoys X-rayed: What Volume rad tomography and computed tomography contribute to technical study

This paper will examine some of the issues of adapting medical radiography to the examination of wooden artifacts, and explore and compare the usefulness of two three-dimensional radiological techniques, volume rad tomosynthesis and computed tomography (CT), for revealing tool marks and marks within joints on wild fowl decoys in Shelburne Museum’s collection. While digital radiography equipment has become more affordable to museums, the price tag still is out of reach for smaller labs. The conservators at Shelburne Museum turn to the radiological technologists at the University of Vermont Medical Center Hospital(UVMMC) to assist with non-destructive examination of composite objects and paintings. Because of their size, decoys are well suited for transport from the museum to the hospital for study. At UVMMC, the equipment the technologists use to take standard radiographs for the conservators also can be used for volume rad tomosynthesis, rendering the technique more accessible and convenient than CT which requires separate scheduling. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique will be explored.

Speakers

Nancie Ravenel-[Fellow]

Objects Conservator, Shelburne Museum

Nancie is an AIC Fellow and is the conservator at Shelburne Museum in Vermont. She received her MS in art conservation from the University of Delaware/Winterthur Museum program. Following fellowships and contract positions at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the National Gallery, Washington... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Objects, Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Paintings) An Investigation into the Materials and Techniques in Francis Picabia’s 'La Terre est Ronde,' 1951.

Francis Picabia is known to have commonly re-worked or completely painted over earlier versions of his paintings; however, the original image that lies beneath the surface often remains a mystery. The artist’s re-painting affects not only the visible image, but also the painting’s physical characteristics and changes in condition over time. Intentional visible alterations to the painted composition of La Terre est Ronde (1951, private collection), possibly the last painting completed by Picabia, were explored using detailed examination techniques combined with scientific analysis and research. The painting depicts an abstracted, white, cylindrical form resting on a white and light blue rounded Earth, contrasted against a dark blue background, with two large bright green circles above, and smaller white circles surrounding the columnar form. Pentimenti was indicated by vertical brushstrokes extending upwards and downwards from the white form, which did not correspond to the visible paint application. These were compared against a previously known possible source image of ‘the Angel from the Seventh Seal of the Apocalypse,’ an illumination from the Beatus d’Urgell manuscript (Catalan artist, 10th C.). Technical examination and X-radiography images taken using a digital X-ray detector confirmed that Picabia omitted anatomical aspects of the source figure as he originally painted it. He reworked his composition to create a fully abstracted form, covering the angel’s head and censer with bright green circles, and painting out its arms, legs, and feet. Furthermore, unexpected physical characteristics, condition issues, and unintentional alterations in the painting’s appearance over time were encountered during examination and testing, which impacted the course of conservation treatment. Picabia experimented with various paint media throughout his career, which may have contributed to unique condition concerns. An extensive network of open cracks in the green painted circles, and the presence of small, white, crystalline efflorescences in the blue background merited scientific analysis and research to better understand their physical components, and assist in devising an ethical and effective treatment strategy. In-depth scholarly research and technical examination included infrared reflectography, ultraviolet photography, and photomicrography. Samples of pigments, crystalline efflorescences, and two varnishes were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS), micro X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and light microscopy (LM). Pigments present in the green paint were found to be rather unusual, and may merit further investigation and comparison against pigments identified in Picabia’s other late paintings. This paper will discuss Francis Picabia’s materials and techniques used in La Terre est Ronde, and how they have contributed to unexpected condition issues, requiring thoughtful preparation, research, and treatment to stabilize and best preserve this unique Dada painting.

Speakers

Emily Prehoda

Associate Paintings Conservator, Kuniej Berry Associates, LLC

Emily Prehoda earned her B.A. in the History of Art from Michigan State University, and her M.A. in Art Conservation, specializing in Paintings Conservation, from Queen’s University. She is currently an Associate Paintings Conservator at Kuniej Berry Associates, LLC, a private conservation... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Joseph R. Swider

Senior Research Scientist, McCrone Associates, Inc

Joseph R. Swider earned a BS in Chemistry and Art History from the University of Rochester and a PhD in Nuclear Chemistry from the University of Maryland at College Park. During a portion of his graduate studies he was employed by the Science Department at the National Gallery of... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Photochromatic images of Edmond Becquerel: where do the colours come from? Tracks in the understanding of the origin of their colours

Edmond Becquerel (French physicist, 1820-1891) introduced in 1848 the first colour photographs called by himself, “photochromatic images”. Among the first images was the recording of the solar spectrum he produced by directly projecting it onto a sensitized silver plate [1, 2]. At least, two examples of this solar spectrum image are kept in museum collections, one at the Musée Nicéphore Niépce (Châlon-sur-Sâone, France) and the other one at Musée des arts et métiers (CNAM, Paris). However photochromatic images are still light sensitive and have to be kept in the dark [3]. Becquerel wrote he had not yet "been able to arrest the subsequent action of diffused light which gradually destroys the images" [4]. Despite many attempts, Becquerel and other followers such as Abel Niépce de Saint Victor (1805-1870) who revisited Becquerel's process in the 1850s and the 1860s, never managed to make them light stable. The long exposure times required to produce the image and its light instability prevented the diffusion of the process among the public at large. A small number of photochromatic images have survived till today. The recent rediscovery of a batch of these early colour photographs in the archives of the National museum of natural history in Paris has brought a new interest for this process in particular to better understand the origin of the colours. Interestingly, if many hypotheses have been stated, the origin of colours has never been clearly demonstrated, and even scientifically re-explored since the 19th century, except a first study in 1999 [5]. A preliminary study funded by “Sorbonne Universités” and gathering different laboratories is endeavouring to reexamine those intriguing images. Our paper will describe this initiative, from the production of photochromatic images following Becquerel's publications to its analysis. The direct printing-out positive colour images are prepared in a very simple way that requires no development: a polished silver plate is sensitized by a chlorine solution and then exposed to the light in the camera. We studied parameters described by Becquerel to play a role in the formation of the images: the preparation of the silver plate, the thickness of the sensitized layer, the visible spectral bandwidths of the exposure, etc. We examined the relationship between the image microstructure and its optical properties. The microstructure of the coloured plates, the sensitized layer thickness, its morphology, and its porosity, as many characteristics that control the colours were investigated by using electron microscopies. Our multi-scale approach, from the naked-eye view to a sub-microscopic scale, will help us to relate the macro and micro-images to the reflectance properties measured with UV-Visible reflectance spectroscopy. This leads to a better understanding of the origins of the colours. [1] E. Becquerel. Annales de Chimie et de Physique, 22:451–459, 1848. [2] http://www.museeniepce.com/index.php/collections/enjeux-de-la-photographie/L-utopie-photographique. [Online; accessed21-Aug.-2015] [3] B. Lavédrine and J.-P. Gandolfo. L’autochrome Lumière. Secrets d’atelier et défis industriels. Paris : CTHS, 2009. [4] E. Becquerel. Photographic and Fine Art Journal, 8:8, 1855. [5] M. Kereun, Mythes et réalités autour de la fixation des couleurs héliochromiques. Mémoire de DEA, CNAM, 1999.

Speakers

Christine Andraud

Professor, Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation / MNHN

Marie-Angelique Languille

Dr., Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Collections

Marie-Angélique Languille is conservation scientist at the Centre de recherche sur la conservation where she has been appointed for leading the photographic material section. In 2008, she got a PhD in physical chemistry, more specifically in surface science applied to catalysis... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Bertrand Lavedrine

Professor, Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Collections / MNHN

Edouard de Saint-Ours

Student, Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation / CNRS

Jean-Marc Frigerio

Professor, Institut des Nanosciences de Paris / UPMC

Saskia Vanpeene

Conservation scientist, Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation / CNRS

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Towards Quantitative Reflectance Transformation Imaging

In this talk we will show how reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) can be used as a quantitative technique capable of visualizing and measuring the surface shape of works of art. RTI utilizes multiple images captured from a fixed camera position but lit from various different directions to create an interactive composite image that reveals textural characteristics of materials. While current RTI methods offer conservators a powerful exploratory tool, the many systematic approximations inherent to the technique limit its use to qualitative assessments of appearance. As one step towards quantitative surface estimations, we address a fundamental limitation of the RTI model, that the whole object is lit from the same illumination angle with the same illumination intensity across the entire field of view. This requirement is rarely met in real-life experimental conditions because the light would need to be placed infinitely far away from the object. The mismatch between the lighting model and real experimental conditions has been documented to produce erroneous surface normal estimations, a “potato-chip” shape estimation error when the surface normals are integrated, and non-uniform illumination effects in relighting that we call the ‘spot-light’ effect. Using our new algorithm and capture methods, we show how to correct for these errors and advance RTI making it a practical and repeatable method to digitally capture the surface texture of a work of art. As a practical example to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, we will show high-quality 3D reconstructions of RTI data captured from the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection of the graphic works of Paul Gauguin.

Speakers

Marc Sebastian Walton

Co-Director, Research Professor, Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts

Marc Walton joined the Northwestern University / Art Institute of Chicago Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts in 2013 as its inaugural Senior Scientist and as a Research Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. In January of 2018, he was appointed... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Greg Bearman

ANE Imaging

Oliver Cossairt

Professor, Northwestern University

Xiang Huang

Post doctoral fellow, Northwestern University

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Sustainability) An Unexpected Challenge – Can Shared Risk Make Good Bedfellows?

As we absorb the increasingly dire predictions about climate change and its potentially devastating effect on our planet and cities, it is a bit overwhelming to imagine what we can do as individuals, conservators or institutions to help mitigate the risk of this disaster. We know how to deal with the results of burst pipes and leaking roofs, but the impact on entire cities – think Katrina, Sandy and the severe storms that flooded the upper mid-west in --- , and the scope becomes unmanageable. Assuming we accept the premise that climate change is the result of increased levels of carbon dioxide and related substances in the atmosphere caused largely by the burning of fossil fuels, however, there is a role that that institutions holding cultural heritage collections can play. Institutions have become major consumers of energy in their quest to provide the best possible preservation environment for the collections entrusted to them. And most of that energy comes from the consumption of fossil fuels. The improved monitoring and control provided by building management systems and analytics provided by programs like e-Climate from the Image Permanence Institute are powerful tools in controlling and understanding our collection environments. It has also become clear that they can be powerful tools for energy conservation when paired with our growing understanding of the buffering capacity of buildings and of general collections’ documented tolerance for limited environmental fluctuations. With reported energy savings of 20, 30 and even 40%, why have relatively few institutions embraced this money saving option that also significantly reduces our carbon footprint? Although all share the risks posed by climate change and are committed to preserving their collections, a lack of understanding between the facilities managers and engineers who design and maintain the systems, conservators and collection managers who care for the collection and administrators who balance the books presents an unexpected challenge. Each feels threatened in a different way, making true structural change and the long term collaboration necessary to implement and maintain a comprehensive project difficult. This presentation presents the results of a survey of members of the International Association of Museum Facility Administrators on their relationships with conservators and collection managers that also queries how this critical relationship might be improved. It also explores other barriers to a more sustainable, research based approach to climate control including exhibition loan agreements, the cost of equipment upgrades and staffing. Can these committed professionals with disparate backgrounds and priorities, form an effective alliance as they face a shared risk?

Speakers

John Castle

Director, Facilities Services, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

John W. Castle is Director of Facility Services at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, where he manages the facilities of the 1,000 acre estate including museum and collection buildings, 150 historic structures, wastewater treatment, gas, electric and potable water systems, as well... Read More →

Lois Olcott Price

Adjunct Senior Conservator, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Lois Olcott Price is the retired Director of Conservation for the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. She graduated from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Art Conservation Program (WUDPAC) where she majored in paper conservation and interned at the Library of Congress. She served... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Sustainability

Interest Sustainability
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

9:30am EDT

(Textiles) A Textile Conservator's Contribution to Disaster Preparedness at the MFA, Boston

Soon after the planes hit the twin towers in New York City in 2001 the Disaster Preparedness Team was re-established at the MFA, Boston. I have been fortunate to be included in this committee and have worked hard to help establish and move our goals forward. Disaster Planning is an extra but necessary task for all of us at the museum. The focus of the Emergency Disaster Committee has been divided into three categories: • Updates and Revisions of The MFA Disaster Preparedness Plan • Preparedness: Training and Supplies • Communication This presentation will initially look at disaster planning through a broad spectrum. Examining items important to the overall plan that directly link to the individual Emergency Action Plans for each division. Examples to be included are: • Inclusion of FEMA’s, Incident Command Structure • Human Resource integration into the Logistics Division of the plan • The inclusion of both information services and security for communication both on a MFA global level as well for the team itself • Most importantly the support of the administration and the MFA community, both fiscally and verbally. The MFA, Boston includes the challenges of an off-site facility, where a third of the textile and costume collection are stored, equally important to our task. The Disaster Plan at the MFA needs to always be seen as a document in process, adapting to changes set forth by personal, state and governmental modifications., often due to lessons learned along the way. This document includes Emergency Action Plans for individual departments but also for each division of conservation, of which there are seven. The department of Conservation and Collection’s Management has been an important contributor over the years to our preparedness goals. Many individuals at this meeting today have been instrumental in establishing and acquiring needed supplies, stored throughout the building. This includes supplies necessary for our “Backpack Team”, ready at a moment notice to quickly get to an individual incident or gallery around the building. I will illustrate how our Emergency Action Plans work using the plan for the collection of Textiles and Fashion Arts. This is an example of where conservation and curatorial have constant communication on a regular basis, both due to location as well as oversight of the collection. Working together has been essential over the years for both training as well as during individual incidents. This paper will conclude with a discussion of recovery guidelines for textiles established in this EAP.

