AIC&#x27;s 47th Annual Meeting

The Ultimate New England Conservation Lab Tour - Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) and Historic New England Conservation Laboratory and Storage Facility

Bus departs from the Mohegan Sun at 7:30 am and will return around 6:30 pm.

Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
Tour the NEDCC Paper, Photograph, and Book Conservation labs; the Center’s custom framing department; and the Digital Imaging lab, including the Oversize Imaging Studio. Then on to the new Audio Preservation control rooms to learn about 100% attended transfer for magnetic and digital audiotape as well as disc recordings; and a demonstration of the Center’s IRENE Audio Preservation system, the “touchless” optical-scanning technology for grooved media such as wax cylinders and discs. The IRENE technology photographs the grooves of wax cylinders and discs, and software translates the images into sound.

Over lunch provided by NEDCC, participants will learn about the Center’s Preservation Services outreach activities, such as training, assessments and consultations, a free reference service, and the 24/7 disaster advice hotline. There will also be a short video presentation on a recent NEDCC conservation treatment project. www.nedcc.org

Historic New England Conservation Laboratory and Storage Facility
Historic New England manages thirty-seven historic properties in five New England states, has one of the largest collections of New England art and artifacts in the country, and maintains a regional storage facility and conservation laboratory in Haverhill, Mass. Join Historic New England staff for an exclusive look inside our conservation laboratory to see a range of current and past conservation treatments. Learn how we digitize collections for conservation and research use, address pest management issues with the use of a controlled atmosphere treatment system, and tour our new decorative arts storage. Staff will discuss challenges faced managing historic house museum collections and conservation and collection care priorities across a large geographic area.

Monday May 13, 2019 7:30am - 7:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Tour

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

9:00am EDT

RE-ORG Angels Project: New London Maritime Museum

In association with the AIC's 47th Annual Meeting in Uncasville CT, the Foundation for the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC), Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the organizers of the RE-ORG and STASHc websites are sponsoring an innovative Angels Project.

Do you want to learn and do good at the same time?
Do you love working as a team towards a common goal?
Is developing creative, practical, low-cost solutions to improve collection storage your idea of fun?
Is it a challenge to access collections in storage in your institution or in the institution(s) you work with?
Have you wondered whether the ICCROM-UNESCO-CCI RE-ORG Method for reorganizing museum storage would work for you?

The 2019 “RE-ORG Angels” project (the first RE-ORG activity to be organized in the US) will apply a will apply a condensed version of the implementation phase of RE-ORG (phase 4) to reorganize the storage room of the New London Maritime Society in New London, CT in one day! This will add the NLMS to the list of 144 institutions in over 30 countries which have accomplished a RE-ORG project.

To get the most out of this activity, we recommend (but do not require) that volunteers in this Angels project take part in the Connecting to Collections Care (C2CC) online course “Planning a RE-ORG project[SL2] ” involving six webinars presented between March - June of 2019. This online course is coordinated by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and features lecturers from Belgium, Canada, Italy (ICCROM) and the US. It is a joint project between the organizers of RE-ORG and AIC’s Storage for Art, Science and History Collections (STASHc). The course will focus on Phases 1-3 of RE-ORG preparing the host institution and registrants for the work that will be accomplished on-site. Registered Angels volunteers will receive a reduced registration rate for the online course.

Sign up now to volunteer for the Angels Project by emailing Ruth Seyler at rseyler@culturalheritage.org. Please include a current resume or CV. A maximum of 20 volunteers can register for this project, after which a waiting list will be established.

Facilitators: Simon Lambert (CCI), Rachael Perkins Arenstein (A.M. Art Conservation), Lisa Goldberg (Goldberg Preservation Services) , Elizabeth Morse (Elizabeth Morse Paper Conservation), Susan Tamulevich (New London Maritime Society)

Important information: Note that this full-day project (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) will take place before the start of the annual meeting rather than after, as in past years. Participants should be comfortable doing light lifting and working in moderately dusty environments. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes and if possible, bring a lab coat or disposable coverall.

Moderators

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 →

Lisa Goldberg

Conservator, Goldberg Preservation Services, LLC

Project leader for STASH, AIC News Editor and conservator in private practice. Lisa Goldberg is a private conservator with a focus on preventive care as well as health and safety issues. She is a member of SPNHC and AAM, and is a Professional Associate of AIC. As long time editor... Read More →

Simon Lambert

Senior Advisor, Collection Preservation, Canadian Conservation Institute

Simon Lambert, Senior Advisor of Collection Preservation at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), is an accredited member of the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators (CAPC) in Preventive Conservation. At CCI, he conducts broad-based research and assessments, and... Read More →

Elizabeth Morse

Paper Conservator, Elizabeth Morse, Paper Conservation

Elizabeth Morse is a paper conservator and grant developer in Cohasset, Massachusetts, with more than 28 years of experience in the preservation and restoration of paper. She was previously at Harvard College Library and the Strong Museum in Rochester, NY. She holds a Master of Fine... Read More →

Monday May 13, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT
New London Maritime Society 150 Bank St, New London, CT 06320

Angels Project, General

9:00am EDT

New York City - Pre-session Tour - Day 1

Limited Capacity filling up

Join us for a day behind the scenes at three of New York City's top cultural institutions.

Our day starts at 9 am at the American Museum of Natural History before the museum is open to the public. You will have the opportunity to explore with AMNH conservators the anthropology lab, anthropology collections management, natural science lab.

If the weather is nice we can walk to our next destination the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The conservation staff have put together a multi-track program that allow you to tailor your behind the scenes tour to your interests. Please see the attached file for more information.

We will end this perfect day with a tour of the conservation labs and a reception at NYU.

Please note - there will be no bus from the Mohegan Sun to New York City the morning of May 13. For those taking only Day 1 of the New York City tour - the bus to the Mohegan Sun will depart after the NYU reception. Make the most of your time in New York City - and take our Day 2 tour as well.

Monday May 13, 2019 9:00am - 10:00pm EDT
multiple NYC venues

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 89

9:00am EDT

Documentation and Risk Assessment of Complex Time-Based Media Artworks

Limited Capacity full

Conservation professionals are increasingly called upon to assess and document complex time-based media artworks. Unlike single-channel video works, these artworks are made up of a range of technologies that may include multiple monitors, custom-designed video switchers, digital media players, and other elements. Their complexity can make documentation and risk assessment challenging, particularly for professionals inexperienced with works of this kind.

In this two-day workshop, participants will build skills critical to the proper assessment of complex time-based works through the examination of the ‘anatomy’ of two multi-channel media works in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Participants will be instructed in how to approach these works as systems, identifying component parts, their functions within the system, their key characteristics, and the signal flow paths among them. Participants will assess obsolescence and other key risk factors for the artist’s masters, hardware, software, and peripherals. Based on observation, existing documentation, and their own research during the workshop, participants will create a functional description of each artwork and documentation of the work’s overall status.

The workshop will provide conservation professionals with the critical first-stage assessment of complex time-based media works, resulting in a greater understanding of the relationship between system components and a work’s significant properties. This knowledge will enable them to plan future short- and long-term conservation actions and to have informed discussions with relevant technicians, vendors, and the artists themselves. Participants will also be introduced to various templates for more in-depth documentation as the process of examination continues, and for use during acquisition and installation.

Experience with the technology of time-based media artworks is not a prerequisite.

Workshop participants are invited to a complimentary reception at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, following the program on Tuesday.

Transportation to the Mohegan Sun following the reception is included.

AIC has reserved a block or rooms at the Sheraton Boston Hotel - 39 Dalton Street at a rate of $250. We have mostly double/double rooms in the block - perfect for sharing. To reserve please call 617-236-2000. Online reservation link - coming soon.

Moderators

Flavia Perugini

Conservator, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Flavia Perugini was born and raised in Italy where she trained and worked as an architect after graduating with Laurea in Architecture (equivalent of MS), from the University of Florence, Italy, in 1986. She enrolled in the three-year graduate conservation program at London Guildhall... Read More →

Speakers

Mona Jimenez

Conservator, CAW

Mona Jimenez is the principal at Materia Media She previously was a co-Associate Director and Associate Arts Professor at NYU's Moving Image Archiving and Preservation program (MIAP), serving as an expert on the preservation of video, digital media and multimedia. She has worked extensively... Read More →

Jeff Martin

Archival Moving Image Consulting

Martin has worked as a conservator of time-based artworks since 2007. In addition to conference presentations of case studies covering complex time-based artworks, he has held numerous day-long workshops on media preservation over the past decade, and has taught a semester-long course... Read More →

Monday May 13, 2019 9:00am - Tuesday May 14, 2019 5:00pm EDT
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115

Workshop, Electronic Media

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $349 - 389

9:30am EDT

Boston Area Tour Day - 1 Harvard and MIT - Preservation, Conservation and Collection Care Tours

Limited Capacity filling up

Monday May 13, 2019 9:30am - 6:00pm EDT
TBA

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

10:30am EDT

Global Relevance / Local Action: Conservation at Work in Communities

Limited Capacity seats available

Global Relevance / Local Action: Conservation at Work in Communities
Monday, May 13
This symposium focuses on cultural preservation initiatives designed to include local communities. The symposium will feature both submitted presentations and invited speakers, including colleagues from the local area. Facilitated, audience-engaged discussions will also be an important part of this program. Talks will explore successful ideology and methodology for community-focused work.

This session is chaired by AIC's Equity and Inclusion Committee and sponsored by Blackmon Mooring (BMS CAT), Hollinger Metal Edge, Inc., and Preservation Technologies.

This day-long symposium is priced at $69 and $39 for students. Those who plan to attend this symposium only can register here.

Read the complete schedule and find full abstracts on our website.

Schedule
10:30 - 10:45am - Welcome

10:45 - 11:00am
"Sharing our Conservators with the Community: A case study from Otago Museum, New Zealand"
Nyssa Mildwaters

11:00 - 11:15am
Community Engagement and Field Archaeology: Ideology, Methodology, and Three Case Studies"
Suzanne Davis

11:15 - 11:30am
"Onsite conservation at Sardis: employing local workers for special projects"
Carol Snow

11:30 - 11:45am
"Respect for Language: A first step in conservation relevance"
Ellen Pearlstein

11:45am - 12:00pm
"'How Might We…?' A Human Centered Design Approach to Connecting with Communities"
Daniela Leonard

12:00 - 12:15pm - Q&A

12:30 - 1:15pm - Lunch (included in ticket)

1:15 - 2:30pm
Panel: "Conservation in the Classroom: K-12 Educational Outreach"
Sarah Barack, Beth Edelstein, Ellen Chase, Colleen Snyder

2:30 - 2:45pm - Break

2:45 - 5:00pm
"The Tantaquidgeon Museum papers: a record of the nation’s oldest Native owned museum"
David Freeburg

"Southern New England Native Baskets and the Narrative of 'Disappearance'"
Denene De Quintal

Speakers

Nyssa Mildwaters

Conservation Manager, Otago Museum

I am currently Conservation Manager at Otago Museum, Dunedin, New Zealand. I earned my Ma/MSc from University College London, and prior to my current position worked at the Royal Armouries as a Conservator and then Interim Conservation Manager, and at York Archaeological Trust as... Read More →

Suzanne Davis

Conservator, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology

Suzanne Davis is an associate curator and the head of conservation at the University of Michigan’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. Prior to joining the Museum in 2001, she was a conservator for the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C. She... Read More →

Carol E. Snow

Conservator, Yale University Art Gallery

Carol Snow is a graduate of Skidmore College and the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. She worked at the Walters Art Museum, on archaeological projects around the Mediterranean, including a Fulbright Scholarship to work in Turkey, and then as a private... Read More →

Ellen Pearlstein

Conservator, UCLA/Getty Master’s Program in the Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials

Ellen Pearlstein is a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles in both Information Studies, and is a founding faculty member in the UCLA/Getty Program in Archaeological and Ethnographic Conservation. Her research interests include American Indian tribal museums and how... Read More →

Daniela Leonard

Conservator, Reanda Art Conservation, LLC

Daniela R. Leonard received a Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings from the Hamilton Kerr Institute, University of Cambridge in 2009. After completing internships at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence and the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg in... Read More →

Sarah Barack

Head of Conservation/Sr. Objects Conservator, Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt

Sarah Barack studied art history and art conservation at the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. She worked at various museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Oriental Institute Museum before founding a private studio, where she treated... Read More →

Ellen Salzman Chase

Objects Conservator, Freer|Sackler

Ellen Chase has been Objects Conservator in the Department of Conservation and Scientific Research at the Freer|Sackler, the Smithsonian Institution’s Museums of Asian Art since 1999. Prior to that she was a contractor or fellow at a number of museums including the Metropolitan... Read More →

Beth Edelstein

Conservator of Objects, Cleveland Museum of Art

Beth Edelstein is currently Conservator of Objects at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Previously, she was an Associate Conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, focusing on the Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas. Beth earned her M.A. from the Conservation Center, Institute... Read More →

Colleen Snyder

Associate Conservator of Objects, Cleveland Museum of Art

Colleen Snyder is currently Associate Conservator of Objects at The Cleveland Museum of Art, where she has worked for 8 years. Colleen began in the middle of the museum’s extensive renovation project, which was completed in 2013, and has participated in the treatment and reinstallation... Read More →

David Freeburg

Archivist/Librarian, Mohegan Tribe | Library & Archives

David Freeburg has served as the Archivist/Librarian of the Mohegan Tribe for the past seven years, overseeing a specialized native collection and working to meet the needs of tribal patrons ranging from young children to academic researchers. Before working at Mohegan, David spent... Read More →

Denene De Quintal

Independent Scholar/Curator

Denene De Quintal, Ph.D., co-curated the exhibition "Eyes On: Julie Buffalohead" (2018). She was the inaugural Andrew W. Mellon Post-Doctoral Curatorial Fellow in American Indian Art at the Denver Art Museum. Dr. De Quintal is currently working on two articles, one about the artist... Read More →

Sponsors

Blackmon Mooring (BMS CAT)

Started in 1948 as a furniture and dye shop, Blackmon Mooring has grown to become a leader in each service area it practices – from cleaning, recovery and restoration. The earliest founders of Blackmon Mooring built their business on reliability, quality and superior customer service.In 1981, the company expanded its reach globally with the addition o... Read More →

Hollinger Metal Edge Inc.

Hollinger Metal Edge, Inc. has been the leading supplier of archival storage products for Conservators, Museums, Government and Institutional Archives, Historical Societies, Libraries, Universities, Galleries and Private Collectors for over 65 years. Famous for The Hollinger Box... Read More →

Preservation Technologies

Preservation Technologies, L.P. provides deacidification products and services for libraries, archives, and consumers worldwide. From treating the valuable books and documents of the world’s leading research libraries to preserving family memorabilia and stamp collections, our patented... Read More →

Monday May 13, 2019 10:30am - 5:00pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Pre-Session Symposium, General

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 69

10:30am EDT

Emergency Recovery of Audiovisual and Electronic Media

Limited Capacity full

Audio-visual and electronic materials are becoming an ever-larger portion of library, history, science, and even art collections, but many conservation professionals do not have knowledge of or experience with how to salvage. The first day of the workshop consists of a hands-on exercise organized around a simulated disaster that will help build general response skills, as well as material-specific knowledge needed for electronic materials. Participants will act as “volunteers” in the recovery of water damaged collections. They will review safety precautions, move through triage of collections, creation of a recovery plan, salvage, cleaning and drying, and discuss preparedness lessons learned through the process.

The second day of the workshop will consist of presentations, discussions, and tours to focus in on case studies and best practices. Speakers will include individuals involved in the salvage of electronic media following disaster scenarios, as well Yale University staff. Yale has one of the only active digital preservation units in academic libraries. Participants will tour Yale University Library Center for Preservation and Conservation’s new facilities, which includes Digital Preservation and AV Preservation. The tour will focus on the diversity of electronic media items worked on and recovered/ reformatted from the collections.

AIC has booked a block of rooms for Workshop participants at the OMNI NEW HAVEN HOTEL AT YALE
155 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510 - at a special rate of $179

Please paste the link below into your browser to reserve your room

https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/new-haven-yale/meetings/aic-association

Moderators

Tara D. Kennedy

Head, Preventive Conservation, Yale University Library

Tara Kennedy is the Head of Preventive Conservation at Yale Library's Preservation and Conservation Services department. She holds a MLIS and a certificate of advanced studies in Library and Archives Conservation from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS in Forensic Science from... Read More →

Speakers

Lisa Horsley

Library Services Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Lisa Horsley is the Director of Library Services at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, IL. She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences, a Master’s in Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s Degree in English, all from the University... Read More →

Peter Brothers

CEO, Specs Bros

Peter Brothers is the CEO of SPECS BROS., LLC. He is one of the top experts on disaster recovery of magnetic media in the United States. He has presented talks, seminars and training workshops on disaster planning, response and recovery at numerous venues including museums, universities... Read More →

Roddy Schrock

Executive Director, Eyebeam

In addition to his work at Eyebeam, Roddy is an active digital artist, having presented work at the Kennedy Center for the Arts, SFMoMA, Super Deluxe (Tokyo), RedCat Theater, Hammer Museum (Los Angeles). He has toured, spoken, and curated widely. His essays have been published by... Read More →

Sponsors

National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. Because democracy demands wisdom, NEH serves and strengthens our republic by promoting excellence in the... Read More →

Monday May 13, 2019 10:30am - Tuesday May 14, 2019 4:30pm EDT
Yale University Library

Workshop, Emergency, Electronic Media

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $279 - 319

11:15am EDT

Newport Mansions - A Conservation Exploration - Day 1

Limited Capacity seats available

Day 1 – Monday, May 13 – 11:15 am to 7:30 pm - $89
Day 2 – Tuesday, May 14 – 8:30 am to 5:30 pm - $89

Step into the gilded age as you tour the Newport Mansions with the conservation team from the Preservation Society of Newport County. This is a two-day tour; however, you may choose to take either Part 1 or Part 2. You can also immerse yourself in all that Newport has to offer by taking the Two-Day package. On each day you can either start the tour with the bus ride from the Mohegan Sun or elect to stay overnight in Newport, RI (at your own expense). The bus will stay with the group and will have room for luggage, making an overnight in Newport easy.

Day 1 – Monday, May 13 - 11:15 am to 7:30 pm - $89 – American Royalty
Explore the Breakers and Marble House – the two most grand “summer cottages” at the turn of the 20th Century. When one thinks of the Newport Mansions, images of the Breakers and Marble House often come to mind. At the Breakers, in addition to a conservation-focused tour of the house, you will also get to experience the new Beneath The Breakers Tour – an exploration of the basement and the domestic technology (electrical, plumbing, heating) that transformed daily life of the house, and learn about installation of the new geothermal climate control system. Hear from the conservation staff about the challenges of opening normally inaccessible areas of an historic house to the public and interpreting the new systems within the existing historic infrastructure. At Marble House discover why the Vanderbilts viewed the house as a "temple to the arts" in America. Enjoy a tour focused on conservation projects in the Gothic Room and Gold Ballroom and explore Chinese Tea House and beautiful grounds.End your day with a reception at the Breakers Stable & Carriage House. Mingle with Preservation Society Staff and explore how the society is using the stables as exhibition (and event) space.

Day 2 - Tuesday, May 14 – 8:30 am to 5:30 pm - $89 – In the shadows – the life of “the other” Newport Mansions
On this day we will explore The Elms and Rosecliff, two elegant and expansive residences, contrasted with the “smaller” Isaac Bell House and Chateau-sur-Mer. Some of these properties perform double-duty for the Preservation Society of Newport County by hosting special exhibition space and serving as event rentals to generate income. Explore with the conservation staff how they minimize the strain on these properties. Lunch will be served at Isaac Bell House, where a facilitated discussion will be held about historic housekeeping and collections care from a conservator’s point of view.

Monday May 13, 2019 11:15am - 7:30pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 159

1:00pm EDT

Spruce Root Basketry Repair

Limited Capacity filling up

Spruce root basketry is common in museum collections featuring Tlingit, Haida, and Alutiiq/Sugpiaq cultures. Workshop participants will gain hands-on experience with the standard technique used to repair spruce root basketry (Japanense tissue/starch paste). This technique is also appropriate for other tightly-twined baskets and organic objects that require stresses to remain widely distributed after treatment. The workshop will allow participants to practice this technique on authentic basketry from the Alaska State Museum conservation research collection.

In addition to hands-on training, the workshop will provide information about the technology and structure of this type of basketry, as well as comparison of previous kinds of repairs found in museum collections. Participants will review the steps of spruce root harvesting, processing, and weaving, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of previous repair techniques. Discussion will include insights from a recent workshop with spruce root weaves to further the dialog about how conservators share knowledge and collaborate to balance conservation standards with cultural priorities.

Speakers

Ellen M. Carrlee

Conservator, Alaska State Museum

Ellen Carrlee received an M.A. in Art History and Diploma in Conservation from New York University in 2000, specializing in ethnographic and archaeological objects. She then completed a Mellon Fellowship at the National Museum of the American Indian. Her research there, “Does Low... Read More →

Monday May 13, 2019 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Narragansett Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Workshop, Objects

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 99

1:30pm EDT

Yale (Part 1) - A Taste of Yale West Campus: New Haven Style Pizza, Beer, and Conservation

Limited Capacity seats available

Bus leaves Mohegan Sun at 1:30 PM
Arrives YWC at 2:30 PM
Leaves YWC at 7 PM

Join Yale University’s conservation community for an afternoon of tours followed by pizza and beer. Visitors will tour Yale’s newly renovated Collection Studies Center at Yale West Campus for a behind the scenes look at the facilities. They will join conservators from the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art in the shared object, painting, and paper treatment lab to see ongoing conservation projects, including the treatment of a twelve foot in diameter ceiling painting, an altarpiece by Piero di Cosimo, a Roman painted wood shield, and more. Conservation Scientists from the Aging Diagnostics and Technical Studies Labs in the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage will lead a tour of their spaces and discuss the research projects underway. The will will also include the IPCH Digitization Lab, a shared imaging space. Curators from the Art Gallery will be on hand to showcase the American Furniture Study Center and the Margaret and Angus Wurtele Study Center, two new open-access storage facilities. Touring the over 500,000 square foot facility will work up an appetite: eat famous New Haven style apizza and drink locally brewed beers at the reception after the tours while a local historian shares the history of New Haven pizza.

Monday May 13, 2019 1:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Tour

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 75

7:00am EDT

Boston Area Tour Day - 2 MFA and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Limited Capacity full

Bus Departs from the Mohegan Sun at 7:30 am on Tuesday, May 14. Those already in Boston the night of May 13 should be at the MFA Boston by 10 am

Conservation Tours at the MFA, Boston - 10 am to 2 pm

Behind the Scenes with the Conservation Staff at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 2:15-5:15 pm
Reception at the MFA Boston - 5:30 to 7 pm
Bus returns to the Mohegan Sun at 7 pm
Cost - $75 for May 14 or $119 for both days. Note cost includes tour only.

Tour Description
Conservation Tours at the MFA, Boston, Tuesday, May 14, 2019 – 10 am to 2 pm
The MFA welcomes AIC attendees to spend the day at the MFA, Boston, for a look at recent or ongoing conservation projects and tours of storage or lab facilities led by MFA conservators. These informal sessions will be 20 minutes long, occurring on the half hour starting at 10:30am. There may be multiple sessions scheduled for each time slot, allowing participants to attend those of interest. Everyone will have free admission to all museum exhibitions, so will also be able to explore the galleries on their own during times they have not signed up to attend sessions. The day will end with a reception at the MFA, hosted by the Conservation and Collections Management department. Below are some of the offerings being planned, with more options in development.

Tour: Asian Conservation Studio, Japanese Section
The Asian Studio is one of the first conservation studios for traditional Japanese paintings established in the U.S. Join us in the studio while conservation of 15 Kamakura period rakan paintings (from an incomplete set of 16) is underway. The works, some mounted as panels and others unmounted, are being restored to their original hanging scroll format. (Space is limited to 10; tour will be offered several times during the day.)

Japanese Woodblock Prints
Learn about traditional colorants and special effects used in Japanese woodblock prints with Joan Wright, Bettina Burr Conservator in Asian Conservation. Examples from the MFA’s Japanese woodblock prints collection will be available for close looking. (Space is limited to 10; talk may be offered several times during the day.)

Gender Bending Fashion
The “Gender Bending Fashion” exhibition explores a century of fashion that has disrupted, blurred and redefined conventions and expectations around gender and its expression through dress, from the runways to the streets. Join textile and costume conservator Claudia Iannuccilli for a discussion focusing on the many challenges associated with the creation of the exhibition, including treatments, mannequin selection and collaboration with curators, designers and lenders.

Apartheid and Fashion
South African artists and designers have asserted their rights to be seen and heard in the public sphere, an act of brave subversion during the Apartheid era and one of personal courage today. This exhibition features several contemporary artists who face this issue head on and challenge the concept of identity—how is it created and by whom. Associate textile and costume conservator Joel Thompson will discuss how confronting these issues regarding the body informed mannequin selection, dressing and installation of several challenging contemporary art pieces in an exhibition that considers how simply being is a political act.

Tour: Textiles and Fashion Arts Storage and Beranek Textile Conservation Lab
We welcome you to tour onsite storage facilities of the costumes and fashion arts collections. Included will be a tour of the Gabriella and Leo Beranek Textile Conservation Laboratory. (Space is limited to 10; tour will be offered several times during the day.)

Tour: Deknatel Paper Conservation Lab
The Virginia Herrick Deknatel Paper Conservation Laboratory cares for American and European prints, drawings and photographs, as well as contemporary art from all cultures. We invite you to come and see ongoing projects and a few treasures from the collections. (Space is limited to 10; tour will be offered several times during the day.)

Paint, Stain, or Lacquer? Surface Decoration on Frankl‘s Skyscraper Furniture
The furniture of Austrian-born architect and designer Paul Theodore Frankl is uniquely American in design. A desk-bookcase combination and a pair of dressers in the MFA’s collections reflect the contrast between natural wood and bold-colored painted surfaces. Associate furniture conservator Christine Storti will discuss her technical study of the Skyscraper furniture, which brought to light materials and decoration techniques which often differ from the architect’s theoretical writings.

British 18th Century Period Interiors – Reinstallation and Conservation
The Newland House period room from Gloucester, England, dated to 1740, was deinstalled into its component parts in 2005 during construction of the MFA’s Art of the Americas wing. The talk, by Gordon Hanlon, head of furniture and frame conservation, will focus on the research and systems developed for their reinstallation and the recreation of a new ceiling based on photographic evidence.

Benin Sculpture
The Kingdom of Benin is well known for its extensive body of royal “bronzes,” or copper alloy pieces, produced using the lost-wax casting technique. Join associate objects conservator LeeAnn Gordon and Richard Newman, head of scientific research, to learn more about these fascinating sculptures. In particular, the discussion will focus on the technical analysis and treatment of a remarkable Benin horseman that was constructed from multiple copper alloys.

Behind the Scenes with the Conservation Staff at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 2:15 – 5:15 pm
Enjoy a private tour on the one day of the week our galleries are closed to the public. The Conservation staff will discuss recent projects from the extensive study and cleaning of the famed Farnese Sarcophagus to the whole gallery restoration of the sumptuous Raphael Room layered with textiles, objects, paintings and, now, new lighting. You’ll also hear about the challenges of preserving a permanently installed collection, as required by Gardner’s will.

We have reserved a block or rooms at the Sheraton Boston Hotel - 39 Dalton Street at a rate of $250. We have mostly double/double rooms in the block - perfect for sharing. To reserve please call 617-236-2000.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 7:00am - 10:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Tour

Track Contemporary Art
Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

7:30am EDT

Historic New England Architectural Gems

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for a day of exploring two Architectural Gems of Historic New England’s collection; the Water Gropius House and the Eustis Estate. Our first stop is the Walter Gropius House in Lincoln, Mass., the 1938 residence of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius. Gropius House combined traditional elements of New England architecture—wood, brick, and fieldstone—with innovative materials including glass block, acoustical plaster, chrome banisters, and the latest technology in fixtures. It features a significant collection of furniture designed by Marcel Breuer and fabricated in Bauhaus workshops. With the family’s possessions still in place, Gropius House has a sense of immediacy and intimacy. In true Bauhaus style, the house and its landscape exemplify maximum efficiency and simplicity. 2019 is the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, so it is a fitting time to visit. Historic New England recently completed a conservation master plan for the building and grounds supported by the Getty Foundation through the Keeping It Modern program. In addition to a special tour of the site, attendees will hear about the ongoing conservation issues and projects.

The tour will then head to the eighty-acre Eustis Estate in Milton, Mass., featuring a beautiful 1878 house designed by William Ralph Emerson. The property has only been open to the public for a year but has drawn a lot of positive reaction to both its interpretation and the restoration itself. You will be able to hear about topics such as the paint analysis and the conservation or restoration of the original finishes that followed, object conservation projects at the site, and challenges with hosting exhibitions within a historic house museum environment. Weather permitting, we will have a picnic lunch on the grounds prior to our tour of Eustis.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 7:30am - 6:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

8:00am EDT

Designing Brilliance – The Gorham Silver Exhibition at the Rhode Island School of Design

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for this behind the scenes view of the Gorham Silver Exhibition at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Commissioned to create everything from public presentation pieces to one-of-a-kind showstoppers for use in the private dining rooms of America, Gorham put uniquely American design on the world stage. Silver and mixed-metal wares produced from 1850 to 1970 by Gorham reflected the industry, artistry, innovation, and technology of its time for more than 150 years in America. Designing Brilliance will cast new light on the legacy of this distinctive company, first established in 1831 in Providence, Rhode Island. The RISD Museum owns the largest collection of objects by this silver maker and Designing Brilliance is the first Gorham exhibition in nearly three decades.

Enjoy a private tour of the exhibition with Elizabeth Williams, Curator of Art + Design, RISD Museum followed by a presentation on the conservation work that went into exhibition RISD conservation staff. Enjoy roughly 2 hours of free time to view the museum collections, shop, etc.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 8:00am - 3:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Tour, Wooden Artifacts

Track Objects
Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

8:00am EDT

Newport Mansions - A Conservation Exploration - Day 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Newport Mansions - A Conservation Exploration
Day 1 – Monday, May 13 – 11:15 am to 7:30 pm - $89
Day 2 – Tuesday, May 14 – 8:30 am to 5:30 pm - $89
Two-Day Package Price - $159

Step into the gilded age as you tour the Newport Mansions with the conservation team from the Preservation Society of Newport County. This is a two-day tour, however you may choose to take either Part 1 or Part 2. You can also immerse yourself in all that Newport has to offer by taking the Two-Day package. On each day you can either start the tour with the bus ride from the Mohegan Sun or elect to stay overnight in Newport, RI (at your own expense). The bus will stay with the group and will have room for luggage, making an overnight in Newport easy.

Day 1 – Monday, May 13 - 11:15 am to 7:30 pm - $89 – American Royalty
Explore the Breakers and Mable House – the two most grand “summer cottages” at the turn of the 20th Century. When one thinks of the Newport Mansions images of the Breakers and Mable House often come to mind. At the Breakers in addition to a conservation focused tour of the house, you will also get to experience the new Beneath The Breakers Tour – an exploration of the basement and the domestic technology (electrical, plumbing, heating) that transformed daily life of the house- and learn about installation of the new geothermal climate control system. Hear from the conservation staff about the challenges of opening normally inaccessible areas of an historic house to the public and interpreting the new systems within the existing historic infrastructure. At Marble House discover why the Vanderbilts viewed the house as a "temple to the arts" in America. Enjoy a tour focused on conservation projects in the Gothic Room and Gold Ballroom and explore Chinese Tea House and beautiful grounds.End your day with a reception at the Breakers Stable & Carriage House. Mingle with Preservation Society Staff and explore how the society is using the stables as exhibition (and event) space.

Day 2 - Tuesday, May 14 – 8:30 am to 5:30 pm - $89 – In the shadows – the life of “the other” Newport Mansions
On this day we will explore The Elms and Rosecliff, two elegant and expansive residences, contrasted with the “smaller” Isaac Bell House and Chateau-sur-Mer. Some of these properties preform double-duty for the Preservation Society of Newport County by hosting special exhibition space and serving as event rentals to generate income. Explore with the conservation staff how they minimize the strain on these properties. Lunch will be served at Isaac Bell House, where a facilitated discussion will be held about historic housekeeping and collections care from a conservator’s point of view.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 8:00am - 6:30pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Pre-Meeting Session, Research & Technical Studies

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

9:00am EDT

GC Lasers Systems - Live Laser Cleaning Demos

Live Laser Cleaning Demos
GC Lasers Systems will be doing continuous on demand laser cleaning demonstrations from 9am to 12:00 pm on Tuesday, May 14

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Nipmuc Room 1 Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

9:00am EDT

Conserve Yourself First

Limited Capacity seats available

Conservation professionals can only go so far before needing to address self-conservation! This workshop will teach participants principles of maintaining or improving joint health and mobility, as well as actionable tools to take away and apply at home. The instructor will also go over ways to make it fun! The workshop will include:

1) Foundation: Breath, vision, and balance
2) Joint Mobility: Nourish each individual joint
3) Putting It Together: How to balance the demands of your work
4) The Conservator’s Concert: Takeaways, review, and questions

Moderators

Tatiana Cole

Conservator, Private Practice

Tatiana Cole has a private practice in the Greater Boston area, in addition to holding a position at the Boston Athenaeum. Previously, she was Associate Conservator of Photographs at The Better Image in NYC, and Fellow in Photographs Conservation at the Amon Carter Museum in Forth... Read More →

Speakers

Jeremy Fein

Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist, Fein Movement

Jeremy Fein is a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist and Director/Owner of Fein Movement, which offers private mobility coaching and corporate wellness workshops throughout the country. Fein has been coaching mobility for 7 years, holding positions with the international... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Nipmuc Room 2 Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Workshop

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $89 - 99

9:00am EDT

Packing and Crating: Basics for Traveling with Your Art

Limited Capacity filling up

This workshop will provide an overview of the basic standards, vocabulary, methods, and materials used in the crating and packing of objects for transit. Attendees will be provided with a thorough overview of the most commonly used packing and crating solutions for art objects, artifacts, and other special objects. A focus on using a common vocabulary as well as establishing industry-accepted materials and methods will be emphasized.

Common problems and concerns that arise in transit will be addressed, along with demonstrations of how to safely and responsibly correct common problems that can occur to crates in transit. The workshop will also include a hands-on component during which attendees will be invited to “pack” objects in provided crates. Attendees will be encouraged to apply some of the lessons learned in the workshop to find solutions for “problem” crates that will be also be provided.

Speakers

Brenna Campbell

Preservation Librarian, Princeton University Library

Brenna Campbell is Preservation Librarian at Princeton University Library. She has an MS in Information Studies and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Archives Conservation from The University of Texas at Austin. She completed an internships and fellowships at Harvard... Read More →

Meg Colbert

Director of Production, Boxart Inc

I have worked at Boxart Inc., a fine art packing and crating company, since 1997.In that time I have packed art in museums, galleries, artist’s studios, auctionhouses, and in private collections. I am currently the Director of Production atBoxart, where I both help to design and... Read More →

Sara C. Smith

Associate Registrar and Collection Manager, The Leiden Collection

Sara C. Smith is the Director of Collections at The Leiden Collection and has extensive experience traveling with crates as a courier (most recently to China and Russia). After working as a Registrar in commercial galleries in New York City for many years, Sara C. Smith came to The... Read More →

Sofia Torres

Art Ship

I am an experienced art handler and have packed artwork for a wide range of clients on both coasts. With a background in bicycle mechanics and sculpture, I particularly enjoy packing 3D objects and designing packing solutions for museum-level multi-venue shipments. I spent five years... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Schaghticoke Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Workshop

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $89 - 99

9:00am EDT

Microfade Testing: Fundamentals and Practice

Limited Capacity filling up

Workshop, Research & Technical Studies

This workshop is intended for recent microfade tester (MFT) users and those in the process of acquiring an MFT. The course will introduce fundamental concepts underpinning the technique, the basic components and operation of an MFT, and how the resulting data can be used to assess light sensitivity and inform light exposure guidelines. Participants will have hands-on access to multiple MFT designs and assess the light sensitivity of various samples.

The MFT was introduced to the field of heritage conservation by Paul Whitmore (then at Carnegie Mellon Univeristy, now at the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage at Yale University) in the mid-1990’s, and provides a means of understanding the in situ light sensitivity of an artwork. The technique exposes a small area (less than ~0.5 mm in diameter) to an extremely bright light and monitors the resulting color change with a spectrometer. The intensity of light accelerates the color change and data can be obtained rapidly, giving one the ability to evaluate an artwork’s fugitivity before exhibition. Real-time monitoring allows the test to be stopped before color change is visible, rendering it virtually non-destructive. The comparison of MFT data to the fading rates of Blue Wool standards can refine the sensitivity assessment of an artwork and allow for the development of object-specific light exposure guidelines.

MFT has become generally accepted as a preventive conservation tool, but there remain obstacles to its more widespread use. While the original ‘Whitmore MFT’ setup remains in active use in the field, subsequent MFT designs have explored the use of different components, potentially causing ambiguity as to which iteration is most appropriate for a specific context. Once an MFT design has been selected, issues can then arise in the acquisition and setup of a non-turnkey instrument, as well as sustaining institutional knowledge for an instrument that may be operated and maintained intermittently. Finally, there can be uncertainty in how to interpret MFT data and how it influences museum lighting policy.

In recent years, several meetings focused on MFT have been convened by the Rathgen Laboratory, Conservation Science Annual, and the Getty Conservation Institute to address these concerns. This workshop helps to further this discussion and ultimately seeks to advance MFT practice in the conservation community.

Speakers

Vincent L. Beltran

Assistant Scientist, Getty Conservation Institute

Vincent Beltran joined GCI Science in 2002. He has been an active participant in a range of research projects including the mechanical characterization of historic materials, the effect of reduced oxygen environments on color change, evaluations of packing case performance during... Read More →

Sarah Freeman

Associate Conservator of Photographs, J. Paul Getty Museum

Sarah joined the Paper Conservation Department at the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2006. She earned her M.A., C.A.S. in art conservation at the State University College at Buffalo, and a B.S. in art history at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her interests include preventative care... Read More →

Christel C. Pesme

Chief Conservator/ Deputy Director, Heritage Conservation Centre

Since November 2021, Christel Pesme holds the position of Chief Conservator at the Heritage Conservation Centre, the centralised purpose-built repository and conservation facility for the National Collection of Singapore. Prior to this role, she worked at M+ in Hong Kong, from... Read More →

Jacob L. Thomas

Principal, Jacob Thomas MFT Consultancy

Jacob Thomas is a research assistant in the Kinetics of Heterogeneous Reactions Group at the Jagiellonian University, Department of Chemistry. There, he specialises in conservation chemistry, with a particular interest in the degradation of paper-based objects. Jacob holds degrees... Read More →

Season Tse

Senior Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute

Season Tse was a senior conservation scientist at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI). She graduated in Applied Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, received her M.Sc. in Chemistry from Carleton University, and joined CCI in 1984. Her research focused on treatments for historic... Read More →

Sponsors

The Getty Conservation Institute

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) works internationally to advance conservation practice in the visual arts—broadly interpreted to include objects, collections, architecture, and sites. The Institute serves the conservation community through scientific research, education and... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $169 - 189

9:00am EDT

New York City - Pre-session Tour - Day 2

Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for the 2nd Day of the New York City Tour - as we engage in special behind the scenes tours of major cultural attractions.

Enjoy access to the Morgan Library & Museum for a rare glance behind the scenes at one of New York City’s most popular museums.

Take in the Early Italian Drawings exhibition with John Marciari, Head of the Drawings Department, and Reba Snyder, Paper Conservator.
View a presentation on conservation/preservation of the historic McKim building. Depending on the construction schedule a tour of the renovations might be possible.
Explore the Thaw Conservation Center, a world-class laboratory for the conservation of works on paper and parchment—drawings, prints, photographs, illuminated manuscripts, rare books, fine bindings, and literary, historical, and music manuscripts. Designated areas accommodate wet and dry conservation treatments, book conservation, matting and framing, advanced seminars, graduate internships, postgraduate fellowships, and visiting scholars.

Next we will visit the conservation labs at MOMA - you will have the rare opportunity to visit the Paintings, Conservation Science, Paper and Photo Labs. Hear about MOMA's upcoming expansion and its effect on the conservation departments.

We will conclude our day at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Enjoy a guided tour of the collection by a conservator. The collection presents many conservation challenges. In many ways the museum is tasked with preserving damage.

Please note there won't be transportation from the Mohegan Sun to New York City the morning of May 14. After our tour at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum we will depart for the Mohegan Sun. AIC has made arrangements for luggage to be stored at the Morgan Library and Museum.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00am - 7:00pm EDT
multiple NYC venues

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 89

9:00am EDT

Yale (Part 2) - Preservation and Conservation of Book & Paper @ Yale University Library: A Behind the Scenes Laboratory Tour of the Yale Center for British Art and Yale University Library

Limited Capacity filling up

Preservation and Conservation of Book & Paper @ Yale University Library: A Behind the Scenes Laboratory Tour of the Yale Center for British Art and Yale University Library

Yale University’s museums and libraries hold extensive collections of book, bound manuscripts, paper and parchment documents, art on paper, photographs, scrapbooks, ephemera and other paper-based objects. The University has supported collections conservation collections for many years, and conservators and technicians from the Yale Center for British Art and the Yale University Library will open the doors to their labs for tours and conversation with staff about their spaces – one in continuous use for three decades and another constructed in 2015.