Speakers

Claudia P Iannuccilli

Textile and Costume Conservator, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Claudia P. Iannuccilli is presently the Textile and Costume Conservator at the MFA, Boston, joining the Gabrielle and Leo Beranek Textile Laboratory in 1994. She was an original member of the MFA’s Disaster Team since its reconvening in 2001, in the present position of Conservation... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

10:00am EDT

Exhibit Hall Break

Monday May 16, 2016 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
Room 210 CD/GH

Break

Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Architecture) Emergency documentation and condition mapping of Decorated historic surfaces at the Caid Residence, The Kasbah of Taourirt (Ouarzazate, Morocco)

As it is broadly understood, recording serves as a basis for the diagnosis, treatment and preservation of historic places and contributes to record our built cultural heritage for posterity. This work is not a stand-alone practice but a part of the overall conservation process of cultural heritage at imminent risk of irreversible damage. Recording of heritage places should be directly related to the needs, skills and the technology that are available to the end users that are responsible for the management and care of these sites. They should be selected in a way that the future managers of these sites can also access and use the data collected. This paper explains an innovative heritage recording approach applied by the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) and Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) in the documentation of historic decorated surfaces at the Caïd Residence, located at Tighermt (Kasbah) Taourirt in Ouarzazate, Morocco; as part of a collaborative project between the GCI and the Centre de Conservation et Réhabilitation du Patrimoine Architectural des Zones Atlasiques et Sub-Atlasiques (CERKAS) to rehabilitate the entire architectural ensemble. The selected recording techniques were used for the rapid mapping of conditions of the decorated surfaces at the Caïd Residence using international standards. The resulting work is being used by GCI staff, consultants and CERKAS team to conduct emergency stabilization and protection measures for these important decorated surfaces.

Speakers

Mario Santana Quintero

Vice President, ICOMOS CIPA & Assoc. Prof, Carleton University

Mario Santana s an assistant professor at department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University and International Council of Monuments Sites (ICOMOS) Board Member. He has actively contributed and coordinated international development projects in Afghanistan, Cambodia... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Benjamin Markus

Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute

Claudia Cancino

Senior Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute

Laurie Wong

Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute

Stephen Fai

PhD Student, Carleton Immersive Media Studio, Carleton University

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Book and Paper) A low-oxygen capable storage and display case for the Proclamation of the Constitution Act & Design of a counterbalance supporting mount for the Books of Remembrance

Two versions of the Proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982, the foundational document which gives Canada political independence and sovereignty from Britain, are held at Library and Archives Canada (LAC). These important legal documents are commonly differentiated as the “raindrop” and “red-stain” copies due to characteristic water markings from the outdoor ceremonial signing, and the deliberate 1983 activist defacement of the second copy respectively. Increased requests for long-term loan and display of The Proclamation have prompted the need for a suitable multi-purpose case for storage, transport and display. Unfortunately, recent micro-fade testing (MFT) of the signature inks at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) has indicated that the synthetic dyes in the fountain pen inks are very light sensitive. The national significance of the documents, combined with the fugitive nature of the inks, has led to the difficult but common challenge of balancing preservation and access. In the past, traditional methods have been applied such as filtering UV, lowering light levels, reducing exposure time, and limiting the cumulative light dose to an accepted rate of damage. The use of a low-oxygen environment has also been investigated as a possible method for slowing the ink fading during periods of light exposure. To address both preservation and security requirements for the loan of the documents, a two-part case system was designed: an inner preservation storage case that can be installed in a larger display case that satisfies security requirements. Two identical custom-manufactured cases to house each copy of the Proclamation were recently constructed through a collaborative project between LAC and CCI. During the case design process, light fading experiments were also performed on related ink materials under ambient and low-oxygen environments. The low-oxygen environment showed promise for slowing the rate of fading; therefore, the cases were subsequently developed with the potential for maintaining anoxic conditions for the duration of a typical loan. A particular challenge was accomplishing the design specifications, while also minimising the associated cost. The finished product incorporated simplified elements from related work at the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States. The history of the project will be presented along with an overview of the case design elements. The Memorial Chamber on Parliament Hill holds seven books of remembrance, which commemorate those that fell in the service of Canada during war and other conflicts. The books are on permanent display to the public, and the presented pages are changed throughout the year during the Turning of the Page Ceremony. A set of six new altars was recently crafted for the books using stone, bronze and glass construction to replace the former wooden version. A condition assessment was performed at the onset of the project by staff at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), to determine the current state of the books and the best approach for their preservation. As part of this assessment, it was recommended that the new altar design should incorporate some form of adaptive support to reduce strain on the bindings. The continual changing of the book position, combined with the need for minimal interruption during The Turning of the Page Ceremony, presented a unique design challenge for mounts. The altar for the First World War book was not modified during the altars replacement project due to its historic significance and high level of craftsmanship. It also contains a unique counterbalance support system, which was the inspiration for a modern version that was designed at CCI to support the remaining books on the new altars. A low profile mount was developed using custom-machined aluminum components that incorporated a series of parallelogram linkages to form a 'gravity-activated' mechanism. This system was used to closely match the natural motion of the book during presentation of the first to last page with minimal adjustment required. For this specialised approach to work, it was necessary to adapt the dimensions of each mount to the geometry and detailing of the individual books.

Speakers

Eric Hagan

Senior Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute

Eric Hagan earned a PhD in mechanical engineering from Imperial College London through a doctoral fellowship at Tate (2005-2009), after completing the Master of Art Conservation program at Queen’s University (2004). He has worked at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) since... Read More →

Michael Smith

Collection Manager, Library and Archives Canada

Michael Smith holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Ottawa as well as diplomas in Applied Museum Studies from Algonquin College and Collections Management from The University of Victoria. Since 2011 he has been the Collection Manager responsible for the textual... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Anne Maheux

Head, Fine Art, Maps and Manuscripts Conservation, Library and Archives Canada

Anne F. Maheux received a Masters in Art Conservation (MAC) from Queen's University and a Certificate in the conservation of works on paper at the Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard University Art Museums. She is a recipient of the American Academy in Rome Prize... Read More →

Christine McNair

Conservator - Books / Textiles, Archaeology, Objects and Paper, Canadian Conservation Institute

Christine McNair has a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Art History from Acadia University and an M.A. in Conservation Studies from West Dean College (UK). Her two and a half years of graduate work in the conservation of books and library materials culminated with a thesis... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Electronic Media) Slow Dissolve: Re-presenting synchronised slide-based artworks in the 21st Century

Tate has a collection of twenty-eight slide-based artworks, and eleven of these have the added complexity of needing synchronised projectors. 35mm slide-based artworks initially appeared in the mid-to-late 20th century, at a time when magnetic audio tape and slide projectors were commonplace. Many artists adopted synchronisation technology originally used commercially in the audio-visual industry for slide-tape (or multi-image) presentations, as it enabled a means of recording and replaying slide shows using multiple projectors with the addition of a soundtrack. There were 5 main systems which were widely used by artists but are now obsolete technologies: Kodak, Electrosonic, Dataton, Stumpfl and AVL (Audio-visual Laboratories). Industry support and expertise in 35mm slide production is vanishing and the associated presentation equipment has become increasingly difficult to locate and maintain. Whilst being predictable the death of this medium provides many technical challenges as we attempt to better understand the coded synchronisation signals which enable the cross fades, slide transitions and timings for each artwork. Tate’s objective is to display these works in their original formats for as long as possible, but because of the obsolescence of both the synchronising and slide technologies, we must also investigate how to reproduce and present these works using modern technology. This paper will discuss the results of this investigation using an example from the collection, starting by comparing two of the most common control systems, AVL (Audio-visual Laboratories) and Dataton, how they work, their capabilities, the key differences and issues of compatibility. This paper will then explain the strategies that we are adopting in terms of creating and managing our slide equipment pool. One of the key aspects is trying to, where possible, adapt all artworks to run with the currently better supported Dataton system. This may impact the appearance and feel of the projection, and this will be taken in consideration when making the decision to adapt it. Because of the obsolescence of the analogue slide material, it is necessary to consider the option of showing these works digitally, this paper will conclude by explaining the options for the digital versions of these works.

This session is supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, administered by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation and the Clothworkers Foundation.

Speakers

Fergus O'Connor

Senior Conservation Technician (Time-based Media), Tate

Fergus O’Connor has been working with Time-based media artworks since 1999, specializing in analogue technology, installation, digital media, and video projection. He is currently working on the acquisition and archiving of artworks for Tate, and his current research is on legacy... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Emergency) The World Goes “Pop” : Planning for Emergencies at TATE

Developing emergency planning within the Collection Care Division at Tate has focused on a risk based approach linking directly to the Collection Care principles and policy. Over the last three years there has been a comprehensive review of the emergency planning provision to ensure that it meets current demands of the modern world and Tate’s Collection. This focus has been on preparedness and this paper will look directly at our emergency plan. This paper will outline our approach to modernising the emergency plan, ensuring it is appropriate for Tate’s Collection and how we operate as an organisation. It will demonstrate the intentional move towards a holistic approach that fits within the wider national and international context. The approach has spring boarded from developing a framework for planning along with a framework for the plan itself. This has resulted in the creation of a solid foundation of knowledge, developed in collaboration with internal and external partners. Internal partners have included Facilities, Library, Archive, Registrars, Conservation, Photography and Art Handling. External partnerships have included universities, emergency planning professional (UK wide-provision) and other cultural organisations. Tate is based across multiple sites, with collections and staff across 6 sites in the United Kingdom, also collections on loan and tour at international venues. The complexity and frequency of our programme for acquisitions, displays, exhibitions, loans and touring, presented a challenge when planning for emergencies. There is constant movement and change of artworks, moving on a daily basis. Critical for us is how to ensure the emergency plan would be relevant, current, flexible and responsive. The next step in our process is to further develop our emergency training provision, preparing for our response. We have undertaken research into the use of the virtual world and environments as a training platform. We are exploring methods of delivering training across multiple sites, to large numbers of staff across these sites and how to ensure consistency and quality of provision, in a cost-effective sustainable way. The paper will share our approach and enable wider discussion of the framework and plan we have developed within the conference.

Speakers

Louise Lawson

Conservation Manager (Sculpture and Time Based Media), Tate

Louise Lawson is the Conservation Manager for Sculpture and Time Based Media, in post for over 4 years. Previous organisations have included: Glasgow Museums and National Museums Liverpool. Qualifications include: Postgraduate Degree in Disaster Planning, Postgraduate Degree and Undergraduate... Read More →

Deborah Potter

Head of Conservation, Tate

Deborah Potter is the Head of Conservation at Tate, in post for over 6 years. Previous organisations have included; National Army Museum, Glasgow Museums, University of Leicester, Linen Hall Library, Royal Naval Museum. Qualifications include; AMA (Associate Membership of the Museums... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Objects + Wooden Artifacts) The Aftermath of Mends: Removing Historic Fabric Tape from Tlingit Basketry

Disasters strike items of cultural heritage in many forms. Though natural and human disasters cause large-scale destruction in a matter of minutes, the slow deterioration of our collections by misguided interventions can also bring damage of notable impact to institutions. A campaign of undocumented museum mending in the early 20th century left in its wake wide-spread instability for 130 Tlingit spruce root baskets in the collection of the National Museum of the American Indian. The repairs are over-sized strips of linen fabric tape attached with excessive amounts of hide glue or cellulose nitrate, covered with carelessly applied and chromatically unmatched lead-based paints. These well-intended but unsuitable interventions took the existing damage of minor rips, tears, and losses and escalated it in magnitude to include warped structures, areas of embrittlement, and visually distracting repair material that obscure the structure and inhibit exhibition and scholarship. To the Tlingit community, these baskets are surviving examples of an endangered art form. Furthermore, it is not only the survival of the baskets but access to them that is integral. Guided by modern conservation and the expertise of Dr. Teri Rofkar, a Tlingit master weaver, we have begun a two-year project to reconcile the damage. We are investigating the optimal removal method of these mends and designing an appropriate treatment for the baskets which will reinstate their integrity, function, and potential for use for the Tlingit community and the museum.

Speakers

Caitlin Mahony

Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Conservator, American Museum of Natural History

Caitlin Mahony is currently an Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Conservator at the American Museum of Natural History managing the conservation for the renovation of the North West Coast Indian Hall. In her postgraduate career, Caitlin has been a Samuel H. Kress Fellow at the Walters Art... Read More →

Teri Rofkar

Weaver, Raven Art

Teri Rofkar is a Tlingit daughter of Raven from the Snail House (T’akdeintaan), a clan originating in Lituya Bay (Ltu.a`a), related closely to the Coho (L’uknax.a`di) clan. The daughter of an Englishman from California, and granddaughter of the Kaagwaantaan Wolf of Ground Hogs... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Objects, Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Paintings) The life of modern painted walls: ethics, emergencies, and the future

Ethics: For decades, graffiti has been accepted as a form of artistic expression by reviewers, museums, and in the marketplace. The graffiti community has very specific ethics about art that appears in public. The response of the conservation community to graffiti must take into consideration how this code affects the life of a street work. Our efforts to preserve and treat graffiti “pieces”, “tags”, “throw-ups”, “wildstyles”, or “blockbusters” must include sensitivity not only to the materials, but also to the culture and politics of graffiti art. Emergencies: What happens when a wall comes down? Case studies of treatments of graffiti works and painted walls at the Wynwood walls, the Miami Marine Stadium, New York's East Village, and public and private collections including material and community solutions. The Future: As outdoor murals and the walls they are painted on degrade, re-creations of the works are planned. This part of the session will focus on conservation involvement with these projects and will set forward standards for the ethical re-creation of public works.