The tour will begin at the Yale Center for British Art. The Center, designed by architect, Louis I. Kahn (1901–1974), recently completed a major three-phase building conservation project. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the paper conservation laboratory, which opened its doors in 1977. Attendees will meet with the conservation staff, who provide expertise and treatment for the Center’s and the Yale University Art Gallery’s collections, as well as collaborate with colleagues both at the University Library and the laboratories at the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage at Yale’s West Campus.

Attendees will have time mid-day to grab lunch and visit gallery exhibits at the Center or the Yale University Art Museum, located across Chapel Street.

After the break, participants will visit the Library’s Gates Conservation Laboratory, constructed in 2015, as the Library’s first purpose-built facility for book, paper and photograph conservation. The visit will highlight the design process and the approach taken to creating functional areas for wet treatment, an automated box making machine, expanded exhibition preparations, and photo-documentation. Staff will discuss how they planned the space to accommodate new collaborations with students, researchers and Yale’s IPCH conservation scientists. Conservation & Exhibition Services’ Traveling Scriptorium, a Medieval manuscripts material teaching kit, will be out on display in the lab. Tour attendees will also have an opportunity to visit the Library’s digital archeology lab, and digital print and audio/visual reformatting operations.

The day’s tours will conclude with a reception at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, one of the world's largest libraries devoted entirely to rare books and manuscripts; and Yale's principal repository for literary archives, early manuscripts, and rare books.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00am - 7:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Tour

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 75

11:15am EDT

Natural Dyes, Mineral Colors, and Synthetic Dyes on Textiles

Limited Capacity full

This workshop will address the use of dyes and pigments from the eighteenth century to the present using textiles from the Historic Textile and Costume Collection and the Textile Science Laboratory. The workshop will also cover two other topics of value to conservation professions including dye identification—from sophisticated to simple—and dye-fastness issues. Participants will tour the Textile Conservation Laboratory, Historic Textile and Costume Collection, and the Textile Science Laboratory.

Lunch will be provided for workshop participants. Transportation will be provided from the Mohegan Sun – bus departs at 11:30am. Please arrive at 11:15am to board the bus.

Speakers

Susan J. Jerome

Collection Manager, URI Historic Textile and Costume Collection

Susan J. Jerome is the Collection Manager at the University of Rhode Island's Historic Textile and Costume Collection. She facilitates the collection’s mission of teaching, research, and exhibition; also, is a lecturer, consultant, textile conservator, and part-time employee at... Read More →

Rebecca Kelly

Conservator, University of Rhode Island

Rebecca J. Kelly is a textile historian and conservator. She has worked as a conservator holding positions at The Preservation Society of Newport County, and later the Museum at FIT. She continues to work as a consultant assisting numerous organizations and private clients with the... Read More →

Dr. Margaret T. Ordoñez

Scientist/Researcher, Ordoñez Textile Conservation Services

Taught textile conservation classes in the graduate programs at Kansas State University and the University of Rhode Island; retired from URI in 2017 and set up Tenasi Textile Conservation Services in Tennessee. MS and PhD in textiles and clothing departments at the University of Tennessee... Read More →

Dr. Linda Welters

Professor, University of Rhode Island

Dr. Linda Welters teaches courses in history of fashion, research methods, and material culture; she is Director of the Graduate Program as well as Director of the Historic Textile and Costume Collection; her area of specialization is the cultural history of textiles and fashion... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 11:15am - 5:00pm EDT
University of Rhode Island Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design Quinn Hall, 55 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881

Workshop, Textiles

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $89 - 99

11:30am EDT

Mark Twain House and Harriet Beecher Stowe Center Tour

Tour the homes of two of America's most famous writers and neighbors -- visit the Mark Twain House and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. The tour will start with a box lunch and a discussion of recent conservation projects at the Mark Twain House. To follow will be a special behind the scenes tour of the house focusing on the ongoing conservation issues facing the museum. Next visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center for a special tour that focuses on the 2017 restoration of the house. You will also have time to delight in the historic Stowe gardens in bloom. The bus will leave the Mohegan Sun at 11:30 am, to arrive in plenty of time for the start of the lunch discussion at 12:30 pm. If you are flying into Bradley Airport on the morning of May 14 -- you can take a cab or ride share directly to the Mark Twain House and meet the tour at 12:30 pm. The Mark Twain House has graciously agreed to provide a space to store luggage. Bus transportation back to the Mohegan Sun will be provided at the end of the tour.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 11:30am - 5:00pm EDT
Mohegan Sun Lobby (Departures) Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT, USA

Track Architecture
Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 69

12:00pm EDT

Centering Value in Collection Care

Limited Capacity seats available

Pre-Session Symposium, Collection Care

Tools, techniques, and tactics, including rational scaling strategies such as risk assessment, are all valuable recognized aids to achieving our goals. But are our goals set in the best possible ways for meeting the needs of our institutions and the societies they serve? Or might they be self-serving in making us believe by doing work just as we have been trained to do leads to the highest possible social benefit? What are we really trying to do anyway? Just perform collection care work? Or plan and execute selected activities in pursuit of a strategic goal? As leverage points for improving a collection care system, tools, techniques, and tactics have considerably less power than strategic-level system interventions such as formulation of high-level goals and even transcendence of paradigms. Directly considering the latter immediately uplifts our perspective to the broadest institutional and societal goals. This session will employ a variety of idea sharing approaches including:

A combination of solicited and invited presentations on traditional and non-traditional uses and values of diverse collections. Discussions will explore the range of opportunities and challenges of greater societal engagement in defining the goals and meanings of preventive conservation.
Adopting a values-based approach in collection management and conservation is critical to ensuring that these functions have a clear focus on the higher societal goals of your institution. The approach ensures collection investments are aligned with institutional priorities and are as efficient and effective as possible. The transition from an object and material focus to a value focus is not always an easy one for professionals whose education and experience have usually been centered on object and material focuses. The transition can be greatly facilitated by managers participating in the transition.

This session has been developed to engage managers in partnership with collection managers and conservators in engaging in that transition. We hope you will join us in this sea change initiative.
Learning outcomes for you as managers will include:

Understand limitations of traditional object- and material-based approaches to collection care work.
Learn the power of word choice and positioning to focus on value-based strategic outcomes, rather than task-oriented goals.
Explore how to create stronger stakeholder interest by directly connecting collection preservation to societal values.

Speakers

Becky Fifield

Associate Director (Head), Collection Management, New York Public Library

Rebecca Fifield is Associate Director, Collection Management for the Research Libraries of The New York Public Library, establishing that program in the Preservation and Collections Processing Division in 2016. Ms. Fifield has over 30 years experience working with art and history... Read More →

Jane Henderson

Reader in Conservation, Cardiff University

I have been working in and studying in conservation and collections care in Wales since 1984. I teach on the BSc in Conservation and MSc’s in Collection Care and in Conservation Practice. I currently serve as a trustee on the Welsh Federation of Museum and Art Galleries and The... 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.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 12:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Corn Planting, Maple Sugar, Strawberry Rooms Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 59

1:00pm EDT

Emerging Leaders Seminar: Art of Diplomacy - Leading with Influence

Limited Capacity filling up

Workshop, Research & Technical Studies

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he/she wants to do it.” … Dwight Eisenhower.

It is never too early in your career to cultivate the skills needed to be an astute and effective leader. Regardless of job title or institution, there are leadership and management tenets that you can apply in every situation. The “New Leadership Normal” is to lead by being collaborative, compassionate, connected, and caring in the “communities” where we work, operate, and live. To be successful today as a leader, you need to be able to use your personal strengths to be authentic, embracing change through the ability to influence and effectively communicate to achieve sustained results in a meaningful way. “Leading with the Art of Diplomacy" will provide you with essential skills you will need to be an effective leader in work environments where you might think you do not have the authority to make change happen. Emerging conservation professionals need to fully understand the power of serving others by applying influencing skills, and knowing when to use situational leadership techniques for success.

This half-day seminar will be led by noted leadership lecturer and facilitator Bob Norris. The content of this session will be geared towards early-career professionals who have completed their graduate studies and have experience working in professional settings. This is a pilot seminar and participation will be limited to 24 individuals. Sponsorship generously provided by the Getty Conservation Institute and ANAGPiC.

Cost: $25

Speakers

Bob Norris

Executive Director, The First Tee of Delaware

Bob is the Executive Director for The First Tee of Delaware. The First Tee is a National non-profit that empowers youth and impacts the lives of young people with educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and skills and, and promotes healthy choices... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Shinnecock Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Pre-Session Symposium, ECPN

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required

1:00pm EDT

Conservation Technology Showcase

Changes in technology occur in our lives every day. How are conservators putting new technology to work? The Conservation Technology Showcase will highlight advances in the science of art conservation of historic and artistic works. The showcase will feature some of the latest contributions to the field as a result of Preservation Technology and Training Grants from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, an office of the National Park Service. Participants can move between stations to gather information, watch demonstrations, and ask questions. Each station will have handouts that highlight case studies relevant to a wide range of conservation specialties. There will also be demonstrations and hands-on experiences.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

Interact one on one with researchers studying cultural materials
Discover how analytic al techniques such, as Infrared Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Petrography, 3D Imaging, or Optical Profilometry, to name a few, might be used to study works of art
Learn how new treatments are being developed for practical use in the field
Find new online resources that can help improve conservation practice
Discuss research ideas and grant opportunities with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Speakers

Catherine Cooper

Research Scientist, National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Catherine Cooper, PhD, is the Technical Services Research Associate at NCPTT. She is fascinated by the application of scientific analyses to understanding materials and the people who made them. She earned her PhD in Archaeological Science at the University of British Columbia where... Read More →

Xiaoning Qi

Research Scientist, Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University

Xiaoning Qi is a Research Scientist in the Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Xiaoning earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer Materials from the Harbin Institute of Technology, (Harbin, China), a Master of Science in Materials... Read More →

Michele Derrick

Scientist/Researcher, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Michele R. Derrick is a chemist and conservation scientist with more than twenty years’ experience analyzing and characterizing materials. She worked at the University of Arizona Analytical Center and then for twelve years as a conservation scientist at the Getty Conservation Institute... Read More →

Jason Church

Materials Conservator, National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT)

Jason Church is a Materials Conservator in the Materials Conservation Program at the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) in Natchitoches, LA. NCPTT is a research and training office of the National Park Service. Jason divides his time between original... Read More →

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 →

Stephanie Spence

Conservation Fellow, Toledo Museum of Art

Stephanie Spence received her M.A. and Certificate of Advanced Study from the Art Conservation Program at Buffalo State College, State University of New York where she specialized in objects conservation, with interests in Asian lacquer and metals. Stephanie received her B.A. in Art... Read More →

Beth A. Price

Senior scientist, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Beth A. Price is the senior scientist in the Scientific Research Department at the PMA. Beth serves as a Board Member and Chair of the Infrared and Raman Users Group. She studied chemistry, art history and studio art at Rutgers University and the State University of New York.

Mat Moschella

Senior Sales Engineer, Keyence Corporation of America

Mathew Moschella is Sales Engineer (Surface Analysis Team) at Keyence Corporation of America. Keyence is a rapidly growing leader in factory automation products and turnkey inspection equipment. Their microscope and surface measurement systems ensure that their customers can meet... Read More →

Sponsors

National Center for Preservation Training and Technology

The National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training protects America’s historic legacy by equipping professionals in the field of historic preservation with progressive technology-based research and training. Since its founding in 1994, NCPTT has... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
COST FREE

1:00pm EDT

Respirator Fit Test

Limited Capacity seats available

The AIC Respirator Fit Test Program is targeted towards conservation professionals who may not have access to a safety professional to conduct the test or do not have respirator fit testing available through their employer, but is open to all interested parties. This workshop is in accordance with the U.S. OSHA Standard (29CFR1910.134 - Respiratory Protection). The fit test appointments and online lecture will be conducted by a Certified Industrial Hygienist.

Individuals wishing to be fit for a respirator MUST:

Register for the Respirator Fit Test “workshop” at the AIC Annual Meeting.
Watch the REQUIRED online lecture and take the corresponding quiz.
Schedule a fit test appointment. The appointments will be scheduled to take place in 15-minute intervals from 1:00pm - 5:00pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.
Complete a REQUIRED medical evaluation within twelve months PRIOR to your fit test. The medical evaluation must be performed by a healthcare professional. If you prefer not to use your own healthcare provider, FAIC can suggest a clinic that will review your evaluation questionnaire (additional $25 cost).
Upload the Respirator Medical Clearance Approval Form signed by a healthcare professional to the portal or bring it to the scheduled fit test appointment.
Bring their respirator to the scheduled appointment and get fit tested.

Appointments are limited. The last day to register for a Respirator Fit Test is May 7, 2019.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Peeping Frog

Workshop

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 39.00 - 49.00

1:00pm EDT

Sustainability Tool Kit

Limited Capacity seats available

Pre-Meeting Session, Conservators in Private Practice

Conservators inherently care about preservation, and this includes the planet. We all want to be more sustainable—but where to begin? This workshop will take participants through the Sustainability Tool Kit developed by Sarah Braun, a former Consultant with the UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Programme, and Sustainability in Conservation founder Caitlin Southwick. Together they will demonstrate how the Tool Kit can be implemented in any museum, conservation studio or on-site location.

Participants will be introduced to the concept of sustainability, including various models (the Paris Agreement, the United Nations SDGs and the three imperatives: limits, needs and justice) and applications of these concepts to the cultural heritage field. The instructors will share case studies with the group then participants will have the opportunity to apply these concepts to their own workplaces by learning how to access the current situation, establish goals, and manage progress. Participants will leave the workshop with a concrete launching point for implementing more sustainable practices.

All cultural heritage professionals and institutions would benefit from this workshop. Participants walk away with a personalized case study and an understanding of how to use the Sustainability Tool Kit to customize their own transition to a more sustainable work environment. In addition, the Tool Kit facilitates sharing of best practice and success stories with other conservation professionals, providing more tools and ideas to affect positive change in their own practice.

Participants should bring a laptop or tablet if possible.

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 →

Caitlin Christena Southwick

Conservator, University of Amsterdam Program in Conservation and Restoration

Caitlin Southwick is a stone conservator at the University of Amsterdam. She received a Professional Certificate in Conservation from Lorenzo de' Medici International Italian Institute in Florence after which she continued her studies at l'Accademia di Belle Art in Carrara. She then... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 1:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Workshop, Sustainability

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $89 - 99

2:00pm EDT

Scholarly Writing: Presentation to Publication

This 90-minute pre-meeting session is open to all with an interest in scholarly publications, including those with experience publishing that may wish to offer advice to others.

Topics to be covered include:

An overview of the journal
How to prepare a postprint article for submission to a journal
Tips on sharing your published research via social media
Students and fellows can and should publish - here's how
In search of painting conservation articles - tips and advice
Q&A for current and future authors

Speakers

Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez

Research Scientist, National Museum in Krakow

Julio M. del Hoyo-Meléndez holds a PhD in science and conservation of cultural heritage from the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. He received a bachelor's and a master's degree in chemistry from the... Read More →

Robin Hanson-[Fellow]

Associate Conservator of Textiles, Cleveland Museum of Art

Robin Hanson has managed the textile conservation lab at the Cleveland Museum of Art for the past 17 years. In 1997 she completed graduate training in conservation, with a specialization in textiles, at the Winterthur / University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. She is a... Read More →

Ellen Pearlstein

Conservator, UCLA/Getty Master’s Program in the Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials

Katelin Lee

Outreach Coordinator, Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation

Katelin joined the AIC team in May 2015 and after roles in meetings, membership, and marketing, now serves as FAIC's Outreach Coordinator. She promotes awareness of the conservation field within the public and provides membership with opportunities to reach new audiences. She also... Read More →

Gregory Bailey

Objects Conservator, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Greg Bailey graduated in 2011 from Buffalo State College with an M.A. and C.A.S. in Art Conservation with a focus on the conservation of objects. Since that time, he been awarded a Kress Fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a Mellon Fellowship at the Walters Art Museum... Read More →

Paul Himmelstein

Conservator, Appelbaum & Himmelstein

Paul Himmelstein has been a partner in the New York conservation firm of Appelbaum and Himmelstein since 1972. The firm carries out conservation treatments on paintings, painted textiles and objects, and consults for institutions and private collectors on matters related to collections... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Narragansett Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Pre-Meeting Session

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Tags jaic, publishing, scholarly writing

3:00pm EDT

Insurance 101 - Practical Considerations: The Importance of Insurance & Risk Management

Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc.
Presenters: Casey Wigglesworth, Assistant Vice President and Ever Song, Account Executive

Practical Considerations –The Importance of Insurance & Risk Management
This session is appropriate for all levels of experience from beginner to expert as an introduction and review of insurance basics, insurance products available and how they are an integral part of risk management.

Topics to be addressed include what’s covered and what’s not under insurance policies; how to determine, review and update policy limits; claims process & trends seen from a loss experience perspective; importance of proper documentation; contracts/agreements between conservator and client; and loss prevention and control.

The session will include:

Transfer of Risk-Insurance Policies
Review & Summary of insurance products available to conservators
Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability
Application process (online capability for new conservators)
Who, What and Where Covered
Determining Policy Limits
Protect yourself and your business with written treatment proposals/contracts/agreements
Special Projects – what types of insurance are being required
Time management – keep your insurance agent in the loop from the beginning of any special requests/projects
Claims
Loss/Disaster Prevention Tips & Planning
Questions & Answers Session

Speakers

Ever Song

Account Executive, Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc.

Account Executive from Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc., maintains and underwrites specialized insurance program for art conservators.

Ms Casey Wigglesworth

Account Executive, Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc.

With over 15 years’ experience at Huntington T. Block working exclusively on fine art risks, Casey serves as a representative of her insureds consisting of nationally renowned museums, commercial galleries and private collectors to achieve the best terms and conditions available... Read More →

Sponsors

Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc.

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 the Conservator’s Insurance Program – an insurance solution customized to your unique exposures. Sponsoring... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Nipmuc Room 1 Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

5:30pm EDT

APOYOnline 30th Anniversary Meeting

Tuesday May 14, 2019 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Reception, General

5:30pm EDT

HHIS Report / AIC Annual Awards Presentation

Join us to celebrate and honor this year's award recipients. Before the ceremony begins, there will be a presentation about the results of the 2014 Heritage Health Information Survey. See the program for more about our 2019 award recipients and learn about the awards and past recipients at www.culturalheritage.org/awards.

Here are this year's honorees (not in order of presentation):

Theodore (Ted) Stanley: Rutherford John Gettens Merit Award
Platinum and Palladium Photographs: Technical History, Connoisseurship and Preservation (2017) and editor Constance (Connie) McCabe: Publication Award
Beverly (Bev) Perkins: Sheldon & Caroline Keck Award
Scott Carrlee (1964 - 2018): Robert L. Feller Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Matthew Eckelman: Allied Professionals Award
Deborah Marrow: President’s Award
Mona Jimenez: David Magoon-University Products Conservation Advocacy Award
Judith Walsh: Honorary Membership
Paul Whitmore: Honorary Membership
Carolyn Tallent: Paintings Specialty Group Award
Dr. Vicki Cassman: Textile Specialty Group Award
The Lenhardt Library of the Chicago Botanic Garden: Ross Merrill Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections

Tuesday May 14, 2019 5:30pm - 7:00pm EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

General Session, General

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

7:00pm EDT

Publications Committee - Meet & Greet

AIC's Publications Committee will meet by the AIC and FAIC booth during the Exhibit Hall reception for an informal meet & greet.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 7:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Salon C & D, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting

7:00pm EDT

Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall

Join us the night before the start of the main conference to view the exhibits and chat with the vendors in a more relaxed setting. Light refreshments and cash bars will be provided.

Exhibitors

University Products

Supplier/Service Provider, University Products

University Products is the leading supplier of archival storage solutions. The company offers a wide array of archival storage products as well as conservation tools and equipment. Yes, we plan on having a new corrugated animal kit as a gift for you for stopping by our booth. Don't... Read More →

Tuesday May 14, 2019 7:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Salon C & D, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Reception

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

8:00pm EDT

ECPN Networking Happy Hour

Kick off the conference by connecting with peers and networking with established professionals at ECPN's annual Happy Hour, generously sponsored by the Getty Conservation Institute and ANAGPIC. Enjoy amazing food, collegial colleagues, and networking activities with snazzy prizes. Conference attendees at any career stage are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Cost: Free

Sponsors

Association of North American Graduate Programs in Conservation

ANAGPIC, the Association of North American Graduate Programs in Conservation, works together to strengthen and advance graduate-level education and training in art and heritage conservation. ANAGPIC meets regularly to provide a venue for the presentation and exchange of graduate student... Read More →

The Getty Conservation Institute

Tuesday May 14, 2019 8:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Reception, ECPN

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

9:00pm EDT

ANAGPIC Graduate Program Reunions

Connect with old friends and make new ones at the joint ANAGPIC Graduate Program Reunions.

Tuesday May 14, 2019 9:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Reception, General

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

8:20am EDT

(Opening Session) Welcome and Speaker Introductions

Welcome and Introductions of speakers

Sponsors

Goppion

Begun after World War II as a small glass-making workshop, over the years Goppion has been transformed into a company of excellence, which specializes in museum installations and supplies to the most important museums around the world.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 8:20am - 8:40am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

8:40am EDT

(Opening Session) Conservation Is Not Neutral

Cultural heritage institutions are increasingly sites of conflict as previously accepted or imposed societal norms are questioned and replaced with more inclusive values and practices that reflect changing social demographics and ethics. Phrases like “Museums are not neutral” and “Archives are not neutral” are rallying cries for a new generation of practitioners who seek to confront structural racism and sexism in their collections and places of work. Despite the best of intentions and a strong ethic of care, conservators and the field of conservation as a whole is no more free from the socio-economic constraints the guide the acquisition and exhibition of collections work than our curatorial peers. In her 2016 talk “Race, Diversity and Politics in 21st Century Conservation,” Sanchita Balachandran challenged conservators to consider how the core function of our work is to preserve the intangible heritage of material objects to support diverse communities of practice. This talk reflects upon the role of conservators within American heritage institutions and how our service-based profession ends up upholding the traditional racial and gender hierarchies of American society, whether through treatment priorities, conservation methodologies, or value-based assumptions. This talk will also explore the unique role that conservators and preservation staff hold in heritage institutions with broad responsibilities for the preventive care and maintenance of collections and how the authority derived from these responsibilities can be leveraged to better address the care and promotion of more diverse collections that better reflect American society and ideals.

Speakers

Fletcher Durant

Head of Conservation and Preservation, University of Florida

Fletcher Durant is the Head of Conservation and Preservation at the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. He is responsible for the care and treatment of the Libraries’ 6+ million volumes and 13+ million items in the Digital Collections. His work focuses on the preventive... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 8:40am - 9:00am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Fletcher Durant
Abstract ID 19084

9:00am EDT

(Opening Session) The Academy as Community: Leveraging Common Treatment to Expand Understanding and Audience

Few paintings in the Yale Center for British Art are as damaged as Bartholomew Dandridge's A Young Girl with an Enslaved Servant and a Dog, (ca. 1725). Long consigned to storage with a thick, yellowed varnish and expanses of discolored overpaint, the murky conversation piece was rarely seen in the galleries. It had no community of scholars, no audience nor appreciation and in our presentation, we will argue, little understanding. Twentieth century British scholarly practice emphasized eighteenth century grand manner portraiture by artists such as Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough, or nineteenth century British landscapes by the accepted greats William Turner and John Constable. The works of older, lesser-known masters fell to the background and their rich histories, which tell stories of artist's migration, colonial enterprise, and racial relations have, until recently, been ignored. Additionally, in New Haven, a diverse city where every third grader in public school visits Yale's museums, the display of black sitters needed reconsideration. When proposed for inclusion in the exhibition "Figures of Empire: Slavery and Portraiture in Eighteenth Century Atlantic Britain," the painting conservation department gasped. Old restoration obscured and misinterpreted Dandridge's composition; the harmony of the scene was thrown off balance by the figures' disparate readability. Layers of old varnish warmed the color temperature of the sitters' skin and skewed the reading of the black slave to a generic figure rather than an observed, possibly from life, portrait. The space of the painting, and thus the distance between the owner and owned was compressed by a coating that darkened highlights and lightened the darks, supporting the argument that a cleaned painting would permit a truer view of its original content and intended social dynamic. The project offered an opportunity to engage routine painting conservation with the contemporary academic discourse on the depiction of race in Western painting, supported by technical analysis to explore the picture's paint structure and degradation. It also provided insight into Dandridge's fairly unstudied painting practice, a style described as English Rococo underpinned by the technical traditions of immigrant artist Godfrey Kneller and the St. Martin's Lane Academy. Our presentation will review what is a routine painting treatment and describe how the project grew to include a community of curators, art history faculty, scientists, graduate students in the history of art, school of art, and painting conservation. The finished project helped all to better understand the picture's place in the history of art and aesthetics as well as broaden the Yale Center of British Art's relevance to New Haven's population. Beyond that it has also sparked a deeper investigation into the portrayal of flesh tones in British painting history with direct relevance to contemporary discussion of race in America and the world.

Speakers

Mark Aronson

Conservator, Yale Center for British Art

Mark Aronson is the Chief Conservator of the Yale Center for British Art and Chair of the Shared Conservation Laboratory at Yale's Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. He is also a critic at the Yale School of Art. He received his M.S. in the conservation and preservation... Read More →

Co-Author

Jessica J. David

Conservator, Yale Center for British Art

Jessica David is the Senior Paintings Conservator at the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. She received her Post-graduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings from The Hamilton Kerr Institute in 2007 and was subsequently a Kress Conservation Fellow at The Frans Hals... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 9:00am - 9:20am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Mark Aronson, Jessica David
Abstract ID 19077

9:15am EDT

(Opening Session) Lessons Learned from a Fishbowl: Preserving Nirvana

Wishing to share an experience that broadened my perspective about conserving art – I started on a quest to bring Asian Conservation out of the basement of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) and into a “fishbowl” with a conservation-in-action project that was conducted in a gallery without glass walls. Wanting to get recognition for Asian Conservation’s dedicated staff and to show the public the amazing work they do every day to enhance the visitor experience – we planned for nearly five years to find funding, the extra staff and an available gallery space. We already had the perfect painting – Hanabusa Itchō’s iconic masterpiece, The Death of the Historical Buddha. It is a monumental Japanese hanging scroll from the Edo period, measuring 16 feet tall and 9 feet wide. This Buddhist painting came into the MFA’s collection in 1911, had not been on-view for more than 25 years, and was last treated/remounted in the 1850s. The painted image was surprisingly in good condition but the hanging scroll mount was in tatters. We needed extra staff to handle this oversized scroll so we partnered with the Smithsonian Institution. Two conservators from the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery joined us at critical moments during the treatment process. The project was generously supported by the Sumitomo Foundation. The key to our success was our partnership with the MFA’s Senior Associates – a volunteer organization that helped visitors to understand what was happening in the gallery on any given day – this was crucial as the treatment progressed. The lessons we all learned from this experience were numerous and at times difficult but always enlightening. We learned that even the shyest of conservators has a story to tell, that community is local as well as global, that a conservation-in-action project is like an evolving “happening” in the gallery. The museum visitor, given the opportunity to experience first-hand a conservation treatment and engage with museum conservators, naturally learns and goes onto share that experience. Go-Pro videos and social media also aided us in reaching a more diverse audience and audiences across the globe. The exhibition was called Conservation-in-Action: Preserving Nirvana.

Speakers

Jacki Elgar

Pamela and Peter Voss Head of Asian Conservation, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Jacki Elgar is currently the Pamela and Peter Voss Head of Asian Conservation, having been at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) since 1986. She earned a MA and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from the State University College at Buffalo, New York. In 2012 at... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 9:15am - 9:40am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Jacki Elgar
Abstract ID 18943

9:30am EDT

(Opening Session) Is Art like Language? Linguistic Approaches for the Future of Conservation

Outrage and ridicule followed recent “botched” restorations of a sculpture of St. George and a fresco depicting Ecce Homo, both in Spain. What is the role of the conservation professional in responding to such “scandals”? Is it possible to uphold standards and ethics while remaining relevant and sensitive in a global, digitized world where stakeholders for artworks are geographically and culturally diverse? This presentation explores linguistic approaches as possible models for navigating the choppy waters of authority over authenticity. If linguistic purists had had their way, English wouldn’t have evolved into the rich global language it is today. On the other hand, unchecked, without standards, the shared meaning of language would have muddied, eroding its efficacy as a tool for communication. Does use determine meaning in art as it does in language? If so, current conservation paradigms may reign in the relatively controlled environments of museum and institution, but additional tools may be needed for the field to participate in the broader, popular discussion of cultural heritage. The presentation attempts to envision the field of conservation beyond the walls of museum and collection and on the world stage.

Speakers

Cybele Tom

Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Objects Conservation, Art Institute of Chicago

Cybele Tom is Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in the Department of Conservation and Science at The Art Institute of Chicago. With a focus on painted objects, she pursues broad interests in conservation theory and ethics. She graduated from New York University, Institute of Fine Arts with... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Cybele Tom
Abstract ID 19177

10:00am EDT

Exhibit Hall - Break

Wednesday May 15, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Salon C & D, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Break

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

10:45am EDT

(Opening Session) Tactics "to preserve the art of art conservation itself"

The recent Los Angeles Times article noted the “Getty Foundation initiative to preserve the art of art conservation itself” in this case, lining canvases. “’Knowledge is disappearing,’ says Getty Senior program officer Antoine Wilmering. ‘It’s a big problem’”. Indeed it is a problem, and one that not only Getty, but AIC members can help to solve. The research conservators do to determine treatments has dramatically changed in a relatively short time. Even as recently or as long ago, depending on your perspective, as the 1980s there was experimentation that has continued to this day. Previous treatment records are essential for determining new treatments, and for the historic record that accompanies an object. And sometimes old treatments are found to be the best option, even today, or they are the spring board for considering new options. From institutional records to private practice documentation, professional records are key to developing new treatments. Just as importantly treatment and testing are a vital record of our work. Past AIC presentations have urged and shown the importance of keeping test samples. Unpublished records of tests and samples provide a context for the final treatment. Examination and treatment can provide insights to future owners and conservators of art works preserved, which may again need treatment. Art historians might also benefit from having access to such records. A conservator in private practice knows that he or she has the responsibility of finding a home for his or her papers. Planning for that home may not be a top priority during a career. Institutional archives are limited in their storage capacities so a conservator working for an institution may find him- or herself with the dilemma of seeking a home for papers that are not directly related to current works of art in that institution's collection. The conservator whose records are in digital format must also be concerned with the preservation of records digitized or born digital that require organization, indexing, and a hosting server. How do we as a profession preserve our documentation history? And how do we help now and future generations to find that historical record? FAIC and dedicated members have done an amazing job in creating a legacy of oral histories of our colleagues. Those who started that effort were convinced of the need to preserve our history. The documentation of treatment is as essential to our professional history as the oral history effort already established. Let’s come together to share ideas for solving the preservation of our treatment histories large and small. Let’s close the gap of documenting our history by documenting our documentation so it can be found and used by future generations to make sure the as Wilmering so clearly states “”knowledge has to continue to exist—and be passed on.’”

Speakers

Jeanne Drewes

Conservator, Library of Congress

Jeanne Drewes has been the Chief of Binding and Collections Care in the Preservation Directorate at the Library of Congress in the United States, since June 2006. In January 2011 she added Manager for the Mass Deacidification Program to her duties. Previously she was Assistant Director... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 10:45am - 11:00am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Jeanne Drewes
Abstract ID 18989

11:10am EDT

(Opening Session) The CoToCoCo Project : A Conceptual Toolkit for Contemporary Conservation

Since the mid-twentieth century, theoretical and practical approaches to heritage have caught the interest of a growing number of academic and professionals. Facing the expanding scope of what an always larger diversity of stakeholders consider necessary to hand in to the future, guidelines, sets of principles, charters and recommendations have multiplied in order to address each and every challenge posed by this ever-expanding corpus and its very diverse public. At the same time, the globalisation of heritage debates starting, in the field of architecture, which the Athens Conference in 1931 and booming with the World Heritage Convention, has questioned the most deeply rooted cultural traditions on which conservation and restoration principles had been built and developed. Despite some attempts to organise this prolific production and these fundamental questionings into a coherent theory (Munos-Vinas, 2003), experience shows that in front of practical problems, practitioners tend to come back to some fundamentals – the Venice Charter in architecture, Cesare Brandi’s theory in art, for example – despite the anachronism of using them to answer questions which couldn’t be foreseen at the time when they were thought. In parallel, a tendency to decontextualise practices, extracted from their traditional background, regularly helps to argue in favour of projects aiming at sustaining the capitalistic machine or questionable political interests rather than the safeguard and transmission of heritage (using the periodic rebuilding of Shinto temples to justify the rebuilding of any monument in the world is the clearest example). In this context, blurred interpretations of the concepts of identity and authenticity are in many cases responsible for a confusion in the debates and lead to unsatisfactory compromises mostly in disfavour the safeguard of heritage. At the same time, the expansion and diversification of cultural goods contribute in a positive way to a renewal of conservation and restoration approaches. Our ambition is to conjointly revitalize reflections on movable and immovable cultural goods, proposing methodological tools and resources for an interdisciplinary dialogue in a broad sense. The CoToCoCo project (Conceptual Tools for Contemporary Conservation) is based on borrowings from varied disciplines – sociology, anthropology, mathematics, philosophy, semiology – in order to draw alternative perspectives and submit them for practitioner’s consideration. For this conference, we will provide an example of our methodology and its practical application, starting from a text by the French sociologist Nathalie Heinich on “heritage emotions”. We will submit it to the reflection of two heritage professionals – a conservator of cultural goods, working with communities in Central America and an Irish architect, in order to demonstrate that in order to think “out of the box”, it is sometimes necessary to rejuvenate theory and to try it out just like any other practical tool.

Speakers

Claudine Houbart

Professor, University of LIège

Claudine Houbart is an architect (ULiège, 1996), has a master in Art History and Archaeology (ULB, 2000) and an advanced master in Conservation of Monuments and Sites (KULeuven, 2002). In 2015, she presented a PhD in engineering entitled «Raymond M. Lemaire (1921-1997) and the conservation... Read More →

Co-Author

Muriel Verbeeck

Professor Dr.,, ESA Saint-Luc, Université de Liège, CeROArt

Prof. Dr. Muriel Verbeeck is full professor at ESA Saint-Luc de Liège, Conservation Department, and invited professor at Institut National du Patrimoine, INP, Paris. She leads research within the Research Unit AAP (cultural heritage) at Liège's University (COTOCOCO project) . She... Read More →

Stéphane Dawans

Professor, University of LIège

His studies in Romanic Philology, Philosophy and Sociology have encouraged Stephane Dawans to develop a research activity located at the crossroads of these disciplines, confronting them to the fields of architecture and heritage (in collaboration with Claudine Houbart for the field... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 11:10am - 11:25am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Pip Laurenson
Abstract ID 18722

11:30am EDT

(Opening Session) Reframing Authenticity

Frameworks of business are sources that can empower us as conservators, advocates, managers and leaders. Looking through the business lens at the profession and practice of conservation, what might we learn? Can we harness concepts such as distributed networks, the sharing economy and design thinking to strengthen and inspire our work? How might tools like data visualization and negotiation methods help us demonstrate value and cultivate financial support? Does alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals help to contextualize our work? This talk will offer a big picture perspective on cultural heritage conservation, considering the profession within the setting of global trends and current international dialogues. Strategies adopted from the business sector will spotlight how we might reframe and communicate our impact to remain dynamic and relevant in the future.

Speakers

Sari K Uricheck

Conservator, Acanthus

Sari Uricheck leads Acanthus, a consultancy in New York City. Her twenty years of conservation experience include project management and bench work at the American Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Cleveland Museum of Art. An undergraduate degree in chemistry... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sari Uricheck
Abstract ID 19181

11:45am EDT

(Opening Session) Lessons from the Felt: Thoughts on Risk, Community, and Lifelong Learning from a Poker Player Turned Conservator

As professionals in a multi-disciplinary field, we naturally benefit from the diversity of experiences gained in academic and craft pursuits. Transferable skills from hobbies and previous occupations contribute to the uniqueness of an individual’s skill set, but what of transferable philosophies? Drawing from a six-year-long stint as a semiprofessional poker player, this presentation highlights aspects of the practice and serious study of a hobby that have informed the personal philosophy of a conservation professional. The parallels between the practices of poker and conservation are manifold and sometimes surprising. Long-term success in poker demands a complete understanding of game mechanics, personal discipline and risk management, strong intuition and interpersonal skills, continuous self assessment and iterative improvement, and engagement with shifts in best practices. A poker player’s education typically begins with low-stakes, fundamental experience; however, as one progresses toward mastery, the ideal approach is often less prescriptive and more nuanced, modulated by a collection of thousands of prior minute decisions. Uncertainty is inevitable and is often the source of stress, and the importance of luck, of course, must be acknowledged. It is in the consideration of minutiae where conservation professionals can learn from the deep study of games like poker. In this talk, three key themes are examined: embracing and managing risk, the importance of cultivating small and large communities with diverse approaches and skill sets, and the necessity for honest self assessment with an eye toward long-term growth. A final note about time investment, opportunity cost, and avoiding burnout ties these themes together with a call for more coordinated, efficient, and open collaboration among conservation professionals.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 11:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Salon A & B, Uncas Ballroom

Business Meeting, Emerging Conservation Professionals

Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Abstract ID 19163

12:00pm EDT

ECPN Information Session

This session is an opportunity to meet the current ECPN officers, hear about our recent and upcoming initiatives, and learn how to get involved! It is also a place to meet fellow conference attendees, ask questions about how AIC and ECPN operate, and voice your ideas for building community and resources to support emerging conservation professionals. Conference attendees at any career stage are welcome and encouraged to attend.

ECPN is excited to offer this unique two-part lunchtime programming event. The free ECPN Information Session is from 12-12:45pm and is open to all interested attendees. Please note that there is a modest registration fee (which includes lunch!) to attend the second half of the session involving the one-hour leadership lecture. Sponsorship generously provided by the Getty Conservation Institute and ANAGPiC.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Emerging Conservation Professionals
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
COST Free

12:00pm EDT

RATS Business Meeting

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 →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting, Research & Technical Studies

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

12:00pm EDT

CIPP Business Meeting & Luncheon

Please join us as we review 2019 and look forward to 2020. A box lunch will be provided for CIPP members.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Schaghticoke Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting, Conservators in Private Practice

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

12:00pm EDT

Socratic Dialogue: Authenticity, originality and innovation: what are we trying to achieve?

Limited Capacity filling up

Authenticity and originality. These two concepts can be considered to be the most important and decisive concepts used in the value assessment of objects of cultural heritage, and in decisions concerning their conservation and restoration. These concepts lie directly behind decisions, for example, about - retouching a painting, - the partial or complete removal of a yellowed varnish or an overpainting, - whether one can replace a discolored photographic work with a reproduction, - whether one can replace a component in an installation, or - how one treats damage or aging in objects ranging from century old textiles and leather objects, to architectural components, scientific or musical instruments, and antique vehicles. Ultimately, the terms authenticity and originality lie behind discussions about artist intent, and whether a particular treatment was successful. The advent of so-call science-based conservation, starting with the so-called cleaning controversy at the National Gallery in London after World War II, has brought new intensity to the discussion. The use of modern advanced and innovative technology to study objects to nano-levels, predict how they used to look, or, for example, to virtually retouch them, raises even more questions about what it is we as conservators and conservation scientists are doing. What we are trying to achieve with all of this innovation, and what that means in terms of authenticity and originality? In the continuing series of such dialogues at AIC annual meetings, a Socratic dialogue is thus proposed for the 2019 meeting in New England to investigate what we mean by the terms original and authentic when it comes to the innovative study and treatment of valuable objects. 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, what does authenticity and originality mean in conservation, but to investigate each other’s experience and opinions in the application of those terms in daily conservation practice. The Socratic method provides a safe, open environment for participants to investigate what the essence behind the use of the terms authenticity and originality is, and to understand their own points of view as well as those of others. It provides a solid foundation for thinking about what we expect when we innovate in the study and treatment of objects and how we define the success of the treatment.

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 →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Lunch, General

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST $25 ( lunch)

12:45pm EDT

Archaeological Discussion Group (ADG) Business Meeting

Moderators

Francis Lukezic

Conservator, Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

Frances Lukezic is an objects conservator at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory and is currently a Co-Chair of AIC’s Archaeological Discussion Group. She has an MSc in Conservation from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. Previously, she has worked at the... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 12:45pm - 1:45pm EDT
Shinnecock/Nipmuc Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting, Objects

Track Architecture, Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

12:45pm EDT

Leadership Lunch - To Serve is to Lead

Limited Capacity seats available

“How can I be an effective leader and make a difference for others?”

We all have asked this question. This lunchtime lecture by noted speaker Bob Norris will address relevant leadership approaches and techniques that will renew, refresh, revive, and re-energize the inner leader in all of us. This session is open to anyone who wants to enhance and augment their leadership experience or learn ways to be an effective future leader. This event follows the ECPN Information Session.

ECPN is excited to offer this unique two-part lunchtime programming event. Please note that there is a modest registration fee (which includes lunch!) to attend the second half of the session involving the one-hour leadership lecture. The free ECPN Information Session is from 12-12:45pm and is open to all interested attendees. Sponsorship generously provided by the Getty Conservation Institute and ANAGPiC.