Speakers

Rustin Levenson-[Fellow]

President and Founder, ArtCare Conservation, A Rustin Levenson Company

B.A. Wellesley College; Diploma in Paintings Conservation, Fogg Art Museum, and Harvard University. Conservation staff of the Fogg Museum (1969-1973), the Canadian Conservation Institute (1973-1974); The National Gallery of Canada (1974-1977); and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1977-1980... Read More →

Veronica Romero-Gianoli

Senior Conservator, ArtCare NYC and Miami, A Rustin Levenson Company

Veronica is a Senior Conservator at ArtCare Miami since 2004. With a BFA from the University of The Arts, Pennsylvania, Veronica received her conservation training at Lorenzo d'Medici in Florence, Italy. Veronica has a special expertise in treating Contemporary, Latin American, and... Read More →

Oliver Watkiss

Senior Conservator, ArtCare NYC and Miami, A Rustin Levenson Company

Oliver was the principal conservator and director at Lydeway Conservation LTD. in the United Kingdom. Prior to this, he worked at Internation Fine Art Conservation Studios (IFACS) for 10 years culminating in a thesis comparing lining adhesives in varied climates. In 2011, Oliver recieved... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Infrared Imaging of Art Objects: Is It as Easy as It Sounds?

The non-invasive in-situ infrared analysis of art objects was first accomplished with single point portable analysis systems. A small FTIR spectrometer could be brought to the object of interest and a quick analysis performed. This allowed objects to be analyzed without the need of removal from the gallery or removal of small samples from the object. The analysis is accomplished by illuminating the sample with infrared light and collecting the signal reflected by the sample. A natural extension of this method would be the replacement of the single detector element with a many pixel array detector such as a Photovoltaic Mercury Cadmium Telluride (PV-MCT) focal-plane array (FPA). FPA’s have been used for many years in the remote sensing of airborne chemicals, hazardous material, and spilled liquids .2-5 The conventional remote sensing infrared spectrometer with a single detector records the spectrum from a single field of view in seconds, and in contrast imaging spectrometers acquire thousands of spectra per second. As the pixels from state-of-the-art FPA detectors are small, microscopic data can be collected at high magnification over small areas or larger areas can be analyzed with less resolution. Such analyses can be accomplished in passive or active modes of analysis. Spatial and spectral information may be combined in order to improve the determination of chemical distribution. Art objects present unique challenges to the remote measurement concept. The objects typically do not emit a signal strong enough for passive detection and the introduction of a high temperature source could potentially damage the object in question. Also, traditional SiC sources were designed to illuminate small areas and had too low a power output to be useful for large fields of interest. Objects can also be irregular in shape. A preliminary study of a variety of art objects has been performed to determine the feasibility of applying full-field middle infrared imaging to objects of interest. The large depth-of-field of a stand-off imaging system like the HI90 allows almost any object to be analyzed quickly and easily.

Speakers

Tom Tague

Bruker Elemental

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Sustainability) Sustainable Preservation on a Small Island – Interdisciplinary Approaches to Passive and Mechanized Environments

In 2013 the Monhegan Historical and Cultural Museum Association received a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections (SCHC) Planning Grant to develop a strategy for dealing with the threat associated with high relative humidity and moisture levels to its collections and historic buildings (three of which are on the National Register). The Museum, located on Monhegan Island, ten miles off the coast of Maine, also needed to develop a strategy for the sustainable operation of its collections storage vaults due to prohibitively high energy costs on the island (fuel costs are double the price on the mainland, and electricity costs are more than 500% higher than mainland prices). This session will examine and describe the work of the interdisciplinary project team, including the museum staff, consultants in architectural preservation, objects conservation, and sustainable preservation environments, and HVAC design consultants, to develop holistic preservation plans for the historic and modern structures on site. The team used environmental data from both storage and exhibit environments, as well as data from the mechanical systems in the storage vaults, to analyze initial environmental performance, identify and confirm environmental threats, and propose, test, and assess initial experiments for future strategies. The resulting proposed strategies were a blend of passive and active environmental control, ranging from period-appropriate repairs to historic envelopes and re-routing of runoff water on the site to operational adjustments and improvements to mechanical system controls. The final report for the study provided the basis for a successful 2015 NEH SCHC Implementation Grant proposal. Beyond the significance to sustainable preservation on site, Monhegan’s experience and approach serve as an illustrative case study on the potential for passive environmental techniques in historic structures, the prioritization and decision-making process for storage of cultural and artistic holdings at a small institution, and the impact (and necessity) of interdisciplinary cooperation when formulating preservation strategies that impact the institution at a macro-level.

Speakers

Ronald Harvey

Principal/Conservator, Tuckerbrook Conservation LLC

Ron Harvey began his private practice in 1990. He is involved in a wide range of conservation consultation with museums including storage, environment, lighting and treatment of objects both nationally and internationally. Prior to private practice he completed an MFA in sculpture... Read More →

Jeremy Linden

Principal/Owner, Linden Preservation Services, Inc.

Jeremy Linden has been the Principal/Owner of Linden Preservation Services, Inc., since 2017.He is an active educator and consultant with more than two decades of experience in culturalheritage, the last decade of which have been focused on enhancing preservation environmentsand sustainability... Read More →

Jennifer Pye

Chief Curator, Monhegan Museum

Jennifer Pye has been part of the curatorial staff of the Monhegan Museum of Art and History on Monhegan Island, Maine since 2002. With a focus on collections organization and management, Jennifer tries to balance the preservation needs of the museum’s collections against the expense... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Sustainability

Interest Sustainability
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

10:30am EDT

(Textiles) Vial Things: Preserving the Unexpected in the Occult Jewelry of Simon Costin

Vials of evaporating semen and decaying, greasy turkey claws – these are not things usually associated with high fashion. Yet just like modern art, contemporary fashion is created from unexpected materials often designed to shock and titillate, thus creating unique challenges for fashion conservators. Recently, two necklaces by the British designer Simon Costin and held in the Metropolitan Museum Art’s Costume Institute collection underwent examination, treatment and storage rehousing in order to address issues related to the preservation of the biological specimens integrated into them. The first necklace, titled “Incubus (1987) is composed of copper wire, silver sperm motifs, and five glass vials filled with semen and mounted in partial silver casings. The conservation challenges in this necklace were primarily related to storage, since an interview with the artist revealed that the semen had been evaporating slowly over the past three decades. Inspired by preservation methods typically used for fluid-preserved biological specimens, innovative solutions were explored including the use of micro-chambers, anoxia, cyclododecane, microcrystalline wax, and cold storage. The second necklace, titled “Memento Mori” (1986) contains two taxidermied turkey claws and three rabbit skulls, along with Victorian lace, wooden beads, and hematite. The challenge for this necklace was two-fold: the turkey claws and rabbit skulls had been improperly prepared, and were subsequently exuding grease (claws) and showing mold (skulls), and the necklace was also found to have been infested. Informed by methods used in natural history collections, the treatment and storage solution for this necklace explored degreasing methods and long-term anoxia. The preservation campaigns for both objects underscore the requirement for a multiplicity of approaches for the conservation of contemporary fashion, the necessity to engage with other conservation disciplines in order to find effective solutions, and the benefit of conducting a designer interview in order to deeper understand artistic intention.

Speakers

Sarah Scaturro

Head Conservator, The Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sarah Scaturro is the Head Conservator of the Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she is in charge of the conservation laboratory and the preservation of the fashion collection. She was previously the textile conservator and assistant curator of fashion at the Cooper-Hewitt... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Architecture) Bracing Copan’s subterranean tunnels against hurricanes and other risks

The Maya site of Copan is Honduras’s only cultural heritage site protected by UNESCO. Its Acropolis exemplifies some of the most magnificent constructions of the Classic Maya civilization, consisting of several joined courtyards and temples, and featuring the Hieroglyphic Stairway, the longest hieroglyphic text in the New World. Four kilometers of excavation tunnels beneath the Acropolis have confirmed that the construction of this monument took place over 400 years, encompassing the reigns of 16 named Maya kings. The architecture in the tunnels contains original sculptured, plastered, and painted surfaces that represent the dynastic monuments of the earliest rulers of Copan. The vast majority of the tunnels remain unfilled, despite the fact that their investigation has been concluded. Some have been made available for tourism, and the Honduran Institute of Anthropology seeks to open more, but many are no longer in use and threaten the integrity of the Acropolis should they collapse. In 1997, Hurricane Mitch brought record-breaking rains through the mountainous regions of Honduras, swelling the Copan River nearby and causing water levels to rise up to 73 centimeters in the lowest tunnel levels. The uppermost, final phase East Court, the raised courtyard on the eastern side of the Acropolis, became a watershed with its recently installed waterproof membrane. The concentrated runoff from this membrane caused a four-meter-wide crack to open along the eastern cut of the Acropolis. Following Mitch, minor tunnel collapses occurred in areas associated with runoff patterns from the East Court as well. Copan’s current Site Management plan advises against tunnel backfill. It does not include plans for disaster preparation or outline explicit conservation policies. The site also lacks a comprehensive three-dimensional map of the entire tunnel system. As the Honduran Institute of Anthropology queues up more tunnels to be opened to tourists, it becomes necessary to consider the pending risks as erratic weather patterns continue. Heavy rains and flooding along the alluvial fan of the Copan River Valley could cause further collapse and shifting throughout the Acropolis. The site is also located near an active seismic fault. This fall, a small team will construct a digital three-dimensional model of the tunnel system in order to triage the areas that are the most at risk of collapse, to quantify the areas still in need of stabilization, and to determine the effectiveness of the waterproof membrane below the East Court. This paper will investigate solutions such as backfill and stabilization methods to prepare for future storms or earthquakes, and methods such as air extraction devices and alternative barrier systems as potential mitigations for tourism. It will discuss the importance of monitoring to establish environmental control parameters for cave-like systems, and the difficulties of using data loggers in high-humidity environments. Finally, studying the conditions present in areas currently open to tourists will inform whether a decision to continue opening new tunnels to tourists is, in fact, wise—or whether it is just one more disaster to brace against.

Speakers

Laura Lacombe

Archaeological Site Conservator, Harvard University

Laura received her B.A. in Anthropology from Harvard University, where she studied masonry techniques of the Ancient Maya. She received her M.S. in Historic Preservation in May 2013, where she focused on the conservation of architectural materials and wrote her Master's thesis on... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Book and Paper) Push pins, staples, daylight, glazing and barrier free - are Conservation standards becoming too relaxed?

Using past and recent case studies this presentation will discuss the preparation, presentation, installation and storage of oversize contemporary art on paper in the context of past and current challenges. These include artist and curator expectations, the impact of tightening health and safety standards, increasing framing and material costs, storage challenges, loan processes, budgets and longer exposure periods. How are these pressures, if at all, impacting and shaping the future direction of conservation decision making and enforcement of standards?

Speakers

Joan Weir

Conservator, Works on Paper, Art Gallery of Ontario

Joan Weir has been Conservator, Works on Paper at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada for the past fifteen years and is a graduate of the Queen's University Kingston, Ontario Art Conservation Program. She has an undergraduate degree in fine art practice from Nova Scotia College... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Electronic Media) When Functionality is Everything: A case study in recovering flood damaged electronic parts from a musical instrument collection

This paper aims to describe the process of treating and rehousing flood damaged electronic parts from a living (a.k.a. usable) musical instrument collection. The National Music Centre (NMC) was one of the heritage institutions affected by the floods that swept across southern Alberta in 2013. Approximately 7000 sq ft. of storage was submerged in water for days, adding up to a total loss of 2.5 million dollars to NMC’s collection of historical musical instruments. One area that sustained the most amount of damage overall was the collection of vintage electronic parts and materials, which was submerged under almost 60” of dirty, silt-laden water. This particular collection of electronic hardware – comprising of miscellaneous circuit boards, microchips and vacuum tubes, among other things – do not technically qualify as artifacts. They weren’t collected for display or research purposes, but rather for use in future repairs to the electronic instrument collection. Approximately 10% of the instrument collection at NMC is maintained in working condition, which has enabled the organization to design many unique programs that grant visitors unprecedented access to historic instrument sounds. The continued care and accumulation of spare parts for use in repairs and restorations is invaluable to the organization’s sustainability plan for the living instrument collection, and to the National Music Centre’s ongoing mission. As such, the needs of this collection are unique and unprecedented, and have informed much of the treatment process. The goals of this conservation project were not only to recover the electronic parts from the damaging effects of a flood, but also to ensure the parts were stored in such a way that preserved the working life of each electronic part for as long as possible. Highlights of this paper will include: cleaning techniques and equipment used, including the use of ultrasonic cleaning tanks to clean over 1000+ circuit boards; storage protocols developed during the project; types of electronic-specific storage materials used, such as conductive foam for integrated circuits; and important collection management details about the type of information captured in our new electronic parts database. This paper will also touch on the types of unconventional information sources found throughout the research process, as well as lessons learned from NMC’s collection staff during the flood recovery efforts.

Speakers

Hayley Robb

Objects Conservator, National Music Centre

Hayley is an emerging conservation professional, specializing in the care and treatment of decorative art and historical objects. A recent graduate from Fleming College’s Cultural Heritage and Conservation Management program, she also holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Art History... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Emergency) Vermont Prepares!

In 2014, the Vermont Historic Records Advisory Board (VHRAB) successfully obtained a grant to provide emergency preparedness training for cultural heritage institutions across the state. Called Vermont Prepares, this series of workshops and consulting was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and the Vermont Humanities Council. VHRAB partnered with the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) to present a series of 5 regional workshops, with free follow-up consultations for workshop participants. More than 50 institutions took part in workshops and site visits over a three-month period, including historical societies, state offices, public libraries, museums, and college libraries. The proposed session will discuss the benefits and challenges of a large state-level grant such as the Vermont Prepares project. Beyond the educational purpose, this training series provided a space for discussion and collaboration among regional institutions and professionals. This experience demonstrates that established regional groups might formally agree to assist one another in an emergency with both personnel and space, organize centrally-located depots where salvage supplies and equipment could be shared, and undertake further training sessions such as hands-on wet salvage workshops. This presentation will highlight the successes of collaborative planning and resource-sharing, for public as well as private institutions. Representatives from the VHRAB and from NEDCC will co-present, explaining the process of designing and completing a successful grant, lessons learned from the workshop and from participants, and future plans based on this project.