Cost: $17 (includes lunch)

Speakers

Bob Norris

Executive Director, The First Tee of Delaware

Sponsors

Association of North American Graduate Programs in Conservation

The Getty Conservation Institute

Wednesday May 15, 2019 12:45pm - 2:00pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Lunch, ECPN

Ticketed Additional Ticket Required
COST 17

1:00pm EDT

National Heritage Responders Business Meeting

Limited Capacity filling up

Annual business meeting for the National Heritage Responders. Non-members are welcome to attend as well.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Narragansett Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting

Ticketed Public (Free)
Tags NHR, Emergency

2:00pm EDT

(Architecture) Mortar Mishaps: Testing the Freeze/Thaw Durability Of Common Restoration Repair Mortars

Many architectural conservators, especially those working far from home, complete a project, take the after photographs and never return. But how many have completed a project and been proud of their work, only to return a year or two later and be disappointed by how poorly the repairs have aged? Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc. has been fortunate enough to work on several multi-phased cemetery projects which have allowed us to see how treatments held up over time. The results have not always been as expected. Since we occasionally work as the contractor, we do not always have control over the products specified, and we have been required to use some patching repair mortars which had faded, cracked, or failed completely within a couple of years. While some repair mortars may be great at filling the larger, deeper spalls often found on architectural elements, they may not be as durable on the thin patches required for many brownstone markers. Other products, made without cement, are perfect for warmer climates, but may not withstand the cyclical freeze/thaw of a typical northeast winter. In an effort to gain a greater understanding of the performance of these mortars, I will be conducting a series of freeze/thaw tests, using a modified version of ASTM C666 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Concrete to Rapid Freezing and Thawing. Testing will look at several different commercially available patching materials including a natural hydraulic lime-based, a commercial Portland cement and lime, and an acrylic modified cement and lime material. Custom mixes in Type N and Type O will also be tested. A minimum of three samples for each material will be tested. Testing will include both mortar cubes and simulated patches of different depths on multiple types of stone including brownstone and marble. One set of repair mortars will be mixed, applied, and cured as per the manufacturer’s written instructions. A second set will be mixed with the minor modifications often done in the field to increase workability. A minimum of 50 freeze/thaw cycles will be performed and the patches will be evaluated for weight loss, cracks, spalls, and any visual changes to the sample. While some conservators stress the use of patching materials made without cement, is a small amount of cement required to allow these materials to survive New England winters? This presentation will compile the data and share the results with other conservators.

Speakers

Stephanie M. Hoagland

Principal, Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc.

Stephanie M. Hoagland is a Principal and Architectural Conservator with Jablonski Building Conservation Inc. where she has been employed since 2003. She has a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Stephanie M. Hoagland
Abstract ID 19109
Tags Durability,Restoration Repair Mortars,Freeze/Thaw Test Results

2:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Select Tips and Tricks In Paper Conservation

With over 40 years of experience, it is inevitable that any conservator would come up with a variety of ways to solve problems and to exercise efficiency. Over the course of my career, I have developed some tips and tricks when it comes to paper conservation, specifically, with regard to solvent work and to washing paper artifacts. Pressure sensitive tape has always been a problem. Ever since its inception it has been used to mend tears on works of art on paper. There have been a number of discussions and articles exploring the history of adhesives and the processes by which to remove both the adhesive and the associated staining (Stiber Morenus/ O'Loughlin). Stiber Morenus and O'Loughlin's research is thorough with great historical and chemical overview that can assist any conservator in understanding adhesives that have presented themselves in their practice. To this work, however, I would like to add some practical suggestions in trying to minimize toxic exposure to requisite solvents. These are techniques’ that I have been using over several decades which produce superior results.
The topics include: the use of “Kick-a-poo juice”™ (a five solvent cocktail which I developed in the 1980s) which has proven to be an efficient method to remove pressure sensitive tape adhesive residue; the effective use of a vacuum suction platen; the use of disposable liquid pipettes and making disposable polyester vapor chamber trays for solvent delivery. These last two techniques enable minimal exposure to handling solvents for the conservator.
Lastly, I want to introduce or reintroduce the use of polyester washing sleeves. The ease of their construction and the protection they offer when handling wet and fragile items is invaluable for paper conservators when conducting any aqueous treatment.

Speakers

J Franklin Mowery

Head of Conservation, Mowery Conservation

John Franklin Mowery trained in Europe for six years in the early 1970s at art academies and National Libraries in Germany, Austria, and Italy. In 1977, he was appointed the Head of Conservation at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, where he introduced modern conservation... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order J Franklin Mowery
Abstract ID 18920
Tags Tips and Tricks

2:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Remote Sensor Technology for Rodent Surveillance in Museums: Insights from Recent Trials at the AMNH

As all those involved in collections care know, mice and rats pose significant threats to artifacts and biological specimens in museums the world over. Beginning in 2016, remote rodent monitoring technology (RRMT) emerged to substantially assist in providing early detection of common and ubiquitous rodent pests that invade museums and other sensitive operations and businesses. As of 2019, upwards of ten (and counting) sensor products are available on the market, originating from some of the largest scientific corporations as well as smaller entrepreneurs. The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City is among the first cultural heritage institutions to trial this new remote pest monitoring technology. During the past two years, the AMNH has tested several systems against the challenges of a large, structurally complex, functionally diverse institution. Outcomes of the trial program provide insights into key criteria for assessing these systems, including the nature of the networks that support sensor communication, the ease of system installation and maintenance, the adaptability of sensors to various environments and use cases, and data management and visualization. Further, these trials demonstrate the role of early detection alerts in better protecting museum artifacts from pest attacks: from increases in the efficiency of time spent monitoring traps, to opportunities for trapping more strategically to test hypotheses and solutions, and the development of more environmentally sensitive trapping methods.

Speakers

Julia Sybalsky

Conservator, American Museum of Natural History

Julia is a conservator at the American Museum of Natural History, where her work primarily supports the preservation of natural science collections used both in scientific research and display. She is an ongoing contributor to several professional collaborations working to develop... Read More →

Co-Author

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 →

Mike Freshour

Custodial Manager, American Museum of Natural History

Michael has been in Custodial operations since 1989. He started working in contract service managing environmental service departments in hospitals. He came to AMNH in 2004. During his time at the museum, Michael has collaborated with the conservation department to focus on the protection... Read More →

Robert Corrigan

Urban Rodentologist/Scientist/Program Designer, RMC Pest Management Consulting

Bobby Corrigan, Ph.D., has been a consulting urban rodentologist for over 25 years. He specializes in rodent IPM designs and Bobby Corrigan, Ph.D., has been a consulting urban rodentologist for over 25 years. He specializes in rodent IPM designs and rodent -borne disease prevention... Read More →

Robert Hanson

Exterminator, American Museum of Natural History

Bob Hanson has 20 years of field experience dealing with museum pest related issues and two years’ experience working with remote monitoring systems. Prior to that he held various management positions in manufacturing over 30 years.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Julia Sybalsky, Robert Hanson, Lisa Elkin, Michael Freshour, Robert Corrigan
Abstract ID 19182
Tags pest management,rodent monitoring,rodent trapping

2:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Revisiting Chemical Reconditioning Of Cellulose Acetate Motion Picture Films For Improved Digital Reformatting

A primary motion picture medium since the early 20th century, cellulose acetate film can be subject to brittleness and loss of dimensional stability due to polymer degradation and plasticizer loss. Although contemporary film scanners using advanced gate and roller technologies have significantly improved the quality of film preservation reformatting and increased the number of films that can undergo the process, many collections have physical deformations that preclude an acceptable scan or are too brittle to be scanned at all. These cultural artifacts are in danger of being lost. Formerly used to de-shrink films for reprinting, chemical reconditioning processes have been shrouded as trade secrets, but must entail the restoration of important physical and mechanical properties of films. As such, they are candidates to complement contemporary film scanning to further improve the number and quality of digitally reformatted motion pictures. In a proof-of-concept study using six film reels exhibiting mechanical and dimensional problems (all 16 mm, various stock types), we exposed test lengths to conditions commonly associated with reconditioning (water, acetone, camphor, and methyl phthalate vapors, -5 in. Hg, overnight). Measuring thickness and weight before and after treatment, and performing the destructive mechanical MIT Folding Endurance Test on treated samples versus untreated controls, we observed a statistically significant weight increase in all samples after treatment, suggesting solvent/plasticizer adsorption if not intercalation. We also observed a significant increase in both MIT Folding Endurance and thickness in the same two of six samples (both Kodak, ca. 1940), establishing that this chemical pretreatment can improve an objective material strength criterion. Given that we observed this difference overnight—when exposure times of weeks or months are documented for this process—we anticipate effects of chemical reconditioning to be readily observable in brittle or warped collections. Finally, we commenced a production team survey (21 questions, double blind) of our study collection (60 films: nine 8 mm, forty-six 16 mm, four 35 mm) for key scanning criteria before and after chemical reconditioning (and after subsequent reconditioning) to determine how this process might best compliment scanning for improved digital reformatting.

Speakers

John Baty

Technology Manager, Preservation Technologies, L.P.

John Baty manages the research and development laboratory for the MediaPreserve and Bookkeeper Divisions of Preservation Technologies, L.P. (PTLP), which provides digital reformatting and deacidification products and services to libraries, archives, and businesses worldwide. He collaborates... Read More →

Diana Little

Supplier/Service Provider, The Media Preserve

Diana Little directs the Film Department at The MediaPreserve, a laboratory outside of Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in the digitization of archival audiovisual materials. Prior to her time at The MediaPreserve, Diana spent most of a decade working on film restorations at Cineric... Read More →

Co-Author

La Verne Lopes

Senior QC Technician, Preservation Technologies, L.P.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Diana Little, La Verne Lopes, and John Baty
Abstract ID 18720
Tags cellulose acetate,motion picture,film,digital reformatting,brittleness,dimensional stability,physical deformation,chemical reconditioning,polymer degradation,vinegar syndrome,film scanning,de-shrinking,water,acetone,camphor,methyl phthalate,film thickness

2:00pm EDT

(Objects) Seeing Clearly: Casting Epoxy Fills for Glass Objects Using Transparent Molds

This paper focuses the use of transparent molds for casting large epoxy resin fills for glass objects. It presents two treatment case studies that employed different mold-making techniques and materials: clear silicone rubber and vacuum-formed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foil. In each treatment, the fill or replacement piece was cast separately from the object in order to minimize handling or protect sensitive surface decorations. The materials discussed can also be applied for casting epoxy fills in situ.

Two Austrian "façon de Venise" (style of Venice) glass vessels from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection were recently treated in preparation for display. These blown glass vessels are ornately decorated with diamond-engraved patterns and passages of gilding, paints, and translucent glazes (so-called “cold paint” decorations, applied after the glass had cooled). Both vessels retained major restorations, which had either aged poorly or were fashioned from visually unsympathetic materials, rendering them unsuitable for exhibition. The restorations compensated for significant losses: more than a third of the rim of the larger vessel is missing, and the smaller vessel has lost its foot. The latter had a 19th-century plaster replacement foot, which itself was in poor condition and was not representative of the vessel’s original profile.

The presentation will focus on the practical challenges of casting large epoxy resin fills and replacement pieces for these objects. It will also touch briefly on the decision-making process that led to the re-restoration of these objects and the discussions about the extent to which the restorations should be integrated.

Casting transparent epoxy fills for glass objects is particularly challenging, in part because of the high level of finish required. Transparent mold-making materials allow the conservator to monitor and prevent internal flaws that develop during the casting process. This is a critical level of control, as the entire cross-section of the epoxy fill remains visible in the final product. To cast a new foot for the smaller vessel, a traditional two-part mold was made using P4, a platinum-catalyst silicone rubber by Silicones Inc. that cures water clear. The treatment of the larger vessel included the experimental use of a double-walled transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foil mold. This material was introduced to glass conservation practice by Gorazd Lemajič and the forming technique was developed in collaboration with Met conservators (see Lemajič 2006 and Stamm 2013). This case study presents a novel use of this technique to cast fills separately from the object rather than in situ. In each treatment, preparatory steps and material selection minimized or eliminated the need for laborious hand-polishing to recreate a glass-like surface. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of the advantages, drawbacks, and potential applications of the materials and techniques used in these two treatments.

Speakers

Karen Stamm

Conservator, Objects Conservation Department, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Karen i s responsible for the examination and treatment of three-dimensional glass objects in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. She received her training in archaeological conservation at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London and worked as a conservator... Read More →

Rebecca Gridley

Assistant Conservator, Objects Conservation Department, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rebecca holds a BA in Art History from Yale University, and an MS in Conservation and MA in Art History & Archaeology from the Conservation Center, The Institute of Fine Arts, NYU. She is currently an Assistant Conservator in the Objects Conservation Department at The Metropolitan... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Rebecca Gridley, Karen Stamm
Abstract ID 18754
Tags glass conservation,loss compensation

2:00pm EDT

(Paintings) Technical Study and Treatment of Paintings by Clementine Hunter

Twenty-two paintings by self-taught artist Clementine Hunter (1896-1988) were investigated prior to treatment for a 2018 exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Clementine Hunter has become known as one of the most important American folk artists of the twentieth century. Born in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Hunter spent much of her life as a farm laborer and maid at the Melrose Plantation along the Cane River. She reportedly created thousands of works of art during her lifetime, many of which are in major American collections today. The paintings, which ranged in date from the 1940s to 1980s, were executed primarily in oil on a variety of supports, including wood, cardboard, Masonite, paperboard, and a window shade. In these works, the evolution of Hunter’s style can be traced through the five decades of her career, where a lean, economic use of media gradually gives way to brushy, wet-into-wet impastoed application as she gained recognition and access to materials. The twenty-two works were varied in condition. Prior to treatment, the paintings were analyzed with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) to qualitatively characterize the pigments present. Four works in particular showed patterns of degradation typical of modern oils, including waxy-textured paint, cracking, protrusions, efflorescence, and sensitivity to water. Paintings representative of each decade of Hunter’s career as well as those exhibiting degradation were selected for further analysis. In collaboration with conservation scientists at MCI, paint samples were obtained from areas of loss, mounted in cross section, and analyzed with specular reflectance µ-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µ-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) in order to characterize the materials and degradation products. Loose samples of paint were analyzed with attenuated total reflection FTIR (ATR-FTIR) where possible. Public court documents were obtained from a concluded FBI forgery case in which authentic and forged works were studied and compared to identify discrepancies in technique, pigments, supports, and surface characteristics. Data related to the materials found in the genuine works was correlated with that collected from the NMAAHC works to gain a broader view of Hunter’s palette and working methods. Treatment was carried out to stabilize and clean the paintings. Dry cleaning and gel-cleaning methods were used in order to minimize the paintings’ exposure to water. Thirteen works, on exhibit until late 2019, were mounted and framed in a novel configuration using pins, laminated ragboard sink mounts, and pass-through hinges.

Speakers

Christine Romano

Paintings Conservation Fellow, Smithsonian Institute

Christine Romano is a joint paintings conservation fellow with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) and the Museum Conservation Institute (MCI). She received her MA and C.A.S. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State, NY in 2016. Christine... Read More →

Co-Author

Jia-sun Tsang

Conservator, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

I am a senior paintings conservator working at Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute for over twenty years and serving to SI museums that do not have in-house paintings conservator. My specialties are research on modern materials and conservation of modern and contemporary... Read More →

Thomas Lam

conservation scientist, Smithsonian Conservation Institute

Thomas Lam has a Ph.D. in Ceramics from Alfred University. After his PhD, Thomas completed a postdoc at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Thomas is a Physical Scientist at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute (MCI), where he applies his knowledge... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Christine Romano, Jia-sun Tsang, Dr. Thomas Lam
Abstract ID 19027
Tags Clementine Hunter,self-taught artist,oil paint,modern oils,zinc soaps,treatment,paperboard,XRF,FTIR,SEM-EDS,exhibition

2:00pm EDT

(Research & Technical Studies) Understanding Air-Tight Case Environments at the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution) by SPME-GC-MS Analysis

The National Museum of the American Indian opened the exhibition Americans in January 2018. The exhibition highlights the deep connections between Americans and American Indians as illustrated through history, pop culture, and the identity of the United States. The minimalistic design of the cases containing Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho war shirts and an eagle feather headdress from the Sicangu Lakota displayed in the Battle of Little Bighorn gallery was achieved through frameless case construction. The cases allow the visitor to feel as though they are standing in the midst of warriors. These cases are described as air tight and are marketed as such by the fabricator. One week after the exhibition opening, the cases were opened to address some locking mechanism issues. When opening the cases, they emitted a strong and distinct chemical odor from the interior. This raised immediate concern for the objects. At the request of the collections manager and conservator, exhibition project managers contacted the case fabricators to confirm what case materials were used in order to better understand the potential source of the odor. Concurrently, the collections manager opened the cases weekly to allow for the escape of built-up volatile organic compounds in the hopes that the newly constructed cases would sufficiently off-gas. Additionally, sorbent materials were placed in some of the exhibition cases in order to help with the issue. Unfortunately, the problem persisted. The case fabricators were forthcoming with information and were just as keen to understand what was occurring in the case environment, however, there was some dispute as to the source of the odor. In order to find the source of smell, conservation scientists at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Conservation Institute carried out a comprehensive analysis of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by the exhibition case and by the object itself. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is starting to be widely applied in museum institutions as a screening method for the evaluation of the off-gassing process of construction materials and historical objects. In this case, SPME-GC-MS analysis was performed during the exhibition with the aim to find the origin of the smell. The detection and identification of VOCs were carried out simultaneously in: (i) two exhibition cases, (ii) all the individual construction materials and (iii) similar historical object. This analysis showed with confidence that the odorous/fragrant compounds were released by the construction materials and not by the historical objects placed within the exhibition cases. In addition, due to the measurements taken in different positions around the exhibition case, results were useful to point out the range of efficiency of the sorbent material placed in some of the exhibition cases. Since the SPME setup does not require any modification in the exhibition display, the testing remained invisible to the museum visitors. This aspect, in combination with the fast analysis that this technique involves, allowed the collections manager and conservator to take a prompt response in order to preserve the integrity of the collection.

Speakers

Alba Alvarez Martin

Postdoctoral Fellow, Museum Conservation Institute. Smithsonian Institution

Alba Alvarez Martin received her B.S degree in chemistry in 2010 from the University of Salamanca and her PhD in chemistry in 2016. She has also has a MSc in Conservation Science. During her PhD she did stays at IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona (Spain), University of Warwick, Coventry (UK) and... Read More →

Co-Author

Cali Martin

Collection manager, National Museum of the American Indian. Smithsonian Institution

C. Cali Martin is the Collections Manager at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. She previously served as the Collections Manager in her own community at the Osage Nation Museum in Pawhuska, OK. Cali is an advocate for the ethical... Read More →

Gwénaëlle Kavich

Conservation Scientist, Museum Conservation Institute. Smithsonian Institution

Gwénaëlle Kavich, Conservation Scientist at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, earned a BSc in Chemistry from The Nottingham Trent University (U.K.) and a PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Pisa (Italy). She contributes to a wide range of technical studies... 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 →

Rebecca Kaczkowski

Preventive Conservator, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

Rebecca A. Kaczkowski is the Preventive Conservator at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, where she undertakes a variety of projects related to exhibit design, museum environments, the care and storage of collections, and collection care training initiatives. She is... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Alba Alvarez-Martin, Kelly McHugh, Cali Martin, Rebecca Kaczkowski, Gwénaëlle Kavich
Abstract ID 19001
Tags air tight exhibition cases,volatile organic compounds,emission,solid phase micro-extraction,gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

2:00pm EDT

(Textiles) Agarose-Alpha Amylase Application In Textile Conservation

This paper will present the results of a preliminary investigation into the application of agarose-alpha amylase gels for the removal of accreted wheat starch from a cotton substrate. Applications of agarose gels within textile conservation have drawn heavily on paper and painting conservation sources as textile specific literature are limited. However, available publications highlight that successful applications on textiles are greatly impacted by the fibre type and requires different application parameters from cross-disciplinary case studies. Prevailing textile-based applications of agarose gels have included the addition of chelating agents and solvents, whilst examples of enzyme application are scarce. The effective application of agarose-enzyme gels seen in treatments of works of art on paper encourages exploration of this method for textile objects. The localised application of enzymes in this manner would allow treatment of accreted adhesives commonly found on the reverse of embroideries, flags, and banners. The aim of the investigation was to determine the efficacy and the optimal application parameters of an agarose-alpha amylase gel specifically on a cotton substrate. Agarose-alpha amylase gels were tested at three gel concentrations and three treatment durations on both thermally aged and unaged cotton lawn. The efficacy of the treatment was measured through quantitative methods, such as sample weight change and water movement, qualitative methods, such as visual analysis of the wheat starch removed from the substrate, ease of gel removal and tactile comparison of the samples. Exploratory analysis was also untaken through the use of iodide/potassium iodide indicator and UV photography. Experimental findings will be presented along with suggestions for further research.

Speakers

Staphany Cheng

Mellon Fellow in Textile Conservation, Los Angeles Country Museum of Art

Staphany Cheng is the current Mellon Fellow in textile conservation at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and a recent MPhil Textile Conservation graduate from the Centre for Textile Conservation and Technical Art History at the University of Glasgow. She has undertaken work placement... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Staphany Cheng
Abstract ID 18836
Tags Agarose,Wheat Starch,Alpha Amylase,Textile,Adhesive Removal

2:30pm EDT

(Architecture) Let the Stones Keep Talking: The Conservation of Monuments Sculpted in Piedras Negras, Guatemala

The Piedras Negras archaeological site, located on the banks of the Usumacinta River, is a site of worldwide major importance for its sculpted monuments, architecture and history. Having been investigated archaeologically, it was the base at the beginning of the decipherment of Mayan hieroglyphic writing by Tatiana Proskouriakoff (1950) when studying its monuments. In 2015, an inventory was made of the monuments carved in limestone that are still scattered throughout the site, making it possible to diagnose their conservation status, and from which, in the short and medium term, a treatment that would help stabilize its condition was proposed. Thus, between 2016 and 2018 it has been possible to protect seven of the best preserved monuments on the site, through a system of roofs and platforms that has allowed the significant improvement of their condition. This stage will be complemented by a biomineralization treatment, a treatment developed in Spain that allows the limestone and stucco to be consolidated through the application of a hydrolyzed casein nutrient that activates the Mixococu Santo bacteria, which are non-pathogenic, heterotrophic, aerobic and microaerophilic. With this food, the bacteria excrete calcium carbonate and thereby consolidate or calcify the rock or stucco where it has been applied, making the materials more resistant to chemical and physical alterations, without blocking the pores.

Speakers

Griselda Pérez-Robles

Conservation Director, Proyecto Paisaje Piedras Negras Yaxchilan

Griselda Pérez Robles is a Guatemalan archaeologist and conservator who has worked on the Maya area of Petén since 2001. She obtained her Licenciatura title at San Carlos University analyzing Preclassic ceramics from Piedras Negras. She has worked at El Perú-Waka´ (Waka') since... Read More →

Co-Author

Carlos Rodríguez Navarro

Professor, Department of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of Granada

Carlos Rodríguez Navarro holds a PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Granada (1994), a Research Fellow at the Getty Conservation Institute (Los Angeles, USA) between 1995 and 1999, and currently Professor of the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University... Read More →

Edwin Rolando Pérez Robles

Chief Conservator, Archaeologycal Project El Zotz

Edwin Rolando Pérez Robles is a Bachelor of Arts and Conservator of Mayan Art, who obtained his degree from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. He has been Assistant Curator of the National Museum of Archeology and Ethnology of Guatemala having in charge the most important... Read More →

James Doyle

Assistant Curator, Art of the Ancient Americas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

James Doyle is and archaeologist and the Assistant Curator for Art of the Ancient Americas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. He obtained his MA and Ph.D. from Brown University in Anthropology, with a dissertation on Preclassic Maya architecture at the site of El Palmar... Read More →

Juan Carlos Pérez Calderón

Director of Archaeologycal Project Waka´, University of San Carlos of Guatemala

Juan Carlos Pérez Calderón is an archeologist from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Management of Protected Areas and Ecoregional Development by the University for International Cooperation of Costa Rica, and is co-director... Read More →

Mónica Urquizú

Professor, Department of Mineralogy and Petrology at the University of Granada

Mónica Urquizú is an archeologist graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of San Carlos de Guatemala. She has worked as a field archaeologist and ceramicist in different archaeological sites of Petén and the Guatemalan Highlands such as Dos Pilas, San Bartolo, Xultun... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Master Griselda Pérez Robles, Lic. Juan Carlos Pérez Calderón, Lic. Edwin Rolando Pérez Robles, Dr. James Doyle, Licia. Mónica Urquizú, Dr. Carlos Rodríguez Navarro
Abstract ID 18759
Tags Piedras Negras,sculpted monuments,limestone,diagnose,conservation,protective roofs,platforms,biomineralization

2:30pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Unconventional Uses Of Conventional Treatments: Three Case Studies In Paper Conservation

The challenges faced by conservators frequently call upon us to devise and execute new treatment strategies. These are the projects that conservators love the most. The excitement of bringing together all of our previous training, the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, and the chance to discover something new, stimulates creativity. Three case studies, where collaboration and adaptation resulted in applying standard treatment techniques in unconventional ways, will illustrate how drawing upon a wide variety of knowledge and skills results in successful and satisfying treatments for difficult projects. The first example is a set of manuscript pages exposed to tuberculosis. Browned to the point where the text was illegible, and too embrittled for digital enhancement, this work by renowned Indian poet, scientist and revolutionary, Professor Puran Singh, had been deemed lost. Collaboration with Queen’s University for analytical testing coupled with research into historical disease control indicated that Camphor Oil had been used as a disinfectant and was the likely culprit of deterioration. Drawing upon past experiences with pushing heating oil out of paper, a treatment using acetone was devised and applied. The result was a brightened paper with greater contrast enabling legibility, and the ability to proceed with standard washing and lining to strengthen to paper. A seventeenth century Qur’an blocked together due to water and mould damage inspired research into middle-eastern paper, inks and bindings. It also required calling upon the knowledge of book and paper conservators at the Canadian Conservation Institute and the Library of Alexandria. The first attempts to separate the heavily sized paper proved slow and detrimental. Wetting and steaming the pages layer by layer caused uneven saturation of underlying pages and incubation of the mold. Instead, drawing from techniques used for removing prints from backing boards presented a solution that sped up the process, prevented further mould growth, and resulted in successful separation of the pages. When a nineteenth century, shellac coated, intaglio print is encrusted in dirt that cannot be removed through surface cleaning, a new approach to treatment is indispensable. The shellac coating prevented direct submersion for dirt removal, and surface cleaning caused the grime to chip taking surface layers with it. Various alcohols alone and in combination with water, which were hoped to remove the shellac and dirt together, did not dissolve, nor permeate through, the encrusted layer of grime. The only method that proved viable was spot washing with cotton pads in a way more typically employed by painting conservators. Once the layer of dirt was cleaned away, shellac removal and aqueous treatment could proceed as usual returning life to a community treasure. Finding new approaches and tactics to conservation challenges ensures that the opportunities for creativity in our field never cease. Each of these cases employed standard solvents used in unique ways to treat paper artifacts. Designed using a culmination of experience, testing, historical research, collaboration and consultation, these cases illustrate how we use creativity to adapt standard treatments to successfully tackle conservation challenges.

Speakers

Kyla Ubbink

Professional Conservator, Archival, Books, Paper; Proprietor, Ubbink Book and Paper Conservation

Professionally accredited with the Canadian Association for Professional Conservators, Kyla Ubbink has operated a private conservation studio since 2002. A graduate of Museum Studies, Mrs. Ubbink began her career through an internship with the Library and Archives Canada’s conservation... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Kyla Ubbink
Abstract ID 18786
Tags Adapting Treatments,Shellac,Blocked Book,Camphor Oil,Oil Removal from Paper,Encrusted Paper,

2:30pm EDT

(Collection Care) Pigeon - Friend or Foe? Threatening Artworks Worldwide

Collection care aims at reducing the occurrence and intensity of damage and deterioration of artworks, and at minimising the need of remedial conservation. This paper discusses one agent of deterioration which is not only a threat to artworks in outdoor and indoor display across the globe but is also detrimental to human health – ‘Pigeon’. Pigeons attract major museum pests, as well as uric acid contained in their droppings can cause irreparable loss. Uric acid not only corrodes the surface of the calciferous sandstone but continues the deteriorating effect for long-term even after cleaning. The excreta harbours fungi which grow mycelia into the structure resulting in increased porosity, efflorescence and spalling of the stone. These fungi are also responsible for causing histoplasmosis in humans. In metals, the heterocyclic compound of uric acid accelerates corrosion and interacts with the protective oxidised layers of bronze and copper. Similarly, other inorganic and organic materials suffer from high acid and stains from pigeons’ droppings. Whereas, there are several bird deterrent systems like population reduction, auditory, visual and tactile repulsion, mostly developed by non-conservation based companies, each method must be carefully examined for its agreement with the ethics and laws of bird protection – locally and globally. Moreover, not all methods that are harmless to pigeons are safe to be installed on historical buildings - which needs another consideration. Starting with literature review, compiling various case studies from Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art, Grand Egyptian Museum which led to remedial conservation of artworks to how problems of pigeons has been solved in open areas like in Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. and Trafalgar Square, London, the paper presents various preventive and treatment measures that Institute of Conservation – University of Applied Arts Vienna has undertaken. As part of Indo-Austrian collaboration projects, the Institute of Conservation is working on conceptualisation of collection care at Napier Museum, Trivandrum, India since 2016. The museum building is historical Indo-Saracenic edifice which, in addition to masterpieces from 1st to 18th century, is home to pigeons as well. As a result, pigeon droppings on floor, showcases and objects is a major issue. Preventive measures proposed in this museum are based on the successful bird deterrent system being practised in Austria. The paper describes the bird deterrent system in use in Austria – with focus on type, material, installation, maintenance, longevity, effectiveness, and costs, and how this system is adapted to be useful in Napier Museum in India. In outdoor spaces, pigeons are often good source of enjoyment. What has been now controlled in Trafalgar square, London is a present situation of city centre of Milan. In front of Duomo, people feed pigeons and in turn pigeons make this place their habitat, resulting in heavy depositions of droppings on outdoor sculptures due to no use of deterrent system there. Although, it is not wise to disturb the ecosystem, it is however necessary to divert them only enough so that artworks and pigeons could co-exist in harmony.

Speakers

Tanushree Gupta

Staff member, Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna

Tanushree Gupta completed her doctoral studies in art conservation in 2016 from National Museum Institute, New Delhi, from where she obtained her master degree as well in 2010. She had been PhD intern at the Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna under three... Read More →

Co-Author

Gabriela Krist

Professor, Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna

Gabriela Krist is university professor at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Institute of Conservation, since 1999. She studied conservation at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, as well as art history and archaeology in Vienna and Salzburg. For many years she worked for ICCROM... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Tanushree Gupta, Dr., Gabriela Krist, Prof. Dr.
Abstract ID 19131
Tags collection care,pigeon droppings,uric acid,bird deterrents

2:30pm EDT

(Electronic Media) TBC Under Control: Suggestion For A New Documentation Method For the Digitization Of Analog Video

The active preservation of analog video heritage has its roots in the late 1980ies, when the migration of the diverse analog open reel and cassette formats was state of the art. The practice has shifted to digitization and the storage as digital video files. Nonetheless the transfer process is still dependent on the original mostly obsolete and erratic (professional) playback devices and additional equipment like Time Base Correctors (TBC). TBCs play a very important role in the digitization process. They facilitate the compensation of artifacts like dropouts and (sync) timing errors. But at the same time they function as processing amplifiers. Therefore TBCs offer the possibility of optimizing the signal and simultaneously entail the risk of manipulating and altering the signal in an undesired way. The study aims to find a comprehensive and reproducible method for documentation and quality control to identify and to objectify the individual key parameters of the applied TBCs as well as to ensure the traceability of the set TBC adjustments chosen for each digitization. To obtain full control of the process and to document all artifacts induced into the video image by a TBC we have developed a specific set of test sequences. The analysis of the differences between the source signal and the processed signal thus offers a characterization of the image artifacts caused by a TBC. Our test sequences will allow a well informed decision making process when evaluating the best TBC for a planned digitization project.

Speakers

Agathe Jarczyk

Conservator, Atelier für Videokonservierung

Agathe Jarczyk is a Conservator of Modern Materials and Media. Since 2008, Jarczyk is the owner of the “Studio for Video Conservation“ in Berne, Switzerland. Her studio focuses on conservation treatment and caretaking of video artworks for numerous Swiss and international museums... Read More →

Sophie Bunz

Time-based Media Art Conservator, Studio for Video Conservation

Sophie Bunz completed a Masters program in Conservation-Restoration of Modern Materials and Media at Bern University of the Arts, Switzerland in 2016. After her studies she held a fellowship at the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Germany and worked as an assistant for the... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sophie Bunz
Abstract ID 19073
Tags analog video,digitization,TBC,Time Base Corrector,quality control

2:30pm EDT

(Objects) Supporting Silicified “Glass” Insect Macrofossils for Repair with Self-Releasing Bandages and Foam Support Systems

Handling silicified “glass” insect fossils and supporting them during conservation treatment is challenging due to their extreme fragility and light weight. In order to enable both long-term storage and research use of the rare collection of Miocene-era “glass” insects at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC), a series of handling techniques and support methods were adapted from other conservation and paleontological specialties and trialed on a representative macrofossil specimen. Using self-releasing cyclododecane and polyester bandages along with tensioned foam support systems enabled safe control over fragment alignment during remedial treatment. Standard laboratory tweezers were modified with Ento Sphinx® 00-gauge stainless steel entomology pins for safer handling of individual specimens and specimen fragments in the future. The overall storage system for this fossil assemblage was also reevaluated.

Speakers

Marina B. Gibbons

Assistant Conservator, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Marina Gibbons is the Assistant Conservator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where she treats natural history specimens as well as cultural heritage objects. She is a graduate of the dual-Masters conservation program at University College London (M.A., MS.c... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Marina Gibbons
Abstract ID 18342

2:30pm EDT

(Paintings) Turmoil, Ruination, and the Sea: Technical Study of Werner Heldt’s "Still Life At the Window"

"Still Life at the Window" (1950) by Werner Heldt was acquired by the Harvard Art Museums in 2017 in the context of the exhibition "Inventur: Art in Germany, 1943-55", an investigation into the art produced in Germany at the end of, and immediately after, the Second World War. Technical investigation of the painting undertaken at the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies represents the first known material study of Heldt’s work. While he is a relative unknown in the US, Werner Heldt was a prolific and important figure in mid-century Berlin. Primarily consisting of paintings and drawings, Heldt’s work depicts the city of Berlin in varying degrees of abstraction; key objects and themes recur, including picture frames, instruments, crowds, and the ocean, building a story of loss and fear in pre- and post-war Germany. This is particularly clear in "Still Life at the Window", a work from the series "Berlin by the Sea", in which an abstracted still life is set against waves crashing through Berlin. Technical study of "Still Life at the Window" was undertaken in order to clarify the unusually large abstract shape in the foreground of the still life, which appeared to have been re-worked, and to learn more about the materials Heldt used during the post-war period, a time of material scarcity. An anomaly in "Still Life at the Window", the abstract form was similar to shapes seen in Heldt’s later paintings, suggesting that the painting may present a key transitional moment in his oeuvre. Imaging with x-radiography and near-infrared photography revealed a thoughtfully designed composition in which Heldt can be seen actively negotiating between figurative and abstract painting, making many small changes. XRF, FTIR, and GC-MS were used to investigate his materials, revealing Heldt’s modification of certain colors to achieve specific effects. These findings, underscored by his deliberate, creative approach to paint application, demonstrate the importance of "Still Life at the Window" to Heldt and position it as a seminal work in his move towards abstraction. Conservation issues related to Heldt’s modification of his paint were also explored, as were the development and use of PVA-based ground preparation, which was found on Heldt’s commercially-prepared canvas.

Speakers

Anne Schaffer

Associate Paintings Conservator, Baltimore Museum of Art

Co-Author

Georgina M. Rayner

Associate Conservation Scienctist, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

Georgina Rayner is the Associate Conservation Scientist at the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museums. Prior to this role Georgina was the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Conservation Science at the same institution. Georgina holds a Masters... Read More →

Kate Smith

Conservator of Paintings, Straus Center/Harvard Art Museums

Kate Smith is Conservator of Paintings and head of the paintings lab at the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums. Kate received her Masters in Conservation in 2001 from the Buffalo State College program. She went on to work as assistant conservator... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Anne Schaffer, Dr. Georgina Rayner, Kate Smith
Abstract ID 18814
Tags painting,oil paint,Germany,1950,modern,technical study

2:30pm EDT

(Photographic Materials) A Context-Based Approach to Conserving Photographs On Textiles

The use of textile as a photographic support is relatively rare and best practices for long-term care have yet to be established. Textile-based photographs incorporated into composite objects require a multi-pronged, contextually informed conservation strategy. A recent Smithsonian project brought together experts in photograph and textile conservation, as well as conservation scientists, to examine eleven quilts bearing photographic images in the Anacostia Community Museum’s collections. Efforts focused on (1) identifying and documenting the materials and techniques used to create textile-based photographs and (2) developing best practices for the long-term care and preservation of these quilts. The project combined technical analyses of the photographs with curatorial and archival research to enhance and fully document the artists’ work and intent. The outcome is the development of a historically informed, context-based approach for the treatment and care of textile-based photographic prints. Photographic image materials, binders, and coatings were examined with HIROX microscopy, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The eleven quilts total 144 photographs-on-textile. Analyses confirmed the presence of gelatin silver photographic image material on several quilts, while other images appeared to be digital inkjet printing on commercially prepared fabric. Photomicrographs served to catalog areas of loss and flaking characteristic of each printing process. The gelatin silver photographic material suffered from flaking of the photographic emulsion layer and planar distortions of the primary support. Conservation concerns include the need to stabilize the flaking photographic emulsion and relax the fabric supports. To test the efficacy of treatment methods, conservators created mock-ups of the different photographic processes on a range of textile supports. This also made it possible to recommend improved storage methods for the quilts for long-term preservation. Archival research and interviews with friends and colleagues of the quilt-artists provided invaluable contextual information about the artists’ motivations and technical approaches. Several images were sourced to specific archives enabling comparison of the original photographic print on paper with the resulting textile-based print and contributing to a fuller understanding of the artists’ technical approaches to reproducing the image on textile. The context-based method of the project ensured that conservation treatment recommendations were developed with full consideration of both the physical and chemical properties of materials, and a sound understanding of the artists’ motivations and sources of inspirations.

Speakers

Annaick Parker

collections contractor, Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum

Annaick Keruzec is a textile conservator who currently works at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum (ACM) as a collections specialist focusing on photographically illustrated quilts and a rehousing project. From 2015-2017 she was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the Smithsonian... Read More →

Co-Author

Gwénaëlle Kavich

Conservation Scientist, Museum Conservation Institute. Smithsonian Institution

Miriam Doutriaux

Collections Manager, Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum

Miriam Doutriaux is the Collections Manager at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, where she oversees the preservation, documentation, and housing of a diverse collection related to urban and community life. She is interested in the ways material culture connects with identity... Read More →

Shannon A. Brogdon-Grantham

Photograph Conservator, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

Shannon A. Brogdon-Grantham is the Photograph and Paper Conservator at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI). She obtained her M.S. from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation where she specialized in photograph conservation with minor... Read More →

Thomas Lam

conservation scientist, Smithsonian Conservation Institute

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Annaick Keruzec, Shannon Brogdon-Grantham, Miriam Doutriaux, Gwénaëlle Kavich, Tomas Lam
Abstract ID 18713
Tags photographs on textile,quilts,flaking photographic emulsion,archival research,artists' interviews

2:30pm EDT

(Research & Technical Studies) Hyperspectral Imaging on the Microscopic Scale: Challenges and Successes of Instrument Design for Materials Characterization

Hyperspectral imaging has become an increasingly ubiquitous tool for the technical study of cultural heritage objects. It has been used to non-invasively characterize pigments and binding media on painted surfaces, as well as a variety of other object types from manuscripts to wood, over a wide field of view. However, the interpretation of hyperspectral data cubes can be complicated by the nonlinear mixing response of two or more colorants present below the resolution limits of the camera. Consequently, complimentary point analysis techniques, such as Raman or FTIR spectroscopy, are usually employed to obtain ground truth detailed material information. When possible, samples are removed and mounted in resin for further elemental and molecular characterization. However, some challenges are encountered with traditional analytical techniques when used to map molecular phases in these samples, notably the contaminating fluorescence background which can swamp the signal in Raman microspectrometry or the low signal-to-noise ratio in FTIR which can necessitate long integration times prohibitive for imaging. Avoiding these obstacles, a hyperspectral imaging technique with high spatial resolution would offer advantages for characterizing at the sub-micron range, with little additional sample prep or need to access more expensive equipment such as electron microscopy. As of yet, hyperspectral microscope configurations are rarely applied outside of the biological sciences. However, a recent hyperspectral optical microscopy experiment demonstrated excellent spatial resolution for the detection of single silver nanoparticles down to 100 nm diameters using a high numerical aperture objective, indicating the technique’s potential for material studies across many disciplines. This work presents the design and development of a simple dark field, reflectance hyperspectral microscope system for the purpose of extracting high spatially- and spectrally-resolved information, particularly for pigmented samples. Using a tunable light source to illuminate monochromatically over a range of visible to Near Infrared wavelengths, diffusely reflected light was collected with a long working distance, 20x objective. The challenges of fully automating and mechanizing the experimental construction of the hyperspectral data cube will be discussed as well as best practices determined for normalizing the acquired reflectance spectra as the surface texture of reflectance standards can become problematic under magnification. The developed microscope was used to characterize the pigment distribution in the stratigraphy of painting cross sections as well as other materials systems such as red opaque glass.