Speakers

Eva Grizzard

Preservation Specialist, Northeast Document Conservation Center

Eva Grizzard provides preservation guidance for public and private organizations through needs assessments, site visits, and inquiries from institutions and private clients. She presents workshops and webinars on a variety of formats and subjects, including audiovisual materials... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

MJ Davis

Paper Conservator, WASHI

Mary Jo (MJ) Davis graduated from the State University College at Buffalo in 1994 with a Masters in Art Conservation and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Paper Conservation. From November of 1995 to March of 2004, Ms. Davis worked part-time for the Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Objects + Wooden Artifacts) Encountering the Unexpected in Southeast Asian Lacquer: Treating the Doris Duke Collection at the Walters Art Museum

In 2002, the Walters Art Museum received a gift of 153 objects of Southeast Asian Art from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Many of the objects originated from Thailand and Burma (Myanmar) and were created in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2014, the Conservation Division embarked on a three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to treat sixteen of the objects that were previously identified as conservation priorities. These objects exhibited varying degrees of deterioration due to age, flood damage, and prior intervention. Many of the lacquered and gilded surfaces were actively flaking, and a majority of the objects were covered in an unusual sticky brown coating. Prior to removal, the coating was identified as modern due to the inclusion of a synthetic plasticizer. Additional information was collected about the decorative techniques that were used to create the surfaces through cross-section microscopy, XRF, FTIR, and Py-GC/MS. There were also questions regarding the visual reintegration of loss and how much inpainting was appropriate. Research travel to Thailand and Burma helped to address those questions in conjunction with input from museum professionals in the region.

Due to space constraints related to the large size of many of the objects, much of the treatment work was completed in view of the public in an open conservation lab. Over the course of the grant period, over 5,000 museum visitors were able to speak directly with conservators and see many of the objects during treatment. While furthering the strong history of public outreach at the Walters, the open conservation lab also created unique challenges for conservators in terms of materials and working methods which in turn shaped the treatment protocols.

Once the initial analysis was complete and the treatment work began, it was readily apparent that Southeast Asian lacquer behaves differently than East Asian lacquer. The largest issues were encountered with consolidation and cleaning. For those objects that required consolidation, polar solvents such as ethanol and acetone distorted the lacquer, which limited the consolidant options. Lascaux P550-40TB (butyl methacrylate resin) was selected in some instances because it could be dissolved in solvents like mineral spirits and xylene. Additionally, the extreme lifting of the flakes and the inability to move the objects into horizontal positions necessitated the use of cast sheets of adhesive that could be reactivated with solvents once in place. Removal of the sticky surface coating was possible with a water gel on some of the gilded lacquer objects, which was advantageous because so many surfaces were extremely solvent sensitive and the work was being completed in the public. In some instances, polar solvents were safe to use and removed the coating quickly without the need to clear the surface of gel residues. It is hoped that the information gained from this project will be a catalyst for future research and study regarding the treatment of Southeast Asian lacquered objects.

Speakers

Stephanie Hulman

Assistant Conservator, The Walters Art Museum

Stephanie Hulman is an Assistant Conservator at the Walters Art Museum and was hired as the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant-funded conservator for the Doris Duke Collection of Southeast Asian Art. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Delaware with a double... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Glenn Gates

Conservation Scientist, Walters Art Museum

Herant Khanjian

Assistant Scientist, Getty Conservation Institute

Herant Khanjian received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from California State University, Northridge and has been a member in the Science department of the Getty Conservation Institute since 1988. His research interests involve the detection and identification of organic media... Read More →

Meg Loew Craft-[Fellow]

Conservator, The Walters Art Museum

Michael R. Schilling

Senior Scientist, Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage

Michael Schilling is head of Materials Characterization research at the Getty Conservation Institute, which focuses on development of analytical methods for studying classes of materials used by artists and conservators. He specializes in gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Objects, Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Paintings) Reconciling the Past through the Conservation of the Fresco Mural Painting: “Haitian Massacre, 1937”, by Dominican artists José Ramírez Conde and Roberto Flores

The mural “Haitian Massacre, 1937” that will be revealed to the public at the Memorial Museum of the Dominican Resistance (MMRD) depicts a scene from the brutal event that took place between the bordering nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic during Rafael L. Trujillo’s regime (1930 -1961). This mural conservation project of compelling historical significance brings together the conservation of a rare depiction of the sad history of the massacre, the introduction of an emergency disaster recovery project, the public awareness of the horrors committed during the regime, as well as the preservation of one of the few fresco murals of the country. Renowned Dominican artists José Ramírez Conde and Roberto Flores painted the fresco in a concrete wall in a private home in the suburbs of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The mural is a tribute to the Haitian men, women and children, living in the northwestern Dominican borderlands, hunted and killed by Trujillo’s soldiers in 1937. As this house was being demolished in 2014, neighbor Cristian Martínez Villanueva saved the fresco from demolition on behalf of the MMRD by directing a rescue operation in which the wall was cut away from the house, braced with steel beams, and transported to Mr. Martínez’s home driveway, where it now sits covered with a plastic tarp, awaiting to be moved to the Museum. The artwork is in poor condition, due to damage suffered during this operation, evident in the losses and delamination of the fresco mortar. Thanks to an award by The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation a project is underway to preserve it. Hilda Abreu Utermohlen, Paintings Conservator from the Dominican Republic, is the project conservator, and Viviana Dominguez, Mural Conservator from the U.S. is the leading conservator of this project. Mrs. Utermohlen brings 27 years of experience on the conservation of painting and has deep knowledge on the Dominican Republic art history. Ms Dominguez has 28 years of experience on the conservation of mural paintings and good understanding of Haitian culture. In the spirit of fruitful bilateral collaboration and understanding between the Dominican Republic and Haiti the conservators have put together a team of experts from the both nations, to work on the treatment of the mural, including Joseph Fils Racine, from Haiti, who was trained with Dominguez on the rescue of mural paintings from a cathedral damaged in the 2010-devastating earthquake in Port-au-Prince, as part of the Smithsonian Institution Cultural Recovery Program. A team of architects and engineers is working on the transportation and installation of the mural. The authors will describe the conservation plan of this important cultural asset, the treatment protocol, the transportation of the wall to the new location and its complex installation at the museum in downtown Santo Domingo. It is hoped that the conserved mural will be a powerful interpretive tool to reflect on human rights and to foster the advancement of relations between Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Speakers

Viviana Dominguez

Chief Conservator, Art Conservators Lab, LLC

Viviana Dominguez is a specialist in conservation of large-scale works of art on public places wall paintings and easel paintings. She has worked in the field since 1983, preserving national monuments internationally. She has broad experienced on a large variety of materials and paint... Read More →

Hilda Abreu Utermohlen-[Fellow]

Executive Director, Hilab

Hilda is founder and Executive Director of Hilab, a private art conservation firm in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She has 28 years of experience working in the treatment of paintings and a wide range of art conservation services and consultations in her country and the Caribbean... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Separation Anxieties: Approaches to Freeing Photographs That Are Stuck to Glazing or to Each Other

Since high-humidity environments and aqueous solutions will swell gelatin emulsions and increase their solubility and tack, silver gelatin black-and-white and color photographs are often brought to photograph conservators for treatment following small- and large-scale water disasters. Collections of photographic prints and negatives may become firmly adhered to one another in a stack, preventing access to their content, or locally stuck to the glazing in their frames. Severe distortion, staining, and mold growth, which often occur simultaneously with adhesion, complicate the condition issues and treatment protocols for such photographs. Photograph conservators have developed treatment approaches that are generally successful for certain types of damage. Such protocols include the introduction of moisture locally or overall through water vapor, poultices, or liquid water; altering the temperature, pH, and/or polarity of the water; and mechanical manipulation and heat, alone or in combination with the preceding approaches. These techniques require the conservator to have a basic understanding of the chemical and physical characteristics of gelatin and of its photographic support, both in their original and newly compromised conditions. Until recently, the nature of the bonds formed between gelatin and glass had not been explored and were poorly understood. This presentation will introduce new investigations into the mechanics, chemistry, and aging of gelatin-to-glass bonds. It seeks to spur new approaches to the treatment of water-damaged photographs, as well as to expand the treatment repertoire for photograph conservators facing such challenges.

Speakers

Barbara Lemmen-[Fellow]

Photograph Conservator, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts/nUniversity of Delaware

Barbara Lemmen is Senior Photograph Conservator at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) in Philadelphia. She earned her BA in Art History and Chemistry from Williams College, and an MS from the Winterthur Museum/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation... Read More →

Emma Lowe

Conservator

Emma switched career from Criminal Law to Conservation in 2012. She completed a Graduate Diploma (2012-13), a Post-Graduate Diploma (2014-15), and graduated from her Masters in Conservation of Historic Objects at Lincoln University, UK, with a Distinction in January 2016. Her thesis... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Imaging of Analog Materials and Machine-Dependent Formats

The utilization of non-invasive imaging techniques to capture preservation and heritage content information from a range of analog materials is becoming a common tool used in the preservation of cultural heritage. Spectral imaging expands the information that can be found outside the visible region, and by generating data-cubes of registered images, allows a range of image processing to reveal hidden content information from historic materials. While this at is of significant interest for historic materials such as paper and parchment documents, it is increasingly important for more modern materials that are considered restricted in being machine-readable or machine dependent for viewing. For example, a range of illumination modes has been used to capture high quality images from photographic materials such as negatives without any traditional processing. Faded information on hygrothermograph and United States Geological Survey charts with historical environmental data and fugitive inks can also be captured, providing more information about degradation processes of specific materials within different environments. This emphasizes the need for capture of analog materials of various materials requiring different illumination and imaging parameters, including z-plane imaging. Often the range of materials are diverse but supporting documentation for scientific studies. Two and three-dimensional imaging (2D, 3D) provides additional advantages for the capture of information from modern media carriers that are considered machine-dependent, but are easily damaged by the stylus, needle or other play component. In collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory the Library has been integral to the development of the IRENE system “Image Reconstruct Erase Noise Etc.” a non-contact imaging system using a laser to image the surface of lateral grooves of audio disc carriers of sound recordings. Further 3D confocal imaging captures the vertical grooved information on materials such as fragile wax cylinders and field recordings, materials that would be potentially damaged if attempts were made to capture using traditional methods. The imaging system has been modified to capture information from other historic sounds recordings such as dictabelts. For both imaging systems, spectral and IRENE a focus on standardized processing to expand the information captured has been critical. For spectral imaging, a range of software packages have been assessed and standard processing techniques compared to assure high quality and accurate data is being captured from these imaging systems. The standardization of image processing and assurance of accuracy without creation of artifacts is paramount to the utilization of imaging technologies and digital derivatives for heritage science.

Speakers

Fenella France

Library of Congress

Co-Author(s)

Meghan A. Wilson

Preservation Specialist, Library of Congress

Meghan Wilson is an imaging specialist in the Preservation Research and Testing Division at the Library of Congress. She has worked extensively with multispectral imaging technology, developing guidelines and workflows for technical operation of equipment and image quality control... Read More →

Peter Alyea

Digital Conservation Specialist, Library of Congress

Forthcoming.

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Sustainability) Achieving Competing Goals: Implementing Energy Efficient Cold Storage

Current industry standards indicate that audio-visual film materials should be stored in a range of 36°F to 70°F and 20-50% relative humidity (International Standards Organization); however, these ranges are often unattainable and not sustainable in the long-term for organizations. These ranges do not take into consideration the climate of the storage area (e.g. outdoor conditions) or the costs to maintain these conditions in the long-term. In 2012, NEH awarded a Sustaining Cultural Heritage Planning grant to the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) to conduct an interdisciplinary study that balanced issues of long-term preservation for film materials. These issues included preservation metrics, potential energy use, cost for maintenance, as well as investment cost for any recommended system or building upgrades. At the conclusion of the study in 2014, the interdisciplinary team reduced the broader set of options into a cohesive set of recommendations that include building improvements and specific upgrades of equipment. In all, the bundle of strategies will help MNHS increase the film collections Preservation Index (PI), Image Permanence Institute’s measure of the “decay rate of vulnerable organic materials” in different temperature and relative humidity conditions, while also decreasing energy use and operating costs. The study estimated an increase to the PI by 2-4 times from 100 years to a range of 200 - 400 years allowing for seasonal fluctuations. Further, a subset of critical film material will increase its PI from 100 years to 900 years. In addition to improving the long-range preservation for film collections, there is also an anticipated savings of $16,600 in energy costs per year as compared to baseline adaptations of the existing system. Since a presentation at AIC 2015, MNHS has received an Implementation Grant from the NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage program. The goal of this second grant is to implement and test the results of the earlier study, as well as continue the collaborative process with a range of staff from collections, conservation, facilities, risk management, and sustainability, and external experts in museum sustainability, archival architecture, film preservation, and building mechanical systems. One of the significant challenges presented during this continued presentation is the design and planning for temporary storage, moving logistics, and access during the construction period. As such, this session will cover (1) the importance of interdisciplinary and collaborative processes, (2) the factors in logistics planning for temporary collections cold storage, and (3) the key factors to balancing preservation and sustainability. While the study focused on the Minnesota Historical Society’s collections storage, these findings have significance for many organizations. The range of strategies examined included low capital investment cost options, such as reconfiguration of the collections by material type and the impact of passive mechanical interventions. The cost-benefit analysis of these options will provide a start for organizations to find their own path in developing energy-efficient collections storage. Further, the interdisciplinary processes utilized by the study were essential in arriving at the final solution as well as planning for implementation.

Speakers

Thomas J. Braun

Head of Conservation and Senior Objects Conservator, Minnesota Historical Society

Thomas J. Braun is the Head of Conservation and the Senior Objects Conservator at the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS). Tom holds a BA in Art History from the University of Minnesota, an MA in Art History from Tufts University, and an MS in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University... Read More →

Jeremy Linden

Principal/Owner, Linden Preservation Services, Inc.