Speakers

Lindsay Oakley

Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts

Lindsay completed her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University in 2017 and spent time as a postdoc at the Natural History Museum of Denmark. At the Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts, her research interests include using combinations of experimental... Read More →

Co-Author

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 →

Victoria Cooley

Graduate Student, Northwestern University

Victoria is a PhD student in Materials Science & Engineering at Northwestern University. Her research interests include combining microscopic hyperspectral measurements with super-resolution imaging techniques for materials characterization. She received her BS in Chemistry with a... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Lindsay Oakley, Victoria Cooley, Marc Walton
Abstract ID 19095
Tags Hyperspectral imaging,microscopy,reflectance,painting cross sections

2:30pm EDT

(Textiles) Dewdrops on an Iris: Using Gels and a Crepeline Lining to Treat an Early 20th Century Japanese Silk Painting

Iris by Hishida Shunso, came into the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston collection in 2011, unglazed, unlined and most surprisingly, still mounted on its original stretcher from 1905. It was too brittle to be removed from the stretcher, lined with paper and mounted onto a new Japanese style panel frame, as would normally be done with a Japanese painting of this type. The curator also wanted the stretcher and translucency of the painting preserved for historical reasons. Severe foxing due to prolonged, unprotected display marred the appearance of the painting. Any attempts to reduce the soiling and foxing needed to use minimal moisture because of the sensitivity of the silk support to changes in humidity and the tension on the stretcher. Treatment benefited from two methods borrowed from Paper and Textile conservation: Agarose gels with EDTA and Gellan gum gels with deionized water were used to reduce the extremely disfiguring foxing, and a Lascaux-impregnated crepeline lining supported the painting so it could remain on its original stretcher.

Speakers

Tanya Uyeda

Associate Conservator, Japanese Paintings, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Tanya Uyeda is the Associate Conservator for Japanese paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston where she has worked for 19 years. She holds an M.A. in Conservation of Cultural Properties from the Tokyo University of the Arts and trained at the Handa Kyuseido Studio in Tokyo, Japan... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Tanya Uyeda
Abstract ID 19102
Tags Japanese silk painting,Hishida Shunso,gels,agarose,Gellan gum,foxing,crepeline,lining

3:00pm EDT

(Architecture) Anticipating Patina In Building Stone

When working on the conservation of large-scale masonry buildings, it is typically desirable to retain as much original material as possible. However, there is sometimes a need for more widespread replacement of original stone. In these cases, it is necessary to vet replacement materials for compatibility with the originals in terms of both performance and aesthetics. A diligent evaluation often involves a full gamut of physical property and durability testing. The research presented here focuses on a singular part of this testing program - the evaluation of replacement stone from an aesthetic perspective. It looks specifically at the alteration of stone appearance over time through environmental interactions, which is often referred to as "patina". Although the potential for visual change is only one of the properties that should be evaluated when considering stone sources, it can be argued that it has the most tangible impact and the greatest visibility to the public. This project involves subjecting samples of building stone to an accelerated chemical environment that is meant to recreate chemical conditions expected to occur in the field and potentially induce a patina on the stone. These methods are based on a century-old test described by William Parks in his "Report on the Building and Ornamental Stones of Canada", but this method has not been commonly employed in materials testing programs until it was recently developed by our laboratory. As part of the current research, patina testing has been performed on a variety of stone types and sources. Some materials, namely carbonate-based stones, are found to be more susceptible to visual changes through this test. Where other methods may be necessary to recreate a similar patina observed in more siliceous stones, these are also discussed. Still, the test has been demonstrated to act as a good predictor of actual stone patina on several different types of limestones tested from existing buildings. In addition to the demonstration of visual changes in the stone, the mechanisms of patina development are also investigated further using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results of this testing have given specifiers a fairly straightforward way to distinguish between replacement stone contenders, particularly when those stones were otherwise similar in terms of overall composition and physical properties. In some cases, stone sources that are essentially identical before testing develop markedly different patinas. The visual disparities between stones may be so dramatic as to completely rule out a source from consideration as a replacement material. These sometimes significant aesthetic changes are often attributed to only small differences in composition and would not be anticipated based on a general characterization of the stone alone

Speakers

Heather Hartshorn

Supervising Chemist, Highbridge Materials Consulting Inc

Heather is a materials scientist with a background in chemistry and preservation as well as a special interest in historic construction. She is the supervising chemist at Highbridge Materials Consulting, Inc. Heather holds a Bachelors in Chemistry and Art History from Trinity University... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Heather Hartshorn
Abstract ID 19276
Tags stone,patina,architecture

3:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) It All Comes out in the Wash, or Does It? A Comparative Study of Washing Treatments on a Group of 18th-Century Engravings

Recent developments in the use of polysaccharide gels and washing solutions have expanded conservators’ choices for treating paper-based materials beyond traditional aqueous immersion washing. A project to treat European prints depicting African scenes, in the collections of the Library of Congress, provided an opportunity to compare several cleaning protocols: washing by gellan gum, washing in conductivity-based solutions and chelators identified by Richard Wolbers, and washing in calcium-hydroxide-adjusted alkaline water. The goal of the treatment was to reduce staining, overall discoloration, and acidity in nine engravings on eighteenth-century laid paper supports. The prints were documented before, during and after treatment with digital photography, UV-induced visible fluorescence imaging, colorimetry (CIELAB), and reflectance spectroscopy (Fiber Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy or FORS). Conservators and scientists utilized FORS, a sensitive and non-destructive optical sensing technique, to measure the color of the paper before and after treatment. The results of FORS measurements were correlated with brightness-meter and spectroscopy readings, to obtain ∆E data for comparison with the traditional measurements. This presentation will compare and contrast the results of the three treatment protocols, outline practical advantages and disadvantages of each, and discuss the application, versatility and usefulness of FORS to evaluate the treatment outcomes.

Speakers

Grace Walters

Paper Conservator, Library of Congress

Grace is a Paper Conservator at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. She was previously the Paper Conservation Fellow at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Before going to graduate school, she gained years of experience working for a wide range of institutions, including... Read More →

Co-Author

Claire Dekle

Senior Book Conservator, Library of Congress

Claire Dekle is a Senior Book Conservator at the Library of Congress. In addition to treatment responsibilities for bound and unbound manuscript and printed materials, she serves as a Conservation Liaison to the African and Middle Eastern Division and the Serials Division and is a... Read More →

Claire Valero

Fellow, Harry Ransom Center

Claire Valero received an MA in Preservation and Conservation of Fine Arts on Paper in ENSAV La Cambre, Brussels.She graduated in June 2015 and completed internships with the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona and with Graham Bignell in London as part of her studies. As... Read More →

Julie Biggs

Conservator, Library of Congress

Julie Biggs is a Senior Paper Conservator at the Library of Congress, where she has focused on treatment of manuscripts and works on paper, led iron-gall ink treatment research, and managed large-scale collection stabilization and re-housing projects. She previously worked as a senior... Read More →

Sylvia Albro-[PA]

Senior Paper Conservator, Library of Congress

Sylvia Albro was graduated from the New York State University Graduate Program in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works in Cooperstown New York in 1982. She completed a graduate internship in conservation of works of art on paper at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco... Read More →

Tana Villafana

Research Chemist, Library of Congress

Tana Elizabeth Villafana graduated in March 2015 with a PhD in Chemistry from Duke University. Her thesis work detailed development of an ultrafast nonlinear laser optical microscopy technique as an application for providing 3d images of cultural heritage objects in-situ (and non-invasively... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Grace Walters, Sylvia Albro, Julie Biggs, Claire Dekle, Claire Valero, Tana Villafana
Abstract ID 19127
Tags washing,gellan gum,chelators,conductivity,FORS,

3:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) The Peabody Museum Moth Mitigation Project: Approaches to the Preservation of Ethnographic Objects in the Aftermath of a Webbing Clothes Moth Infestation

The volume of moth outbreaks in museum settings has increased at an alarming rate throughout the last decade, and these infestations continue to be particularly devastating throughout the Northeastern United States. In 2016, staff discovered an infestation of webbing clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) concentrated in the largest storeroom for ethnographic objects at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. The emergence and spread of webbing clothes moths posed an imminent threat of material loss and damage to the collection, which needed to be dealt with in a thoughtful and comprehensive manner. To mitigate damage to the collection, staff quickly responded by executing an emergency response protocol aimed at containing the moths and preventing their spread throughout the museum. This successful protocol resulted in the assembly of a dedicated team of collections assistants, technicians and conservators to assess, disinfest, clean, and treat the objects affected by the webbing clothes moth infestation. This effort was termed, “The Moth Mitigation Project”—an endeavor which works concurrently with the Museum’s pre-existing Integrated Pest Management activities to specifically address the moth outbreak. Additionally, staff have taken this opportunity to carry out other critical collections care activities, such as intensive cleaning of the shelves and storage bay areas, construction of more appropriate archival housing where needed and better organization of storage areas that reflect both collections and curatorial concerns. This paper will summarize the steps taken by Peabody staff thus far throughout this Project, along with the challenges encountered, in an effort to provide guidance to other museum professionals facing similar issues. Furthermore, we aim to discuss our approach to caring for culturally sensitive ethnographic objects, which present a unique set of parameters—such as handling and care considerations—that inform and guide our mitigation activities. Lastly, for those institutions not currently affected by such an infestation, this paper will provide insight and recommendations on how to prevent pest activities and further protect collections from insect damage. We will also use a case-study drawn from an additional, smaller incidence within the museum to discuss the causes, challenges and surprises related to webbing clothes moth outbreaks.

Speakers

Cassy Cutulle

Assistant Conservator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Cassy Cutulle attended the University of Massachusetts in Boston from 2006 to 2010, graduating summa cum laude with a BA in archaeology and history and a minor in art history. She completed graduate studies at University College London (UCL) from 2011 to 2014, where she obtained an... Read More →

Matthew F. Vigneau

Collection Manager/Registrar, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Matthew Vigneau graduated from Ithaca College with a BA in History. He completed his graduate degree at the Harvard University Extension School with a Master of Liberal Arts in Museum Studies. During his graduate work he focused his studies on collections management. Matthew has worked... Read More →

Co-Author

Khanh Nguyen

Collection Manager/Registrar, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Khanh Nguyen graduated from Williams College (MA) in 2014 with a Bachelor’s in Classics. She taught English for two years in Austria through the Fulbright Commission after graduation. Before joining the Integrated Pest Management team at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology... Read More →

Lindsay Koso

Student, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Mollie Denhard

Assistant Preparator, Peabody Essex Museum

Mollie Denhard received a BA in Studio Art from Wheaton College (MA), with minors in Art History and French. She later completed an MLA degree in Museum Studies at the Harvard Extension School, and occasionally pursues continuing education at the North Bennet Street School in Boston... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Cassy Cutulle, Lindsay Koso, Matthew Vigneau, Khanh Nguyen, Mollie Denhard
Abstract ID 18726
Tags Webbing clothes moths,mitigation,integrated pest management,ethnographic,collections care

3:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) Restoring the Residents: Correcting Fixed and Variable Speed Changes In Video Recordings

Off-speed video recordings, whether due to VTR defects, tape slippage, poor maintenance, or low battery, present a challenge for proper tape playback. The complexity increases when tape speed varies over time. A rolling image which is not affected by changes in skew, tracking or an external TBC is typically the indicator of a speed problem. Several unique methods for correcting these issues will be presented using examples from the preservation of the pre-EIAJ 1/2" open reel recording of the first known video of The Residents, an American art collective best known for avant-garde music, performance and multimedia works. The techniques discussed can be applied to a variety of early tape formats that use AC line locked synchronous motors, including 1/2" EIAJ and 1" Type A.

Speakers

Bill Seery

Director of Preservation Services, The Standby Program

Bill Seery has over 40 years of experience in sound design, editing and mixing for film, video, radio and multimedia as the owner and operator of Mercer Media. For the past 25 years he has been active in the preservation and restoration of time based media including audio and moving... Read More →

Co-Author

Maurice Schechter

Time Based Media Engineer, DuArt Film and Video

Maurice Schechter was the Chief Engineer at DuArt Restoration in New York for over 20 years. He is widely known as a media preservationist, archivist, television historian. He has also lectured and held workshops on the technology of conservation and preservation of film and video... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Bill Seery and Maurice Schechter
Abstract ID 19116
Tags Video Preservation The Residents Videotape

3:00pm EDT

(Objects) Micromosaics from the Sir Arthur Gilbert Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection is a collection of decorative art objects comprising of silver and gold objects d’art, ornamented snuff boxes, clocks, portrait enamel miniatures as well as pietre dure objects and micromosaics. The collection was compiled by English-born business man Sir Arthur Gilbert (1913 – 2001) and his wife Rosalinde (1913 – 1995). The masterpieces they acquired from the 1960s onwards often came from prestigious collections, and the Gilberts enjoyed works associated with, or even owned by important figures of history. The collection, originally on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, was donated to the British State in 1996 where it found its temporary home at Somerset House before it permanently moved to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2008. The galleries for the Gilbert Collection were renovated recently and reopened in autumn 2016, yet many items are still in the storage rooms and are being assessed. My paper begins by explaining the V&A’s plans for making the whole collection available to a wider audience through publications and digital presentation and the role of the conservator within this endeavour. I then focus on the conservation and research of the micromosaics, exploring the history of this collection, its highlights, and the historical importance of some of the objects. Micromosaics have their origin in 18th-century Rome and consist of tiny, colourful, opaque glass rods. Unfortunately, these peculiar objects are understudied. Using several case studies from our collection, I expose the materials and techniques used in the creation of the micromosaics. These research results inform conservation and restoration treatments and allow us to gain a glimpse behind the curtain as to the history of these unique objects.

Speakers

Mariam Saskia Sonntag

Sculpture Conservator, Acting Gilbert Research Conservator, Victoria & Albert Museum

Mariam Sonntag is the acting Gilbert Collection Conservator at the Victoria & Albert Museum, where she has been working as Sculpture Conservator since September 2015. She holds an MA in Stone Conservation and an MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Historical Cultural Heritage... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Mariam Sonntag
Abstract ID 19165
Tags Micromosaics,Gilbert Collection,Materials and Techniques,Conservation and Restoration

3:00pm EDT

(Paintings) An Investigation into Florine Stettheimer's Materials and Techniques

Florine Stettheimer’s (1871-1944) paintings are iconic of the American Jazz age. Born into an affluent German-Jewish family in Rochester, New York, she led an international life, moving and traveling between Europe and New York. She trained in drawing in Stuttgart and Berlin, and studied painting at the Arts Student League in New York City. At the outbreak of WWI her family settled permanently in Manhattan, where she initiated and hosted one of the most erudite cultural salons in the early twentieth-century. Her studio brought together distinguished figures of Modernism, namely Georgia O’Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz, and Marcel Duchamp. Such visitors to her salon regularly found themselves depicted in her canvases, posing affectedly in her lavish home or fluttering around fantasy spaces and locations associated with her socioeconomic class, like Asbury Park, Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany’s. Following her death, her family gifted most of her paintings to institutions throughout the United States. The materials and methods Stettheimer chose when making her canvases have never been studied. This presentation will discuss a comprehensive technical examination of four of her paintings: the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Spring Sale at Bendel’s (1921), the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art’s Picnic at Bedford Hills (1918), the Boston Athenaeum’s The White Curtains (1915-16), and MFA Boston’s Lake Placid (1919). Her flattened perspectival spaces, containing lightly abstracted imagery, are rendered in a flamboyant palette of paints applied with almost gratuitous texture. Her style is often described as whimsical, feminine, and pseudo-primitive, but she remains challenging to categorize within the predominant movements of the modern period, such as Cubism, Fauvism, and Surrealism. Critical interpretations of Stettheimer’s work have been highly varied and capricious. For instance, between the 1970s and the 2000s, she was called a feminist, a ‘camp’ goddess, a deft satirist, and a New York Dadaist. Despite the frequent art historical interrogations into her work – nearly all focused on her personal life and imagery – her innovations in painting went unexamined. These paintings were studied via visual examination, imaging and analytical techniques: X-ray fluorescence, infrared reflectography, ultraviolet light, X-ray radiography, optical microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared micro-spectroscopy, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The artist applied her heavy bodied paints primarily with palette knives, sometimes directly onto unprepared canvases, and frequently scraped paint away using a sgrafitto-like method. She embellished her imagery with transparent glazes and thin black lines applied with fine brushes. Stettheimer’s consistent palette and specific techniques are observed throughout her work, as are an idiosyncratic assortment of serious condition issues. The most recognizable of these are: steeply raised stress-cracking networks, greying edges of paint strokes, pigment deterioration, waxy exudates, and water sensitivity of paint layers, listed as oil-based. Stettheimer was pioneering in combining her vivid palette and sculpted surfaces, with mismatched proportions and perspectives, to depict her subjects with humor. Focused consideration of these qualities and evidence gathered to date from this foundational study provide new insight into Stettheimer’s aesthetic and conceptual achievements.

Speakers

Fiona Rutka

Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Paintings Conservation, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Fiona Rutka is an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in paintings conservation at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her work is focused on the modern and contemporary collection. Following her graduation from the Courtauld Institute of Art in 2013, she held post graduate internships at the Victoria... Read More →

Co-Author

Kate Duffy

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Scientist/Researcher

Kate Duffy is a scientist in the conservation department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She received a degree in chemistry from Hood College, Frederick, MD, and recently completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham, UK, on the application of metabolomics to the study of archaeological... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Fiona Rutka, Dr. Kate Duffy
Abstract ID 18724
Tags Florine Stettheimer,modern,Modernism,painting,palette knife

3:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials) The Expansion of the Cold and Cool Storage Vaults at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art

This presentation will describe the process of expanding the Amon Carter Museum of American Art cold and cool storage photography vaults to accommodate large format photographs in the current collection and future acquisitions. The whole endeavor, from visionary plans made in the past when the vaults were first constructed, to the final phase of relocating the collections in the new space, will be discussed, emphasizing the decision-making steps and team effort which were critical for the success of the project. It is the aim of this presentation to share the experience of the ACMAA with colleagues who are involved (or may be involved in the future) in the planning and construction of cold and cool storage vaults for photographic collections.

Speakers

Fernanda Valverde

Conservator of Photographs, Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Fernanda Valverde is the Conservator of Photographs at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. She previously served as the Program Chair of the Master in Conservation of Documental Heritage and the International Postgraduate Program in Photograph Conservation at the National School... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Fernanda Valverde
Abstract ID 18872
Tags cold storage cold vaults for photographic collections

3:00pm EDT

(Research & Technical Studies) Glass Analysis Combining Elemental Imaging from Nanometer to Centimeter Scale With Quantitative Bulk Analysis: Characterizing a Carchesium with Silver Stain Enamel

Silver stain luster and enameling of glass from the Syro-Palestine area is known to be critical for understanding the development of silver staining techniques. However, given the material complexity of objects possessing these features, they can be challenging to characterize. Key features must be understood at the nanometer (silver nanoparticles), micrometer (nanoparticle distribution and luster/enamel thickness), and bulk (base glass composition) scales. Consequently, there are relatively few studies of such breadth. This paper details a technical study that combines nano, micro, and macro material imaging techniques, as well as bulk quantitative analysis to elucidate the nature of a glass carchesium with hand-painted enamel decoration that was suspected to be a 1st c. Roman vessel at the time of acquisition. A variety of imaging techniques were combined with bulk analysis to characterize the object, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), imaging and bulk XRF measurements, strontium isotope analysis by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The carchesium was purchased in 1922 from New York dealer Fahim Kouchakji by Mrs. William H. Moore, who donated it to the Yale University Art Gallery in 1955. At the time of purchase the object was suspected to be 1st century Roman based on form, blue glass body, olive branch decorative elements, and splash glass decorative elements. The object, which recently underwent conservation treatment and was studied during that time, is significantly corroded in a manner consistent with a burial environment. Microscopic examination revealed that the decorative material was inset in the glass, with a layered structure consisting of alternating orange-brown and blue-green bands. Initial XRF point- and imaging-based measurements showed that the decorative enameling contained silver, and no other element that could easily explain the coloring. SEM/EDS and TEM measurements revealed the presence of silver nanoparticles and characterized their depth-dependent size and shape. Strontium isotope analysis suggested the lime was derived from a calcareous sand deposit rather than limestone. Quantitative XRF and ICP-OES measurements reveal a soda-lime base glass and an overall composition more consistent with Roman glass made in the Syro-Palestine area during the fourth to eight centuries. Work is ongoing to characterize the glass in the enamel layers quantitatively and model light-matter interactions with the nanoparticles to confirm they are responsible for the observed coloring. Additional future efforts will focus on the location of potentially similar objects in other collections.

Speakers

Pablo Londero

Conservation Scientist, Yale University

Pablo Londero has worked as a conservation scientist for six years. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Rochester in 2005, specializing in quantum and nonlinear optical physics. He has held the position of Research Associate at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and... Read More →

Co-Author

Aniko Bezur

Professional Associate, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University

Anikó Bezur received a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Arizona. As a doctoral candidate, she completed a internships in at the Arizona State Museum's Conservation Laboratory, the Smithsonian Institution's Museum Conservation Institute, and the Getty... Read More →

Brian McIntyre

Lecturer, University of Rochester

Brian McIntyre has been associated with the University of Rochester/Institute of Optics for over 26 years. His initial position was in management of a new SEM facility serving the needs of the College of Engineering with an emphasis in optics. Before joining the Institute he managed... Read More →

Elena Torok

Assistant Objects Conservator, Dallas Museum of Art

Elena Torok is the Assistant Objects Conservator at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), where she works on the treatment, research, and long-term care of the collection. She earned her M.S. from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2013 with concentrations... Read More →

Nicholas Bigelow

Lee A. DuBridge Professor of Physics and Optics, University of Rochester

Dr. Nicholas Bigelow is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Material Science Program, and is Professor of Optics at the University of Rochester. His primary research is in the area of quantum physics and ultracold quantum gasses. He was the Principle Investigator... Read More →

Patrick Degryse

Professor of Archaeometry, University of Rochester

Patrick Degryse is professor at the department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and director of the Centre for Archaeological Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) and professor of Archaeometry at the faculty of Archaeology in Leiden University (the Netherlands... Read More →

Ralph Wiegandt

Visiting Scientist, University of Rochester

Ralph Wiegandt is a conservator trained in electron microscopy. Following an M.A. in conservation from the State University College of Buffalo he held conservator of objects position at the Henry Ford Museum and the Rochester Museum & Science Center. Pursuant advanced training in... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Pablo Londero, Patrick Degryse, Ralph Wiegandt, Brian Mcintyre, Elena Torok, Anikó Bezur, Nick Bigelow
Abstract ID 19139
Tags glass,silver stain,SEM,TEM,ICP-MS,isotope ratios

3:00pm EDT

(Textiles) Erasing a Problematic Past: A New Application of Paper Conservation Expertise in the Corrective Treatment of a 17th-Century Chinese Tapestry

In 2011, a 17th-century Chinese tapestry was acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art at auction. The tapestry portrays a number of groups of small boys at play, it is generally referred to as the “100 Boys” tapestry. In this tapestry, the boys engage in activities such as falconry, archery, fishing, boating, reading, and others. Several boys are depicted with symbolic references: for example, one has a three-legged frog, which carries the meaning of great wealth. This type of tapestry would be woven to express the longing for a family’s prosperity. Upon its arrival in the lab, the tapestry’s condition was assessed and prospective treatment was discussed. Different from European tapestry, Chinese tapestry has its warp in the vertical direction and weft in the horizontal direction. In this particular tapestry, a beige weft had disintegrated badly, exposing bare warps. The color was widely used in the large designs of the background in the lower portion of the tapestry, where most of the severe damage with the warp and weft loss was identified. This fragile condition had been worsened by earlier attempts to stabilize the tapestry’s already aggravated situation by attaching fabric patches and then putting strips of pressure-sensitive tape in layers on the tapestry's reverse. A total of 101 strips of pressure-sensitive tape were counted in 33 different locations! Based on thorough examination, this pressure-sensitive tape, similar to Scotch™ tape, had been adhered for a long period of time and could not easily be removed by simple mechanical force. Removal of pressure-sensitive tapes would be challenging as the material itself is not popularly used in the various historic treatments. Therefore, a textile conservator would not normally deal with it on a daily basis. In addition, the tapestry's large scale (90 in. high x 70 in. wide) made exhibition design and planning more complicated. In-depth discussions among textile conservators both within and outside the Museum took place to find an ideal approach to removing this pressure-sensitive tape. The entire treatment of the tapestry was not carried out systematically because of the departure of the curator in charge of the project. Therefore, the tapestry was put aside at the end of 2011 and kept in storage until it was reviewed by the new curator and included in an upcoming 2018 exhibition. Six years of time gap between the initial treatment and the following one contributed additional problems to the tapestry, which had to be addressed prior to its hanging in the gallery. This paper will present the journey of correcting one of the worst nightmares a textile conservator could possibly encounter---one which would take more than eight years to be resolved.

Speakers

Minsun Hwang

Conservator, Metropolitan Museum of Art/ Department of Textile Conservation

Minsun Hwang, Conservator, has worked at the museum since 2002. She is responsible for Chinese textiles and costumes and Korean textiles from the Department of Asian Art in the Museum’s textile collection. Minsun received her M.A. in Museum Studies: Costumes and Textile Conservation... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order minsun hwang
Abstract ID 18854
Tags Chinese Tapestry,pressure-sensitive tapes

3:30pm EDT

Exhibit Hall - Break

Wednesday May 15, 2019 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Salon C & D, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Break

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

4:00pm EDT

Intro to the Collection Care Tips Session

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

4:00pm EDT

(Architecture) Monitoring the Stone Degradation in Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven

Grove Street Cemetery (GSC) was established with initiative of James Hillhouse and 31 other citizens of New Haven New Haven in 1796. Being one of the earliest burial grounds with a planned layout the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in October 1997 and since 2000 it is a National Historic Landmark. GSC was designed by New Haven architect Henry Austin with a geometric design and is divided into rectangular plots. In addition to the notable burials like Noah Webster, also known as “Father of American Scholarship and Education", Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, and Charles Goodyear, the inventor of vulcanized rubber, the cemetery officially open to all and provided a special section for slaves. GSC has experienced difficulties in terms of conservation despite the renovation and maintenance attempts on the memorials have been made. In order to make these efforts more efficient, it is first necessary to learn and understand what has deteriorated, deteriorating at which speed and up to what extent. This study focuses on the assessment of the state of preservation of stone memorials on GSC in order to register and define a baseline for future condition monitoring studies as well as implementation of preservation measures by using 3D modelling and mapping of visual weathering forms according to the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee for Stone (ISCS) Illustrated glossary and ultrasonic velocity (UPV) measurements for the evaluation of the level of deterioration wherever possible. Furthermore, digitization of the memorials and evaluation of the stone deterioration in the cemetery were used as a teaching/learning tool for the Sustainable Preservation of Cultural Heritage course since 2016 offered by Yale University IARU Global Summer School and Anthropology Department. Each term, students select a group project at the beginning of the class. ‘Digitization of the memorials in Grove Street Cemetery and their condition assessment’ is one of the term projects, at the end of the term they were expected to propose a conservation strategy with the help of the conservation approaches they have learnt during the class and their findings on the memorials of the GSC. The students of diverse backgrounds and different levels of education experience the ‘learning by doing’ by taking part in this monitoring deterioration project. In this way they practice the conservation theories in Built Heritage Preservation in addition to different theoretical understanding of Sustainable Preservation of Cultural Heritage. The results and their integrated analysis of 3D models, 2D and RTI images, UPV measurements together with the archival and historic information collected were brought together and analyzed with the help of CHER-Ob - software that is developed by Yale Computer Sciences in collaboration with Yale Institute for the preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) to define a baseline for any future conservation attempts.

Speakers

K. Goze Akoglu

Associate Research Scientist, Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) Sustainable Conservation Laboratory

Dr. Akoglu is currently Associate Research Scientist at the Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) Sustainable Conservation Laboratory (SCL) as a conservation scientist dedicated to building materials conservation with a solid interdisciplinary scientific... Read More →

Co-Author

Stefan Simon

Director of Global Cultural Heritage Initiatives, Yale University

Stefan Simon is Director of Global Cultural Heritage Initiatives at Yale University.Trained as a conservation scientist, Simon earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich. He has broad experience in scientific research, specializing in material deterioration... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Kiraz Göze Akoğlu, Stefan Simon
Abstract ID 18942
Tags 3D digitization,UPV, stone,Grove Street Cemetery (GSC),condition assessment,CHER-Ob

4:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) Legacy vs. Losses in Hedda Sterne’s Complex Monotypes

Six works on paper by Hedda Sterne (American, 1910 - 2011) dating from 1947 - 1950 were brought to the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, for examination and treatment. Described as “monotypes”, “transfer drawings”, or “traced monotypes”, the works defy simple categorization due to their complex and unorthodox fabrication. The study of Sterne’s materials and a reconstruction of her working processes helped to better understand these works as experimental studies. Multiple layers of oil paint were printed rapidly, in one session, likely using the same matrix for registration. Several of the works have graphite drawings on the versos, indicating that a pencil was used as a stylus to transfer the wet medium from the matrix to the recto of the print, much like transfer drawings. The works on paper arrived in poor condition having creases, tape stains, acidic mounts, and adhesive stains, as well as a number of prominent and distracting losses. The question of whether or not to fill the losses quickly arose and to what extent they should remain visible on both the recto and verso. With the exception of one work, where the loss significantly increased the risk of future damage, the justification to fill the losses was principally cosmetic. In reaching a decision, the origins of the damage, the double-sided nature of the works, and the degree of finish desired by the owner, The Hedda Sterne Foundation, needed to be weighed. The ethics of conservation treatments, specifically for works on paper, were debated long before they were finally codified in the mid-twentieth century, thus providing a template for decision-making. In designing the strategy for loss compensation in the Hedda Sterne works, Max Schweidler’s 1938 book, The Restoration of Engravings, Drawings, Books and Other Works on Paper and the AIC’s Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice, were consulted. In addition, the series of questions presented in Jane McAusland’s 2002 article, “The practicalities and aesthetics of retouching: Rationality versus intuition” provided helpful and practical guidance. Critical to the discussion, was the inclusion of The Hedda Sterne Foundation, the principal stakeholder and strong advocate for Hedda Sterne’s legacy. The Foundation’s position was to create visually seamless fills, in recognition that these works may need to be displayed in the future. Thus, the goal of the treatment was to reduce the distraction of the losses and allow each print to be viewed and appreciated as a unified whole.

Speakers

Rachel Mochon

Graduate Student, The Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University

Rachel Mochon is a third-year conservation student specializing in works of art on paper at the Conservation Center Institute of Fine Arts New York University. Rachel received her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry & Chemical Biology with a minor in The History of Art from Cornell University... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Rachel Mochon
Abstract ID 18631
Tags ethics,Hedda Sterne,monotype,loss compensation

4:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) And there Was Light: Restoring the Notman & Son Neon Sign

How do you restore a damaged neon sign to working order with limited documentary evidence?

A heavily damaged 1950s neon sign was conserved and restored at the McCord Museum. The neon sign came from the storefront of the Notman & Son photography studio in Montreal. The studio’s founder, Scottish-born William Notman, established his photography practice in Montreal in the 1850s and quickly became a major artistic and entrepreneurial figure, photographing the people and places of a prospering and changing city. The McCord Museum holds a significant collection of Notman photographs and artifacts, which function as an invaluable social history. The neon sign was included in a major 2016 exhibition showcasing this collection, Notman: A Visionary Photographer. The goal of the conservation treatment was not only to stabilize and conserve the sign, but to restore it to working order, so it could be lit and understood as a functioning neon sign in the exhibition. Having been used outside for 20-some years and stored in poor conditions for 30 years, the sign was in poor condition. The metal base was extremely dirty, dented, and rusted, with multiple layers of peeling and flaking paint. The transformers inside were rusted and non-functional. The glass tubes were almost entirely missing – only two short broken fragments remained. The glass tubes could be re-created, but first we had to solve an important question: what was their original color? Neon lighting works by ionizing gas inside a sealed glass tube with an electric current to produce light. Despite the name, gases besides neon can be used, and each produces a distinct color. The glass tubes can be clear or coated with a phosphorescent metal oxide, which fluoresces to produce a different final color. We had no documentary evidence of the color of our sign. Fortunately, the Montreal neon artist and expert Gérald Collard was able to examine and test the remaining glass fragments, and by connecting them to a current, determine their color. He was then able to re-create glass tubing for the sign based on the shape of the metal letter channels and archival photographs to achieve a historically accurate reproduction. The metal base also underwent a major treatment in the conservation lab. It was cleaned, consolidated, stabilized, and inpainted with the help of multiple conservators working for several weeks. In the end, this ambitious treatment was a success. Through a combination of conservation and restoration, using documentary evidence, teamwork, and collaboration with outside expertise, the neon sign shone brightly once again during the exhibition.

Speakers

Sonia Kata

Conservator, McCord Museum

Sonia Kata has a Master’s degree in Art Conservation, Artifacts Concentration, from Queen’s University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from the University of Guelph. She has completed internships at the Royal Ontario Museum, the McCord Museum, and the City of Hamilton... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sonia Kata
Abstract ID 19057
Tags neon neon sign reproduction restoration neon light

4:00pm EDT

(Objects) Making It Stick: Challenges with the Re-Coating of Miró's Outdoor Bronze Sculpture Entitled Personnage

The J. Paul Getty Museum has carried out a technical study and treatment of Joan Miró’s outdoor bronze sculpture entitled Personnage (designed 1976, cast 1985). Brought into the conservation lab to address issues with surface efflorescence of core material and to restore aged, protective coatings, a multitude of issues were raised surrounding its history of manufacture, complex scientific analyses of the coatings, and challenging treatment options. Examination of the Getty cast, fabricated at Fonderia Bonvicini in Verona in 1985, revealed significant differences from earlier casts and the complicated edition history was clarified through dialogues with the foundry, archival research, and x-radiography. The paper will review quantitative analysis of the bronze alloys with XRF, complemented by trace elemental analysis with ICP-MS. The work contributes reference data for comparison with other Miró bronzes and introduces difficulties found in the detection of elements in modern silicon bronze alloys using a handheld XRF system alone. The early stages of the treatment involved the removal of aged coatings using solid carbon dioxide blasting and solvent cleaning with the aid of FTIR analysis to identify the removal layer-by-layer. A range of maintenance waxes, a previously undocumented partial Incralac coating, and underlying earlier coatings were characterized, along with their solubilities, in the course of the treatment. Fully stripped as much as possible, the olive green and black patina on the surface of the bronze appeared mottled and disturbed since the porosity of the casting allowed salt migration and localized corrosion. An acrylic lacquer, called Permalac, was initially chosen as it now supplies a range of complimentary products that would allow for reintegration, including toned lacquers. Issues with poor adhesion were immediately apparent despite utilizing the manufacture’s recommended guidelines for coating application. The experience led to the development of a more extensive methodology to evaluate the adhesion and quality of a test coating using ASTM standards that were modified for use on outdoor sculpture. The process included testing of several different coating mixtures and application protocols on both copper coupons and the sculpture itself. The approach revealed interesting information regarding the effects of diluents and drying times on the performance of the film. The analysis and the treatment reinforced the need for constant adaptation, with several cycles of scientific analysis and treatment testing yielding incremental improvements in the performance and appearance of the surface coating. It is hoped that this methodology, including the protocols used for testing, can be applied to other outdoor bronze treatments and that technical data amassed can contribute to the growing body of literature on Miró outdoor sculpture and contemporary bronze casting.

Speakers

Jessica Chasen

Assistant Conservator, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Jessica Chasen is an assistant conservator in Decorative Arts and Sculpture Conservation at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Jessica earned an M.S. in Art Conservation from Winterthur / University of Delaware with a specialization in objects conservation and a minor in painted surfaces... Read More →

Co-Author

Arlen Heginbotham

Conservator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture, J. Paul Getty Museum

Arlen Heginbotham received his A.B. in East Asian Studies from Stanford University and his M.A. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College. He is currently Conservator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Arlen’s research interests include the history... Read More →

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 →

Julie Wolfe

Conservator, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Julie Wolfe has an M.A. from Buffalo State College specializing in objects conservation. She obtained advanced training in conservation at the Straus Center for Conservation, Harvard University Art Museums. Julie is now a Conservator at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Decorative Arts... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Jessica Chasen, Julie Wolfe, Arlen Heginbotham, Herant Khanjian
Abstract ID 18782
Tags bronze,outdoor sculpture,Joan Miró,Fonderia Bonvicini,XRF,ICP,FTIR,acrylic coatings,Permalac,Incralac,silicon bronze

4:00pm EDT

(Paintings) Joining Skills: A Collaboration Between Painting and Furniture Specialties to Treat Panel Paintings

In 2017 Joos van Cleve’s panel painting Descent from the Cross (c.1520) went on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) for the first time in five decades, following a conservation treatment that depended upon an interdisciplinary collaboration between conservation specialties. During the treatment, which was originally to include just paintings conservator Lucia Bay’s cleaning and restoration of the painting, two circumstances came together that allowed the scope of the treatment to be broadened to address structural problems of the large (approximately 46 × 50 inches) panel: the willingness of Metropolitan Museum of Art panel painting specialist Alan Miller to advise on the structural work, and the presence of woodwork conservator Gert van Gerven, who was working on furniture projects at the PMA and has an interest in panel paintings. The panel, comprising five oak boards, showed evidence of several past interventions, the most compromising of which was a thinning, flattening, and heavy cradling performed in 1921. That treatment resulted in poorly aligned joints between the boards, and the locked cradle likely contributed to the complete separation of one board from the rest of the panel. The underpinning of the treatment was collaborative planning between the paintings conservator and the woodwork conservator to take into account the needs of both the painted image and the panel support. The recently completed Getty Conservation Institute Panel Paintings Initiative provided essential resources for analysis of the panel’s condition and developing a treatment strategy. The structural treatment involved the removal of the cradle, separation and repair of small splits in the five boards, precisely rejoining them to restore a gentle overall curvature to the panel, and applying a secondary support system designed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Every stage of the panel treatment drew upon distinct skill sets, knowledge, and sensitivities of the paintings conservator and woodwork conservator to guide the selection and use of the most appropriate tools, material, and methods. The advice and encouragement of consulting conservator Alan Miller were also critical to the success of the project. The treatment’s benefits extended beyond the recovered structural stability and visual wholeness of this particular painting. In meeting the challenges of this painting’s condition both conservators involved were introduced to new tools and different approaches from each other’s discipline. The success of the treatment and the joining of expertise that made it possible created a model for cross-department collaboration, setting the stage for the structural treatment of other works from the PMA’s collection of more than nine hundred European and American panel paintings.

Speakers

Lucia Bay

Project Assistant Conservator of Paintings, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Lucia Bay joined the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) as the Project Assistant Conservator of Paintings in 2016 to study and treat the 1520 Descent from the Cross by Joos van Cleve. Since 2018 she has been working on paintings in preparation for a 2020 installation of the new American... Read More →

Co-Author

Gert van Gerven

Project Conservator of Furniture, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Gert van Gerven joined the PMA in 2015 as project conservator for the Early American Furniture Catalogue and installation of the new American galleries in 2020. Gert trained at the Instituut Collectie Nederland (ICN) where he graduated in 2009. After graduation Gert worked at the... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Lucia Bay, Gert van Gervan
Abstract ID 18633
Tags panel painting,structural treatment,Joos van Cleve,Descent from the Cross,collaboration

4:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials) 19th Century Glass Manufacture and Its Relevance to Photographic Glass Stability

Glass manufacturing advanced hand-in-hand with photographic innovations in the 19th century, which commonly incorporated the use of glass as substrates and/or cover glass in encasements. This paper will focus on results to date from an NEH-funded, collaborative research undertaken by the Library of Congress, George Washington University and the Vitreous State Laboratory of the Catholic University of America that includes: (1) investigation into coincidences of practices and developments in the glass industry and the photographic arts, (2) non-invasive analysis of historical glass found in 19th century photographic materials in several historical photographic collections, and (3) study of artificially aged model glass based on typical formulations found in 19th century photographic glass. Preliminary results illustrate how changes in manufacturing methods, distribution and formulation contributed to the diversity of glass types utilized by 19th century photographers in America and other countries. Examination of historical 19th century photographic materials, primarily by microscopy and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), provides new evidence about unstable glass formulations lurking in historical collections, and expands our understanding of the amount and types of unstable glass that exists in such collections. This has implications for both prioritization and conservation practices applied to photographic collections.