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Sustainability

Interest Sustainability
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

11:00am EDT

(Textiles) Assessing Collection Emergency Training and Response: The Risks of Adrenaline

The rains fall; the winds howl; the earth moves; bombs explode; pipes and mechanical systems fail and cultural collection stewards gather to address the heartbreaking results. Every scenario brings its own challenges and risks - are these highly motivated but stressed responders among them? How do we insure we mount an effective, safe, well planned response? Most disaster training programs begin with fairly extensive instruction in planning and preparation. They then briefly discuss assessment before moving forward to what many regard as the heart of the program, recovery and salvage. A hands-on drill of varying length, complexity and intensity often climaxes the program. After designing and implementing many of these programs and drills, the authors have reached the conclusion that the emphasis on response and salvage while minimizing the role of assessment, communication, team structure and function can derail an effective response and cause additional collection damage and dissociation. Establishing a team and communication methods comes first. Without this foundation, assessment and recovery that is successful for people and objects is rare. Assessment occurs before recovery begins and at regular intervals as the response continues. It identifies the nature and scope of the collection emergency and the resources, documentation and strategies necessary for each stage of an effective response. When these steps are truncated or ignored, even in a drill, chaos often ensues. Too many anxious and adrenaline soaked responders rush in to save the collection. They get in each other’s way, forget the need for documentation, and move objects without adequate regard for priority, condition, risk or appropriate destination. This presentation addresses the assessment options in a collection emergency plan and scenarios for team development, communication and assessment training. Each responder’s foundational knowledge, experience, collection familiarity and emotional response to a collection emergency vary. Training must be tailored to the participants, whether students, cultural heritage professionals, or volunteers.

Speakers

Dr. Joelle D. J. Wickens, [PA]

Conservator, Preventive Team Head and University of Delaware Affiliated Assistant Professor, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Joelle Wickens is the Conservator and Preventive Team Head at Winterthur Museum & Country Estate and a University of Delaware Affiliated Assistant Professor in Art Conservation for the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. She gained an MA (Distinction) in... Read More →

Jacinta A. Johnson

Assistant Paper Conservator, Balboa Art Conservation Center

Jacinta Johnson is Assistant Paper Conservator at the Balboa Art Conservation Center in San Diego. Jacinta earned her M.S. in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2016 with a focus in paper conservation. Ms. Johnson’s training... Read More →

Lois Olcott Price

Adjunct Senior Conservator, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Kari Rayner

Associate Conservator, J. Paul Getty Museum

Kari Rayner is an Associate Conservator of Paintings at the J. Paul Getty Museum. She graduated in 2015 from the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University with an MA in art history and Advanced Certificate in conservation. Kari held various internships... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Anisha Gupta

Assistant Conservator, American Philosophical Society

Anisha Gupta is the Assistant Conservator for Archival Materials at the American Philosophical Society. She is a graduate of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation where she specialized in works on paper with a minor concentration in photographic materials... Read More →

Jessica Walthew

Conservator, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

Jessica Walthew is an objects conservator at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. She holds an MA in Art History and Archaeology with advanced certificate in Conservation from NYU's Institute of Fine Arts, Conservation Center. Her research and teaching interests include history... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 511 A/D

Breakout Session, Textiles

Specialty Textiles
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Visible-Induced Luminescence Imaging: Past, Current and Future Applications in Conservation Research

Multispectral imaging (MSI) has seen a rapid development within the field of conservation, thanks in part to its adaptation with digital imaging techniques. One recent advance in MSI is the use of visible-induced infrared luminescence (VIL) to map pigments that might otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. This technique, first published by Giovanni Verri (2009), involves the excitation of pigments on object surfaces with visible light, and the photographic capture of the resulting emission of infrared radiation. Specific pigments, including Egyptian blue, Han blue, Han purple, cadmium red and cadmium yellow, emit infrared radiation when excited in the visible range, creating visible-induced luminescence. The ways in which this phenomenon can be captured in an image involve a wide range of photographic equipment and associated techniques, which will be the focus of this paper. The authors will discuss their own experiences at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum Villa, where this technique has been used on a wide range of projects, including both in-lab and in-gallery imaging campaigns. Conservators have also tested the technique on archaeological excavations and have found that with the right equipment (battery-powered, durable) and the ability to limit ambient light, VIL can be successfully carried out in less controlled environments. This paper will provide a review of previous and current methodology, including a discussion of image capture and processing trade-offs, and also highlight areas for future development and experimentation.

Speakers

Giacomo Chiari

Dawn Lohnas Kriss

Conservator, Dawn Kriss LLC

Dawn Kriss LLC provides objects conservation, imaging, and consultation services. Prior to entering into private practice, Dawn Lohnas Kriss held positions at the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the J. Paul Getty Villa Museum... Read More →

Caroline I. Roberts

Conservator, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology

Caroline Roberts is an objects conservator and a graduate of the Winterthur / University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. As a graduate fellow, Carrie held internships at the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, the UK preservation organization English Heritage, and the Worcester... Read More →

Anna Serotta

Project Objects Conservator, Brooklyn Museum

Anna Serotta graduated from the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, in 2009, where she majored in objects conservation with a focus on archaeological materials. After graduating, Anna completed a fellowship in the Sherman Fairchild Center for Objects... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Marie Svoboda

Associate Conservator, Antiquities Conservation, J. Paul Getty Museum

Marie Svoboda received her MA in objects conservation from the State University of New York, College at Buffalo in 1994. Her postgraduate experience was mainly with archaeological material focusing on ancient Egyptian artifacts during her 7 years at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Architecture) Protecting Stained Glass Windows From Vibrations Caused By Construction Operations

The Department of Buildings of the City of New York mandates that Construction Protection Plans be prepared and filed to protect historic buildings from damage caused by construction on nearby buildings. The directive sets a threshold for vibrations, but, in buildings subject to the requirement, fragile objects and assemblies such as stained glass windows require special attention. At Congregation Shearith Israel on Central Park West in New York City, a separate construction protection plan was prepared for the original Tiffany windows. BCA documented the windows’ conditions and called for minor repair and precautionary work. Three heavily damaged windows were removed from the site for restoration during construction operations. In lieu of physical interventions to the remaining windows, BCA devised a separate vibration monitoring system mounted directly on the windows to monitor the effects of construction. The monitoring program developed for the project by ANA incorporates a series of triaxial geophones mounted on the vertical stabilization bars at mid height or on saddle bars where no vertical bars exist. The geophones were configured to trigger if the measured peak particle velocity exceeded a preset threshold (well below the levels set for typical building assemblies), and send a series of alarm emails if the displacement recorded during a trigger event exceeded the displacement thresholds. The monitoring program has thus far been highly successful, acting as a reasonable alternative to the standard approach of invasive bracing, or even removal, while leaving the windows fully functional. Periodic checking of the window conditions against preconstruction documentation determined that no damage had occurred. The paper will describe the considerations resulting in the accepted approach. The designer of the monitoring equipment will discuss the design and installation and the specific challenges of working with the historic windows in an active house of worship.

Speakers

Dean Koga

Director of Technical Services, Building Conservation Associates, Inc.

Dean Koga, Director of Technical Services, has over 35 years of experience analyzing, documenting, and restoring historic buildings. With a background that includes conservation, architecture, and chemistry, Mr. Koga is uniquely qualified to provide innovative solutions to... Read More →

Michael Schuller

President, Atkinson-Noland & Associates

Michael Schuller, P.E. FTMS FAPT, is president of Atkinson-Noland & Associates, a consulting engineering firm specializing in evaluation and repair of existing structures. With offices in Boulder, Colorado, and New York City, he specializes in assessment and retrofit of historic... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Book and Paper) The Coptic Binding Collection at the Morgan Library & Museum: History, Conservation and Access

The Morgan Library & Museum (ML&M) houses the largest single cache of Coptic manuscripts and bindings in the world. The manuscripts were discovered in a hidden well, intact, but in a deteriorated state, in the Fayyum Oasis near Hamuli, Egypt in 1910. This presentation discusses the history of these over fifty manuscripts from their discovery, through the recent initiative to digitize the bindings and provide safe, accessible housings for the collection. The talk will include the discovery and purchase of the collection, the conservation of the manuscripts at the Vatican, and their eventual return to the Morgan Library. The conservation treatment decisions and their consequences for the bindings will be discussed. The physical condition of the 9th and 10th century bindings will be detailed, as will the rationale for the special housings created for them. A century after their discovery, the digitization and re-housing efforts have provided access to a previously inaccessible collection.

Speakers

Georgia Southworth

Conservator, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sherman Fairchild Center for Works on Paper and Photographic Conservation

Georgia Southworth, Associate Conservator at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a rare book conservator and Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation. She works part-time in the Dept of Photograph Conservation, and divides her time between The Met and contract... Read More →

Francisco H. Trujillo

Conservator, Morgan Library & Museum

Francisco Trujillo is the Associate Book Conservator at the Morgan Library & Museum. He graduated from the Preservation and Conservation Studies Program at The University of Texas, Austin.

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Electronic Media) Pinball for Posterity: Adapting the preservation principles of libraries to preserve arcade and pinball collections at The International Center for the History of Electronic Games

As industrial and technological advances continue to change the material landscape of our world, some of our most unexpected challenges arise when cultural institutions accept the responsibility of preserving artifacts that are new to the museum scene. The International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG) at The Strong holds the largest and most comprehensive public collection of video, arcade, and pinball games, other electronic games, and electronic game-related historical materials in the United States. The mission of ICHEG is multi-faceted. It involves not only collecting and preserving these materials, but also making them available to researchers and museum guests for play, research, and historical interpretation. This creates the unexpected challenge of balancing accessibility of a collection with preserving mechanical, electrical, material, and design components. As the arcade and pinball game collection continued to grow rapidly and bring with it an onslaught of new preservation challenges, ICHEG looked to the established conservation principles of libraries as a framework for developing a policy for this collection. Just as libraries must balance their concurrent missions of preservation and access, ICHEG has adopted a mission to both preserve and provide access to the experience of playing arcade and pinball games. After an extensive review process and collaboration between the directors of ICHEG, curators, and conservators, the collection was divided into General and Special Collections categories. The Special Collections category was then further divided into three additional categories, each with increasing levels of restriction. These are the Monitored, Controlled, and Restricted Collections, respectively. Each level carries with it increasing stipulations that govern guest and researcher interaction, exhibition, and conservation procedures. This presentation will explain the rationale behind adapting a library preservation structure for use with arcade and pinball games, and will present the criteria used by ICHEG to develop the categories and divide the collection. It will also detail the use, research, exhibition, and conservation guidelines and restrictions associated with each category. This preservation policy provides a framework for adapting guidelines and procedures that are already familiar within the conservation community to inform preservation decisions for new and different types of collections.

Speakers

Carrie McNeal

Director of Conservation, The Strong

Carrie McNeal is the Director of Conservation at The Strong in Rochester, New York. She has previously worked in private practice in St. Louis. She graduated from the Winterthur/ University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2013 with a Master of Science in Library and Archives... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Jeremy Saucier

Assistant Director, International Center for the History of Electronic Games, The Strong

Martin Reinhardt

Arcade Game Conservation Technician, The Strong

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 513 D/F

Breakout Session, Electronic Media

Specialty Electronic Media
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Emergency) IMALERT: Establishing the Iowa Museums, Archives, and Libraries Emergency Response Team

In response to the catastrophic flooding of Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2008, Nancy E. Kraft coordinated an informal but early response and salvage effort for three local institutions. Seven professionals were at the gate and ready to provide assistance when officials allowed citizens into the flooded areas. The impact of this effort was so great that it demonstrated the need for an organized team that had the ability and knowledge to respond to disasters rapidly within the state. With the support of Iowa Conservation and Preservation Consortium, and HRDP funding, Kraft trained a group of twenty-five geographically-distributed mix of staff from libraries, museums, archives, and other collecting organizations in best practices for emergency response. The training was developed and led by Consultant Barbara P Moore and University of Iowa Libraries Preservation Librarian Nancy E. Kraft, with assistance from University of Iowa Libraries Assistant Conservator Brenna Campbell, and University of Iowa Libraries Project Conservator Elizabeth Stone. Training comprised of presentations by Moore and Kraft, as well as contributions from representatives from FEMA, a commercial disaster recovery firm, the State of Iowa Homeland Security, OSHA, and an industrial hygienist. Hands-on activities and table-top scenarios were key to team building. Participants learned how to organize and manage a recovery operation, recovery techniques for the different types of materials in collections, and how to incorporate health and safety precautions. On completion of the course, participants received a disaster response trunk kit and personal protection equipment. Responding quickly to collection emergencies can minimize the cost and impact to the local community. Small institutions in particular often do not have the staff or financial capacity to respond appropriately to threats to their collections. Though local community members may provide most of the labor needed to salvage damaged collections, a trained expert provides the structure and guidance needed for community members to act quickly and in the best interest of their collections. The African American Museum of Iowa estimates that over 90% of their collection was salvaged due to the prompt response by the informal team in 2008 Because ongoing training to the Iowa collections emergency response team will be critical to its success and sustainability, IMALERT members must agree to attend annual training. The continuing education will serve to create a team comradery, insure team member readiness, and develop a pool of future candidates to carry on disaster preparedness and collection salvage throughout the state of Iowa.