Speakers

Lynn Brostoff

Research Chemist, Library of Congress

Lynn B. Brostoff holds a Masters Degree in Polymer Materials Science and a Ph.D. in Chemistry. In addition, Lynn holds a Masters Degree in Art History and a Certificate of Conservation with emphasis in Paper Conservation. For the last 25 years, Lynn has worked as a conservation scientist... Read More →

Kate Fogle

MA candidate in Photography Preservation & Collections Management, Ryerson University

Kate Fogle is an MA candidate in Photography Preservation and Collections Management at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario. During the summer of 2018, Kate served as a Junior Fellow at the Library of Congress, where she conducted research on historical glass as part of the NEH-funded... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Lynn Brostoff
Abstract ID 19316
Tags glass,non-invasive,analysis

4:00pm EDT

(Research & Technical Studies) Examination of Metal Soap Efflorescence on Selected Oil-On-Canvas Studies by Edwin Austin Abbey

Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911) was an American painter and a prominent illustrator who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but moved to England in his early thirties. His works include murals for the Boston Public Library and the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building in Harrisburg. He also received the royal commission to paint the coronation of King Edward VII of England. The Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG) collection holds over 600 oil paintings by Abbey. Many are unvarnished or selectively varnished preparatory studies for larger compositions and over half exhibit surface efflorescence. The presence and formation of efflorescence vary within the collection: on some paintings, efflorescence appears in amorphous, apparently random patches while, on other works, it correlates to form, color, or varnishes selectively applied by the artist. This research, initiated to inform conservation treatments in preparation for an upcoming exhibition, aims to identify the morphology and composition of the efflorescence while examining its relationship to both the locally applied varnishes and the materials within the stratigraphy of several paintings executed as part of Abbey’s preparation for his Harrisburg commission. Efflorescence, ground layer, and paint samples from several of Abbey’s oil-on-canvas studies were analyzed with visible and ultraviolet light microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM/EDS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), portable x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF), and macro x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (MA-XRF). For example, FE-SEM analysis of surface samples removed from Abbey’s The Spirit of Light (226.7 x 64.5 cm) revealed that the efflorescence appears as plate-like structures (1-2 microns wide and less than 1 micron thick) on the surface of the painting, and EDS showed that the efflorescence is composed primarily of carbon and zinc. FTIR analysis of these samples suggested that the efflorescence was composed of zinc soaps while GC/MS confirmed that the efflorescence contains metal carboxylates and free fatty acids (azelate, palmitate, and stearate). EDS analysis of a cross-section indicated the presence of a double ground containing layers of calcium carbonate and zinc sulfide/barium sulfate. MA-XRF element maps of the entire work were also obtained to see if the location of the efflorescence correlates with particular pigments. Our results for this painting and three studies for the large mural The Passage of the Hours will be presented along with possible explanations for the formation of efflorescence.

Speakers

Richard R. Hark

Conservation Scientist, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University

Dr. Richard R. Hark is a conservation scientist at Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH). Dr. Hark earned degrees in chemistry from the University of Rochester and the University of Pennsylvania. His early work included the synthesis of complex natural... Read More →

Co-Author

Aniko Bezur

Professional Associate, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University

Cynthia Schwarz

Associate Conservator of Paintings, Yale University Art Gallery

Cynthia Schwarz is the Associate Conservator of Paintings at the Yale University Art Gallery. Her research interests include the structural treatment of canvas paintings, the conservation of 19th- and 20th-century American murals, and how advances in microbiology can aid in materials... Read More →

Katherine Schilling

Associate Conservation Research Scientist, Yale University

Katherine Schilling is an associate conservation research scientist at the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and an associate research scientist and lecturer in the department of Chemical Engineering at Yale University. She earned her PhD in chemical physics at the... Read More →

Kelsey Wingel

Assistant Conservator of Paintings, Yale University Art Gallery

Kelsey Wingel is a postgraduate associate in paintings conservation at the Yale University Art Gallery. She has spent the past two years concentrating on the technical research and treatment of paintings by the American artist Edwin Austin Abbey. Her research has focused on understanding... Read More →

Pablo Londero

Conservation Scientist, Yale University

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Richard R. Hark, Katherine Schilling, Pablo Londero, Anikó Bezur, Kelsey Wingel, Cynthia Schwarz
Abstract ID 18837
Tags Edwin Austin Abbey,oil painting,efflorescence,zinc soap,GC/MS,FTIR,MA-XRF,FE-SEM/EDS

4:00pm EDT

(Textiles) Taking Cues and Measuring Hues: Using Paper Conservation Methodology In the Light Bleaching Of Textiles

Although not commonly practiced today, the use of light to bleach textiles has been used since antiquity with continuing popularity until the 20th century. While often used in paper conservation, there has been very little published regarding the use of light bleaching for historic textiles in the conservation literature. In 1979, Annis and Regan investigated the use of light bleaching on historic white cottons, while Gardiner and Hackett (1998) spoke of using a calcium hydroxide bath for light bleaching of large textiles. A preliminary study, undertaken at the Canadian Conservation Institute, aims to investigate the potential of light, from various sources, as a viable alternative to chemical bleaching following methodologies set out by paper conservators.

Fourteen sets of laboratory tea-stained and naturally aged cotton samples were tested using two techniques: immersion and non-immersion in alkaline solutions (pH 9) prepared using calcium hydroxide. Sample sets were each exposed to a single light source: sunlight (average 109,774 lx; up to 4 hours), light-emitting diode (LED, 23,325 lx; up to 24 hours), and ceramic metal halide (CMH, 42,256 lx; up to 24 hours) with a cumulative light dose of 1.01 Mlxh. A series of stained samples were also exposed to the same testing conditions, but in the absence of light. All samples were removed at different time intervals, and colour and pH measurements were carried out to determine the rate of colour change. In addition, microfade testing (MFT) with a xenon arc light source was undertaken to compare bleaching results among the different light sources. The effectiveness and rate of light bleaching by immersion is compared to that of the non-immersive technique under different lighting conditions.

Speakers

Caitlyn Picard

2018/19 Post Graduate Textile Conservation Fellow, Canadian Conservation Institute

Caitlyn Picard is the 2018/19 post-graduate textile intern with the Canadian Conservation Institute and the current National Capital Region Regional Representative for the Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property. A graduate of the MPhil programme in Textile Conservation... Read More →

Co-Author

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 →

Janet Wagner

Conservator, Canadian Conservation Institute

Janet Wagner is a Textile Conservator at the Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, where she treats a variety of textiles and costumes. She received her education in Clothing and Textiles at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, and in Museum Studies, Textile Conservation, at the... Read More →

Renée Dancause

Conservator - Textiles, Canadian Conservation Institute

Renée Dancause graduated with distinction in 1990 from the University of Alberta with a BSc degree. Her course of study was clothing and textiles, specializing in the conservation of historic textiles. Renée has worked as a textile conservator at the Canadian Conservation Institute... Read More →

Season Tse

Senior Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Caitlyn Picard, Renée Dancause, Crystal Maitland, Season Tse, Janet Wagner
Abstract ID 18598
Tags light bleaching,textiles,natural,artifical

4:15pm EDT

(Collection Care) Survey Says…: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Streamlining Collections Assessments

Since its founding, in 1932, The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia has relied on outdoor storage for a number of oversized objects, including anchors, propellers, and cannon. This practice has continued out of necessity, the Museum currently does not have enough interior storage to house these large objects. Due to years of environmental exposure, the collection has experienced a range of condition issues. In an effort to address concerns raised over the outdoor collection, a survey was undertaken in 2017 to examine the state of the objects and lay the groundwork to develop an updated long-term conservation and collections care plan. Through this process, a new type of survey tool emerged. By adapting traditional condition surveys to fit the needs of the Museum and adding a significance/value score, a priority ranking system was developed. A key factor identified in the process was the use of several experts to assess the collection from their unique perspective. A conservator performed the condition assessment, while a material culture specialist examined the collection from an archaeological standpoint. This system created a numerical ranking which could be divided into different levels of priority based on stability and importance. Therefore, those objects which are rare or unique and also highly unstable can be treated first. The survey’s goals of organizing conservation intervention and identifying areas of improvement in collections care has already proved useful, and several projects are underway to remedy the outdoor situation. The Museum intends to use the survey model to assess and compare its other collections using a conservator and relevant curatorial specialists. We present this survey tool as a potential resource for museums with large or varied collections to help organize collections care.

Speakers

Lesley Haines

Assistant Conservator, The Mariners' Museum and Park

Lesley Haines is an assistant conservator at The Mariners’ Museum and Park, working primarily with the archaeological material raised from USS Monitor. She has been with the project for 3 years. She received an MSc in Conservation Practice from Cardiff University, Wales in 2014... Read More →

Co-Author

Hannah Fleming

Material Culture Specialist, The Mariners’ Museum and Park

Hannah Fleming is the material culture specialist at The Mariners’ Museum and Park. Her focus is in archaeological study and interpretation of the Museum’s collections, focusing mostly on USS Monitor artifacts. She has worked at the Museum for 4 years. She received an MA in History... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Lesley Haines, Hannah Fleming
Abstract ID 18820
Tags collections care,condition survey,maritime,archaeology

4:30pm EDT

(Collection Care) Born Digital: Techniques, Advice, and Limitations of Digital Condition Reporting

A quick look in almost any museum’s conservation files will give you a snapshot into the evolution of condition reporting. From a few handwritten notes on a receipt to transparent overlays on black and white photographs or annotated copies of digital ink jet prints, condition reporting has changed significantly over time. What remains the same, however, is the conservator’s need to efficiently and effectively capture the specific condition of a work of art. Over the last decade this has come to include the use of handheld digital devices, such as tablets and iPads. This talk offers basic guidance for digitally originated condition reports and raises the issues of several limitations and concerns with current workflows.

Speakers

Katrina Rush-[PA]

Associate Paintings Conservator, The Menil Collection

Katrina Rush is Associate Paintings Conservator at the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas. Ms. Rush, who studied chemistry and studio art, graduated Summa Cum Laude and with distinction from Boston’s Emmanuel College and received a master’s degree in art conservation and certificate... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 4:45pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Katrina Rush
Abstract ID 18627
Tags Condition Reports

4:30pm EDT

(Architecture) Dilatation of Stone Upon Exposure to Water: Know Your Stone and Its Environment

The swelling of stone by exposure to liquid water or water vapor – referred to respectively as hydric or hygric dilatation – has been understood as an important mechanism of deterioration of stone since the 1980s. Nonetheless these mechanisms and the stones that may exhibit them remain largely ignored or unexamined by the American architectural conservation community. Understanding the historic materials that show significant swelling with exposure to water as well as vetting potential replacement candidates for in situ materials that are no longer available are important activities for the architectural conservator. This presentation provides a short history of the initial work in understanding this property of stone, a review of subsequent (and recent) developments in experimental techniques to evaluate this property, and some recent results in vetting historic and contemporary stone resources.

Speakers

George Wheeler

Professor/Educator, Highbridge Materials Consulting, Inc.

George Wheeler is Senior Scientist with Highbridge Materials Consulting. He served as the Director of Conservation in the Historic Preservation Program at Columbia University since 2004 following a 25-year career in the Department of Scientific Research at the Metropolitan Museum... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order George Wheeler
Abstract ID 19275
Tags stone,water,environment,architectural

4:30pm EDT

(Book and Paper) The Conservator In The Age Of Digital Reproduction: Color Matching and Digital Fills For A Matte Screenprint

Uniformly flat screenprinted surfaces present unique filling and inpainting challenges for conservators. Research and extensive experimentation identified a successful loss compensation technique for an eight-color screenprint by Noriko Yamamoto Prince entitled Horizon ’72. Traditional inpainting techniques alone were insufficient to address the extensive damages to the matte printed surface. Digital fills, already used in textile and photo conservation, provided a practicable option for treatment. However, the disparities inherent in reproducing perceived color across multiple digital color spaces requires careful consideration of color theory within the context of available digital tools. Colored inks from the original print were recreated digitally and printed on Epson Premium Presentation paper with a high quality inkjet printer using pigment-based inks. An X-Rite spectrophotometer was used to compare L*a*b* values and reflectance spectra of the digitally recreated color and the original screenprint inks. This spectral data informed the navigation of color between digital color spaces, and confirmed a successfully recreated color. Digital fills offer potential treatment solutions for treating screenprints and inspire novel considerations of current and forthcoming technologies in the service of future conservation efforts.

Speakers

Carolyn Burns

Graduate Fellow, Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation Department

Carolyn Burns is a third-year graduate fellow at the Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State. She is completing her third year graduate internship at the Weissman Preservation Center, Harvard Library, in Cambridge, MA. Carolyn earned her... Read More →

Co-Author

Aaron Shugar

Professor/Educator, Garman Art Conservation Department State University of New York College at Buffalo

Dr. Aaron Shugar is currently the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Conservation Science in the Art Conservation Department, SUNY - Buffalo State. Dr. Shugar earned his M.Sc. from Sheffield University and his Ph.D. from University College London. Prior to working in Buffalo, he served... Read More →

Jiuan Jiuan Chen

Associate Professor, Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation Department, State University of New York College at Buffalo

Jiuan Jiuan Chen is Associate Professor of Conservation Imaging, Technical Examination and Documentation in the Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State. A 2001 graduate of the same program, she previously interned or worked at the Northeast Document Conservation Center... Read More →

Rebecca Ploeger

Professor/Educator, Garman Art Conservation Department State University of New York College at Buffalo

Ph.D., Chemical Science: University of Torino, Italy M.Sc.Eng., Engineering Chemistry: Queen's University, Kingston, Canada B. Sc. Eng., Engineering Chemistry: Queen's University, Kingston, Canada Rebecca Ploeger joined the Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State College... Read More →

Theresa J. Smith

Assistant Professor of Paper Conservation, SUNY Buffalo State

Theresa J. Smith is Associate Professor of Paper Conservation in the Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State University. Her research interests include aqueous paper conservation treatments, historical bleaching, Spanish illuminated manuscripts, 16th century moveable... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Carolyn Burns, Theresa J. Smith, Jiuan Jiuan Chen, Aaron Shugar, PhD, Rebecca Ploeger, PhD
Abstract ID 18710
Tags Noriko Yamamoto Prince,Horizon ’72,screenprint,digital fills,Photoshop,X-Rite spectrophotometer,Epson Stylus Pro 4900,RGB,Lab,L*a*b*,color space,conservation of works of art on paper

4:30pm EDT

(Electronic Media) The Use Of Technology For The Preservation Of Light-Kinetic Art: The Conservation Treatment On Three Strutturazioni Ritmiche By Gianni Colombo

The conservation of kinetic-works is a challenge due to the necessity to strike a balance between the preservation of original materials and the functionality of the work. Through the conservation treatment of three Strutturazioni ritmiche by Gianni Colombo (1964), carried out at Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione e il Restauro in Rome, the present research aims at focusing on the approach to the conservation of light-kinetic art. Each of the three Strutturazioni consists in four (poly)methyl methacrylate (PMMA) transparent panels vertically inserted into an aluminium base inside of which four incandescent bulbs intermittently illuminate each sheet, emphasizing the geometrical patterns made through incisions and cuts on the plastic. Before the treatment, an important decay restricted the right perception of light effects, so the work was not exposed to the public for many years. The PMMA sheets could no longer perform their function as optical conductors due to scratches, losses, cracks, crazing and deformations caused by mechanical and thermal stresses. Moreover, the lighting systems not only had partially lost their functionality, but they were one of the main causes of deterioration of the artwork, due to the heat generated by the bulbs. What to do when original components of the work causes its degradation? Is the replacement of them a solution able to preserve the artwork without affects its authenticity? In contemporary art, and more so in kinetic art, the question is open. In this case, the great variety in constituent materials, as so often seen in kinetic works, involved broad interdisciplinary collaboration and saw the cooperation between contemporary art conservator restorers, experts in glass conservation, technical specialists in electronics and computerisation and in PMMA craftwork. Due to the complexity of the conservation problems, it was required a preliminary in-depth study on the artist and on the original light effects, as well as a market research on the materials. In this way, it was possible to define a conservative project in order to reactivate the functionality of the work respecting, at the same time, the original constituent materials. The solution adopted involved a new LED lighting system and exploited an up-to-date technology based on an open source electronic platform (Arduino) programmed to reproduce the original light effects of the artwork.

Speakers

Maria Cristina Lanza

conservator restorer, freelance

Maria Cristina Lanza is a painting conservator-restorer specialized in contemporary art. She studied at the Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione e il Restauro (ISCR) in Rome, focusing her training on the conservation of paintings on wooden panels and canvas, wooden sculptures and... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media, Contemporary Art
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Maria Cristina Lanza
Abstract ID 18701
Tags Gianni Colombo,Light-kinetic art,contemporary art,(poly)methyl methacrylate,lighting system,electronic platform Arduino

4:30pm EDT

(Objects) Maintenance: An Old Tactic for Evolving Treatments

The Governor’s Commission on Maryland Military Monuments is tasked with identifying, determining responsibility for, and facilitating preservation of military monuments to Marylanders. The 468 known monuments, in and out of state, honor veterans from the French and Indian War to the more recent twenty-first century conflicts. They are made of stone, masonry, copper, bronze, and iron. Monument building is ongoing. Beginning in 1989, 112 of the monuments have received conservation treatment. Sixty of those not under the care of other municipal, state, or federal agencies have been in a program of regular maintenance since 1999. The maintenance program is supervised by the MMMC and the Maryland Historical Trust, and has been performed by five conservation firms contracted over the years. The continuity of supervision and resulting monitoring of past treatments has been critical to the program’s success. This paper will review treatment records for several different monuments over a spread of twenty-nine years, looking at how the treatments have evolved to address changes in the monuments, changes in conservation practice, changes in conservation materials, and the long-term preservation of the mon-uments.

Speakers

Howard Wellman

President, Wellman Conservation LLC

Howard Wellman is a conservator in private practice based in the Baltimore area. He has a BSc in Conservation of Archaeological Materials from University College London (1996). He has worked for archaeologial projects in Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt. He was Lead Conservator at the Maryland... Read More →

Co-Author

Nancy Kurtz

Member, Governor’s Commission on Maryland Military Monuments

Nancy Kurtz is retired from the Maryland Historical Trust, the state historic preservation office, where she served as Marker and Monument Programs Administrator. She was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Maryland Military Monuments in 1994, for which she developed and managed... Read More →

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 →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Nancy Kurtz, Ronald Harvey, Howard Wellman
Abstract ID 18394
Tags monuments,outdoor sculpture,maintenance,bronze,stone,iron

4:30pm EDT

(Paintings) The Conservation History and Treatment of Three Large-Scale Paintings by Joan Miró: Releaving Canvas Distortions in Highly Reactive Paintings with a Gliding Elastic Tensioning System

This talk describes the treatment of three canvas paintings by Joan Miró, measuring approx. 104" x 136" each, exhibited as a triptych with the title “Peintures Murales pour un Temple” (1962). The three paintings were executed on glue-sized linen and have undergone early restorations with the application of large quantities of additional animal glue in the attempt to prevent cracking, paint flaking and planar distortions. This resulted in the paintings becoming even more strongly reactive to environmental changes, causing extensive planar distortions in medium-high RH and severe warping of the stretchers in low RH conditions. For at least three decades, the conservation environment has not been controlled according to Museum Standards, and the paintings have suffered cyclic stresses and deformations despite several attempts to stabilize them. The original stretchers were replaced with stronger ones in 1981, in 2006 one of the paintings was re-stretched on a continuous tension Starofix stretcher in order to introduce some elastic response, but none of the attempts showed significant improvement. In March 2013, a new approach was devised, which allows free movement of the painting along and across the edges of the stretcher. Elastic tension is applied directly on the tacking margin and is evenly distributed on the whole painting. The force is precisely measured and chosen according to the needs of each painting, never exceeding its elastic response even at high RH. The elastic system is based on the use of soft springs, so that the force expressed by the painting when shrinking in low RH will be enough to extend them. A rather simple version of the system was successfully used for the first time on the “Beheading of the Baptist” by Caravaggio in 1954, and in 1996, the technique was updated to the current version. Since then, hundreds of canvas paintings of varying formats, shapes, painting techniques and periods have been successfully stretched and monitored all over Europe and show no sign of new stress-related conservation problems nor the appearance of new cracks in the paint layers. A book titled “The Tensioning of Canvas Paintings, Aiming for the Correct Tension Value” was published in 2004, which describes the science of the method and the evidence on which it is based. The method calls for freeing the canvas from tacks or staples on the perimeter, thus highly reducing damage and stresses when mounting and unmounting the canvas on a stretcher, a process that large paintings often undergo for transportation or temporary displacements. The special edge lining canvas used for mounting the paintings allows to glue only weft threads on the painting, which permits free expansion and contraction along the perimeter.

Speakers

Antonio Iaccarino Idelson

Conservator, Equilibrarte srl

Antonio Iaccarino Idelson is Paintings Conservator, focusing on structural and preventive conservation. Founder and President of Equilibrarte s.r.l.. Lecturer in canvas paintings conservation at Urbino University since 2002, has given lectures and workshops on related subjects in... Read More →

Co-Author

Ana Alba

Conservator, Alba Art Conservation

Ana Alba is a painting conservator in private practice and specializes in the conservation of 19th Century, modern and contemporary works. She previously worked for Luca Bonetti Corp., and was the William R. Leisher Fellow in the Conservation and Research of Modern Paintings at the... Read More →

Carlo Serino

conservator, equilibrarte srl

Carlo Serino, also a conservator with a degree from Istituto Centrale per il Restauro in Rome, is co-founder of Equilibrarte with Antonio Iaccarino Idelson, a company composed of five conservators and external collaborators, dealing with conservation of ancient art (ranging from archaeological... Read More →

Luca Bonetti

conservator, CEO, Luca bonetti corp

Luca Bonetti is a conservator of modern and contemporary art. After having worked in various museums and private conservation studios, mostly in Italy and Switzerland (where he was the first apprentice at the Swiss National Museum in Zürich), he finally settled in New York City in... Read More →

Moriah Evans

curator, Solow Art and Architecture Foundation,

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Antonio Iaccarino Idelson, Ana Alba, Luca Bonetti, Carlo Serino, Moriah Evans
Abstract ID 18927
Tags canvas paintings,elastic tennsion,springs,Miro,animal glue

4:30pm EDT

(Photographic Materials) Blue Pigment Inclusions In Salted Paper Prints

Blue pigments were sometimes added during the manufacture of white papers in the nineteenth century to optically counteract yellowing. These blue pigments can be found as dispersed inclusions in the paper substrates of salted paper prints from the 1840’s and 1850’s. French, Italian and British salted paper prints from the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be studied. Non-invasive analytical methods to characterize the pigments will include optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. Historical references about paper making and salted paper print materials in addition to recent photograph and paper conservation literature will be consulted.

Speakers

Lisa Barro

Associate Conservator, Photograph Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Lisa Barro, Associate Conservator of Photographs, has been working at the Metropolitan Museum part-time since 2007. She received her AB in fine arts in 1997 from Harvard College, as well as an MA in art history and an advanced certificate in conservation from the Institute of Fine... Read More →

Co-Author

Silvia Centeno

Research Scientist, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Department of Scientific Research

Silvia A. Centeno is currently a Research Scientist in Department of Scientific Research (DSR) at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), in New York, where her main responsibilities include the investigation of the material aspects of works of art, with a focus on paintings, works... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Lisa Barro
Abstract ID 19361
Tags spectroscopy,microscopy,salted paper prints

4:30pm EDT

(Research & Technical Studies) Effects of Binder Layer and Bath pH on Pt-Ag Replacement Reactions as Applied to Photographic Toning Practices

Nineteenth-century paper-based photographic images consist of metallic nanoparticles embedded in carbohydrate or protein matrices, where the properties and local environments of these particles determine the aesthetic tonality of the print. Salted paper prints and gelatin printed-out prints are both silver-based processes that naturally produce prints with a reddish-brown coloration. From an early date, photographers manipulated the tones of these photographs with the use of precious metal baths containing gold or platinum salts. As in modern nanochemistry, traditional chemical photographic printing methods require tightly controlled reaction conditions to influence product morphology and access specific optical properties. In this study, a suite of silver prints toned with platinum was generated following historic recipes and analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron micrography, and colorimetry to investigate the interplay between metal content and perceived tone. Thin sections of the samples were also prepared by focused ion beam milling and imaged using scanning transmission electron micrography to visualize the metal particles in situ. Prints toned in an acidic platinum bath undergo galvanic replacement of silver for platinum, converting nanoscale aggregates of silver to evenly distributed bimetallic particles that impart a neutral gray hue. Those toned in an alkaline platinum bath experience metal deposition, which increases the print’s optical density. For gelatin prints, these reaction mechanisms are further influenced by the protonation state of the binder layer. Detailed analysis of laboratory-created samples and mechanistic understanding gained through parallel solution experiments lead to insights into traditional photographic printmakers’ working methods and can help direct the long-term care of original objects. Additionally, understanding the implications of these synthetic methodologies for current nanotechnology fields, such as paper-based sensors and supported nanocatalysts, is an important consequence of this work.

Speakers

Joan M. Walker

conservation scientist, National Gallery of Art

Joan M. Walker received a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry in 2015 from Indiana University, where her research focused on the interaction between metallic nanoparticles and proteins under visible light excitation. After a brief internship in the Conservation Science Department at the... Read More →

Co-Author

Alline Myers

physical scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Alline Myers is a Physical Scientist in the NanoFab Operations Group. She received a B.S. in Physics from North Carolina State University, an M.S. in Physics from Penn State, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University. Alline has extensive... Read More →

Keana Scott

physical scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Keana Scott is a Physical Scientist in the Materials Measurement Science Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Keana graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 1991 with a B.S. in Engineering and Applied Sciences. She completed her Ph.D... Read More →

Ronel YL Namde

Conservator, National Gallery of Art

Ronel Namde is a Photograph Conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. She graduated from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2015 with a specialization in photographic materials. She received her BA in Anthropology from Yale University... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Joan M. Walker, Ronel Namde, Keana Scott, Alline Myers
Abstract ID 18705
Tags salted paper prints,gelatin printed-out prints,X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,scanning transmission electron micrography,platinum toning

4:30pm EDT

(Textiles) Treating Iron Degradation In Textiles: the Application Of A Paper Conservation Method

The combination of iron(II) sulfate and tannic acid has been used as a colorant for millennia. Together they form the main components of iron gall ink, well known in the paper conservation community for its detrimental effect on paper substrates. However, iron(II) sulfate and tannic acid were also used to make brown and black textile dyes, and iron(II) was used alone as a textile mordant. Because many of these textiles, like paper, are cellulosics, they exhibit the same pattern of damage. This damage is largely caused by unbound iron(II) ions, which can accelerate the oxidative degradation of cellulose through a series of cyclical chemical reactions. In 1995, paper conservator Johan Neevel published "Phytate: A Potential Conservation Agent for the Treatment of Ink Corrosion caused by Iron Gall Inks". The phytic acid binds to iron(II) ions, forming iron phytate complexes and inhibiting the iron from accelerating the oxidation process. When followed by a calcium bicarbonate bath both the oxidative degradation caused by the iron (II) ions and the hydrolytic degradation caused by the acidic components are neutralized. In the decades that followed Neevel’s 1995 publication, paper conservators have rigorously tested the procedure for efficacy, as well as short-term and long-term effects. It has proven to be a reliable treatment option with minimal side effects. Despite this, the effect of the phytate treatment on textiles has yet to be tested. This study will not seek to show the efficacy of the phytate treatment in retarding the degradative processes of iron (II), as such has already been proven by the paper conservation field. Rather, it will seek to find any unique results the treatment may have on textiles, specifically cellulosics. Historical samples from study collections testing positive for free iron (II) ions will be treated with both calcium phytate and calcium bicarbonate baths. Changes in the samples will be evaluated empirically and the results assessed.

Speakers

Alison Castaneda

Associate Conservator, Museum at FIT

Alison Castaneda holds a M.A. in Fashion and Textile Studies from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is an associate member of the American Institute of Conservation and is the author of multiple posters and presentations, involving synthetic leather, an Islamic talismanic shirt... Read More →

Co-Author

Callie O'Connor

Student, Fashion Institute of Technology

Callie O’Connor is an Intermittent Conservator in Textiles at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and an MA candidate in Fashion and Textile Studies: History Theory and Museum Practice at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She has previously interned in the conservation... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Alison Castaneda
Abstract ID 18925
Tags textiles,fabric,iron degradation,iron gall,iron tannate

4:45pm EDT

(Collection Care) Revolutionary Way to Measure Artifacts

To effectively preserve, display and even study an artifact's intrinsic properties, precise measurements of the dimensions of that object need to be taken. Only then can the exact measurements be used to create the box and foam necessary to properly store the pieces within a collection. Additionally, having precise measurements allows for easier planning when mounting and presenting these objects in an exhibition. Lastly, curators can use these exact measurements as a baseline to further observe and research the changes that result from the physical properties of these objects, as well as compare and contrast these properties to similar discovered and undiscovered artifacts around the world. For the past few decades, conservators have measured 3D objects using three methods: 1. Straight Ruler(s) combined with L-Square Ruler(s) 2. Book Measuring Device 3. 3D Laser Scanning and Modeling While these methods have been employed by conservators for decades, they are not the most effective or efficient: L-Square rulers are too thin to create measurements that are perfectly parallel to the object, Book Measuring Devices are not only unable to measure larger objects, but more importantly require significant handling of items that may be too fragile or heavy to be pushed up against the back panel of the device, 3D Laser Scanning and Modeling results in the most accurate measurements of an object, but also is the most time-consuming and expensive of all three methods. Having been a conservator for 10 years, I wanted to find a method that would be not only more precise and cost-effective, but most importantly, require the least amount of human handling possible to preserve the integrity of the artifact. My R&D Team and I spent two years researching and experimenting with different designs and materials to create a device that I believe is currently the most innovative, efficient, and cost-effective method to measure an object. We achieved the following three features: 1. A pair of perfectly parallel planes to create an orthogonal measurement 2. A compass-like marker that ensures that the horizontal and vertical rotation is exactly 90 degrees 3. A turntable base that allows for exact rotation of the object without human handling. To measure an object, a conservator would first place the artifact on the compass-like marker in the middle of the device, second, horizontally slide the two vertical panels flush with the object so that he can record the distance between the two panels given by the ruler, third, rotate the turntable 90 degrees and repeat the previous step, last, insert the height rod to measure the height of the object. While different objects will require different amounts of time to measure, this process should take between 5-10 minutes to complete. In sum, our patent-pending device revolutionizes the way conservators measure items because it allows precise measurements for oddly-shaped items including, but not limited to, round-back books, and fossilized skeletal remains.

Speakers

Jun Yin Hsiao

Conservator, JC Cultural and Creative Service Co., Ltd.

I am a private conservator working on the conservation treatment of book and paper, also provides collection care service to museums in Taiwan. After long years work, I find that proper housing can help museums better preserve their collections with limited budget compared to conservation... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 4:45pm - 5:00pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order JUNYIN HSIAO
Abstract ID 18783
Tags measurement

5:00pm EDT

(Collection Care) Using Web-based eClimateNotebook to Virtually Monitor, Manage, and Evaluate Alternative Environmental Control Strategies for Museums in Historic Buildings

The key to effective environmental management at a museum is a staff member who has the aptitude to grasp various climate control strategies, the discipline to regularly monitor temperature and humidity conditions, and an interest in identifying and correcting environmental control problems. Unfortunately, museums in historic buildings can seldom afford to employ a trained and experienced environmental manager. An alternative is to engage a consultant on museum environments to use Image Permanence Institute’s eClimateNotebook to virtually train a staff member to monitor, manage and improve the collection’s environment. Numerous museums in historic buildings have engaged the author to do just that. An ideal scenario begins with a one-day site visit to assess the collection’s environmental requirements and advise on selection and operation of appropriate environmental control equipment. If a site visit is not feasible, a virtual site visit using FaceTime can be effective.

Once the on-site environmental manager masters the simple tasks of downloading data from data loggers and uploading it to eClimateNotebook, the consultant can remotely access eClimateNotebook to view and analyze the data, and instruct the on-site manager by email or phone on adjusting set points and diagnosing and correcting environmental problems. After a full year of such coaching and on-the-job training, on-site managers are usually able to operate equipment and identify and correct environmental problems on their own. The expert’s virtual contact with the site averages only one to two hours a month, making this solution efficient and cost effective.

This presentation also explains how eClimateNotebook was used at the Shelburne Museum in northern Vermont to analyze and evaluate several years of temperature and humidity data from 30 collection buildings. This versatile software was used to systematically characterize and improve environmental conditions over the past two decades in the 24 historic and 6 modern buildings that house Shelburne’s collections of fine art, folk art and Americana.

Since it is not safe or practical to humidify many of Shelburne's historic structures in the winter, alternative environmental control strategies were developed to optimize preservation of both the buildings and the collections. Such strategies use humidistats in combination with thermostats to control equipment to maintain safe humidity levels rather than using thermostats alone to simply maintain steady temperatures in collection spaces.

These practical systems consist of various combinations of home heating and cooling systems, space heaters, dehumidifiers, attic and basement fans, and mini-split ductless heat pumps. A digital building automation system controls the equipment.

eClimateNotebook analysis shows that such practical systems are nearly as effective as sophisticated conventional museum-quality HVAC systems in maintaining Class A environmental conditions of 40% to 60% relative humidity year-round, with set points gradually adjusted from 45% RH in the winter to 55% RH in the summer. These smaller and simpler systems are more sustainable than conventional museum HVAC systems due to their ease of operation, energy efficiency, and significantly reduced cost to purchase, install and operate.

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 →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Richard L. Kerschner
Tags environmental management, virtual site visit

5:00pm EDT

(Book and Paper) A New Tool For Managing Cumulative Light Exposure

As conservators we all know that light damages the materials in our care and we know the importance of controlling light to reduce fade on an object. Traditionally we have managed light by establishing limits on exhibit length, limits on light levels and utilizing light reduction methods. While this is a good start, we still need to address the cumulative effects of light exposure. In order to do so we must approach light from a lifetime exposure standpoint. At the United States Army Heritage and Education Center we brought together existing knowledge about light to develop a new approach to light exposure. This approach utilizes the ISO Blue Wool Standard and information on material type, light levels and exhibit length to estimate exposure and track exposure over the life of the artifact. This allows us to make exhibit decisions based on light exposure and protect our objects from exhibit related damage. This new process required the development of several new tools to aid in the tracking of light levels both during and after exhibit. These tools can be utilized at any museum or archive no matter the size to help keep curators, archivists and other staff informed about light exposure and damage and to ensure objects are not damage while in our care.

Speakers

Jordan Ferraro

Conservator, United States Army Heritage and Education Center

Jordan Ferraro received a BA in History from the University of Delaware and an MSc in Collections Care from Cardiff University. She has worked as an archivist and conservator for both private companies and federal museums. She began her career as a processing and conservation archivist... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Jordan Ferraro
Abstract ID 18466
Tags Light

5:00pm EDT

(Electronic Media) A Race Against Time: Preserving iOS App-Based Artworks

The complexity of software-based art continues to challenge media conservators in their quest for best preservation practices. An ever growing body of literature on case studies has been written and published underlining how often multiple and concurrent preservation strategies are needed in order to ensure the perpetuation and unfolding of these works in the future. In the last few years, institutions have started collecting iOS mobile applications. Multi-faceted in their platform dependencies and distribution systems, App-based software preservation is intrinsically linked to the the breakneck pace with which mobile phone technologies and related software are released, adopted, and rendered obsolete. This process is further heightened by the reliance on the authoring and delivery restrictions enforced by Apple which limits the control the creators have over the availability and sustainability of their iOS App-based artworks. How can the preservation challenges of these artworks add to our understanding of software based art? Which strategies, tools, and workflows can be applied to mitigate risks associated to iOS App-based Art obsolescence? This talk will seek to unravel these questions through the use of two case studies. In 2016, Composition for Marimba (2016) by Mungo Thomson was acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). This work consists of a mobile phone mounted on a tripod which acts as a set piece and audio-visual display device. A iOS mobile app displays a random sequence of images of playing cards which are linked to audio files playing marimba tones and then sent to wireless speakers in the space. In 2017, WYD RN (2017) by Martine Syms was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The work is an Augmented Reality iOS downloadable App which acts through a randomized facial recognition mechanism on a set of twelve archival pigment prints on found posters that were installed in the exhibition space. As part of the installation Incense, Sweater & Ice (2017) this work was downloadable for visitors during the show and was conceived as a bridge between the posters and the videos installed as means to create a conversation between these elements. Drawing from these two recent acquisitions, this presentation aims to share the findings of a yearlong joint research project between Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Museum of Modern Art New York (MoMA) media conservation departments. The authors will investigate common and often complementary challenges and concerns encountered throughout these acquisitions with a specific focus on: 1] Tools and methods to faithfully document the behavior of a iOS App, 2] Available tools for condition checking iOS Apps pre and post acquisition, 3] Strategies for the stabilization of the original source code, including software and programs used to achieve this, 4] Overall consideration of annual maintenance and preservation costs. This presentation will additionally highlight how a cross-departmental approach at each institution and the collaboration with the artists and studios will inform the decision making process for the preservation of these two artworks.

Speakers

Joseph G Heinen Jr.

Digital Preservation Manager, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Joey Heinen is a digital preservation and time-based media specialist, currently serving as Digital Preservation Manager in the Collection Information and Digital Assets Department and head of the Time Based Media Committee at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In this role he... Read More →

Flaminia Fortunato

Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Media Conservation, Museum of Modern Art in New York

Flaminia Fortunato is currently a Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Media Conservation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. As part of the Media Conservation team at the museum she is involved in day to day acquisition, documentation, installation and conservation of the media collection... Read More →

Co-Author

Morgan Kessler

Media Collections Manager, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Morgan Kessler has been working with museums and artists as an Audio Visual Specialist since 2008. She joined LACMA in 2012 as a Time-Based Media Technician in the Gallery Media department. In her current role as Media Collections Manager, she is charged with the care of the museum’s... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Flaminia Fortunato, Joey Heinen, Morgan Kessler
Abstract ID 18875
Tags iOS App-based Art,preservation challenges,decision-making process

5:00pm EDT

(Objects) An Unconventional Use of Conventional Materials: Conserving Barbara Neijna's Hand-Painted "Sunrest"

It is established practice in the field of outdoor sculpture conservation to repaint outdoor sculptures when the surface paint fades, peels, cracks, or when a metal substrate exhibits corrosion. This is especially, but not exclusively, true when an artwork original was industrially produced. But what happens when the artist's hand is evident in the finish? This factor was confronted recently during the conservation of Sunrest, a geometric abstract painted sculpture by Miami based artist Barbara Neijna. When RLA Conservation was asked to conserve the work, we discovered quickly that conventional repainting methods were not going to work, because the artist had drawn graphite lines by hand in-between the top paint layer and a tinted lacquer clear coat. The faded sunset appearance of the clear coat was also spray painted by the artist, using a variety of dyes. Years of display outdoors in Miami's tropical climate, with extreme sunlight and in proximity to a salty bay, had caused extensive corrosion, darkening of the lacquer, and overall delamination of the bottom coat of paint from the steel and aluminum used for the sculpture and the base. The private client who owned the work wanted it "restored" back to its "original form". But because the graphite was sandwiched in-between layers, there was not a clear solution to doing this without involving the artist. Fortunately, Ms. Neijna, now in her 80’s, remains very particular about how her work is conserved. She happily agreed to work with the conservators to recreate the graphite lines and consult on the tinted lacquer samples that we copied in a more durable and reversible material. During the course of treatment, we learned that not only had the artist created the finishes, she had fabricated the substrate herself. This helped us determine what she originally used, and facilitated the decision-making that substituted contemporary industrial materials for the primers, paints, and lacquer topcoat. This paper will demonstrate and discuss how we undertook the work and how the artist participated in the process. We will describe how, over the course of six months and multiple mock-ups, we created an unconventional paint stack using commonly-used industrial and conservation-grade materials to recreate the brilliance of the artist's original methods. The methodologies for arriving at the new material choices will be described as well as the protocols that have been developed to address the problem in the future, when the artist is no longer available or able to participate in the treatment.

Speakers

Rosa Lowinger-[Fellow]

Managing Principal, RLA Conservation

Rosa Lowinger has been a conservator of outdoor sculpture and public art since 1984. A graduate of the Conservation Center at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts and a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation, she is the principal of Rosa Lowinger and Associates, a private sculpture... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Rosa Lowinger
Abstract ID 19090
Tags Outdoor painted sculpture industrial finishes artist hand

5:00pm EDT

(Paintings) The Lining of Canvas Paintings onto Aluminum Sheet Interleafs: History and Approaches for their Reversal

From the late 1950s through the 1970s, during the heyday of wax-resin linings, many paintings on canvas in the Boston area were lined onto aluminum sheet backings. The technique, which involved adhering canvas paintings directly onto aluminum sheets cut to the dimensions of the image, was meant to provide a rigid yet lightweight support for pictures. Wax-resin was the adhesive of choice and the aluminum sheet typically formed an interleaf between the original canvas on the front and a linen canvas backing adhered to the reverse of the aluminum. The linen backing not only provided a tacking margin for re-stretching but also disguised the reverse of the metal surface. Morton Bradley and Gustav Klimann, two paintings conservators in private practice who treated paintings for prominent art museums and private clients, were chief proponents of the technique. Bradley described the process in his 1950 publication and Klimann took out two U.S. Patents in the early 1960s that included the mounting of paintings onto aluminum sheets as a method of conserving and restoring oil paintings. Although the technique was used to provide a rigid support for unstable and badly damaged paintings, paintings without any structural damage or instability were also subjected to the process. The linings, which were carried out under high pressure and heat, not only imparted a place-matt like appearance to the paintings, but often altered the paint surface topography resulting in flattening of the brush marks and impasto. Furthermore, like any wax-resin lining, paintings that were thinly painted or light in tonality were significantly darkened by the wax-resin lining. This paper will also focus on considerations and treatment approaches for reversing aluminum interleaf linings which have been carried out by the authors for both structural and aesthetic reasons. Works by 20th C. artists Hyman Bloom, Florine Stettheimer and Morton Schamberg have had their aluminum backings successfully removed and demonstrate the efficacy of undertaking the procedure when necessary and appropriate. In some instances, the detachment of the canvas from the aluminum interleaf due to the poor adhesive properties of the wax-resin resulted in unsightly bulges in the paint surface. In others, poor adhesion between the aluminum sheet and linen backing raised fears of the aluminum sheet, along with the painting, falling away from the linen backing. The reversal procedures have varied according to the painting's scale, the thickness of the canvas and paint layers, and the adhesive strength of the wax-resin adhesive. Heat has been used to facilitate the removal of the aluminum sheet on some paintings, while in others, simply pulling the aluminum sheet from the back has also been effective. While larger sized pictures have required relining, in one instance, after thorough removal of excess wax-resin from the front and back of the canvas, it was possible to strip line and loose line the painting thereby returning it to a more authentic state and appearance.