Speakers

Nancy Kraft

Department Head of Preservation, Conservation, University of Iowa Libraries

Nancy E Kraft is the Head of the Preservation and Conservation Department, University of Iowa Libraries. She is part of the American Institute for Conservation-Collections Emergency Responders Team (AIC-CERT). Kraft received the Midwest Archives Conference 2009 Presidents’ work... Read More →

Elizabeth Stone

Assistant Conservator, University of Iowa Libraries

Elizabeth Stone is the Assistant Conservator at the University of Iowa Libraries. She holds a BFA from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and an MFA from the University of Iowa Center for the Book. She assisted with collection salvage response in Iowa after the floods of... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 513 A/C

Breakout Session, Emergency

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Objects + Wooden Artifacts) A New Understanding of the Aging Characteristics of Asian Lacquer

Recent studies at the Getty Conservation Institute have demonstrated, that Asian lacquer coatings are not simply the processed tree sap of urushi, thitsi or laccol but contain many other ingredients from common linseed oil to the unusual tofu. This study looks at how these additives are affecting the physical behavior and the aging characteristic of lacquer objects. Eleven samples boards were made that represented five different formulas based on laccol and six based on urushi. The samples contained transparent lacquers, some with oil added and other with pigments as well. Similar ground layers were used for all the samples so the characteristics of the surface layers could be compared. The Atlas weatherometer with a water cooled xenon arc lamp was chosen for the artificial aging of the samples boards. A Sodium Borosilicate glass inner filter and Soda Lime glass with a CIRA coating outer filter were used to replicate the spectra of natural light through window glass. Following light aging the sample boards were exposed to four cycles of changing relative humidity consisting of 1 week at 22% RH followed by one week at 80%. After artificial aging, the physical characteristics were compared by four methods of assessment that conservators have previously used on Asian lacquer: measurement of gloss, measurement of surface pH, a comparison of micro cracking using a scanning electron microscope and observation of auto-fluorescence. In all methods of evaluating the surface the initial lacquer formulas made a difference in the results and patterns of behavior are beginning to emerge. Conservators have used low pH measurements to evaluate the severity of surface degradation; however, when the 11 different Asian lacquer formulas were compared the transparent lacquers consistently measured lower that any samples containing oil or pigments. Although they had the lowest level of pH they retained the highest gloss. Gloss varied according to formula with greatest loss occurring on the sample colored by iron oxide. Under ultraviolet light the transparent lacquers showed more intense auto-fluorescence that those with oils or pigments with laccol being brighter than urushi. Micro-cracking after exposure to RH cycling occurred on most samples, however, many different patterns occurred. Transparent urushi had the least micro cracking which is consistent with the gloss measurements. Asian lacquer can longer be considered a single type of coating. It must be looked at more like a painting where variations in the medium, additives and pigments differ according to time, place and the individual artist.

Speakers

Marianne Webb

Conservator, Webb Conservation Services

Marianne Webb is an independent conservator and researcher on the west coast of Canada. Previously she was the Decorative Arts Conservator at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto where she developed her keen interest in Asian and western lacquer. Marianne received an honor’s degree... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 710 B

Breakout Session, Objects and Wooden Artifacts

Specialty Objects, Wooden Artifacts
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Paintings) The Resurrection of The Angel

Conservation science is a powerful tool that can change and even sometimes reverse the way we experience a historical artwork. This was the case with a painted bas-relief at St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Barriefield, Ontario- a piece better known to its congregation as “The Angel”. Recent conservation efforts guided by research, rigorous methodology, and a strong sense of ethics have brought to light important and unexpected aspects of this artwork. These discoveries ultimately led to the successful conservation and revelation of The Angel’s glorious past.

The Angel mysteriously appeared on the north chancel wall of St. Mark’s sometime after 1897. This unique bas-relief is distinguished by its large-scale format- measuring 5 meters high by 4 meters wide. Its manufacturing technique consists of painted cast plaster and its singular iconography represents an angel and three cherubs. Though the relief bears no artist signatures or marks, literary evidence indicates that the piece was restored in 1951 by a famous Canadian painter, André Biéler (1896-1989). Biéler was an art professor at Queen’s University from 1936-1964 and was also the founding director of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (1957).

The artwork was analyzed with microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy using attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FTIR), and infrared and ultraviolet photography. Analysis confirmed the nature of the substrate, identified the binder used in the paint sub-layers, and most importantly, revealed the complete paint stratigraphy, which clearly indicated three distinct painting campaigns. Further solubility tests for overpaint removal confirmed the analytical results and revealed unexpected details.

Based on the analytical results, it was concluded that what was thought to have been painted by André Biéler had in fact been completely overpainted by the third and last restoration campaign. Before treatment, this outermost paint layer, which was very roughly executed, was all that was visible to the church and community members. Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects (CSMO), in collaboration with Mr. Patterson, Father Haynes, Mr. Du Prey, and many parishioners of St. Mark's Church, the conservation treatment successfully brought the artwork back to the second painting campaign, which is much closer to the original artistic intent.

Speakers

Laurence Gagné

Owner, Art Conservator, DL HERITAGE INC.

Laurence Gagné first discovered conservation while volunteering in an archaeological project taking place in southern France. Then, she pursued her interest volunteering at the Musée des Maîtres et Artisans du Québec, which is specialized in patrimonial and cultural objects, at... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

Alexander Gabov

Head Conservator/owner, Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects

Emily Ricketts

Conservator, Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments, and Objects

Emily Ricketts is a conservation professional working in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Since graduating from Queen's Univeristy with a Master of Art Conservation, specializing in objects, Emily has worked for the private conservation firm Conservation of Sculpture Monuments and Objects... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 710 A

Breakout Session, Paintings

Specialty Paintings
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Photographic Materials) When Inkjet Prints Get Wet: First Contact to Weeklong Submersions

Responders to water emergencies in museums, libraries, and other cultural heritage institutions would benefit from advanced knowledge of their collection’s condition when they finally gain access to the flooded environment. This project was intended to provide just such data for modern inkjet prints. It is possible that some inkjet print types may be so severely damaged that recovery efforts should be directed towards other, potentially salvageable materials. Conversely, objects that can withstand extended periods immersed should be known so that recovery efforts can be focused on print types which have a narrower window of recovery. These results should help staff prioritize salvage which is one of the most critical components of response. In the project’s experimental program, a variety of inkjet print types prints were immersed in clean tap water for time increments of 1 second, 10 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 7 days. This was done to provide an extended range timeline for print behavior in water. Multiple measures of print appearance were monitored for change with increasing time in water. These included ink bleed, paper yellowing, optical brightening agent loss, gloss change, surface cracking, and planar distortion. It was found that a large number of inkjet prints suffered extreme damage directly on contact with water, leaving no time for successful recovery. Those most affected were dye inkjet on polymer and uncoated fine art papers. Some dye inkjet on porous-coated papers, however, were able to withstand immersion for hours or several days. In general, pigment prints were more resistant to water than dye with some lasting the entire week with only planar distortion. Still, some pigment inks bled which was unexpected and should be considered when preparing a disaster response plan. Most inkjet printing papers can be used for either dye or pigment inks and behave independent of the colorant used to make the print. The papers in the simulated water emergencies suffered a multitude of damage variations including planar distortions, surface cracking, optical brightener loss, and gloss change but at different rates and to varying degrees. From the above data sets, a prioritization strategy was created to provide basic guidance on response and recovery of these materials during water emergencies.

Speakers

Daniel Burge

Senior Research Scientist, Rochester Institute of Technology

Daniel M. Burge, Senior Research Scientist, has been a full-time member of the Image Permanence Institute (IPI) staff for the last 25 years. He received his B.S. degree in Imaging and Photographic Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1991. He managed IPI's enclosure... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 516 CD

Breakout Session, Photographic Materials

Specialty Photographic Materials
Cost Free

11:30am EDT

(Sustainability) Sustainable Energy Reductions without Relaxed Environmental Criteria for a Hypothetical Museum in Montreal

Recent economics lead to challenges in meeting operating costs for collections-holding institutions. This has spurred interest in means to reduce annual operating costs by reducing energy use. This paper presents the potential energy savings from various energy conservation measures (ECMs) that can be done without relaxing the environmental criteria or otherwise placing collections at risk. These ECMs are then compared to the energy saving from relaxing the environmental criteria from 20-22 degC @ 45-55% RH to 15-26 degC @ 40-60%RH, a savings analysis presented in the paper at last year's meeting[1].

The savings are based on a block load analysis in a hypothetical building meeting ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for the building envelope, and ASHRAE Standard 62.1 for outside air. The collections space analyzed for savings is a typical museum gallery/collections use spaces in the Montreal climate.

Energy rates are presented in a form so that the reader can easily convert to actual rates at their institution to project their ECM savings, with an example provided. In making the comparison, in addition to energy use, each ECM is evaluated and compared for its global carbon dioxide emissions for the energy as used in Montreal.

[1] Lull, William P.: Sustainable Energy Reduction from Relaxed Environmental Criteria in Five Canadian Cities, AIC 2015 Poster Paper; Presented at the CAC 2014 Annual Meeting on June 8 in Quebec City. [http://1drv.ms/1RiLOhp]

(Full body of paper will be posted at http://1drv.ms/1KBcIzK before the end of April 2016.)

Speakers

William P. Lull

President, Garrison/Lull Inc., Garrison/Lull Inc.

Mr. Lull is a graduate of the Building Technology program at MIT, a principal and senior conservation environment consultant at Garrison/Lull Inc., and Adjunct Associate Professor of Building Technology at New York University. He has formerly worked as a designer and project manager... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 516 AB

Breakout Session, Sustainability

Interest Sustainability
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

11:45am EDT

(Research and Technical Studies) Using Portable XRF Analyzers for X-ray Radiography

With over 1,200 cultural institutions owning and operating portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, these instruments have become familiar tools for elemental analysis of collection objects. The X-ray source in these instruments can be repurposed for use in X-ray radiography. Successful trials demonstrate this imaging application and suggest the potential for its use on a variety of objects. This radiography method enables portable, small-scale imaging capability without traditional X-ray equipment or beta plates. Tests were carried out using a Bruker Tracer III-V handheld XRF analyzer. This instrument uses an X-ray tube and is capable of producing a voltage range of 0-45kV and an amperage range of 0-60μA. The XRF unit was mounted on a tripod and operated through a computer, allowing the energy levels to be adjusted and the operator to work at a distance from the X-ray beam. The X-ray beam is emitted at approximately 45° relative to the perpendicular of the face of the unit. The instrument was positioned to compensate for this angle, ensuring the object and film were within the beam. An intensifying screen, removed from a film cassette for medical radiography, was used to aid in placement. The intensifying screen is coated with phosphors that convert X-ray energy into visible light, permitting the beam spot size, shape, and location to be viewed in the dark. As with traditional X-ray radiography, the spot-size increases as the distance between X-ray source and target increases, also necessitating a longer exposure. The current in the portable unit is 1,000 times less than in traditional X-ray radiography equipment, and therefore longer exposures are required. Fugi Super HR-T and Kodak BioMax MR films were used and developed in an automatic processor. Recommended safety protocols were followed. X-ray images were successfully produced of paper to record the watermark and wood to evaluate the length of an embedded metal screw. At the following exposures, a working distance of 15 inches resulted in a usable image size of approximately 6 inches in diameter. A sheet of handmade paper with a thickness of 0.008 inches was exposed for 30 minutes at 15kV and 45μA. The resulting image of the watermark and laid lines had less contrast than a beta radiograph of the same sheet, but took less than half the time to produce. A ¾-inch thick block of balsa wood was exposed for 20 minutes at 45kV and 43μA. The wood grain was clearly visible in the X-ray image, as was the presence of an embedded metal screw. More information about the metal screw might be obtained with different operating parameters, but the capacity of the portable instrument may limit the ability to penetrate and record dense materials. Although not suited to all circumstances, this radiography method offers utility, flexibility, and relative ease. A watermark can be recorded without a beta plate; the presence of a pin, crack, join, etc. can be determined without a traditional X-ray imaging facility. The widespread availability of portable XRF units makes such exploratory radiography accessible for a variety of applications.

Speakers

Ashley Jehle

Objects Conservator, National Museum of African Art

Ashley Jehle is an objects conservator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art. She previously held fellowship positions at the Yale University Art Gallery and the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. She graduated with a Master of Arts with a Certificate of Advanced... Read More →

Co-Author(s)

John A. Malko

Associate Professor of Radiology and Adjunct Associate Professor of Physics, Emory University

Maureen R. Graves

Quality Manager Imaging Services, Grady Memorial Hospital

Renee A. Stein

Conservator, Michael C. Carlos Museum

Renée Stein is Chief Conservator at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University where she oversees the treatment, preventive care, and technical analysis of the Museum’s diverse collections. Stein is also a Lecturer in the Art History Department and teaches courses on conservation... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 11:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 511 B/E

Breakout Session, Research and Technical Studies

Interest Research and Technical Studies
Cost Free

12:00pm EDT

(Architecture) A Year Spent in L’Aquila

The association RESTAURATORI SENZA FRONTIERE - ITALIA (RESTORERS WITHOUT BORDERS - ITALY) is a very young Association, founded in 2013 by a group of very experienced professionals in conservation, acting since decades in the field of cultural heritage, even in emergency circumstances. Many of them have been working in many countries also before the constitution of RSF and are currently continuing to operate for that scope: the emergency mobilization of cultural heritage professionals, in order to protect artistic and cultural heritage, nationally in Italy, and internationally, in times of crisis.

Our associated conservators have worked to mitigate the damages in the most serious natural disasters in Italy, in Bosnia, in Mostar immediately after the war, and finally in Angola. RSF have developed intervention systems, methodologies and materials designed specifically for emergency conditions. Our work after the devastating earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009, will be discussed as an example of the types of systems and methodologies that can be implemented. The interventions adopted in L'Aquila can be divided into two types. The first one concerned the recovery of movable works of art, which required special attention because the items were leaving for the first time their place of origin. The authorities at L'Aquila arranged the transfer of approximately 8,000 works of art. The second type of intervention was related to the safety of buildings. This operation, which required the entering of restorers inside the damaged buildings, was often highly dangerous for the rescue units. For this reason special equipment was built and methodologies were created and put in place for the protection of the operators. The buildings were chosen according to their historical importance or because of the need to secure areas that were needed to be used for the transit of the rescue units. 1,800 surveys were performed on the architectural heritage of L'Aquila. The interventions in the area of L'Aquila lasted about a year. Despite the experience gained in Abruzzo as in previous occasions of extraordinary emergency, we are aware that we still have limited knowledge in the management of disasters. This type of educational training, unfortunately, is completely missing in the formative world of restoration. Here we would like to illustrate our proposal for the creation of an international task force, which will work to develop a unique protocol, to intervene in emergencies on artistic heritage sadly subject to acts of terrorism, as the recent history has often shown us.

Speakers

Paolo Pastorello

President, Restauratori Senze Frontiere Italia

Paolo Pastorello, born in Naples in 1953, received the doctor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and Philosophy from the University La Sapienza, Rome and the bachelor’s degree as a Specialist Conservator of Cultural Heritage from the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro, Rome. Since... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Room 515

Breakout Session, Architecture

Specialty Architecture
Cost Free

12:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Film Screening: “The Restoration of Books” (1968)

The film, made by Roger Hill in 1968 for the Royal College of Art, London, focuses on the conservation efforts at the National Library in Florence, after the flood.

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

Breakout Session, Book and Paper

Specialty Book and Paper
Cost Free

12:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Heritage Health Information: Recent Developments in Collections Care & Conservation at IMLS

Limited Capacity filling up

Join us in a lunchtime discussion of recent developments in IMLS’s continuing support of collections care and conservation. We’ll share the results of “Heritage Health Information 2014: A National Collections Care Survey” and what they tell us about the condition and preservation needs of the nation’s collections. Then we’ll discuss the launch of a new national conservation assessment program for collections care in small and medium-sized museums. And last but not least, we’ll highlight some of the findings, models, tools, and other resources recently developed by IMLS-funded Collections Stewardship projects.

(Note lunch not provided)

Speakers

Connie Bodner

Supervisory Grants Management Specialist, Institute of Museum and Library Services

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
Room 510

Lunch and Learn, Collection Care

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Collections Care
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

12:00pm EDT

(Architecture) Business Meeting and Luncheon

$15

Join ASG for a luncheon business meeting!

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 515

Business Meeting, Architecture

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Specialty Architecture
Cost Ticketed

12:00pm EDT

(Luncheon) Practical Responses to Health & Safety Issues During an Emergency

Limited Capacity seats available

Do you and your colleagues have the necessary rapid-response plans, training and supplies to address disasters safely? Focusing on health and safety issues in emergency response, this session will discuss practical approaches and lessons learned by conservators, safety and emergency professionals from real disaster scenarios. Presenters from McGill University’s Emergency Management & Preparedness Office and Redpath Museum will discuss institution-wide implementation of preparation and response, focusing on the health and safety needs of first responders and how the wider University incident plan is coordinated with the Museum. Representatives of the National Heritage Responders (Formerly AIC-CERT) will discuss health and safety issues related to conservators acting as second responders.
Specific health and safety topics will include creating go-kits and the personal safety supplies needed first during an emergency; deterioration of emergency supplies; steps in the re-entry and understanding site safety; environmental concerns, including water and particulate hazards and mental health issues of victims and those responding to the emergency.

Speakers

Pierre Barbarie

Director, Campus Public Safety, McGill University

Pierre Barbarie is the Director-Campus Public Safety. He has held various positions since his career began at McGill University in September 2000, ranging from Supervisor, to Operations Manager-Security Services, to Associate Director-University Safety to his present position. Pierre... Read More →

Barbara Lawson

Curator of World Cultures, Redpath Museum, McGill University

Barbara Lawson has been Curator of World Cultures at McGill University's Redpath Museum since the mid-1980s and is responsible for a collection that includes objects from all over the world covering a chronological range from Paleolithic times to the present. She is the Art and Museum... Read More →

Vicki Lee

Director of Conservation and Preservation, Maryland State Archives

Vicki Lee has worked in the book and paper specialty of the conservation field for the past 25 years. She has worked at a variety of museums, libraries and archives. Vicki has been employed at the Maryland State Archives since 2000 and has been the Head of Conservation since 2003... Read More →

Julie Sobelman

Independent Consultant, Health, Safety and Sustainability, CIH, CSP, LEED AP

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 511 C/F

Lunch and Learn, Emergency, Health and Safety

Host Organization http://www.conservation-us.org/annual-meeting/register
Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Ticketed

12:00pm EDT

Demonstration Session

Join us in the exhibit hall for presentations on and demonstrations of conservation products and services! Read on below for a listing of demonstration topics:

Applied Surface Technologies: CO2 Snow Cleaning of art objects

We demonstrate CO2 Snow Cleaning to cleaning and restoring art. This precision cleaning process removes particles of all sizes and hydrocarbon based residues. We will demonstrate the K1-10-Art-1 unit, which uses heated compressed air about the CO2 snow stream, for cleaning clean different forms of art.

Bruker Corporation:

Bruker’s LUMOS FT-IR: Quick and Easy Infrared Microanalysis of Art Objects
Bruker will demonstrate the LUMOS – a fully integrated FT-IR Microscopy for micro-analysis and chemical mapping using transmission, reflection and ATR modes.

More than Just Elements: Layer Thickness and Bruker XRF
XRF is widely used for elemental analysis, but it can also be used to evaluate the layering in an object. We will discuss the principles and limitations of this approach along with an example of how a layered object can be identified in the spectrum.

Analysis of Historical Paintings
Micro XRF is a non-destructive analysis technique for full area elemental mapping of paintings for composition and depth profiling. See specific examples of this technique in action.

Demonstrations will occur every 15 minutes.

ClickNetherfield: RENEWVITRINE

Operations Director Alistair Williams will be giving a product demonstration of our new product RENEWVITRINE. He will be examining the issue of glass hazing that can form on inside surfaces of glass in museum showcases. He will be demonstrating how RENEWVITRINE can work to inhibit haze and prolong the useful life of a showcase.

Demonstrations will take place at the following times: 12:05-12:30, 12:35-1, 1:05-1:30, 1:35-2.

Dorfman Museum Figures: ADJUST your thinking: Working with a DORFMAN Conservation Form

See how to work with a Classic adjustable Dorfman Conservation Form. We will take apart a chest block, adjust it, and put it back together.

Demonstrations will take place every 30 minutes.

G.C. Laser Systems, Inc.:Laser systems for conservation built by conservators

We are pleased to present the cutting edge GC-1 laser cleaning system and explain the unique features that make this patent pending technology a game changer for conservation. We will also show project examples where this technology was used in projects by the Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio Inc.. Come see if this conservation tool is right for your projects.

Kremer Pigments: Watercolor-making demo by Roger Carmona at Booth 413

Learn the different techniques of mulling watercolor paints. Understand the differences of pigment personalities with this ancient binder. Alternative binders to gum arabic will be discussed.

Demonstrations will be 30 minutes at 12, 12:30, 1, 1:30, and 2.

Newco, Inc.:Digital Radiography- What's the difference?

Chris Watters from Newco, Inc. demonstrates the latest in digital radiography and discusses technical considerations between detector technologies. Current practices in the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) industry and how they relate to the conservation field will also be discussed.

Demonstrations will take place every 30 minutes.

nSynergies, Inc.: pXRF Mapping: Chemistry in Context of Visual Features

A half-hour presentation will be offered at 12:00, 12:45, and 1:30 on Monday afternoon at the nSynergies/XGLab booth #119. The presentation’s underlying theme is the importance of seeing what and where you are analyzing with portable XRF. The introduction will show the power of ELIO’s 1 mm spot size and laser focusing technology. The bulk of the presentation will be devoted to portable and affordable XRF mapping. Mapping puts chemistry in context of visual features of the art object. Seeing the relationships between elemental distributions and visual features can reveal a far more complete and convincing story than spectra from point analyses.

Demonstrations will be offered from 12-12:30, 12:45-1:15, and 1:30-2.

Pixelteq: Multispectral Imaging for Cultural Heritage

PIXELTEQ will be demonstrating its flexible and portable multispectral imaging system. The system will be showing how one can take accurate color images using 8 parallel, narrow-band filters covering not only the visible band but also the near-infrared region to ‘see’ features otherwise missed with a regular color camera. The SpectroCam™ family of cameras covers from UV to SWIR (200nm – 1700nm).

Demonstrations will occur every 15 minutes.

SIT Grupo Empresarial S.L.: Microclimated Frames

A preventive conservation system improved in the European Conservation Research Projects PROPAINT & MEMORI. New generation of passive microclimated containers for artworks with control of air quality and environmental parameters.

Demonstrations will occur every 15 minutes.

Zarbeco:New MiScope Megapixel Extended Field for non-contact imaging

We will demonstrate our new MiScope Megapixel Extended Field digital microscope which has non-contact imaging. It can be used with a tripod adapter, or other stand for conservators to see less than 2 microns.

Demonstrations will take place every 10 minutes.

Zone Display Cases: Oxygen-Free casework made accessible!

Zone Display Cases will be presenting our new anoxic display case model, to be used for both storage and exhibition of your most sensitive archival documents. See this maintenance-free, argon gas-filled/oxygen-free case at our booth # 316. Zone Display Cases are designed to Present, Preserve, and Protect your collection.

Exhibitors

Nick Barbi

CEO, Bruker Elemental

As nSynergies, I distribute pXRF, combined Raman and XRF, and dedicated XRF mapping systems for XGLab, in Milan, Italy. I look forwwar to doing on-site demonstrations, showing you XGLab's unique "Analysis in Context" principle behind all its instrumentation. Our flagship product... Read More →

ClickNetherfield

ClickNetherfield is a leading museum showcase manufacturer and designer with more than 70 years of expertise of working across the globe. Working regularly with Kings, Queens and Presidents as well as world famous museums, ClickNetherfield thrives upon the challenge of making designers... Read More →

Bruker Corporation

Bruker is one of the world’s leading analytical instrumentation companies. We cover a broad spectrum of advanced solutions in all fields of research and development. Bruker’s innovative methods and non-destructive analytical techniques help to protect and preserve artifacts and... Read More →

Pierre Giguere

Director Sales & Marketing, Zone Display Cases

I have been responsible for the business development of our company for the last 10 years. We are now leaders in the conservation grade custom designed and built museum display cases in North-America. I am now developing new markets abroad. I am looking for new opportunities, partnerships... Read More →

Chad Grob

Supplier/Service Provider, Dorfman Museum Figures, Inc.

Dorfman Museum Figures, Inc. is the leader in creating three-dimensional Ethafoam™ Conservation Forms for archival display and storage of your artifact garments. Choose between our full Economy ETHAFOAM™ Men Mannequins, our Dress and Suit Forms, Storage Hat Mounts, Storage Hangers... Read More →

Kremer Pigments Inc.

KREMER PIGMENTS has been discovering and redeveloping historical pigments and mediums since 1977. Our professional assortment consists of over 100 different mineral pigments made from precious and semiprecious stones, which we offer in various grinds and qualities, over 70 natural... Read More →

Newco

Newco provides NDT products, including new and used x-ray equipment, UV lights/meters, video probes, and computed tomography systems, and the best prices – guaranteed – consulting, design, assembly, and installation services. Newco enjoys long-standing relationships with NDT’s... Read More →

Pixelteq

PIXELTEQ provides OEM spectral imaging solutions for a variety of art and cultural heritage applications. Custom-selected spectral camera filters provide conservators a valuable tool for: non-invasive characterization, evaluating layers, revealing watermarks & hidden features, distinguishing... Read More →

SIT Grupo Empresarial S.L.

We are a Spanish Co. that maintain leadership in Europe on art handling, logistic and preventive conservation services. During the recent years, we were selected by the European Commission to participate in several Conservation Research Projects that improved significantly our microclimatic... Read More →

Sandra Sherman

Applied Surface Technologies

Applied Surface Technologies will demonstrate CO2 Snow Cleaning as applied to cleaning and restoring art. We will demonstrate the K1-10-Art-2 unit, which uses heated compressed air about the CO2 snow stream to clean different forms of art.

GC Laser Systems

G.C. Laser Systems Inc. designs and builds unique laser systems specifically for art and architecture conservation. Our compact and portable systems, such as the GC-1, offer unmatched precision and control over the level of cleaning. We also offer custom built laser cleaning solutions... Read More →

Zarbeco

Zarbeco manufactures handheld digital microscopes and imaging software serving art conservators for over 15 years. See our new extended field MiScope Megapixel 2 with 5x-140x magnification and up to 4 inch field of view with optional IR and UV LEDs and tripod mount.

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 210 CD/GH

Lunch and Learn

12:00pm EDT

Exhibit Hall Demos

Join us for demos and explanations of the latest conservation products and services. Lunch available for purchase.

Monday May 16, 2016 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 210 CD/GH

Lunch and Learn

Cost Free

12:30pm EDT

(Business Meeting) CAPC Annual General Meeting

Monday May 16, 2016 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Room 512 C

Business Meeting

1:00pm EDT

(Archaeological Conservation) Discussion Group

Moderators

LeeAnn Barnes Gordon

Assistant Conservator, Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Monday May 16, 2016 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Room 516 E

Business Meeting, Objects

2:00pm EDT

(General Session: Confronting the Unexpected) The Uses of Oral History in Documenting Disasters: A Case Study of the Florence Flood

The Florence Flood of November 1996 was a seminal event in the development of the field of conservation and the careers of those students and conservators who went to Florence in response to the disaster. Thus, the topic of the Florence Flood has come up in the course of many an oral history interview conducted under the auspices of the FAIC Oral History of Conservation Program. In order to approach the topic more systematically, the authors took advantage of the November 2006 symposium marking the 40th anniversary of the Flood, held at Villa la Pietra in Florence, to organize a series of interviews with people who responded to the call for assistance. The fourteen interviewees answered questions about how and when they became involved in the rescue efforts and what materials and methods they had to work with. These interviews capture many stories about how the respondents confronted the disaster and coped with adversity. Oral history interviews record the observations and knowledge born of experience that do not find their way into the articles published in professional peer-reviewed journals. Oral history interviews add a human dimension to disasters. They may be biased and the material they contain may not be politically correct. However, they bring into the public discourse myths and rumors about treatment decisions and the efficacy of materials and methods, allowing them to be discussed and re-examined. In this presentation, the authors will use material from interviews in the FAIC Oral History Archive to show how first responders and later arriving students and conservators confronted the unexpected during the aftermath of the Florence Flood. They will also present the cohort of Florence Flood interviews as a case study on the uses of oral history in documenting disasters.