Speakers

Courtney Books

Mellon Fellow in Paintings Conservation, Balboa Art Conservation Center

Courtney Books is an emerging art conservator specializing in the conservation of easel paintings and murals. She received her M.A.C from Queen’s University (2018) and holds an M.A. in Art History from McGill University (2013). Currently a Mellon fellow at the Balboa Art Conservation... Read More →

Co-Author

Corrine Long

M.A.C. 2020 student, Queen's University

Corrine Long received her Bachelor or Arts in Art History and Studio Art from the University of New Hampshire in 2012. She held a two-year internship with Gianfranco Pocobene Studio from 2013-2015 before working as a decorative paintings restorer at John Canning Studios where she... Read More →

Gianfranco Pocobene

Principal, Gianfranco Pocobene Studio

Gianfranco Pocobene is the Principal of Gianfranco Pocobene Studio specializing in the treatment of easel paintings and murals. He is also the Chief Paintings and Research Conservator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. From 2004 - 2018 he was the museum's John L. and Susan K... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Gianfranco Poocbene, Courtney Books, Corrine Long
Abstract ID 19110
Tags Aluminum sheet interleaf wax resin lining reversal

5:00pm EDT

(Photographic Materials) Pictorialist Experiments of Karl Struss

Karl Struss (1886-1981) first took up photography in 1906 "in self-defense" against long, tedious hours of work in his father's New York City factory. During his first decade as a photographer, Struss was a dedicated Pictorialist with an eye for modern compositions, choosing platinum as his preferred method of printing. But in a series of seven prints titled "New Hampshire Landscape," Struss diverged from the Pictorialist aesthetic employed in his typical platinum photographs of New York and Europe. Struss executed these experimental and intentionally abstracted photographs between 1907 and 1910, during the time he was enrolled in courses with Clarence White at Columbia University's Teachers College. Printed from the same negative, these photographs have been catalogued using enigmatic terms likely coined by Struss himself; descriptions such as "multiple platinum print" and "hand-stippled gum print" hint at the sophistication of Struss' manipulation of a variety of photographic processes. Access to the artist's original negatives and archives in the holdings of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art has revealed a more complete story behind these seven prints. This project investigates both the prints and the chronology of negatives and interpositives in the Carter's collection which relate to Struss' seven New Hampshire Landscape photographs, utilizing XRF and the Carter's newly acquired VSC8000 forensic imaging tool to reveal evidence for Struss' choices of negative and printing processes for his experiments.

Speakers

Sarah Casto

Photograph Conservation Fellow, Amon Carter Museum of American Art

Sarah Casto is the Photograph Conservation Fellow at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas. She received her M.A., C.A.S. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College and a B.F.A. in Photography from Bowling Green State University. She has completed internships... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Earth Ballroom B Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sarah Casto
Abstract ID 18871
Tags Karl Struss,photographs,platinum print,gum print,Pictorialism,negatives

5:00pm EDT

(Research & Technical Studies) The Application of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) and Gel-Sampling to Identify Synthetic Dyes Used on Hand-Colored Photographs

Until the commercially successful introduction of chromogenic color prints by Kodak in 1935, colored photographic pictures mainly were produced by hand-coloring B. & W.-photographs, e.g. Daguerreotypes, albumen and gelatin-based prints (1). This was common practice with portraits on postcards (Figure 1). Until 1860, inorganic and natural organic pigments in a binding medium were applied. Later, inks, containing synthetic dyes were introduced. As many of these dyes are very light-sensitive, caution must be taken when exhibiting these artefacts. Little is known about the practice of hand-coloring. Therefore, a proper identification of these dyes would help to understand the coloration process and assess the risk of fading. Hydrogels, e.g. the “Nanorestore Gel”, or an agar gel, can be used to gently extract water-soluble dyes from the gelatin layer of a photograph, e.g. for cleaning purposes (2, 3). These gels could be useful for micro-sampling. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is a very powerful technique for dye identification, especially for synthetic dyes (4). The silver colloid, added to the sample taken from the object, can enhance the Raman signal up to a factor of 109, making it even possible to detect single molecules, e.g. crystal violet (5). According to research done by Doherty et al., methylcellulose films, doped with a silver colloid can be used to extract dyes from the artefact’s surface for analysis by SERS (6). In our research, this principle has been applied by doping the “Nanorestore Gel” and an agar gel, with colloidal silver (prepd. according to a description by Lee & Meisel (7). A small piece of the gel is immersed into the colloid and left there for a while to be impregnated by the colloid. During the short contact time (minutes) of a very small cube (area: c. 1 mm2) of the hydrogel, water-soluble dyes migrate into the gel and come into contact with the colloid. They then can be analyzed by SERS. This way, dyes on 4 hand-colored photographs from a private collection could be extracted and successfully identified by SERS. The spectra were measured with a Renishaw RAMAN microscope with a 785 nm Laser. In order to identify the dyes, their Raman spectra were compared with spectra taken from the RCE’s large reference collection of synthetic dyes. The red dye in the roses on the postcard in Figure 1 turned out to be eosin. *Corresponding author Many historic gelatin-based photographs show silver mirroring, the formation of colloidal silver at the surface, caused by redox cycling of silver in the gelatin layer (8). The silver mirroring on some of these photographs was shown to function as a SERS-active substrate, enhancing the Raman signal of the dye in contact with it.

Speakers

Han Neevel

Senior Researcher Conservation Science, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands

Han Neevel is research scientist at the Cultural Heritage Laboratory of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, location Amsterdam. He also holds an appointment as guest lecturer in dyestuff & photographic chemistry at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). He received a PhD... Read More →

Co-Author

Inez van der Werf

conservation scientist, Cultural Heritage Laboratory, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands

Inez van der Werf is conservation scientist at the Cultural Heritage Laboratory of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, location Amsterdam. She was trained as a paintings restorer at the Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro in Rome and received a PhD... Read More →

Katrien Keune

research scientist/associate professor, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam/University of Amsterdam

Katrien Keune is research scientist at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Netherlands. She also holds an appointment as Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and contributes to the Netherlands Institute for Conservation, Art and Science (NICAS) at a scientific... Read More →

Veronica Biolcati

intern, Technical Studies Research Laboratory, Getty Conservation Institute

Veronica Biolcati is an intern at the Technical Studies Research Laboratory of the Getty Conservation Institute. Her research interests include the investigation of the materials and techniques used for painting, the application of new methods and technologies for the scientific study... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Veronica Biolcati, Katrien Keune, Inez van der Werf
Abstract ID 19162
Tags Hand-colored photographs,Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy,Hydrogels,Sampling,Synthetic Dyes,Identification

5:00pm EDT

(Textiles) It's a Cover Up!: The Use of Japanese Tissue Paper in the Conservation of the Embellished Hangings from the Spangled Bed c.1621

The conservation of a large complex 17th century bed, hung with exquisite textiles, posed a myriad of challenges for the National Trust’s Textile Conservation Studio when deciding how to conserve these extraordinarily fragile multi-layered and mixed media hangings. The story of the conservation started in 2013, requiring research, innovation and collaboration to deliver the project. The 23 conserved textile elements of the bed were reinstalled at Knole, a National Trust house in Kent, in 2018. The bed was commissioned by Lionel Cranfield, a Mercer by trade, Keeper of the Great Wardrobe and in 1621, Lord High Treasurer to James I. Inventories taken of the contents of his London home, Chelsea House, show that the textiles from the Spangled bed were part of a lying-in suite. The suite consisted of a very large lying-in bed for his second wife, a pallet bed for a midwife and a cradle for their heir. Subsequently, it was inherited by his daughter Frances who had married into the Sackville family in 1637, and it was her son, the 6th Earl of Dorset, who moved the contents of Cranfield’s properties, and this bed, to Knole in 1701 where it is today. As the treatment progressed, it became apparent that the textiles had been radically re-configured into its current form. The decoration on the crimson silk satin comprises appliqué of cloth of silver and cloth of gold, embellishments of silver and silver gilt spangles, purl, silver and gilt metal threads and cords, silver and gold loop edge braids and narrow and deep metal thread fringes. Historically, the environment at Knole had been very poor with large variations in humidity causing deterioration of the textiles. The textile elements of the bed were in urgent need of conservation. They had suffered localised light damage and were heavily soiled and discoloured. The satin and appliqué were much damaged and actively losing the brittle appliqué cloth of silver motifs. This paper will address the treatment of the extraordinarily fragile appliqué and silk satin of the cornices, which were treated using a slightly unconventional approach. Due to the textile being adhered to a wooden substrate, there was no access to treat the textile from the reverse, therefore a treatment from the front had to be devised to stabilise the brittle appliqué and satin. Research and trials with established textile conservation materials and adhesives proved unsatisfactory. However following a visit to and discussions with colleagues at the local record office, where fragile parchment rolls were being faced with transparent Japanese paper, a similar approach was investigated, used in combination with Klucel G (a non-ionic cellulose ether). It proved successful on the cornices and the method was then adapted for the treatment of the headboard, headcloth, coverlet and valances of the Spangled Bed. This approach to the conservation of the Spangled Bed required continual re-evaluation to retain and record extant physical information whilst also making the textiles safe for the next 50-100 years.

Speakers

Yoko Hanegreefs

Textile Conservator, National Trust Textile Conservation Studio

Yoko Hanegreefs trained at Royal Academy of Fine Arts (University of Antwerp), followed by a placement at Heritage Malta and starting work at May Berkouwer Textile Conservation in 2013. Yoko first came to the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio to take up the 2 year Levy Internship... Read More →

Co-Author

Rosamund Weatherall ACR

Senior Textile Conservator, Textile Conservation Studio, Malthouse Barn

On completion of the MA in textile Conservation at the Textile Conservation Centre at the University of Southampton in 2006, Rosamund Weatherall joined the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio in Norfolk as an Assistant Textile Conservator. This has given her the opportunity... Read More →

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Author: Yoko Hanegreefs, Co-author: Rosamund Weatherall ACR
Abstract ID 18579
Tags Japanese tissue paper,consolidation,embellished textiles,applique,Seventeenth Century,Spangled Bed,National Trust

5:30pm EDT

Opening Reception: Pre-Reception Lab and Storage Tours

Tour the conservation labs and storage space at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum during the Opening Reception.

Tours are free but limited to 20 per tour and will be every half hour from 5:30-7:30pm.

The Museum has offered spaces for 300 people to tour their conservation labs and storage space. Tours are free but each time slot has limited spaces. Please add a tour time (free) to your registration at www.culturalheritage.org/MyEvents, or contact us at annualmeeting@culturalheritage.org to select a time.

Wednesday May 15, 2019 5:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

Business Meeting, Photographic Materials

6:30pm EDT

Opening Reception

6:30pm to 9:30pm - Reception
5:30pm to 6:30pm - Pre-reception Lab and storage tours and gallery viewing

The first buses will depart the hotel to the museum at 5:00pm!

The Museum has offered spaces for 100 people to tour their conservation labs and storage space. Tours are free but each time slot has limited spaces. Please add a tour time (free) to your registration at www.culturalheritage.org/MyEvents, or contact us at annualmeeting@culturalheritage.org to select a time.

Join us on May 15 for a reception and viewing of the story of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center serves as a major resource on the histories and cultures of Native Americans in the northeast and on the region's rich natural history. In addition to hosting permanent and temporary exhibits, the museum has an amazing gathering space perfect for both indoor and outdoor receptions. We will also experience a traditional Mashantucket Pequot dance performance.

This event is included in your base registration so join us and don’t miss out.

Sponsors

Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc.

University Products

Supplier/Service Provider, University Products

Wednesday May 15, 2019 6:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

Reception, General

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

7:30am EDT

BPG Business Meeting

Sponsors

NEDCC | Northeast Document Conservation Center

Founded in 1973, NEDCC | Northeast Document Conservation Center specializes in the preservation of paper-based materials for cultural institutions, government agencies, and private collections. NEDCC serves clients nationwide, providing conservation treatment for book, photograph... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting, Book and Paper

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

7:30am EDT

EMG Business Meeting

Thursday May 16, 2019 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting, Electronic Media

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

7:30am EDT

OSG Business Meeting

Thursday May 16, 2019 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Business Meeting, Objects

Track Objects
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

7:30am EDT

TSG Business Meeting

Sponsors

Testfabrics, Inc. USA

Testfabrics, Inc. is a worldwide supplier and producer of textile testing materials. While used primarily in quality assurance testing, our fabrics have found their way into countless other applications. We stock an inventory of ‘clean’ fabrics, free of sizings, dyes, and finishes... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 7:30am - 8:30am EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Business Meeting, Textiles

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

8:00am EDT

PMG Business Meeting

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

8:00am EDT

PSG Business Meeting and Breakfast

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Business Meeting, Paintings

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

8:30am EDT

(Architecture) The Latchis Theater: Planning the Conservation and Restoration of an Art Deco Masterpiece in Brattleboro, Vermont

On September 22, 2018, the remarkable Latchis Hotel and Theater, in Brattleboro, Vermont, celebrated its eightieth anniversary. It is a large and beautiful Art Deco building, keyed seamlessly into a restrained and historic northern New England town of nineteenth-century buildings. The complex and multi-spaced theater- - -still a movie palace- - -has 1,200 seats. It has become more vibrant over time, thanks to Latchis Arts, a non-profit umbrella organization with wide community support.

The Latchis was created by the Latchis family, Greek immigrants who developed a chain of beautiful movie theaters in New England in the 1930s. Only the Latchis Theater survives. It is a remarkable inter-active homage to ancient Greece, re-born in Vermont through an Art Deco prism. The lobby is the portal to this enchanted realm of classical architecture, starry nights, lapis-blue skies, mythic mural paintings, and faux-mosaic floors. A faux-ashlar masonry courtyard, replete with a nymph fountain, leads to the main theater. It is a fantastical and over-scaled Agora, crowned with a night sky of constellations, ancient statuary, and classical architecture on all of the four walls. Monumental mural paintings of Greek myths, the creation of Hungarian painter Louis Jambor (1884-1955), intersect the faux architecture.

The interior of the Latchis is best understood as a huge and complex work of art created from as many as forty different elements. Each element is made from different materials, which have aged differently over time and sustained varying degrees of damage and ill-advised restorations. Latchis Arts is committed to a project whose goal is the return of the Latchis to its original appearance. Realization of this goal will be based on returning each element to its original appearance.

This will be a large, complex and costly project whose success will be determined during the planning phase and by creation of a programmatic planning document. The planning document will need to address the conservation and restoration of as many as 40 different elements. This is the foundation of the project, the basis upon which cost estimating for treatments, insurance, scaffolding, legal exigencies, and effective outreach to donors and the public will rest.

This paper will present an overview of the outstanding interior decoration of the Latchis Theater and describe the current planning program. It will focus on the how to define and apply due diligence and duty of care when planning this type of complex and costly interior restoration project,

Speakers

Jon Potter

Executive Director, Latchis Arts, Inc.

Jon Potter is the Executive Director of Latchis Arts, Inc., and Latchis Corporation, the two entities that own, operate and steward the Latchis Memorial Building in Brattleboro, Vt. Prior to taking the position at the Latchis five years ago, he was a journalist for more than 20 years... Read More →

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 →

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Constance Silver, Jonathan Potter
Abstract ID 19211

8:30am EDT

(Book and Paper) Comparison Of Chinese Painting and Western Paper Conservation Techniques

For several decades, traditional Chinese painting conservation has been part of the broad field of art conservation in the United States. However, conservation professionals trained in the West are typically unfamiliar with the background, educational training, and practices of Chinese painting conservation, and it has been a challenge to integrate it within our Western profession. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has been working with U.S. museums to address this disconnect, foster training, and promote Chinese painting conservation. My background and training in both Chinese painting and Western paper conservation provides a perspective on both traditions. As a result, as a participant in this initiative, I am motivated to engage conservators across these traditions and increase the profile of Chinese painting conservation in the U.S. During the conservation of a 20th century, Qing Dynasty ancestor portrait painted with ink and color on paper, a specific question arose: What treatment approaches would be taken by Western paper conservators or those without expertise in Chinese paper-based objects and might these approaches and techniques be useful or appropriate for Chinese works. Chinese paintings have unique laminate structures composed of multiple layers of paper supporting a painted primary support with silk or paper borders constructed to achieve a flat and balanced structure that can withstand repeated handling. This painting was in poor condition, with severe creases that made it difficult to unroll flat and exhibit without extensive treatment. Following treatment using traditional Chinese and East Asian mounting techniques, it was decided that this painting would not be returned to its previous rolled format, but remounted and stored flat. This format shares properties with two-dimensional paper-based objects familiar to most Western conservators. In order to compare and contrast treatment approaches, I surveyed several Western paper conservators about the techniques they would apply to this painting. Although they would normally send this type of painting to a specialist, they were able to evaluate its issues through photographs and provide novel ideas and treatment approaches. This talk will present the traditional Chinese approach used to treat this painting, and Western-based treatment proposals from my colleagues. My examination of different approaches, techniques, and materials will expand our knowledge of treatment techniques across disciplinary fields, and assess if and when a combination of traditional Chinese and Western approaches is appropriate. More importantly, this talk will shed light on Chinese conservation approaches and how Chinese and Western approaches can be leveraged to advance conservation practices in the US.

Speakers

Grace Jan

The Yao Wenqing Chinese Painting Conservator, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Grace Jan is The Yao Wenqing Chinese Painting Conservator at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Since 2009, she has worked on the museums’ Chinese painting and calligraphy collection alongside Ms. Xiangmei Gu, senior Chinese painting... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Grace Jan
Abstract ID 18801
Tags Chinese painting conservation,paper conservation

8:30am EDT

(Collection Care) The Re-Org Method: Tools, Techniques and Strategies to Improve Access to Collections Worldwide

Collections in storage worldwide are at serious risk, according to an international ICCROM-UNESCO survey (2011), a claim that is confirmed by various national collections care surveys over the years. While much has been written on how to plan new storage areas starting from scratch, most heritage institutions (small and under resourced) face a different problem They must improve their situation with the means that are readily available, often tackling several “legacy” problems that have not always received sufficient attention in the past: overcrowding, non-existent location systems, actively pest- and mold-infested objects, and/or unknown quantities of found-in-collection items. The consequence is that these institutions are unable to fully use the collection to engage and benefit local communities. To help museums regain control of their collections in storage, ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Restoration and Preservation of Cultural Property) and UNESCO designed the RE-ORG Method with the help of a Storage Task Force of 15 professionals from 15 countries, and made it available online in 2011. By 2017, the RE-ORG Method had been applied in over 83 museums in 27 countries via hands-on workshops, distance coaching and online training. So far, several national/regional training strategies have been established in Canada, Belgium, Nigeria, Chile, India and Southeast Europe. All these experiences were used to revise the Method, a task undertaken by ICCROM and the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI). The latest version of RE-ORG (2017) includes updated and streamlined content, enriched with online tools and resources. It is easier to use, adaptable to various contexts and is being translated into various languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, etc.). This paper will highlight some of the innovations that are included in this new revision, some of the tools that are being developed for the upcoming training of coaches workshop in 2020 and share some lessons learned on launching a national training strategy.

Speakers

Simon Lambert

Senior Advisor, Collection Preservation, Canadian Conservation Institute

Co-Author

Gaël de Guichen

Special Advisor to the Director General of ICCROM, Independent

Gaël de Guichen is Special Advisor to the Director-General of ICCROM. He has lectured in more than 50 countries to raise public awareness on the conservation and protection of cultural heritage and to teach professionals preventive conservation.

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Specialty Session, Objects and Research and Technical Studies

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Simon Lambert, Marjolijn Debulpaep, Theocharis Katrakazis, Gaël de Guichen
Abstract ID 18829
Tags storage,RE-ORG,preventive conservation,collections,tool,capacity building

8:30am EDT

(Objects and Research and Technical Studies) Decision-Making In Context: Conservation Of Gold and Magnesium Alloy Components On A Surveyor Spacecraft

In preparation for the first lunar landing, NASA created the Surveyor Program which sent seven robotic spacecraft to the Moon between June 1966 and January 1968. These spacecraft provided crucial information to the Apollo 11 mission which put the first humans on the Moon in July 1969. The Smithsonian acquired a full-scale engineering model of a Surveyor spacecraft in 1968, and it has been on continuous display since then. Amongst other components, the spacecraft has a mechanical scoop, designed to dig trenches in the lunar soil, a TV camera, designed to send live video feed back to Earth, and an alpha-scattering surface analyzer, designed to conduct the first elemental analyses of the lunar soil. The alpha-scattering instrument is housed in a gold-plated copper box secured to a magnesium alloy base. Extensive magnesium corrosion was discovered on the base and subsequently treated in 2013, when the instrument was temporarily removed due to damage caused by a leaking pipe. In 2017, the entire spacecraft was removed from display in preparation for the upcoming renovation of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. For the first time in almost 50 years, conservators were able to conduct a thorough examination, technical analysis and treatment of the spacecraft. This included analysis using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), extensive cleaning and iron stain reduction, consolidation of paint and plastics, in-painting, and corrosion mitigation. The 2017 examination revealed that the magnesium treatment performed in 2013 was ineffective. Galvanic corrosion had further developed between the magnesium base and the gold-plated component, indicating that the initial treatment strategies would not be sufficient for its long-term display. Conservators walk an ethical tight rope where several factors are balanced: the principle of reversibility countered with the challenges of preserving fugitive materials, the principle of minimal intervention with the need for an enduring treatment solution. The presence of unusual modern materials with no established conservation treatment methodologies adds a layer of uncertainty in the decision-making process. In the conservation of large technological artifacts, treatment frequently requires complete or partial disassembly of the artifact. At the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, large artifacts are often suspended from the ceiling for long-term display, where they remain practically inaccessible for years. When suspending artifacts above the public, conservation treatments—particularly to structural components—cannot fail. All of these factors can drive treatment decisions towards more restorative techniques. This paper will present the decision-making process and ultimate outcome of the conservation treatment on the Surveyor spacecraft. It will focus on the treatment of the alpha-scattering surface analyzer, which contained persistent corrosion of magnesium alloy parts in contact with gold-plated components. Tactics for treating galvanic corrosion, as well as new tools and techniques adapted from the aerospace industry will be presented.

Speakers

Jacqueline Riddle

Conservator, National Air and Space Museum

Jacqueline Riddle is an objects conservator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Prior to joining NASM in January 2018, she worked as a conservator at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. She holds a B.Sc. with majors in Chemistry and Art History from McGill University... Read More →

Co-Author

Elizabeth Beesley

Conservator, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Elizabeth Beesley is an objects conservator and began working at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in 2017. She holds an MEng in Materials Science from the University of Oxford, an MA in Principles of Conservation, and an MSc in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums... Read More →

Lisa Young

Supervisory Conservator, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Lisa Young has served as objects conservator at the National Air and Space Museum since 2009. She earned her B.Sc. in Conservation at the University of Wales, Cardiff. She has worked at NASM since 1997, where she researched the preservation of spacesuits. From 1999-2006 she was the... Read More →

Malcolm Collum

Engen Conservation Chair and Chief Conservator, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Malcolm Collum is the Engen Conservation Chair at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and has been the Chief Conservator since 2008. He has a B.A. from the University of Minnesota and an M.A. and Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects, Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Jacqueline Riddle, Elizabeth Beesley, Lisa Young, Malcolm Collum
Abstract ID 18731
Tags modern materials,technological artifacts,large artifacts,magnesium,galvanic corrosion,new techniques,Surveyor,spacecraft,

8:30am EDT

(Textiles) An On-Going Mystery: Copper Kettles & Chilkat Blue

The source of the blue colorant found in Chilkat blankets woven by the Tlingit peoples in NW Alaska has been a source of confusion for decades. In 1907, U.S Navy Lt. G.T. Emmons (and anthropologist Franz Boas) wrote papers on the Chilkat blanket (in Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History) suggesting that blue-green coloration was the product of fetid urine in copper vessels which was later supplanted by aniline dyes. The paper was reported by W.D. Darby in 1917 to American industrial dyers (Color Trade Journal), to Canadians by D. Leechman (Transactions, Royal Society of Canada, 1932), and summarized again by Leechman (Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Dye plants and Dyeing: a Handbook, 1964). In 1982, Cheryl Samuel thoughtfully tried to update and accommodate this reportage with research of the Canadian Conservation Institute and the University of British Columbia, who found the blue to be indigo, free of copper, they also reported that urine treated copper was fugitive to wool. Yet, in 1988, colleagues at the Canadian Museum of History found all the dyes in an early 19th century Chilkat tunic were fugitive to water. When four National Museum of Natural History Chilkat textiles were analyzed by portable XRF for mordants in 2006, the blue dyes, like the yellow colorants, lacked a mordant level of copper. We have recently analyzed blue fibers from three NMAI Chilkat blankets using direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) and found urea, isatin, indoxyl, and indigo. A re-reading of Emmons in reprint form included appendices of corrections for language, plant, and bird identifications. Amendments also seem relevant for the dyeing procedures he describes. Dye literature by dyers, routinely describe about the coppery green appearance of the leuco (aka reduced, white) form of the indigo vat. Modern literature on lant and reduction reinforce the distinctive processes associated with the various forms of reduction fermentation. These were quickly superseded in the early 1900’s by a newly available commercial sodium dithionite. By revisiting older literature, records, and dyeing procedures with a clearer understanding, and the actual objects with new technologies, some of the confusions about the colorants in Chilkat blankets now may be resolved.

Speakers

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 →

Co-Author

G. Asher Newsome

Physical Scientist, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

G. ASHER NEWSOME received his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He has studied a wide variety of analytes using novel mass spectrometry methodologies, and since joining the Smithsonian in 2017 he has been developing ambient techniques for... Read More →

Susan C. Heald

Textile Conservator, National Museum of the American Indian

Susan Heald has been the National Museum of the American Indian’s textile conservator since 1994, where she has supervised many pre-program interns and post-graduate fellows. Prior to NMAI, she served as the Minnesota Historical Society’s textile conservator, and was a Smithsonian... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Mary W. Ballard, G. Asher Newsome, and Susan Heald
Abstract ID 19052
Tags Chilkat blanket,Tlingkit,natural dyes,indigo,indigo processing

8:30am EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Furthering Wooden Artifact and Architecture Conservation in Ukraine

The Fulbright Scholar Program offers conservators the opportunity of sharing their knowledge and experience in distant lands. In the spring of 2018, under the auspices of the Fulbright Specialist Program, I spent six weeks introducing wooden artifact conservation to the students of the Department of Architecture and Conservation at the Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine. This presentation will focus on my experiences, the little-known aspects of Ukraine’s heritage of wooden architecture and artifacts, and the advocacy for conservation and conservation education that became an integral aspect of my visit. My teaching took the form of nine formal lectures, delivered in Ukrainian, which encompassed a comprehensive introduction to the conservation of wooden artifacts. Visiting Ukraine also permitted me to become aware of the scope and depth of Ukraine's culture, such as the 16-18c vernacular wood churches, known as Tserkvas, some of which were designated Unesco World Heritage Sites. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1424

Viewing a repository of literally thousands of renaissance and baroque polychrome sculptures, period icons, paintings, furniture, and metal objects was a revelation. These objects and many others require extensive treatment. While visiting Ukraine, I realized that I had to step outside my strict role as a visiting instructor, and to also become an advocate for a Western attitude toward historic preservation and conservation. This advocacy came to include my participation in numerous conferences and meetings, visits and presentations at many institutions, interviews in major publications, and culminated in an address to Ukraine’s parliament. Also, I realized that preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage would require a new generation of conservators, so I became an advocate for increasing the scientific component of their art conservation education. One aspect of this was co-organizing a tour of the East Coast conservation institutions for my Ukrainian hosts so that upon their return they could upgrade their university’s conservation curriculum and establish a conservation laboratory. These items and many more details will be the substance of my presentation.

Speakers

Yuri Yanchyshyn

Owner, Period Furniture Conservation LLC

Yuri Yanchyshyn is the Principal and Senior Conservator of Period Furniture Conservation, a New York City firm dedicated to furniture and objects conservation. Before the founding of his firm, Yuri worked as a consulting conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He holds degrees... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Wooden Artifacts
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Yuri Yanchyshyn
Abstract ID 18795
Tags Fulbright,wooden artifact,conservation education,advocacy for conservation

8:30am EDT

(Electronic Media) Towards Best Practices In Disk Imaging: A Cross-Institutional Approach

Over the past several years, the prevalence of computer and software-based art in contemporary museum collections has prompted serious discussion and research, through various forums, symposia, and peer networks, to address the unique challenges in caring for these types of artworks.

Within this context, media conservators have sought tools and techniques to deal with the urgent need to backup data from aging computers, hard drives, floppy disks, and optical discs in museum collections. One practice that is emerging amongst conservators, drawing from digital forensics and widely adopted by libraries and archives, is disk imaging. A disk image, a bit-for-bit copy of a digital storage device, is a powerful tool for encapsulating both the artwork, and its software environment, for preservation or documentation. However, the vast array of formats, tools and procedures used in disk imaging, and practiced in various disciplines for different purposes, often exacerbate the difficulties in finding appropriate procedures and workflows that suit museum collections.

This panel will share the findings of a year-long cross-institutional collaborative examination of disk imaging between the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Museum of Modern Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The four panelists, drawing on case-studies, will jointly examine questions related to creating, condition checking, accessing, and storing disk images. The panelists will address some key issues including:

Differences between target disk image formats and tools used for creating such disk images, their respective advantages and disadvantages, and their suitability for long-term preservation;
the development of practices and guidelines for condition-checking, quality control, and troubleshooting of disk images after their creation, and;
the difficulties of using a disk image to run a software-based artwork independent of the original hardware while ensuring a faithful representation of the work and its core work-defining properties.

Recognizing that the creation of a disk image is just one step at the beginning of an artwork’s preservation life-cycle, the panelists will engage in a frank and open discussion about their successes and failures with creating and managing disk images. By sharing their findings, the panelists seek to demystify disk imaging for the purposes of long-term preservation and display within an art museum, focusing on the tools used for creating disk images and accessing them in the future. This panel hopes to generate a dialogue which will continue to develop as conservators adopt and experiment with these methods.

Speakers

Eddy Colloton

Project Conservator of Time Based Media, Hirshhorn

Eddy Colloton is currently a Time Based Media Preservation Specialist for the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, where he works closely with the conservation department on the museum’s diverse array of media artworks. In May of 2016, he received his MA degree from the Moving... Read More →

Jonathan Farbowitz

Fellow in the Conservation of Computer-based Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Jonathan Farbowitz, Fellow in the Conservation of Computer-based Art, assists the Guggenheim’s Conservation department in addressing the preservation needs of computer-based works in the Guggenheim’s collection. He also supports the development of best practices for collecting... Read More →

Flaminia Fortunato

Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Media Conservation, Museum of Modern Art in New York

Caroline Gil

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

Caroline Gil is a Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Media Conservation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. At MoMA, she collaboratively works with the media conservation team in the acquisition, exhibition, preventive conservation, and research of the collection’s audio, film, video... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Eddy Colloton, Jonathan Farbowitz, Flaminia Fortunato, Caroline Gil
Abstract ID 19002
Tags Disk Image,Hard drive,software-based art,digital preservation,collaboration,cross-institutional

9:00am EDT

(Architecture) Hold My Beer: A Team-Based Approach for Addressing the Complexity of Conditions at Monument Hill State Historic Site, Texas's Oldest Brewery

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department manages Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Site in La Grange, a small town in central Texas. In 1848, stonemason and German immigrant Heinrich Kreische purchased the site, which is perched on a dramatically steep limestone bluff and overlooks the Colorado River. Kreische constructed a house and smokehouse for his family beginning in 1849, and began constructing a brewery in the late 1860s that grew to become the third largest in the state. These buildings and the ruins of the brewery, along with overlooks, trails and natural and manmade landscape elements related to the brewery operations comprise the 40-acre site. Kreische's expertise as a stonemason is evident in traditional German construction techniques such as fachwerk, coursed rubble stone construction, wood shake roofs, and limewashed plasters. The complex is open to the public and faces structural, drainage, accessibility, and electrical issues, along with deterioration of architectural materials stemming from age, extreme and uncontrolled humidity, bulk water infiltration, and adverse natural site conditions that are exacerbated by a lack of maintenance funds. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Texas State Antiquities Landmark. To address the complex range of site conditions and material degradation at the site, a team of diverse professionals was created, and a holistic approach was established. Led by preservation architects, the team included conservators, historians, structural, civil, and electrical engineers, surveyors, mineralogists, microbiologists, wood specialists, stonemasons, a historic finishes expert, an accessibility specialist, a moisture analyst, cost estimators, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife team of architects, archeologists, and site personnel. The team began its work by researching and documenting the site's construction history and chronology. A conditions assessment identified deterioration of materials as well as site, structural and electrical issues. Next, a comprehensive yet budget conscious testing program was created to determine appropriate repair techniques and materials. Tests combined low-cost techniques that could be performed on site in this relatively remote area and analyzed hundreds of miles away, with high-tech evaluation and laboratory analysis. Tests included environmental monitoring with HOBO data loggers and a moisture meter, infrared thermography, structural monitoring and probing, laboratory testing with X-ray diffraction to identify stone, stucco, plaster, and mortar materials and composition, laboratory evaluation of absorption characteristics and agents of deterioration such as biofilms and salts, and finishes analysis with polarized light microscopy. Conservators and preservation architects then analyzed the trove of data to find common links and patterns in an effort to determine the best way to preserve the site. The testing and analysis revealed a site more complex than originally expected, with a host of challenging conditions, not the least of which is the natural environment itself. Future work is anticipated to include repairs and restoration of the Kreische House and Brewery site and improvements to site accessibility.

Speakers

Sherry (Nicky) DeFreece Emery AIA

Senior Associate, McCoy Collaborative Preservation Architecture

Nicky DeFreece Emery, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is an architect that also has 18 years of experience as an architectural historian and 15 years as an architectural conservator. Her career has focused on preservation of historic structures as well as new construction. She believes that communities... Read More →

Co-Author

Frances Gale

Architectural Conservator, University of Texas

Frances Gale is an architectural conservator with a Master of Science in historic preservation from Columbia University and over thirty-year’s experience in preserving historic buildings and monuments. Fran was a Senior Lecturer and Conservation Scientist at the University of Texas... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sherry (Nicky) DeFreece Emery, AIA and Frances Gale, FAIC, FAPT
Abstract ID 18877
Tags architecture,stone,plaster,testing

9:00am EDT

(Book and Paper) Combining Traditional Thinking and Innovative Methods On the Conservation Of Chinese Hanging Scroll – A Case Study From the National Palace Museum Collections

One of the dilemmas encountered by paper conservators is that the traditional conservation method used in the past requires a hanging scroll to be fully stripped and re-mounted. This method often can cause serious damages to the painting, it’s time-consuming, and it alters the original decorative format of the art. Nowadays, there are a large number of museum collections that need to be conserved, however, only limited available human resources. To overcome the above difficulties, we brainstormed from the traditional practice, and seek for the development of a new method that consists of easy-to-use materials and simple treatments. This new method was carried out on two hanging scrolls. The first piece is a calligraphy hanging scroll by Yuan dynasty, which creases can be found all over the artwork. Formerly, most conservators will use paper strips to repair the creases. In order to avoid the shrinkage problem during the process, past conservators will use heavy weights to flatten the paper, but this method has limited effect. Therefore, the GROTEX sandwich technique was developed and then flatten with weight. This method enables a better-flattening result, but it is a time-consuming process and the blotting paper needs to be replaced multiple times during the procedures. Furthermore, phenomenon such as undulation and deformation caused by incomplete drying and uneven shrinkage may occur on the painting. The new method presented in this article offers another solution to the above challenges. After adhering the paper strips to Qianlong Emperor’s calligraphy, Fong Suei Xuan (strong pure white pineapple paper) strips are then pasted on both sides of the hanging scroll to secure the artwork. The calligraphy is then completely humidified and flattened on the drying board. The advantage of this method is the simplicity of the operation and the blotters do not need to be frequently replaced. The workpiece has a uniform pulling force and is flat after drying. The second hanging scroll is a painting, which has partially creased and with severe damages on both the upper and bottom brocades. Traditionally, the upper and the bottom brocades will be exchanged with new replacements. This method is a long ongoing tradition that has some shortcomings, For example, the connection of the old and new parts will cause inconsistent shrinkage, which results in problems such as unevenness and deformation. To solve the above challenges Fong Suei Xuan paper strips were pasted on the four edges of the painting. The artwork is then humidified, flattened, combined with its upper and bottom brocades, and then the entire back of the painting was lined with two layers of Fong Suei Xuan. After the whole painting has dried, it was then re-wetted. The painting was now flat and soft. This new method not only makes the treatment easy to operate but equally important this method allows the painting to retains a large percentage of its original decorative mounting format. Moreover, the required time has greatly reduced. The preservation of cultural relics is well and effectively protected under this new conservation method.

Speakers

Sun-Hsin Hung

National Palace Museum, Department of Registration and Conservation as a Chinese Painting Conservation Associate Researcher and as the Section Chief, National Palace Museum

Hung, Sun-hsin was born in Taiwan, 1967, graduated from Taipei National University of Fine Arts, Arts Department, and received M.A. from Tainan National University of the Arts, Graduate Institute of Conservation of Cultural Relics, Tainan. Currently work at the National Palace Museum... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sun-Hsin Hung
Abstract ID 18834
Tags calligraphy and painting mounting,Fong Suei Xuan,pure white pineapple paper,moisturizing stretch

9:00am EDT

(Collection Care) When It’s too Big! Moving and Safeguarding Three Oversize Native American Objects During Renovations at the Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is currently renovating a building on its campus, designed by Gio Ponti and completed in 1971. A tile-clad, towering-like castle, this is Ponti’s only building in the US. 2021 marks its 50th anniversary and to celebrate, the renovation is on course to deliver improved infrastructure and visitor experience. Included are new energy efficient systems, expanded galleries and storage, and a new conservation laboratory. Key to the project was the removal of the entire collection and all furnishings. In an ideal world, everything would be removed. However, there are three very large collection objects that have defied the intended process: two historic Haida totem poles and one contemporary sculpture made from straw and adobe. All three of the objects hold an important place in the chronicles of Ponti’s building. The two C-shaped Haida totem poles were carved in Alaska and each dates from the 1870s. They came into the collection of the DAM in 1946. The heights of the poles are 29 and 24 feet, estimated weights are 4000 lbs. each. From the time of their creation until 1971, the totems were displayed outdoors, resulting in naturally weathered surfaces and varying degrees of degradation. As the Ponti building was being completed, the totems were individually cradled and brought into the building by crane through an unfinished wall and placed in the North West Coast gallery, located on the second floor. The building was subsequently finished. Until December, 2017, the poles remained in this location. Working with outside specialists and contractors, the conservation and curatorial departments undertook the task of relocating the poles. The process began with an overall condition evaluation that informed the process of stabilizing, de-installing, and moving the totems using custom-fabricated armatures, and thereafter providing temporary protective storage. The third object, Mud Woman Rolls On, was commissioned by Santa Clara artist, Roxanne Swentzel in 2011. It is 12H x 6W x 8 D feet and was fabricated in situ from straw and adobe in the elevator lobby adjacent to the 3rd floor Native American gallery. The sculpture was constructed on a platform designed to accommodate a palette jack for future movement and relocation. The piece is estimated to weight 2000 including its platform. Although intended to be able to fit into the nearby freight elevator, the artistic process intervened and the sculpture outgrew the elevator, rendering null the only point that would facilitate removal from the building. The sculpture would have to remain in the midst of construction. Conservation, collection management, exhibitions, and curatorial staff – along with the building contractors - joined forces to determine a means for moving the sculpture using air sleds, as well as designing and constructing both physical and environmental protection for the duration. This presentation will explore the collaborative creative processes and innovative designs that were employed for moving and providing safeguards for these important cultural objects up until their eventual re-installation as part of the 50th year celebration

Speakers

Gina J. Laurin

Conservator, Denver Art Museum

Gina Laurin is presently the Senior Objects Conservator at the Denver Art Museum and has been at the Museum for 12 years. Ms. Laurin received her post-graduate degree in the Conservation of Archaeological Materials from Durham University, Durham, England. In her career, Gina has worked... Read More →

Sarah E. Melching

Conservator, 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 →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Specialty Session, Objects and Research and Technical Studies

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Gina Laurin
Abstract ID 18453
Tags Haida totem poles,large adobe sculpture,move/storage cradles,custom enclosure during construction/renovations

9:00am EDT

(Objects and Research and Technical Studies) A Preliminary Investigation Into the Use Of Laser Cleaning to Stabilize Bronze Disease

A preliminary study of the use of lasers to stabilize active corrosion on ancient copper alloys was undertaken through collaborations at the Yale University Art Gallery and the Institute for Preservation of Cultural Heritage. This paper will describe the processes and results of the initial findings. The chosen samples contained isolated pits of active corrosion, which are time consuming to treat, difficult to remove completely, and often require tight environmental controls to stabilize. The use of lasers to clean metals has been documented for removing coatings, unwanted patinas, and surface accretions, but to our knowledge, has not been tested as a tool for spot treating bronze disease (Sansonetti et al. 2015, Siano et al. 2012, Drakakki et al. 2010, etc.). This project explores the viability of a 1064nm Nd:Yag laser to remove ongoing chloride corrosion from archaeological copper alloy samples from two sites—Sardis, Turkey and Dura Europos, Syria. Samples were treated with the laser to determine the feasibility of removing chlorides more efficiently than by mechanical cleaning with a scalpel. We investigate how laser cleaning might enhance existing treatment methods, allowing for increased efficiency and improved long-term preservation. The conservation of archaeological copper alloys is complex due to immeasurable variability in composition and environment. In determining treatment approach, conservators must consider variables including, but not limited to, alloy composition, manufacturing technique, pre-burial wear/use and associated materials, burial environment, excavation method, post-burial stabilization, on-site conservation, storage method/environment, and subsequent treatment/retreatment. Over the years, conservators have approached the long-term stabilization of such objects with a wide-range of chemical and mechanical treatments, which have resulted in inconsistent success rates with regards to long-term preservation. Visible light green, powdery copper trihydroxychlorides (atacamite and paratacamite) and underlying waxy cuprous chloride (nantokite) are part of an autocatalytic cycle of corrosion which results in complete powdering of metallic copper alloy objects, termed bronze disease. Moisture and oxygen activate the corrosion resulting in pitted surfaces with light green powdery spots of varying size or layered structures with inaccessible active corrosion. To be a flexible tool for the treatment of bronze disease, the laser spot size must be independent from the energy output, targeting only the afflicted area at the optimal fluence. For this study, we manipulated the fixed energy output of a Compact Phoenix Laser without interfering with the handheld unit. Through a series of lenses and a polarizer, one can reduce the power of the laser while maintaining a small spot size, thus reducing fluence values to those less likely to negatively affect metallic surfaces (Yandrisevits et al. 2017, Abdel-Kareem et al. 2016, Siatou et al. 2006). A modified 1064nm laser successfully micro-excavated pits of bronze disease with diameters smaller than 2mm. Preliminary visual examination of the treated samples with microscopy is promising, in many cases, the laser treatment appears to have exposed a layer at the base of the pit that is visually similar to tenorite. Further microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy will be used to evaluate the treatment.

Speakers

Emily Frank

PhD Candidate | Objects Conservator, Institute for Study of the Ancient World at NYU

Emily Frank is an objects conservator; a PhD Candidate at the Institute for Study of the Ancient World at NYU; and a recent graduate of the joint MS in Conservation of Artistic & Historic Works and MA in History of Art & Archaeology at the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine... Read More →

Michaela Paulson

Project Conservator, Penn Museum

Michaela Paulson is currently a Project Conservator at the Penn Museum working on the preservation of monumental limestone architectural components for the Egypt and Nubia galleries. Previously she was an Assistant Conservator at the American Museum of Natural History, working with... Read More →

Co-Author

Carol E. Snow

Conservator, Yale University Art Gallery

Pablo Londero

Conservation Scientist, Yale University

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects, Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Emily B. Frank, Michaela Paulson, Pablo Londero, Carol Snow
Abstract ID 18695
Tags laser,bronze disease,corrosion,conservation treatment,copper alloy,metal,archaeology

9:00am EDT

(Paintings) Shimmering Still Life: Exploring Cornelis de Heem's Remarkable Use of Orpiment from his Period in The Hague

In the seventeenth century, the arsenic sulfide pigment orpiment had a notorious reputation in contemporary sources for its bad handling qualities, poor lightfastness, toxicity, and instability when used with lead- or copper-containing pigments. Therefore, it was typically used as a localized final layer. In still life painting, this meant that the pigment was usually limited to the final layers of lemons and yellow roses. However, a recent treatment and technical study of the painting Fruit Still Life by Cornelis de Heem (1631-1695) at the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis revealed this was not always the case. Through close inspection, cross-section microscopy, SEM-EDX, and MA-XRF scanning, several distinctive technical markers, including an exceptional use of orpiment, were discovered for this artist. Using the findings of this study and what is known about still life painting practice in 17th-century Netherlands, an attempt will be made to fit this painting within a larger context. Unlike his contemporaries, de Heem used this pigment despite its many undesirable qualities. This included mixing with lead white in the wings of a white butterfly, verditer in the leaves, and iron oxides and vermilion in grape stems. He also used it in details in the painting, such as in the delicate wheat stalks. This shimmering yellow pigment was seen all over the surface of the painting and confirmed by MA-XRF scanning. Examination of paintings by de Heem from other collections confirmed this atypical use of orpiment is throughout his oeuvre. It is very unusual compared to other flower still life artists, like his well-known father and teacher, Jan Davidsz. de Heem, who indeed only made limited use of the pigment. The reasons why Cornelis de Heem might have used this pigment extensively will be considered. De Heem must have painted this work during his period in The Hague, between 1676 and 1690. During the technical study, a cross-section revealed the ground contained distinctive, translucent, silica particles surrounded by a ring of bright orange clay. This material was previously identified in the eleven paintings of the cycle by Giovanni Pellegrini made for the Mauritshuis’s Golden Room, as well as several other paintings in the museum’s collection. From art historical context, each painting identified with this type of ground is known to have been painted in The Hague, which points to a local mineral source for these grounds. Due to the presence of a similar ground in the de Heem, it can be included in this group, thus narrowing down the dates of the work’s creation to those when he lived in The Hague. This ground can function as a possible marker for this period of his career and could inform further studies of his other undated paintings. The discovery of de Heem’s unusual use of orpiment and the painting’s distinctive ground made for a meaningful study of this artist’s painting technique. Not only is this important for the documentation of paintings by this artist, but it also challenges the idea that 17th-century Northern painters were always made limited use of orpiment.

Speakers

Ellen Nigro

Intern in the Conservation of Easel Paintings, Hamilton Kerr Institute, University of Cambridge

Ellen Nigro earned her M.S. in Art Conservation with a specialization in paintings in 2018 from the Winterthur/University of Delaware program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC). Her final year of graduate study included an 11-month internship at the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis where... Read More →

Co-Author

Dr. Annelies van Loon

Paintings Research Scientist, Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis and Rijksmuseum

Annelies van Loon is a paintings research scientist both at the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) and the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis (The Hague). She received a master's degree in chemistry, a post-doctoral diploma in the conservation of easel paintings from the Limburg Conservation... Read More →

Dr. Ralph Haswell

Research Scientist, Shell Global Solutions International B.V.

Ralph Haswell earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Surrey in 1991 and since then he has worked for Shell in Amsterdam on the microstructural characterization of solids. His particular area of expertise is electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of... Read More →

Sabrina Meloni

Paintings Conservator, Royal Picture Gallery Mauristhuis

Sabrina is a paintings conservator working in the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis. She has a master’s degree in Art History from Leiden University, where she specialized in Italian Renaissance Art, with a master thesis about the origin of oil painting in 15th-century Florence... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Ellen Nigro, Sabrina Meloni, Dr. Annelies van Loon, Dr. Ralph Haswell
Abstract ID 19129
Tags orpiment,Cornelis de Heem,grounds,Dutch painting

9:00am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Analytical Testing of Heat and Solvent Set Repair Tissues

This talk will be presented in conjunction with “Use of Heat and Solvent Set Repair Tissues” presented in the Book and Paper Specialty Session.
In this work, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the Library of Congress (LC) will report on their recent joint testing of a variety of heat and solvent set repair tissues. The goal of this research project was to provide analysis of physical and chemical changes for an assortment of well-tested and commonly employed pre-coated heat and solvent set adhesive tissues for use across a variety of paper based materials. Heat and solvent application methods were compared.

In 2013, the Library's Conservation Division was informed that adhesives used for many years to make “Library of Congress Heat Set Tissue” were no longer available. LC and NARA collaborated on a joint research project to identify replacements. At the end of the study a suitable mending tissue was identified and both institutions proceeded to use the material on their collections. Concerns were raised when it was later discovered that some of the materials used in the research project had turned brown after being stored at ambient conditions.

As noted in the 2015 AIC presentation, “Heat-Set Tissue: Finding a Practical Solution of Adhesives,” commercially available conservation adhesives have been discontinued or reformulated with disconcerting frequency. For this reason, another goal of this work was to continue evaluating the properties and behaviors of “known” adhesive compositions to assess their consistency. In addition, the authors will present suggestions for analytical testing methods of these adhesives for future quality control.

The adhesives and tissues tested here were chosen based on common usage at NARA, LC, and across the broader conservation field. Adhesives were applied to test substrates using both solvent and heat set methods, with the goal of evaluating how the application method affected adhesive properties and aging. Tests were conducted to assess reversibility after aging, blocking of mends and fills under pressure, effect on silver-based photographic materials, and color change following artificial aging. Color change was evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods to compare visual perception of color change with calculated ΔE CIE-L*a*b* values. Given concerns about changing formulations over time, these tests were also designed to set a baseline series of properties to monitor in the future.

Discoloration due to aging was found to be primarily a factor of the adhesive composition itself, with some additional contribution from the tissue and substrate. These discolorations were mostly found in a decrease of brightness and increase in yellowness. The application method did not significantly affect the color change. Adhesive tissues also behaved similarly in the PAT results irrespective of heat or solvent application. PAT success or failure depended only on adhesive composition and concentration.

Speakers

Jennifer K. Herrmann

Senior Conservation Scientist, National Archives and Records Administration

Jennifer K. Herrmann has been a senior conservation scientist at the National Archives and Records Administration for over 10 years. She enjoys working with conservators to answer questions about the records they treat as well as investigating conservation techniques and tools to... Read More →

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 →

Co-Author

Alisha Chipman

Senior Photograph Conservator, Library of Congress

Alisha Chipman is a senior photograph conservator at The Library of Congress in Washington D.C. She has published research on Paul Strand’s platinum prints, hand-colored tintypes, and treatment techniques for blocked negatives. Her conservation experience includes former employment... Read More →

Andrew Davis

Chemist, Library of Congress

Dr. Andrew Davis is a chemist and polymer scientist in Library of Congress’s Preservation Research and Testing Division. He is currently focused on collections preservation by studying the fundamental degradation science of polymer-based materials, including paper, film, and modern... Read More →

Anne Witty

Lead Conservator, National Archives and Records Administration

Anne Witty is a Lead Conservator at the National Archives and Records Administration. She has worked as a paper conservator at NARA for 30 years, and for the last 17 years has served as conservation liaison to NARA's Field Office archives located across the U.S. She started her conservation... Read More →

Kate Morrison Danzis

Preservation Specialist, Library of Congress

Kate Morrison Danzis is a Preservation Specialist at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Previously, she has worked at Conservation Solutions in Washington DC and the National Park Service in New York City. She received her MS in Historic Preservation with an emphasis in conservation... Read More →

Lauren M. Varga

Lead Conservator, National Archives & Records Administration

Lauren Varga is a Lead Conservator in the Document Conservation Laboratory at the National Archives & Records Administration. She received a Master of Arts degree and a Certificate of Advanced Study in paper conservation from the Art Conservation Program, Buffalo State College in... Read More →

Michele Youket

Preservation Specialist, Preservation Research and Testing Division, Library of Congress

Michele Youket is a Preservation Specialist in the Preservation Research & Testing Division of the Library of Congress. Ms.Youket coordinates the Quality Assurance Program, which is responsible for developing specifications and testing products procured by the Library to provide preservation... Read More →

Steven Loew

Senior Conservator, National Archives and Records Administration

Senior Conservator at the National Archives and Records Administration since 2013, hired as a Conservator in 2009. Collections Conservator, Sheridan Libraries Preservation Department, Johns Hopkins University, 2000-2005. Conservation Technician, Smithsonian Institution Libraries... Read More →

Tamara Ohanyan

Senior Book Conservator, Library of Congress

Tamara Ohanyan is a Senior Book Conservator at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC since 2004. Previously, she has worked as a Senior Book Conservator at the Matenadaran, Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan, Armenia. She received her degree from State University... Read More →

Yasmeen Khan

Head of Paper Conservation, Library of Congress

Yasmeen Khan is Head of Paper Conservation at the Library of Congress. She has a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from Barnard College, and an MLIS from the University of Texas with an Advanced Certificate in Conservation. In 1996 she began working for the Library of Congress, initially... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Dr. Jennifer K. Herrmann, Katherine Kelly, Alisha Chipman, Dr. Andrew R. Davis, Yasmeen Khan, Steven Loew, Katharine Morrison Danzis, Tamara Ohanyan, Lauren Varga, Anne Witty, and Michele H. Youket
Abstract ID 18651
Tags heat set adhesive,pre-coated tissue

9:00am EDT

(Textiles) Flax and Hemp? A Holistic Approach to Fiber Identification

Both flax and hemp are the earliest fiber crops cultivated for textile production such as cloth and cordage. Archaeological findings of these two fibers are very common. To distinguish between the two, however, is often difficult because flax and hemp have very similar fiber morphology. Fiber identification is usually focused on fiber morphology alone without searching for other clues related to the fiber plant. Although their fibers look very similar, flax and hemp have very different and recognizable stem anatomies under the microscope, including their epidermis structures, fiber bundle formations of either primary or secondary growth, sizes of vessel elements, and crystals. The fiber identification approach applied in this study, holistic in nature, considered and investigated all these possible evidences towards the identification of six archaeological textile fragments. Reference flax and hemp stems were also examined for comparison. A light microscope with a digital camera was used to collect digital images. To obtain possible epidermis fragments and other tissue elements, it was often necessary to rub the sample either between slide and cover glass or to collect sample dust after rubbing the sample. Using image processing software, dimensions of fibers and plant tissue cells were measured to obtain quantitative date as part of the holistic investigation. As reported in the literature, trichomes or hairs were absent from the reference flax stem but very prominent on hemp stem. These trichomes are long unicellular hairs with base rings surrounded by epidermis cells. In contrast, stomata were a feature of flax epidermis. Flax and hemp stem also differs in phloem fiber bundle development that hemp stem contains very fine yet closely packed secondary phloem fiber bundles. Hemp fiber width distribution has a much larger range (8-67 µm) than that of flax (11-32 µm). Furthermore, hemp has wide pitted vessels (

Speakers

Runying Chen

Professor/Educator, East Carolina University

RUNYING CHEN, Associate Professor. Dr. Chen received her Ph.D. in Human Ecology, majoring in textile science with concentration in analytical chemistry, in 1998 from the Ohio State University. She has been teaching at the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising of East Carolina... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Runying Chen
Abstract ID 19153
Tags fiber identification,flax,hemp,holistic approach

9:00am EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Analysis of Black Resin of a Late Period Coffin by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The present study focuses on black resin's composition, beginning and uses. ‏Black resin was used to cover funerary furniture like coffins, shabti statues and boxes, stelae, canopic chests, human and animal statues,‏ and statue bases. The study utilized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to analyze black resin.Black resin is composed of natural resins like mastic, colophony, beeswax, bitumen, and an unknown compound. Natural resin is reported to contain essential oil. Some inscriptions on the tomb of Thebes in Egypt named it sntr , and mastic resin was of high value in Ancient Egypt. Black resin had anti-fungi and antibacterial properties, as well as insect repellents. The sample was taken from a coffin dating back to the Late period to analysis it to know it's composition to choose the best material for consolidation. The coffin, under investigation, was covered internally with a layer of black resin.

Speakers

Abdelmoniem M. Abdelmoniem

Lecturer, Fayoum University

I'm a Lecturer and Director of the hybrid education unit at the Faculty of Archaeology – Fayoum University – Egypt. And Coordinator of Educational Platforms for the Faculty of Archeology and. Director of the Postgraduate Quality Standard at the Faculty of Archeology - Fayoum University... Read More →

Co-Author

Naglaa Mahmoud

Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Fayoum University

Wael S. Mohamed

Associate Professor, Polymer Department, National Research Centre, Dokki

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Wooden Artifacts
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order abdelmoniem mohammed
Abstract ID 19284
Tags resin,spectrometry,coffin,furniture

9:30am EDT

(Architecture) A Comparative Finish Investigation of Vernacular Wood Structures at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Alberta

A Comparative Finish Investigation of Vernacular Wood Structures at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, Alberta

Both the Hlus (Xата Глусів) & Hewko (Xата Гевків) houses, located at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (Села Спадщини Української Культури), are idiomatic of architectural and homesteading patterns of Ukrainian settlement in East-Central Alberta. A large open-air museum begun as a grass roots movement in the 1960s, the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is a collection of relocated historic buildings. First curated as a locus for community, and to tell the tales of a people whose history was not considered to be “Canadian” at the time, this museum transferred ownership to the Province of Alberta in 1976 who carried out the majority of its current development. The two subject homes, as part of larger farmsteads, represent two significant stages in Ukrainian-Canadian settler history. The Hlus House (built 1915) represents a successful secondary stage of farm development, Pre-WWI, settlers having moved out of their sod houses and having cleared tens of acres of their 140 acre title-to-be. These settlers adapted their vernacular building and decorative traditions to the geographic realities of locally available materials and economy. Contrastingly, Hewko House (built 1917), is representative of later stages of farm development, sometimes known as the Ukrainian-Canadian transitional style. During this period, when the Ukrainian-Canadian farmer did very well, contemporary “Canadian” building materials (paint, varnishes, enamels, and siding) were used for performance and style, masking the traditional vernacular Ukrainian building traditions beneath.
Every intervention in a building is an opportunity for its greater understanding. This presentation will consider the restoration of Hlus house, within the Gallician farmstead, along with a finish analysis of its exterior blue apron-wash, this is compared and contrasted with later finishes as used in Hewko House within its historical context. Research methodology includes historic records, a recently collated building material reference collection, and analytic methods including polarized light and fluorescence microscopy, FTIR, and SEM. Information gathered is of use in terms of building archaeology and replication of finishes (some of which have now been re-formulated). The author would like to thank colleagues from the Government of Alberta’s Heritage Division and the University of Alberta for their collaboration and support in this research.

Evan Oxland, Heritage Conservation Technologist
Conservation & Construction Services
Historic Resources Management Branch
Old St. Stephen’s College

Speakers

Evan Oxland

Architectural Conservator, Government of Alberta

Evan Oxland is an architectural conservator working for Conservation & Construction Services within the Government of Alberta's Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women. He has an MSc in Historic Preservation from UPenn, an MA from the University of Bristol, and... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

9:30am EDT

(Book and Paper) Whistler’s Little Game: Watercolor Materials and Technique

After his lawsuit against the art critic John Ruskin in 1878 and his subsequent bankruptcy, James McNeill Whistler rejuvenated his career with the production of a profusion of small works, including watercolors. Although “little” in size the watercolors were considered by Whistler to be on a par with his works in other media. These paintings departed from his early experiences with watercolor, incorporating techniques he employed in his oils, etchings and pastels. This paper will discuss results from a multiyear interdisciplinary research project at the Freer|Sackler to study Whistler’s watercolors, the largest collection in any one location. In the project, art historical research was combined with analysis of materials (supports and pigments), working methods, period writings on Whistler and archival research on colormen who dealt with Whistler. The combination of the several threads of research led to new findings that enrich our understanding of his watercolors and their place in his oeuvre.

Speakers

Emily Klayman Jacobson-[PA]

Paper & Photographs Conservator, Freer|Sackler, Smithsonian Institution

Emily Klayman Jacobson is currently the Paper and Photographs Conservator at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Emily received her B.A. in Art History from Connecticut College in 1984 and her M.A., with a Certificate of Advanced Study... Read More →

Blythe McCarthy

Andrew W. Mellon Senior Scientist, Freer|Sackler

Blythe McCarthy is the Andrew W. Mellon Senior Scientist at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. She received her doctorate in materials science from Johns Hopkins University and has held fellowships at the Getty Conservation Institute... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Emily K Jacobson
Abstract ID 19003
Tags James McNeill Whistler,watercolor,colormen,pigments,analysis

9:30am EDT

(Collection Care) Reducing Interaction for Increased Support: Utilizing Balsite® Putty for Spacers in Micro-Climated Warped Panel Paintings

In Fall 2017, the Painting Conservation Department at The Detroit Institute of Arts undertook an aggressive glazing campaign in the midst of a sizeable loan season. The Painting Conservation team collaborates closely with the mountmaker to create safe and aesthetically pleasing frame packages. A successfully glazed painting protects without being noticeable. Perception and light reflections can be reduced by ensuring an even frame package with minimal space between the painting and glazing. However, it also requires the use of spacers to prevent damage to the paint layer. As part of the loans, multiple warped wooden panels required micro-climating. These can be difficult to successfully glaze as they require uneven and greater spacing between the painting and sheeting. Previously we created custom cut poplar spacers fitted to the warped surface. While we have tried other materials to accommodate for edge irregularities, the poplar strips offered the best fit, good stability during transit, and were the most aesthetically pleasing. Yet this is a time-consuming method requiring significant handling of the object, while also causing multiple trips to different areas within the museum to ensure the best result. In light of the increased workload, we needed to find another method reducing object handling and requiring less labor. We were inspired by David Tils’ 2014 Restauro article proposing Balsite® W & K putty to mold custom spacers for non-glazed warped panel paintings to be in full contact with their frames. Our mountmaker and painting conservation fellow tested molding custom spacers for our glazed warped panel paintings using Balsite® W & K putty. Balsite® W is a proprietary epoxy resin with inert fillers mixed 1:1 with Balsite® K, a modified cyclo-aliphatic polyamine. Balsite® was developed by the Italian Company CTS Srl specifically for conservation use to consolidate wood losses, such as insect tunnels, as well as to replicate missing wood components. Our collaborative method using Balsite® reduces handling the painting to three or four times. Less contact with the art also decreases the amount of labor needed during the time-consuming glazing process. Additionally, unlike the wood spacers, this method does not require shop access or using power tools. These Balsite® spacers also proved to be a material saver, as they simultaneously generate front and side spacers. By creating both spacers, the painting is centered on the first try, thus resulting in a reduction of object handling as well. Additionally, we have found success in utilizing thinned Balsite® to non-destructively address uneven frame rebate warp prior to glazing. This paper will discuss our collaborative experiences using Balsite® W & K putty to create custom spacers for glazed warped panel paintings, while also exploring possible mount and exhibition uses beyond paintings. The results of analytical testing and the use of an epoxy resin within a sealed micro-climate will be evaluated, as well as vibrational impact during loan transit. Finally, we will explore if there is a material manufactured in North America similar to this Italian proprietary material or if it can be reproduced in the conservation lab.

Speakers

Blair Bailey

Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Painting Conservation, Detroit Institute of Arts

Blair Bailey is currently the Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Painting Conservation at the Detroit Institute of Arts. She holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Art History and History from American University, Washington, D.C. and graduated with distinction from the Northumbria University... Read More →

Co-Author

Dr. Christina Bisulca

Andrew W. Mellon Conservation Scientist, Detroit Institute of Arts

Christina Bisulca has a BA in Chemistry and Art History (Rutgers University, 1999), an MS in Objects Conservation (Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, 2005),and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering as part of the program in Heritage Conservation Science... Read More →

James Storm

Mount Designer and Fabricator, Detroit Institute of Arts

James Storm has been the Mount Designer and Fabricator within the conservation department at the Detroit Institute of Arts for the last 15 years. He holds a BFA from the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI. and attended the New York Studio Program, New School of Social Research... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Specialty Session, Objects and Research and Technical Studies

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Blair Bailey, James Storm, Dr. Christina Bisulca
Abstract ID 18658
Tags Balsite W & K Putty,Balsite,Glazing,Micro-climate,Painting,Frame,Frame spacers,Warped painting,Warped frame,Panel Painting,Wood Panel

9:30am EDT

(Objects and Research and Technical Studies) Miniature Wax Sculptures At the Philadelphia Museum Of Art: A Technical Study, Treatment, and Gallery Presentation

The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) has one of the largest and most distinguished European portrait miniature collections in America. The collection comprises painted miniatures and waxes, both low relief and small sculptures, dating from the 16th to the 20th centuries. As part of a ten-month Samuel H. Kress Fellowship, the conservator worked closely with curators in order to establish joint priorities, to define consistent terminology, and to survey 190 waxes in the collection. In addition to the survey, exchange with colleagues, and visits to collections including the V&A and the Wallace Collection among others, the project culminated in the technical study, treatment, and recommendations for the long-term care of the wax collection. Eleven waxes were chosen to investigate materials, fabrication, and condition. The group selected for analysis included waxes from England, France, Germany, and Italy, manufactured between the 16th and 19th centuries. Samples from each of the eleven objects were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to characterize the waxes and the colorants used in the creation of these objects. From the eleven objects analyzed, seven waxes then were selected for treatment. The objects represented a range of treatments that will provide guidelines and methodologies for future conservation of the collection. Conservation treatment included structural repairs, compensation, and cleaning informed by the Modular Cleaning Program. The conservator and the curator worked in concert to prepare a focused installation, repurposing a free-standing floor case in a dedicated miniatures gallery. The case features recently treated waxes with their respective x-radiograph images, encouraging visitors to look more closely and consider how these delightful objects were made. The objects chosen for display highlight three major methods of manufacture: hand- built on metal armature, mold made with known multiples, and a pre-fabricated mold designed for amateur artists. This study is a model for collaboration between curators, conservators, and scientists. The result of the project has been a contribution to the wax miniature scholarship, specifically to the materials used and the methods of fabrication. The study also has informed the treatment of these delicate objects in a sensitive and confident manner.

Speakers

Nicole Passerotti

Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation, UCLA/Getty Graduate Program

Nicole Passerotti is an objects conservator and the Andrew W. Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation Program Associate. Prior to joining the UCLA/Getty Graduate program staff, she was an assistant conservator at the Field Museum in Chicago. Her previous conservation experience... Read More →

Co-Author

Alexandra Letvin

Andrew W. Mellon and Maude de Schauensee Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Alexandra Letvin is the Andrew W. Mellon and Maude de Schauensee Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow in the Department of European Painting and Sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She received her Ph.D. (2017) and M.A. (2011) in the History of Art from Johns Hopkins University... Read More →

Beth A. Price

Senior scientist, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Kate Duffy

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Scientist/Researcher

Melissa Meighan

Conservator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture, Philadelphia Museum of Art

Melissa Meighan has been a conservator of sculpture and decorative arts at the PMA for over 35 years. Among her many areas of expertise are ceramics, sculpture, and the conservation of painted miniatures.

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects, Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Nicole Passerotti, Beth A. Price, Kate Duffy, Alexandra Letvin, Melissa Meighan
Abstract ID 19148
Tags wax sculpture,miniatures

9:30am EDT

(Paintings) Technical Study of a Painting Attributed to Honoré Daumier at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Exit from the Theater in the collection of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art was acquired in 1932 as a work by the French artist Honoré Daumier (1808-1879). By 1958, however, questions arose regarding the authenticity of the painting, an oil on reused panel. In anticipation of a scholarly catalogue of the museum’s French painting collection, a technical study was launched to understand the painting’s palette and overall construction. Over the course of the examination, important observations of technique were uncovered. Replication experiments showed that a lead-based ground, whose stippled texture dominated all radiographic images, could be reproduced by application with a printmaker’s brayer. Earlier research by Aviva Burnstock and William Bradford documented Daumier’s tendency to incorporate tools and materials from drawing and printmaking into his painting process. Similar textured grounds have now been identified on two unquestioned works on panel, revealing another use of a printmaking tool by this artist. Scanning electron microscopy with elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, FTIR, and polarized light microscopy of dispersed pigment particles enabled identification of the Nelson-Atkins painting’s limited palette and confirmed that the pigment mixtures are consistent with those published in other Daumier studies. Pigments from an earlier composition, accessible at the outer edges, are also compatible with the dates in which Daumier was painting. In an effort to better visualize the underlying landscape, XRF elemental mapping was conducted at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) under conditions optimized to overcome the interference of the intervening lead ground. The resulting image of the earlier landscape, based upon elemental maps and including trace species not previously known to be part of the palette, connects the landscape to British expedition sketches subsequently engraved for publication. It is unlikely that Daumier painted this underlying landscape, but he is known to have repurposed the discarded canvas of another artist. The engravers involved with the expedition publication in Paris were among Daumier’s professional circle, offering plausible avenues by which Daumier, who was struggling financially, may have acquired the wooden panel. Although authenticity questions remain unresolved for many painted works attributed to Honoré Daumier, this study has revealed important new findings that link Exit from the Theater to securely accepted works by Daumier.

Speakers

Mary Schafer-[PA]

Conservator of Paintings, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Mary Schafer is Conservator of Paintings and Manager of the Mellon Conservation Science Endowment at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. She received her M.A. in Painting Conservation from the State University of New York, College at Buffalo. In addition to activities... Read More →

Co-Author

Aimee Marcereau DeGalan

Senior Curator of European Arts, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Aimee Marcereau DeGalan serves as the Louis L. and Adelaide C. Ward Senior Curator of European Arts. A specialist in British and French 18th and 19th-century art, Marcereau DeGalan received her PhD in Art History from Case Western Reserve University. Her interest in the intersection... Read More →

Arthur Woll

Senior Research Associate, Cornell Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University

Arthur Woll received his BA in Physics from Grinnell College in 1993 and PhD in Applied Physics from Cornell in 2000. Since 2002 he has served as a Senior Research Associate at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), functioning as a beamline scientist for three experimental... Read More →

John Twilley

Independent Conservation Scientist, Independent

John Twilley has conducted scientific research in art conservation since 1973. He served as Conservation Scientist of the J. Paul Getty Museum from 1977-78. In 1979 he returned to analytical work in microelectronics and began teaching within the Graduate Program in Historic Resources... Read More →

Louisa Smieska

Staff Scientist, Cornell Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University

Louisa Smieska received her BA in Chemistry and Fine Arts from Hamilton College in 2009 and her PhD in Materials Chemistry from Cornell University in 2015. She joined the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source as a staff scientist in 2017, where she supports x-ray fluorescence imaging... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Mary Schafer, John Twilley, Louisa Smieska, Arthur Woll, Aimee Marcereau DeGalan
Abstract ID 18802
Tags Honoré Daumier,XRF elemental mapping,attribution,

9:30am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Biodegradation Study on Photographic Archive of Khedive Ismail Pasha Back to 19th Century

This paper presents the results of analytical studies of biodegradation of albumin photographic print-out within the Royal Photographic Archive of King Farouk which preserved in Royal Vehicle Museum, Cairo, Egypt, dated back to 19th Century. The aspects of biodegradation was identified. Environments have been prepared suitable for growing microbial growth and so as to know the amount and types of microbial load on the archaeological specimen’s environments. The shoots that appeared in the dishes were taken after the incubation period was completed and the purification process was carried out to obtain the fungus. Five fungus were isolated. Those strains were identified as Penicillium sp., Stemphylium sp., Aspergillus Niger, and Aspergillus terrus. The album was treated and immunized against fungal infections.

Speakers

Rasha A. Shaheen

Director of Conservation Dept.,, Ministry of Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt

• Work in Management of Restoration of Coptic Museum, as a specialist conservator and acting archaeological and architectural documentation, 2011. • Mandate to the work of Public Administration for Restoration Museums and monuments of the Greater Cairo, as a specialist conservator... Read More →

Co-Author

Mohamed Hendy

Photographs Conservator, Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities

A Photographs Conservator with more than 10 years of experience in conservation and preservation of both governmental, private collections, teaching chemistry of photography, and photographs conservation. Founder of the initiative " SORAH" "صورة" to spread the Culture of Photographs... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Rasha A. Shaheen
Abstract ID 19315
Tags Biodegradation,Fungus,Albumin,Photographic Print-Out,Royal Vehicle Museum,Egypt

9:30am EDT

(Textiles) Wild Orchids For Textile Conservation – Considerations On Sustainability

Several studies around orchid mucilage as an alternative for consolidation treatments on fibres and textiles have been carried out throughout the last decade. Lorena Román, Co-ordinator of the Seminar-Workshop on Textile Conservation at the National School of Conservation and Museum Studies “Manuel del Castillo Negrete”, has presented different papers and treatments using this mucilage. She first started studying this material when working on a feather mosaic from the mid-16th century. On her most recent publication, Román mentions that the Laelia autumnalis orchid is a good option for textile conservation: besides its good qualities as an adhesive, it grows relatively easily around Mexico City. She also mentions three other species that are also suitable as adhesives, but these are harder to find. Generally speaking, all orchids employed for their mucilage are hard to find: they need very particular levels of humidity and temperature for their correct development and it takes too long for them to grow. All these factors have limited the use of these species at the Conservation Lab at the Textile Museum of Oaxaca (MTO), where the climatic conditions are so different to those in Mexico City, as well as to those from the forests where orchids thrive. Our weather has a lower relative humidity, higher temperatures, and we have more annual hours of a very intense sunlight. Because of these issues, Alejandro de Ávila – Director of the Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca (JEO) and Advisor/Curator at the MTO – suggested to explore the behaviour of the mucilage of an endemic orchid that is extremely resistant to the heat, the sunlight, and the dryness of our climate. On top of that, this orchid grows randomly at the JEO, making it readily available. After this suggestion, I have been working on different tests of the adhesive power of this mucilage, both using it in a pure solution with nothing but water, as well as combined with methyl-cellulose. These tests have been applied on samples of fabrics made out of silk, cotton, and wool. The adhesive properties are quite good when used alone, however, it is necessary to mix it with methyl-cellulose to diminish the colour of the mucilage. The final effect of the adhesive is a low-lustre film, unlike the final appearance of the film that results from a solution that only uses methyl-cellulose. This experience shows the importance of interdisciplinary work, for the comments of de Ávila from a biological perspective have been fundamental in the process of finding viable and sustainable options in the city of Oaxaca.

Speakers

Hector Manuel Meneses Lozano

Director, Museo Textil de Oaxaca

I got my degree in Conservation of Cultural Artifacts by the National School of Conservation and Museum Studies "Manuel del Castillo Negrete", from the National Institute of Anthropology and History, in Mexico City. From 2008 to 2012, I worked as Head of Conservation and Collections... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Hector Manuel Meneses Lozano
Abstract ID 18640
Tags textile,adhesive,orchid,mucilage,treatment

9:30am EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Strengthen Methylcellulose with Nanocellulose for High Relative Humidity

In this paper we discuss the strengthening of methylcellulose (MC) with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) and with microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) for high relative humidity (RH). MC is the least hydrophilic cellulose ether among the water soluble ones. Its long-term stability is very high. The same is true of its purity, according to Feller and White (1990). A good tensile strength for re-adhesion of flaking paint on canvas or wood as well as for wood glueing has been proven by many conservators. Therefore the use of MC is becoming more common in the field of conservation. However, the cohesion decreases dramatically when the relative humidity is rising (Debeaufort und Voilley 1997). In the range of 22% RH to 53% RH, the difference in tensile strength was only 9%, whereas for 75% RH the decrease amounted to 46%, for 84% RH even 80%. Nanocellulose has been recently proposed as a novel consolidant for canvas and paper consolidation as well as a reinforcement for some consolidants at room temperature and 50% RH. However, most of our heritage is located in churches, castles, collections or museums without climate control systems. Often the RH is 75%, 84% or even 100%. Therefore we started to strengthen the tested methylcellulose in order to maintain a product more resistant to high RH. After drying, pure NCC and MFC are no longer water-soluble. This is not in accordance with our professional requirements regarding retreatability or reversability. However, the adhesive mixtures MC-MFC/NCC stay water soluble when mixed with methylcellulose. Consequently, mixing the components MC and MFC or NCC could lead to a water soluble yet more resistant adhesive at high RH. Hence we tested the ratio of the components, the preparation, the homogenizing methods (magnetic stirrer, dissolver, SpeedMixer, hand-held blender and ultrasonic), the application, the drying and, finally, the behaviour at high humidities (75% RH, 84% RH and 100% RH). Several analytical techniques were used for the product characterization (tensile strength tests, elasticity tests, weighing technology) as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Subsequently we analyzed the penetration into porous chalkground on wood by means of fluorescent dyed cellulose and thin sections. The mix of MC and NCC showed the smallest loss of tensile strength during high RH. The tensile strength of the mixture at 75% RH corresponded with the tensile strength of pure methylcellulose at 50% RH. We developed a final product which is substantially more resistant to high humidity than pure methylcellulose and which shows that ratio, homogenizing and application methods are crucial.

Speakers

Karolina Soppa

Prof., head of the painting and sculpture specialisation, Bern University of the Arts, Department of Conservation and Restoration

Karolina Soppa graduated from the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design (Germany) in 2006 with a diploma in Conservation and Restoration of Paintings and Painted Sculptures (thesis on the penetration of polybutylmethacrylates in canvas paintings). After working for half a year... Read More →

Co-Author

Elisa S. Carl

MA-Student, Bern University of Applied Sciences

Elisa S. Carl is currently master student at the Bern University of Applied Sciences in the conservation and restoration of modern materials and media.

Kevin Kohler

MA-Student, Bern University of Applied Sciences

Kevin Kohler is currently master student at the Bern University of Applied Sciences in the conservation and restoration of paintings and sculptures, specialising in the conservation and restoration of wooden sculptures.

Thomas Geiger

Dr., Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

Thomas Geiger (born in 1969) works at Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland in the section Applied Wood Materials. He received his diploma degree in 1995 and completed his PhD study in 1998 at department of Chemistry, Pharmaceutics... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 9:30am - 10:00am EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Wooden Artifacts
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Karolina Soppa, Kevin Kohler, Thomas Geiger, Elisa S. Carl
Abstract ID 18886
Tags methylcellulose,nanocellulose,NCC,MFC,high humidity,tensile strength

10:00am EDT

Exhibit Hall - Break

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
Salon C & D, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Break

Ticketed Included in Main Registration

10:00am EDT

BPG Extended Break in the Exhibit Hall

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Salon C & D, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

10:30am EDT

(Collection Care) STASH Flash - Introduction

Each presentation in the STASH Flash session will be 10 minutes long:

10:30 - 10:40 - STASH Flash Introduction
10:40 - 10:50 - Shelving Solutions with Laser Cutting Technology
10:50 - 11:00 - A workflow for 3D modeling and CNC cutting object mounts from polyethylene foam
11:00 - 11:10 - Three part Storage/handling mount system
11:10 - 11:20- Storing Systems for Mummy Bundles of Big Dimensions from Peru
11:20 - 11:30 - Rehousing jewelry and novelty items from the Gernsheim Collection
11:30 - 11:40 - Balancing mass production and customization: sink mats for the David O. Selznick storyboard collection

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration

10:30am EDT

(Electronic Media) The Potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in the Virtual Performance of Time-Based Media Art

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes digital information on a view of the real world through a device such as a smartphone or tablet. Using an app or web page, one can point a device’s camera at a designated object before them and see video, images, three-dimensional digital renderings, and more, activated within a specified area on top of the real-life object. Popularly used in mobile gaming, AR has also recently been used in art and art historical contexts. For example, the New Palmyra Project shares digital reconstructions of ancient architecture destroyed in conflict zones, and artists leverage AR as a creative platform for interactivity and hybrid visual fields in galleries and museums around the world. This presentation explores the potential of AR as a tool to preserve the experience of time-based artworks no longer able to function in their original iteration due to damage, obsolescence, or other barriers. Elements such as moving image or kinetic motion could exist as virtual visual layers digitally superimposed on the original object. As an alternative to an exhibition copy or displaying an object with documentation of its past function, AR offers a unique method to connect time-based, work-defining elements to their physical anchors and keep such artworks accessible to viewers. By proposing the application of AR technology through case studies, some limitations will be discussed, as well as questions around ethics and authenticity.

Speakers

Sasha Arden

Student, NYU Institute of Fine Arts, Conservation Center

Sasha Arden is a graduate candidate in Conservation and Art History at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, specializing in Time-Based Media. Their previous experience includes installation of media-based artworks at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, managing media... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 10:50am EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Sasha Arden
Abstract ID 19279
Tags AR,augmented reality,time based,preserve

10:30am EDT

(Architecture) Conservation of Pre-Hispanic Aymaran–Inka Funeral Towers, ‘Chullpar’ on the Bolivian Altiplano: Discovering Old, Lost Construction Techniques

After the Tiwanaku Empire collapsed at 1170 A.D., the Aymaras occupied the Altiplano, territories of what are now western Bolivia, southern Peru, northern Chile and parts of northwest Argentina. The Aymaras started a long lasting construction tradition for their dead family members, a tradition that lasted until the colonial period. We know these funerary structures as chullpa or chullpar. Across the altiplano we find a great variety in materials and constructive technique: clay with paja ichu (Peruvian feathergrass), adobe, carved stones, natural stones and various combinations of these. A particularly interesting material and technique is textile-like weaving of chullpawawas (long loaves of clay mixed with whole paja ichu) 'warps' and 'woofs' lining a chamber inside the funeral tower. Against all odds, some of these structures have survived for more than 800 years, despite the harsh climatic conditions of the Altiplano and human predations. The dried material is extremely hard and resists the growth of vegetation on and around the structure. Preliminary FTIR studies suggest that this not only clay and paja ichu: a protein or urea additive that could be giving the resistance. Given the observed biogrowth resistance, an ancient or natural pesticide may be present, as well. Until very recently, the chullpares' ancient construction techniques especially chullpawawas weaving, have not been fully understood, for instance most historians and archaeologists have considered chullpawawas as adobe, and its physical substance has never before been studied archaeometrically. Until now, applied conservation of the chullpares has proceeded in various rather unorthodox manners. During the last three years our team has been documenting three sites and their constructive techniques, conducting archaeometric studies using multispectral, microscopical, spectroscopic and chromographic methods, experimenting with replication of constructive techniques, and developing more sustainable conservation techniques. We are sustainably using natural and local raw materials, and also introducing modern products for instance geotextile in protecting roofs from rainwater. Currently our work continues and we expect to learn much more about chullpar ancient constructive techniques. We invite colleagues' interest for an international multidisciplinary team to work on a regional level with this unique heritage, and we are seeking UNESCO World Heritage designation, and diverse project support Resumen

Speakers

Irene Delaveris

Manager Conservator, Delaveris Conservaciones

Irene Delavers: Bachelor in Conservation from TEI Athens, Athens - Greece with specialization in conservation of archaeological heritage. As a professional she has worked in Norway, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Teaching preventive conservation and first aid at the archaeological... Read More →

Co-Author

Abdul Arenas

Professional Architect Teacher, Public University El Alto

Abdul Arenas: Constructor, Architect and Civil Engineer. He studied at the University Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), and is currently teaching at the same university as well as the Public University El Alto (UPEA), both in La Paz – Bolivia. He has a 30 years long experience in civil... Read More →

Guido Mamani

Responsible for Conservation at Site and Museums, Center for Archaeological and Anthropological Studies and Administration at Tiwanaku – CIAAAT.