Speakers

Rebecca Anne Rushfield

Conservator, Rebecca Rushfield

Rebecca Anne Rushfield, a New York City-based consultant in conservation and Associate Director of the FAIC Oral History Project , earned a Master’s degree in Art History at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University and a diploma in conservation at the NYU Conservation... Read More →

Joyce H. Stoner

Director, Preservation Studies, Winterthur/University of Delaware

MA Art History 1970; Certificate in Conservation, 1973; PhD in Art History 1995; began teaching for Winterthur/UD Program in Art Conservation in 1976; Served as Director 1982-1997

Monday May 16, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 210 AB/EF

General Session, Concurrent Track: Confronting the Unexpected

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

2:00pm EDT

(General Session: Get Ready, Get Set - Emergency Preparedness) Through Hell or High Water: Disaster Recovery Three Years after Alberta’s Floods

In June 2013, the province of Alberta, Canada experienced severe overland flooding. In response to the flooding, the Archives Society of Alberta (ASA), a not-for-profit professional association, organized the Flood Advisory Programme. This programme is funded by Alberta Culture & Tourism, and is carried out by The Lead Team. The Lead Team visits each of ASA’s members to perform a site assessment and determine how they can assist with disaster recovery and salvage work, as well as disaster preparedness. The ASA is comprised of 44 institutional members, varying in size, location, type of institution, number of staff and available funding. Due to the unique situations of each institutional member, customized work plans are required for individualized assistance. Work plans have included hiring contract archivists, and conservators to assist sites in need; purchasing rehousing supplies, fire-proof shelving, freezers, disaster recovery kits, and safety supplies; writing disaster plans and editing existing ones; and providing advice on mandates, policies, insurance and facility risks. The hired contractors carry out a number of tasks including conservation treatment, rehousing, digitizing, reconciling damaged material with its original description, appraisal, accessioning, and arrangement and description. The Lead Team has taken a broad interpretation of what is considered disaster preparedness while conducting site assessments. They have found that improperly housed items, versus those that were properly housed, are less likely to be salvaged when affected by flooding. In addition to directly assisting members, they have also created a variety of educational resources found on their webpage (http://archivesalberta.org/programs-and-services/flood-assistance). These resources include how-to videos, informative blog posts and PDFs, staff training scenarios, and downloadable templates. Institutional members that received the most assistance will be highlighted to exemplify how the Lead Team develops and completes their proposed work plans. The Lead Team’s two goals are to help affected members recover from the flooding, and to thoroughly prepare all of their members for disasters by providing them with the recommended supplies, tools, training and knowledge.

Speakers

Amanda Oliver

Archivist, Western University Archives

Amanda Oliver is an archivist at Western University Archives. She holds an MLIS, with a concentration in archives, from McGill University.

Emily Turgeon-Brunet

Lead Conservator, Archives Society of Alberta

Emily Turgeon-Brunet is the Lead Conservator for the Archives Society of Alberta’s Flood Advisory Programme. She travels the province of Alberta assisting archives by writing site assessments and disaster plans, purchasing disaster preparedness supplies, treating flood damaged archival... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 710 A

General Session, Concurrent Track: Get Ready, Get Set - Emergency Preparedness

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

2:00pm EDT

(General Session: GO - Emergency Response) Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition: Developing protocols for protecting Israeli museum collections from armed conflict

The loss of cultural property in the Middle East has received intense news coverage over the past few years. Publications that address the complexities of protecting heritage in the face of armed conflict or examine previous failures and successes from World War II through to the 2003 Iraq war are increasing. However, in the summer of 2014 in the midst of a military offensive named "Operation Protective Edge" by the Israeli government, the current literature failed to usefully address the issues experienced by conservators in Israeli museums. Since 2000 Israel has been involved in, or the site of, five armed conflicts. These short wars or "operations" have occurred every two to three years and result in the puncturing of the rhythms of what is normally a Western-style culture and lifestyle with intermittent bombings and missile attacks. Unlike the long-running armed conflicts that have consumed Israel's Middle Eastern neighbors where museums and sites suffer from targeted and sustained damage, within Israel, cultural institutions have not been specifically targeted for attack. However, the weapons and tactics in use are not precise enough for institutions to feel that they need not prepare for a catastrophic event. While some Israeli museums have emergency and disaster plans that consider terrorism and war events, the intense push seen in North America in developing emergency protocols has not reached Israel despite the obvious need. Many institutions have lists of their most important or valuable artifacts and a few have plans for what to do in the event of a war. But deciding when to implement these protocols in the face of sporadic attacks is often a difficult judgement call resulting in delays that make them ineffective considering the fast-moving nature of the conflicts. In fact, most nations have not been proactive in developing emergency protocols for situations of armed conflict and acts of terrorism, in spite of recent current events. This paper will outline the challenges noted during a conservator-led initiative for developing stronger emergency protocols for Israeli museums with moveable cultural heritage. Recommendations for linking implementation of emergency preparation steps to local security alert levels will be discussed, as well as other recommendations for exhibition and renovation that facilitate speedy action and long-term protection of art and artifacts in a volatile area.

Speakers

Rachael Perkins Arenstein-[PA]

Partner, AM Art Conservation LLC

Co-Author(s)

Irit Lev Beyth

Conservator, Israel Museum

Irit Lev Beyth graduated in 1994 from Queen's University with a Master's of Art in Conservation. She interned at The Brooklyn Museum of Art and has been an objects conservator at The Israel Museum since 1998. In 2015 she was appointed Head of Metals and Organic Objects Conservation... Read More →

Sharon Tager

Conservator, Hod Hasharon Conservation Studio

Sharon Tager is a 2001 graduate of the painting conservation program at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London and has an MA in Contemporary Art and Theory obtained in 1998 at Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK. Since her graduation she interned at the V&A's... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 710 B

General Session, Concurrent Track: GO - Emergency Response

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

2:00pm EDT

(General Session: Lead by Example - Models to Follow) Our Place in Line: Response Protocol for Conservators Following Major Disasters

In March 1855, students rushed into the burning Nassau Hall at Princeton University to save the painting “Washington at the Battle of Princeton” by Charles Wilson Peale. As I treated this painting while interning with Bernie Rabin at the Princeton University Art Museum in 1975, I imagined myself being part of the heroic effort to save this important piece of American history. Many conservators, upon hearing of a major disaster, also imagine themselves being part the cavalry charge to save the day. While conservators are able to respond quickly to local building fires and floods, once cleared for safe access, providing aid to sites within a major disaster zone requires restraint. True First Responders are law enforcement, firemen, and emergency medical staff. Facts and Guidelines for conservators to remember following a major disaster: 1. Do not attempt to access a major disaster area until invited. 2. Do not become a burden to those you are trying to help. Food, water, and fuel supplies may be limited. 3. When invited, try to go with adequate food and water for yourself. 4. Once Incident Command System rules are enacted, they must be followed. Become ICS 100 certified and know the chain of command. http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/trainingmaterials.htm 5. Understand, the person with the keys to the door of the site you want to help may have evacuated to another state. 6. Understand that there may not be open hotel rooms anywhere near the disaster area as they are filled with displaced persons. If airports are open, rental cars may not be available. Gasoline may be rationed to First Responders. Access roads may have been rendered impassible. 7. Once contact is made with staff at a disaster site, be ever mindful of their psychological state and be prepared to provide emotional support. 8. Maintain awareness of the psychological state of your co-responders. Fatigue, both physical and emotional, can strike quickly. First Aid skills can also become important. 9. Be prepared to perform basic triage condition evaluations first, followed by establishing recovery priorities with site staff. Then perform basic stabilization and relocation efforts. Experienced members of AIC-CERT often possess the MacGyver skill to solve any problem with duct tape and twine. Solving problems in the field after a disaster is not the same as being in the conservation studio. 10. Be cautious when talking to the media. Avoid commenting of value of collections or any perimeter weakness which could become a security risk for the site you are helping.

Speakers

David Goist-[Fellow]

Conservator of Paintings and Painted Surfaces, Goist Art Conservation

M. A., Art History, University of Iowa& 1970-72; M. A., Conservation, Cooperstown Graduate Programs 1972-74; Internship, Princeton University Museum of Art 1974-75 ; Conservator, Intermuseum Laboratory 1975-77; Chief Conservator, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 1977-81; Chief Conservator... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 516 CD

General Session, Concurrent Track: Lead by Example - Models to Follow

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free

2:00pm EDT

(General Session: Hearing from a group - Two Panels on Collaborative Efforts Following Recent Disasters) Saving and Preserving Family and Local History from Natural Disasters: Addressing Challenges from the Recent Earthquakes in Japan

Three speakers will come from Japan. We will make a presentation about our disaster response to personal materials with historical value through 2011 TSUNAMI disaster.

Japan has frequently been devastated by natural disasters, including the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the 1995 Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake. Motivated by the 1995 Earthquake, historians, educators, and citizens developed a multidisciplinary volunteer-based group: Network for Preserving Historical Materials, know as Shiryo-Net. It has worked as an information clearinghouse in times of disaster, implemented educational workshops for volunteer citizens, helped launch regional groups, and promoted the mitigation of future catastrophes. In the aftermath of the 2011 Earthquake, Shiryo-Net played a key role in rescuing and conserving the damaged historical records by mobilizing volunteer citizens. Experts in the preservation field, on the other hand, joined a rescue operation launched by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, which administers publicly funded museums and cultural facilities. This operation, called the Cultural Properties Rescue Program, was a two-year limited-time enterprise and operated through publicly raised donations. It purchased supplies, consulted on the salvage of cultural properties, and sent conservators from public museums to the disaster affected regions. This panel, consisting of researchers and conservators from Japan and the US, will discuss the activities and roles of the Shiryo-Net, the Rescue Program, volunteers, and the preservation specialists involved in the 2011 Earthquake. We will review the policies and disaster responses of cultural organizations such as the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese Association of Museums, and The Japan Society for the Conservation of Cultural Property, comparing and contrasting them with North American counterparts, and providing background information of Japan’s historical and social environment.

For example, in Japan the majority of art collections and historical documents are owned by private institutions and individuals. Publicly endowed cultural repositories are scarce and less well funded, and institutional conservators are few. While privately owned historical documents amount to billions or more, they are scattered from Kyoto’s major temple to a village chief’s house. We will analyze Shiryo-Net ‘s strategies and evaluate the Rescue Program’s accomplishments by asking the following questions. How did the strengths and weaknesses of these two operations complement? Was the reliance on volunteers sustainable? Did the museum conservators have adequate training? How were the for-profit conservation businesses involved in the responses? We will discuss the progresses made for disaster preparedness and responses since the 1995 Earthquake, challenges that lie ahead, and the best approaches to mitigate the damages of future disasters. Finally, we will conclude with an appeal for new ideas, networking, and international collaborations.

Speakers

Masashi Amano

Assistant Professor, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University

Masashi Amano is an Assistant Professor at the International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University. He received his Ph.D. in Literature from Tohoku University, where he studied 18-19th century Japanese political history and paleography. His current research focuses... Read More →

Kazuko Hioki

Conservation Librarian, University of Kentucky Libraries

Currently Kazuko Hioki serves as the Conservation Librarian and Asian Studies Liaison Librarian at the University of Kentucky Libraries. She has worked at the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress. She is a recipient of the 2012 FAIC/Samuel H. Kress Conservation Publication... Read More →

Tomoko Yasuda Ishimaru

Paper Conservator, Tokyo Restoration & Conservation Center (TRCC)

Tomoko Yasuda is a paper conservator and a director at Tokyo Restoration & Conservation Center which is a for-profit studio, specializing in paper mass conservation. She studied restoration and conservation at Tohoku University of Art and Design in Japan and also at the Netherlands... Read More →

Daishi Yoshihara

Associate Fellow, National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo

Daishi Yoshihara is an Associate Fellow at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties in Tokyo. He specializes in disaster preparedness and risk management for historical local archives. He received his Ph.D. in Literature from Kobe University, where he studied 20th century... Read More →

Monday May 16, 2016 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Room 516 AB

General Session, Concurrent Track: Hearing from a group - Two Panels on Collaborative Efforts Following Recent Disasters

Interest Emergency
Audience Allied Professionals
Cost Free
Tags Highlight

2:30pm EDT

(General Session: Confronting the Unexpected) Race, Diversity and Politics in Conservation: Our 21st Century Crisis

In 2015, after the hate crime that left nine African Americans dead in Charleston, South Carolina, and following a series of police killings of unarmed African Americans, several monuments depicting Confederate leaders were spray-painted with the phrase “Black Lives Matter.” Media outlets circulated photographs of black and red writing scrawled over white stone monuments, and then captured images of these words being removed, sometimes leaving ghosts of the phrases behind. As the meaning of enacting rage against symbols of a problematic past was widely debated in the media, the conservation profession remained publically silent. Discussions on AIC’s email lists evidenced a concern for effacing paint rather than pausing to consider why this particular cultural heritage had been targeted, or wondering what it might mean to leave the words in place and engage in a community dialogue about how to interpret and manage monuments of complicated and hurtful histories. Since the professionalization of the conservation field in the twentieth century, we have grown more proficient at understanding and caring for the physical aspects of our collections. But this emphasis on materials rather than materiality—how objects and their materials create meaning and value—has led the conservation profession away from its core function. This paper asserts that the core of our work is to care for the histories, memories and stories embedded in objects. This “intangible” heritage is as essential to preserve as “tangible” heritage. Our work should be to preserve the possibility that objects’ multiple values can continue to be accessed and used by the people for whom this heritage has meaning. Contemporary conservation falls short of this essential function, a failure stemming from the profession’s lack of diversity, detachment from ongoing social and political dialogues, and limited engagement with the diverse communities whose heritage we are entrusted to preserve. The 2015 “Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey” by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Association of Art Museum Directors and the American Alliance of Museums brought the lack of diversity in the museum field into sharp focus. As cultural institutions strugg