Guido Mamani: Studied architecture at the University Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), La Paz – Bolivia and showed a special interest in Cultural Heritage. He has worked in the registration of the great citadel site of Iskanwaya. He is working currently in Tiwanaku as Responsible of... Read More →

John Scott

Conservator, New York Conservation Foundation, Inc

Marcia de Almeida Rizzutto

Professor, University of Sao Paulo

Marcia A. Rizzutto: Bachelor, Master and PhD in Physics from the University of São Paulo (USP), SP, Brazil, with specialization in Nuclear Physics. Post-doctor in Nuclear Physics, Applied Physics and Archeometry (Science Applied) in Brazil and Italy. Professor of the Physics Institute... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Specialty Session, Objects and Research and Technical Studies

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Irene Delaveris, MA, Conservator Marcia de Almeida Rizzutto, PhD. Guido Mamani, PA Abdul Arenas, PE John Scott, MA, MBA, MA-CA, Conservator-Analyst
Abstract ID 18646
Tags Chullpar,Funerary tower,Archaeometry,Bolivia,interdisciplinary teamwork

10:30am EDT

(Objects and Research and Technical Studies) Getting to the Gut Of the Matter: the Conservation Of Siberian Yupik Winter Gut Parkas

In 2014, objects conservators at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) undertook a two-year project to treat and rehouse portions of its Siberian ethnographic collection. These pieces are frequently requested for study by native knowledge-holders, traditional artisans and researchers. Among the 100 objects chosen for treatment were 14 gut skin parkas attributed to the Siberian Yupik people. The parkas were fabricated from the intestines of marine mammals to produce materials termed ‘summer gut’ and ‘winter gut’. When wet, summer gut is translucent, easily conforms to the wearer’s body, and is waterproof. When dry, however, it is very brittle and easily prone to tearing. Winter gut, on the other hand, is opaque white in color, soft and supple when dry, but can have a negative reaction to contact with moisture. Limited information exists in the anthropological and conservation literature regarding the manufacture and treatment of winter gut and how it differs from summer gut in appearance and functional qualities. In fact, current conservation treatment approaches for winter gut tend to rely on strategies designed for hide or summer gut. Experimentation to produce winter and summer gut was undertaken and ultimately provided enough material to test treatment protocols and materials. Accompanying and supporting treatment, this project involved extensive scientific analysis and native consultation. Peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) analysis was performed to determine species of the source animals and to shed light on fabrication practices and differences among the Yupik of eastern Siberia and those of St. Lawrence Island. Additionally, histological study was performed to examine microscopic differences between winter and summer gut, which clarified their differing sensitivity to moisture. Extensive native collaboration, such as web-enabled video conferencing, visits by native scholars and craftsmen to the museum, and travel by conservators to both sides of the Bering Strait took place throughout the project. The information gained from scientific analyses and collaboration with descendant communities offers an expanded view of the technical qualities and cultural uses of winter gut and a reconsideration of current conservation approaches to objects manufactured from this unique material.

Speakers

Amy Tjiong

Assistant conservator, American Museum of Natural History

Amy Tjiong is an assistant conservator in the Anthropology Department at the American Museum of Natural History (“AMNH”). She has been working on the museum’s ethnographic and archaeological collections since 2014 and is currently involved with the renovation of the Northwest... Read More →

Co-Author

Gabrielle Tieu

Associate Conservator, American Museum of Natural History

Gabrielle Tieu has been an Associate Conservator of Objects at the American Museum of Natural History in New York since 2010, working on the museum’s ethnographic and archaeological collections. She holds a BA in Art History and Archaeology from the Ecole du Louvre in Paris (1998... Read More →

Judith Levinson

Director of Conservation Emerita, American Museum of Natural History

Judith Levinson is Director of Conservation Emerita in the Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, where she was employed for 47 years. Working with the museum’s archaeological and ethnographic collections, she also has extensive experience with the museum’s... Read More →

Samantha Alderson

Assistant Director of Conservation, American Museum of Natural History

Samantha Alderson is the Assistant Director of Conservation at the American Museum of History, where she has worked since 1993, with a focus on the care of collections in the Division of Anthropology. She received an advanced certificate in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects, Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Amy Tjiong, Judith Levinson, Samantha Alderson, Gabrielle Tieu
Abstract ID 19054
Tags parka,Yupik,winter gut,histology,peptide mass fingerprinting

10:30am EDT

(Paintings) Conserving a Conservator’s Paintings: Study and Preventive Care of Works by Felrath Hines

Felrath Hines (1913-1993), better known as Fel by his colleagues, was an African American artist and conservator of paintings. Fel Hines studied art at the Chicago Art Institute, Pratt Institute, and New York University. He worked primarily in geometric abstraction, citing Ad Reinhardt and Josef Albers among his influences. In the 1960s he joined Spiral, a group of African American visual artists formed in response to the civil rights movement. In the late 1950s, Hines apprenticed under Sheldon and Caroline Keck during their tenure at the Brooklyn Museum. Finding conservation to be a natural extension of his interests and skills, Hines went on to operate a successful private conservation practice while continuing to paint and exhibit his own work. He treated works for many prestigious clients and institutions in New York and Washington, DC. Later in his career he served as the head of conservation at the National Portrait Gallery from 1972-80 before taking a position at the Hirshhorn, where he was the chief conservator until his retirement in 1984.
Hines’s paintings in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) collection were painted in oil with thin, even brushwork that describes fields of color, luminous blended passages, and hard edges. A dialog between conservator and artist is readily apparent within his work, revealing a meticulous hand and a deep understanding of the materials available during his career.
Many twentieth-century oil paintings containing zinc oxide are at risk of deterioration due to soap formation, a phenomenon that has been increasingly studied in the past two decades. A number of cracks on Felrath Hines’ Untitled (1978) were found to lengthen each month while on display, with the largest propagation coinciding with seasonal changes outside the museum. Previous analysis conducted in 2016 prior to treatment indicated the presence of zinc soaps, which are known to induce cracking, paint loss, and other deterioration following exposure to water. In response to the condition of Untitled (1978), an investigation into the materials of three contemporaneous works by Hines in the NMAAHC collection was undertaken. The paintings were closely examined and documented in normal and raking light, ultraviolet radiation, and under magnification. Samples of the ground and paint were removed from the tacking edges and analyzed with XRF, ATR-FTIR, and reflectance µ-FTIR. Data were correlated with reference zinc soaps and previously collected data from a test panel. FTIR indicated nearly all samples contained zinc soaps, however, none of the three contemporaneous works showed any signs of deterioration. A comparative study into the effects of relative humidity on titanium white and zinc white oil paint, two common materials in Hines’s ground, was also undertaken. Because all four works appear to have been executed with similar materials, preventive conservation strategies are being employed with the aim of preventing or forestalling the occurrence of zinc soap-related deterioration. This study of a fellow conservator’s paintings offers humbling insights into the inherent instability of modern materials.

Speakers

Christine Romano

Paintings Conservation Fellow, Smithsonian Institute

Co-Author

Jia-sun Tsang

Conservator, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

Thomas Lam

conservation scientist, Smithsonian Conservation Institute

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Christine Romano, Jia-sun Tsang
Abstract ID 18983
Tags Felrath Hines,modern,oil painting,oil paint,zinc white,zinc soaps,relative humidity,preventive conservation,XRF,FTIR

10:30am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Atmospheric Pressure Non-thermal Plasma of Cleaning 19th Century Tintype

Reduction of corrosion layers using Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma is a relatively new method, which should be used for conservation and restoration of archaeological artifacts. The conservation of artifacts represents a serious problem because of post-corrosion which occurs after excavation. This paper presents the results of experimental and analytical studies of using Atmospheric pressure non thermal plasma to cleaning Tintype. The test material used is Tintype Photographs back to 19th Century within Mr. Francis Collection. Different properties and characteristics of the samples have then been measured and compared before and after the cleaning. Optical Microscope was used for the microstructural examination of material. The morphology and properties of samples have been analyzed. The surface topology of the samples has been studied by SEM-EDX. The modified surfaces were characterized by XRF analysis. Atomic Force Microscopy was used to measure the surface morphology on the atomic scale. Micro Raman Spectroscopy used to identify structural fingerprint of molecules. The feasibility of using atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasmas to clean the surface of a corroded 19th century Tintypes has been demonstrated.

Speakers

Rasha A. Shaheen

Director of Conservation Dept.,, Ministry of Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Dabaa Medhat Hamdy El
Abstract ID 19360
Tags Spectroscopy,excavation,archaeological artifacts

10:30am EDT

(Textiles) Beyond Cavitation: Investigating Ultrasound In Immersion Cleaning Environments

This paper presents research on the application of ultrasound to immersion cleaning techniques commonly used in textile conservation. Since the 1950s, the power and efficiency of ultrasonic cleaning have been alluring for archaeologists and conservators looking to treat difficult cleaning scenarios involving accretions and staining. Ultrasonic cleaning effects come from a phenomenon called cavitation, but the mechanisms of predicting, controlling, and directing cavitation have not been examined in conservation literature.

Within this paper, relevant literature from conservation and ultrasound research will be discussed in detail through illustrated and animated graphics. Experimental research will be presented on the critical factors that impact ultrasonic cleaning in a conservation cleaning environment. Effects beyond cavitation were investigated including temperature and pH, and how factors such as depth, distance, the physical properties of cleaning solutions, and the object undergoing treatment. High-speed, magnified imaging that was done in partnership with the University of Glasgow’s Cavitation Laboratory will be presented to further visualize the action of ultrasonic probes in conservation cleaning contexts.

Through the combined literature and experimental research, several factors that are critical for understanding and controlling ultrasonic tools in conservation cleaning applications were identified and tested. These factors can be used to further understand and research the application of other ultrasonic tools, cleaning environments, and conservation applications.

Speakers

Megan Creamer

Mellon Fellow in Objects Conservation, Historic New England

Megan Creamer is the Mellon Fellow in conservation at Historic New England, and graduate of the Centre for Textile Conservation and Technical Art History at the University of Glasgow. She has worked and interned in a variety of roles in private practice conservation, special collections... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Megan Creamer
Abstract ID 18465
Tags ultrasound,ultrasonic,cavitation,frequency,sonochemistry,textile,ultrasonic cleaning,immersion cleaning,wet cleaning,

10:30am EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Local Color: The Visual Analysis of a South American Colonial Lacquered Gourd in the Collection of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library

The Hispanic Society of America has a small but very fine collection of colonial Spanish American lacquered objects, which are decorated with one of the more widely known indigenous lacquer techniques, barniz de Pasto. The HSA’s objects date from the 2nd quarter of the 17th century to 1800 and were made using native materials and techniques for a European aesthetic which mimicked Asian lacquer and demonstrate the extraordinary craftsmanship of these anonymous artisans whose techniques are still in use today in Colombia. Using only inexpensive and readily available lenses for a smart phone, this study of a mid 17th century barniz de Pasto gourd in the collection will analyze the decorative elements and hopes to identify their sources to show that artisans regularly substituted local flora and fauna in place of the stylized motifs in Asian lacquer as well as incorporating designs from European sources into these ornate objects. Relying on original sources as well as sample analysis conducted on similar pieces, the study will also identify pigments used to create the lustrous effects.

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 →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Wooden Artifacts
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Monica Katz
Abstract ID 18543
Tags barniz de Pasto,Colombia,lacquer,

10:45am EDT

(Collection Care) A Workflow for 3D Modeling and CNC Cutting Object Mounts from Polyethylene Foam (10:50-11:00am)

Sometimes an object is difficult to mount (skulls) or so fragile that handling for mount-making can pose an unacceptable risk (cartonnage). Non-contact methods such as photogrammetry, laser scanning, or CT scanning can be used to make three-dimensional (3D) computer models without damaging the object, and then these models can be used as a starting point for programming robot cutting tools such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines to cut exactly-fitting mounts from polyethylene foam. In this short presentation I describe a workflow used at The Field Museum in Chicago for machine cutting polyethylene foam storage and display mounts from 3D object files.

Speakers

J P. Brown

Regenstein Conservator for Pacific Anthropology, The Field Museum

JP is the Regenstein Conservator for Pacific Anthropology at The Field Museum, Chicago. He holds degrees in both Archaeological Conservation and Computer Science. He started working on 3D imaging of museum collections in 2006 and has been doing CT, laser scanning, and photogrammetry... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:45am - 11:00am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order JP Brown
Abstract ID 19044
Tags CNC cutting,3D scanning. Photogrammetry,Mount making,Laser scanning,CT scanning,Polyethylene foam

10:45am EDT

(Collection Care) Shelving Solutions with Laser Cutting Technology (10:40-10:50am)

The carbon dioxide laser is not new as it was first developed in the 1960s. However, it is really in the last decade that the technology became more commonplace in the hands of hobbyists and smaller institutions. The maker movement has certainly had an impact on the development of more affordable laser technology. Many museums and archives order archival boxes, which are cut with laser technology designed for the commercial industry. Living Computers purchased a Full Spectrum CO2 laser for use mainly by the Education department. The Education Coordinator had developed a kit for instruction of parts of a computer made out of cardboard. It was determined that the museum would benefit from the purchase rather than outsourcing the production of the kit. Once the laser was set up, other departments were offered training. The advantages of using the laser for the collections department was to expedite the few custom enclosures that were needed for the collection. Since using the cutter for boxes and dividers, its use was recently expanded to create a storage solution for the many keyboards in the collection. Using a repurposed wire magnetic tape holder as a model, a shelf divider was created using the laser cutter. Now use of this technology has allowed the Collections staff to create storage solutions on-demand.

Speakers

Amelia Roberts

Archivist, Living Computers Museum

Amelia Roberts has been a member of the collections team at the Living Computers: Museum + Labs in Seattle since 2015. She received her Masters in Information Science from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis and a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Herron School of Art... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:45am - 11:00am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Amelia Roberts
Abstract ID 19074
Tags Laser,Laser technology,collection care,shelf solutions

10:50am EDT

(Electronic Media) First Look: Capturing Emerging Digital Art With Webrecorder

Established in 2012 and co-organized by the New Museum and Rhizome, First Look is a digital art commissioning and exhibition program representing the breadth of art online—from interactive documentary, to custom-built participatory applications, to moving image-based works, and art for mobile VR. Encompassing over thirty-five works, First Look explores the formal, social, and aesthetic possibilities of emerging technologies on the web. These experimental works are representative of the host of challenges electronic media conservators face in preserving the performance of networked artworks as their native technological environments rapidly obsolesce. Several entail complex external dependencies, such as content that is contingent on real time data feeds or applications that mine social media sites for images, videos, and GIFs. Some are custom-built by the artist and lack sustained support, while others employ freely available proprietary platforms and applications, such as tumblr, YouTube, Vimeo, and Instagram, and may involve user-specific content. Capturing these works for long-term preservation requires nuanced technological and aesthetic considerations, and raises questions regarding appraisal and stewardship where aggregations of real time data and content are integral to the experience of the work. The New Museum Archives and Rhizome are collaborating to document and preserve past First Look artworks, using Rhizome’s free, open source web archiving tool, Webrecorder, in concert with other archival extraction techniques and emulation environments. Webrecorder is both a user-friendly tool to create high fidelity, interactive web archives of any web site and a platform to make those collections accessible. Webrecorder’s ability to capture dynamic web content, including embedded video and interactive animations, has made it an indispensable tool for collecting intricate websites and user-specific content. The conceptual and aesthetic underpinnings of works created for First Look are highly individualized, but their prolific use of emerging and extant technologies mirrors the evolving media landscape, fraught with heterogeneous and ephemeral modes of production and display. This presentation will use a range of use cases to demonstrate how Webrecorder addresses this continuum in complement to the New Museum’s digital and moving image archiving workflows, highlighting obstacles and successes encountered while preserving artworks on emerging digital mediums with open source tools.

Speakers

Amye McCarther

Archivist, New Museum

Amye McCarther is an archivist and media conservator at the New Museum in New York where she oversees the museum’s archival and preservation programs including the Digital Archive Oral History Initiative and Archives Fellowship program. Her previous experience includes audiovisual... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 10:50am - 11:10am EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Amye McCarther
Abstract ID 19039
Tags software-based art,net art

11:00am EDT

(Collection Care) Storing Systems for Mummy Bundles of Big Dimensions from Peru (11:10-11:20am)

The Andean cultural development that took place during prehispanic times has been one of the most successful of human history. A range of specialization levels were reached for different productive activities, among them, the preparation of mummy bundles. Bundling procedures were progressively developed and officialized within the Paracas, Wari and Inca. Precisely, during Inca times, in the Peruvian Central Coast, big mummy bundles were being produced, some of which even reached two meters high and 70 kilos, reflecting the high technological level reached by the Andean societies regarding their funerary activities. These characteristics difficult the preservation procedures developed by the archaeological museums in Peru, turning these bundle’s conservation into a challenge. Considering this problem, a research was conducted on 20 Inca mummy bundles of big dimensions and weight. The task was to know their structural features and body orientations, using CT scans as support. The research’s objective was to design bundling systems that would allow to solve deformation problems caused by manipulation, transportation and storing which are frequent in this kind of bundles. The results were the formulation of two bundling systems: the bundling system 3A, which is focused on mummy bundles holding a horizontal position, and the bundling system 3B, for bundles in vertical position. For this research, we used Austenitic stainless steel for the supporting structure and polymers as filling and non-sewed cloth to isolate and mitigation. This kind of stainless steel was chosen because it has low concentrations of carbon y high levels of chromium and nickel, providing a strong protection against corrosion. The prototypes were utilized as packages for the twenty mummy bundles selected for this research, obtaining optimal results. This proposal has allowed to reduce the risks caused by physical stress during manipulation, transportation and storing. Additionally, these prototypes provide several possibilities for different uses, such as structures for museum pieces, controlled atmospheres, among others.

Speakers

Rubén Héctor Buitron Picharde

Archaeologist and Conservator, Museo de Sitio Arturo Jimenez Borja - Puruchuco

He began his studies in Andean archeology at San Marcos University, Lima-Peru, where he obtained his degree. He carried out specialized studies of conservation of archaeological cultural heritage in "Yachay Wasi" Conservation and Restoration Institute and several universities and... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:15am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Rubén Héctor Buitron Picharde
Abstract ID 18900
Tags Mummy bundles,storing system,Archaeological museums in Peru

11:00am EDT

(Collection Care) Three Part Storage/Handling Mount System (11:00-11:10am)

These fixtures are designed to minimize handling risks, improve object safety and in some cases reduce staffing needs. The system is focused on heavy objects on shelves, particularly fragile objects, and frequently handled objects within the Cantors collection. Description Most fixtures are fabricated in three components. The first component is a base to support the objects in its display orientation. The second component is a backboard provides the most basic support to maintain the object in its display orientation. The third component provides support in the remaining directions. Because the object is supported in ways that reduce mechanical stress and avoids contact with fragile areas, with minimal adjustments most fixtures can be transformed into an inner container for shipping purposes

Speakers

T. Ashley McGrew

Preparator, Cantor Arts Center at Stanford Univ

T. Ashley McGrew currently a Preparator at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University has been working as a practitioner of preventive conservation since 1987. Institutional positions: J. Paul Getty Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, and the University... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:15am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order T. Ashley McGrew
Abstract ID 19195
Tags STASH,Storage,3-D

11:00am EDT

(Architecture) A 20th Century Stained Glass Treatment

The article intends to report the restoration treatment of a set of stained glass panels, from the middle of the 20th century, attributed to the Casa Genta atelier, the largest in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil. The panels had imported glass and painted in grisaille, enamels, and silver stain. The author was the artisan master Francisco Huguet, who worked in atelier Casa Genta in 1951 to 197 ?, from Oriun, Spain, he came from the headquarters of the important French atelier Maumejean. The panels were distributed in relatively low windows, in three groups, on the satir steps of a traditional Catholic school, private of the City of Porto Alegre, College Bom Jesus de Sévignè. In addition to fractures and gaps the panels had an important detachment in the pictorial layer which received treatment for stabilization in its entirety and also a partial treatment of chromatic reintegration. As this is a little reversible intervention this stage of treatment was decided punctually from the reflection of each situation. The treatment took place, in situ and in atelier and its work team was formed by a group of academics. The treatment, besides solving contemporary demands at a technical-scientific level, was based on the symbolic character of the heritage, on the interest of the guardians, and on the process of building knowledge from the practical experience, in academics from the Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Speakers

Mariana Wertheimer

Self Employed, Conservator of stained glass

Master in Social Memory and Cultural Patrimony by the UFPel; Architect and Urbanist by the Faculty Ritter dos Reis, and Bachelor of Ceramics by UFRGS. Technique in Conservation and Restoration of Stained Glass by IPPAR, where it was made the treatment of the medieval panels of the... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Salon A1, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Architecture
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Mariana Wertheimer
Abstract ID 18561
Tags Keywords: stained glass,restauration,Brazil

11:00am EDT

(Book and Paper) Repairing A 52-Pound Antiphonary At the University Of Chicago

In October 2017, the University of Chicago Library conservation lab started planning the treatment of the largest item in our Special Collections Research Center. This 16th century Spanish manuscript antiphonary weighs 52 pounds and measures 33 x 21.5 x 5”, with ¾” wooden boards and large metal bosses. Seventy seven animals gave their hides for the parchment pages, as well as an enormous cow or ox for the thick leather cover. The antiphonary gets regular use, as it is a popular teaching tool. Regular handling was dangerous for the delicate condition of the book. A hundred year-old rebinding had catastrophically failed, the pages were not connected to the case, and multiple pages had been sliced out or fallen out of the textblock. Treatment planning, a collaboration between conservation, digitization and special collections staff, determined that the book should be brought back to the format it came to the collection in. The book is a strange hybrid, with pagination indicating a centuries-old rebind, historic repairs made from the discarded pages left over after the rebind, and an 18th century case that was probably recycled from a different volume. The book had to be fully disbound, which involved carefully applying hot gellan gum poultices to heavily applied animal glue on the moisture-sensitive parchment textblock spine. The sliced out leaves had to be mended, despite decades of warping as well as being 33 inches long, which resulted in the parchment fighting the repairs. Digitization followed disbinding, and the book was rebound after being fully digitized. Thick linen cords had to be made by hand to match the originals in the eight double cord sewing stations. The volume was resewn. The old cords were removed from the lacing holes in the boards so the holes could be reused. The heavy textblock was securely reattached into the case using the new cords, new linen extended spine linings, and new sewn-in parchment endsheets. Since this was our third oversized binding treatment, we decided to invest the time and energy into equipment suitable for the size and weight of this project. Sewing frames and presses of this size are not commercially available and had to be constructed. We knew we wanted a rolling table to reduce handling, so we purchased a table with a wooden base, constructed the uprights, crossbars (an extra crossbar, with magnets, was needed to hold the pages during sewing), and wooden nuts. The table doubles as a press with the use of a Plexiglas sheet that tightens by means of four threaded uprights and wooden nuts. The end result is an enormous volume – called a whale folio – which is now safe to page through and use as a valuable teaching tool. The digital version can be accessed around the world. Additionally, thanks to the new tools and solutions we came up with and built for this book, our lab is now equipped to treat more whale folios without having to devise temporary oversized solutions as we had in the past.

Speakers

Ann L. Lindsey

Head of Conservation, University of Chicago Library

Ann holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science and Advanced Certificate in Book and Paper Conservation from the University of Texas at Austin. Previous to coming to the University of Chicago Library, Ann was a Conservator at the University of California at Berkeley... Read More →

Melina Avery

Conservator, University of Chicago Library

I am a conservator at the University of Chicago Library, where I focus on conservation treatment of rare materials such as Special Collections books, maps and documents. I have a BA in art history and studio art from Sarah Lawrence College and a Masters of Art Conservation from Queen's... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Earth Ballroom A Earth Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Specialty Session, Objects and Research and Technical Studies

Track Book and Paper
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Melina Avery
Abstract ID 18604
Tags whale folio,book repair,resewing,oversized,book,manuscript,parchment,vellum

11:00am EDT

(Objects and Research and Technical Studies) Examining the Use Of Ozone Test Strips to Detect PVC Plastics In Museums

For the past 80 years, Poly(vinyl chloride) or PVC has been one of the most commonly used plastics in the world. PVC’s popularity means that it is found in the vast majority of museum whether as works of art, examples of contemporary material culture, or as storage and exhibition products. As some PVC degrades, plasticizer migration and/or the release of acids and oxidants such as chlorine may accelerate degradation of nearby materials. Therefore, it is advantageous to identify PVC in collections. However, identifying a specific type of plastic is not easy. In the past, identification has relied on visual clues, maker’s marks, and burn tests. More concrete analysis is possible with the use of analytical equipment such as pyrolysis gas chromatography –mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. However, access to such equipment and expertise to use it is typically the domain of larger, well-funded museums. Since the majority of museums are small, understaffed, and underfunded institutions, access to scientific analysis is limited. Having an easy-to-use, inexpensive method of detecting chlorine that may be emitted from PVC would greatly benefit many museums because knowing if a plastic is emitting an oxidant could influence storage, display, and deaccessioning decisions. In spring 2018, Mary Coughlin, Assistant Professor in Museum Studies at The George Washington University, G. Asher Newsome, PhD, Physical Scientist at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, Gwénaëlle Kavich, Conservation Scientist at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, and Qiuhui Wang, graduate student in Environmental and Green Chemistry from The George Washington University, tested commercially available Ozone Test Strips that are marketed as detectors for the presence of ozone in the environment but, according to the instructions, can get a false positive for chlorine. This project aimed to determine if Ozone Test Strips could be repurposed to detect chlorine that may be emitted from PVC. The study found that The Ozone Test strips will react to chlorine, as demonstrated by testing with hydrochloric acid solution as well as testing with a chlorine gas wafer and a hydrochloric acid permeation tube in a dynacalibrator pollutant generator. The Ozone Strips reacted to severely degrading PVC samples and to a few PVC items that still looked to be in good condition (all identified with FTIR and XRF). However because the Ozone Test Strips reacted to one non-PVC item (acrylic identified with FTIR), questions are raised about how useful the Ozone Strips are for identifying PVC and whether it is enough to use them as an indicator for oxidants coming from plastics in general. More work is planned for the fall and winter in setting up low-tech testing of plastic samples in sealed glass beakers and monitoring with the Ozone Strips. The goal of presenting at the Annual Meeting is to present results and to gather ideas for what the strips are reacting to in order to better understand the chemistry involved in these interactions and if these strips can be utilized in museum collections.

Speakers

Mary Coughlin

Conservator, The George Washington University, Museum Studies Program

Professor Coughlin is a 2005 graduate of the University of Delaware Winterthur Program in Art Conservation where she specialized in Objects Conservation. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Mary Washington University with a BA in Historic Preservation. Beginning as a graduate intern... Read More →

Co-Author

G. Asher Newsome

Physical Scientist, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

Gwénaëlle Kavich

Conservation Scientist, Museum Conservation Institute. Smithsonian Institution

Qiuhui Wang

Graduate Student, George Washington University

Qiuhui Wang earned her MS in Environmental and Green Chemistry from The George Washington University in 2018 and her BA in Chemistry from the University of Rochester in 2016.

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Salon B1, Uncas Ballroom

Track Objects, Research & Technical Studies
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Mary Coughlin
Abstract ID 19093
Tags Plastic,PVC

11:00am EDT

(Paintings) Hazy Conditions: Revealing the Materials and Techniques of Edwin Austin Abbey's Efflorescing Oil Studies and Exploring New Approaches to Treatment

In 1937, the studio contents of the American artist Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911) were donated to the Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG). Consisting of over 2,000 works on paper and canvas from every step of Abbey’s artistic process, this comprehensive collection provides a unique opportunity to study the materials and techniques of an experimental painter working at the turn of the 20th century. The collection contains over 600 paintings, many of which are unvarnished or selectively varnished preparatory studies for larger compositions. Rarely treated or exhibited, these untouched surfaces bear valuable and often transient evidence of Abbey’s thought process and original materials. About half of these paintings also display widespread surface efflorescence, which often obscures the compositions and drastically alters the tonality and saturation of the paint layers. Beginning in the fall of 2017, YUAG conservators have completed the structural and aesthetic treatment of several Abbey paintings in preparation for the upcoming exhibition American Renaissance. This research focuses on four paintings completed as preparatory studies for murals in the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building. Painted between 1902 and 1910, each of these oil-on-canvas works originates from a different stage in Abbey’s artistic process, with a wide diversity in paint application and level of finish. Abbey’s materials reflect the broad range of new materials available to artists at the turn of the century, as is supported by his account in the Roberson Archive. Insights into his working process and painting technique grew out of close observation, x-radiography, and infrared reflectography, and the non-invasive analytical techniques of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and macro x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (MA-XRF). The aesthetic treatment of these works was complicated by their underbound, easily burnished, and highly soluble surfaces, likely a result of the use of experimental painting materials and the omnipresence of metal soaps. Cleaning zinc carboxylate efflorescence will be addressed in depth, including discussion about the working properties, advantages, and disadvantages of using silicone solvents and the silicone emulsifier Shin Etsu KSG-350Z. Cleaning was greatly informed by analyzing the morphology and composition of samples of the efflorescence, coatings, and ground layers with field emission-scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM/EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), conducted in collaboration with Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH). Uniting this analytical data with information gained through archival research at the Roberson Archive at the Hamilton Kerr Institute, significant correlations can be drawn between Abbey’s use of specific materials, such as commercially prepared supports and coatings containing driers, and the formation of the efflorescence.

Speakers

Kelsey Wingel

Assistant Conservator of Paintings, Yale University Art Gallery

Co-Author

Aniko Bezur

Professional Associate, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University

Cynthia Schwarz

Associate Conservator of Paintings, Yale University Art Gallery

Katherine Schilling

Associate Conservation Research Scientist, Yale University

Pablo Londero

Conservation Scientist, Yale University

Richard R. Hark

Conservation Scientist, Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Salon B2, Uncas Ballroom

Track Paintings
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Kelsey Wingel, Cynthia Schwarz, Richard Hark, Anikó Bezur, Katherine Schilling, Pablo Londero
Abstract ID 19108
Tags Edwin Austin Abbey,efflorescence,bloom,zinc soap,zinc carboxylate,free fatty acid,Shin Etsu KSG-350Z,silicone emulsifier,silicone solvent,decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5),field emission-scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM/

11:00am EDT

(Photographic Materials) Specular Reflection FTIR for Chemical Analysis of Historic Photographs

Cultural heritage objects present a special set of challenges for chemical analysis. Often micro-sampling or even contacting the object is deemed an unacceptable risk to the object. Here is presented the successful use of specular reflection FTIR, a non-sampling and non-contact modality for the chemical identification on historic photographs. The method was quite successful with using a spectral library generated from modern reference samples for the identification of single coatings on salted paper prints in the Harvard University class albums from 1853-1863. This work has also been extended to the identification of mixtures of coatings, and multiple distinct layers of coatings on paper objects. The multiple coatings identified on Frederic Flachéron’s paper negatives from Horblit Collection at Houghton Library at Harvard University served as a case study.

Speakers

Arthur McClelland

Principal Scientist, Harvard University - Center for Nanoscale Systems

Arthur McClelland received his PhD in applied physics from the University of Michigan in 2009. He has worked at the Center for Nanoscale Systems at Harvard University since 2011 running the optical spectroscopy laboratory.

Co-Author

Elena Bulat

Photograph Conservator for Special Collections, Weissman Preservation Center, Harvard Library

Elena Bulat is a photograph conservator for special collections at the Weissman Preservation Center, Harvard Library since 2007. Elena came to Harvard from the George Eastman House where she was a paper and photograph conservator. From 2001 to 2003 Elena was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Nehantic/Pequot/Paugussett Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Photographic Materials
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Arthur McClelland, Elena Bulat
Abstract ID 19029
Tags salted paper prints,chemical analysis,FTIR,coatings

11:00am EDT

(Textiles) Pressed and Presented: Pressure Mounting Textiles, History and Current Practice

The technique for pressure mounting textiles has evolved over several decades, as was evidenced in a literature review, documents and mounts from the George Washington University (GWU) Museum / The Textile Museum, and consultations with conservators from other institutions. This history informed the mounting of archaeological textiles for an exhibition of Egyptian Coptic home-furnishings, Woven Interiors: Furnishing Early Medieval Egypt, opening fall of 2019 at the GWU Museum/The Textile Museum, presented in conjunction with Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. These fragile archaeological textiles are often fragmentary; several are rather large curtains and door coverings intended to hang vertically. Considering the fragility of the textiles, the desire to protect them while on display and minimize future handling, pressure mounting and variations of mounting under Plexiglas was a necessity. This paper gives a brief overview of past and current techniques, followed by the procedures and knowledge gained while preparing mounts for the Woven Interiors exhibition.

Speakers

Cathleen Zaret

Associate Conservator, GWU Museum/Textile Museum

Cathleen Zaret is an Associate Conservator at the George Washington University Museum / The Textile Museum in Washington DC.

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Oneida/Penobscot Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Textiles
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Cathleen Zaret
Abstract ID 18765
Tags Pressure mount,textile,

11:00am EDT

(Wooden Artifacts) Characterizing Asian Lacquer Surfaces Using Surface Metrology and Multimodal Imaging Techniques: A New Approach

In preparation for the Getty Conservation Institute’s Asian lacquer cleaning project 15 different formulas of Asian lacquer were prepared using laccol, thitsi and urushi. The formulas within the three lacquer categories each differ from the next in the series by one ingredient. This way we will be able to understand how each ingredient affects the behaviour of the surface. Observation and examination of the surface at each stage of the experiment is key to following the changes over time. The Asian lacquer panels were prepared during 2017, by Marianne Webb and Sunhwa Kim, Art and Design Department at Buffalo State College, according to strict protocols to limit differences and ensure standardization of the final products. The three types of Asian lacquer, urushi, laccol and thitsi were obtained from reliable sources. Five formulas of each type of lacquer were produced and all stages were made using the same type of Asian lacquer. Each Koskisen plywood panel was sealed with raw lacquer, and then a ground coat of tonoko and raw lacquer was applied. In the case of thitsi lacquer, bone ash was also incorporated in the formula. Ground coats were polished smooth and sealed with the same lacquer. Test formulas were applied by different means. Urushi and laccol lacquers were applied by brush, however, due to the high viscosity thitsi was applied with a silicone spatula or squeegee. With exception of the roiro urushi none of the coatings were polished after drying. Multimodal imaging: All the samples were documented with different photographic techniques with a modified UV-VIS-IR DSLR camera. Reflected IR and IR-induced IR luminescence techniques were particularly useful in revealing the differences among the different Asian lacquer panels. Surface metrology and multi-scale analysis of the Asian lacquer panels will be introduced and discussed. All 15 panels were investigated using confocal microscopy: Each lacquer panel was examined at 12 distinct areas of interest using a 10x (area 1,600x1,600 μm) and 50x (320x320 μm) objectives. Each magnification shows different physical features to consider. Surface texture can be described by the data reduction techniques of amplitude (height) parameters and spatial parameters. Physical lateral surface features such as peaks and pits and other features at each magnification are also invoked since they are not considered by both amplitude and spatial parameters. The above will be presented in hopes of starting a discussion based on: what identifying features are of interest? Are the features chosen at these magnifications good to define lacquer surfaces? Are the features at these two different magnifications related or relatable in any way? And more.

Speakers

Patrick Ravines

Director & Associate Professor, Buffalo State Program in Art Conservation

Patrick Ravines is director of the Art Conservation Department, SUNY Buffalo State. Some research interests are in the image formation process of 19th century photographic systems.

Marianne Webb

Decorative Arts 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. Currently she is collaborating with... Read More →

Co-Author

David Sheets

Professor, Physics (Undergraduate), Data Analytics (Graduate), Canisius College

Dr. Sheets has a wide range of research interests, all based on the study of dynamical processes, from a mathematical and statistic perspective. This has include the study of the growth and diversification of biological organisms, such as long term change within lineages, as well... Read More →

Jiuan Jiuan Chen

Associate Professor, Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Art Conservation Department, State University of New York College at Buffalo

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Abenaki Room Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Wooden Artifacts
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Marianne Webb, Patrick Ravines, Jiuan Jiuan Chen
Abstract ID 18781
Tags laccol,thitsi,urushi,surface metrology,multimodal imaging,confocal microscopy,Asian lacquer,reflected IR,IR-induced IR luminescence

11:10am EDT

(Electronic Media) Archiving Complex Digital Artworks

Version Control Systems (VCS) check the differences between versions of code or other text-based documents. By archiving and making available ongoing versions of a project, VCS allow multiple people to work on elements of a project without overwriting someone else’s entries. Changes that are made can easily be compared, undone, restored, or, in some cases, merged. Finding a coherent and structured way to organise and control revisions has always been at the core of conservation, but it became even more urgent and complex in the era of computing and of contemporary art. Not only conservation actions produce new versions, but the artwork itself might be variable and branch out in a multitude of presentation options. In this presentation we will briefly explore the different ways of using VCS for the purpose of conservation. Our research focuses on how VCS further collaboration in archiving complex digital artworks, while at the same time exploring how such systems could supplement collections management databases. With the aim to gain a better understanding of the underlying, but omnipresent, structures that support these VCS we will present some of the outcomes of earlier workshops that we organised. The focus is on open source systems such as Git and MediaWiki. Based on a case study, the artwork Chinese Gold by UBERMORGEN, we will talk about the pros and cons of using VCS in conservation practices and discuss the usefulness of collaborative working spaces by answering questions such as: what is the value of concepts such as provenance in Git and MediaWiki, what is the function of metadata in these systems, how stable and secure is the data in a version controlled archive and how do these tools handle audiovisual data?

Speakers

Annet Dekker

Arts Professional, University of Amsterdam

Annet Dekker is an independent researcher and curator. She is currently Researcher Digital Preservation at Tate, London, Post-doc Research Fellow at London South Bank University / The Photographers Gallery, and core tutor at Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam (Master Media Design and... Read More →

Julie Boschat Thorez

Independent researcher, Independent

Julie Boschat Thorez is an artist and researcher whose work re-appropriates scientific methods to explore the impact of digital systems over human agency and governance. Trained in Fine Arts at the ERG in Brussels and Media Design at the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam, she has... Read More →

Co-Author

Claudia Roeck

PhD candidate, University of Amsterdam

Claudia started her professional career as an environmental engineer. Inspired by art, she later added studies in conservation of contemporary art in Berne, Switzerland with focus on media art, that she completed in 2016. From 2013 to 2016, she worked on the acquisition of video... Read More →

David Gauthier

PhD candidate, University of Amsterdam

David Gauthier is a PhD Fellow of the Netherlands Institute of Cultural Analysis (NICA) based at the Amsterdam School of Cultural Analysis (ASCA), University of Amsterdam. His current research explores the various regimes of legibility / illegibility of modern computing machinery... Read More →

Dušan Barok

PhD Research Fellow, University of Amsterdam

Dušan Barok is a Research Fellow and PhD candidate at the Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture (AHM) and Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam. His research undertaken as part of the NACCA.eu project focuses on the documentation of time-based... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:10am - 11:30am EDT
Passamaquoddy/Brothertown Rooms Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Electronic Media, Contemporary Art
Ticketed Included in Main Registration
Authors in Publication Order Dušan Barok, Julie Boschat Thorez, Annet Dekker, David Gauthier, Claudia Roeck
Abstract ID 18568
Tags art documentation,collaboration,archiving,preservation,digital art,MediaWiki,git,version control

11:15am EDT

(Collection Care) Rehousing Jewelry and Novelty Items from the Gernsheim Collection (11:20-11:30am)

Speakers

Jill Morena

Preservation Technician, Harry Ransom Center

Jill Morena is a Preservation Technician in the Preservation and Conservation Division at the Harry Ransom Center, in addition to her work as an Art Archivist. She advises colleagues and the community on housing, display, and preservation needs for costumes and textile-based item... Read More →

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:15am - 11:30am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun

Track Collection Care
Authors in Publication Order Jill Morena

11:30am EDT

(Collection Care) Balancing Mass Production and Customization: Sink Mats for the David O. Selznick Storyboard Collection

Speakers

Genevieve Pierce Kyle

Conservator, Harry Ransom Center

Thursday May 16, 2019 11:30am - 11:45am EDT
Salon A2-A3, Uncas Ballroom Sky Convention Center, Mohegan Sun