It’s that time of year once again for our popular round-up of favourite conservation projects! Gathered from the most clicked on projects that we share with our followers on Linkedin, even though it’s been a challenging year for the profession, we haven’t been short of intriguing projects to marvel at. From analysis from the past now becoming treasures to reference, to new projects dedicated to preserving the new wave of protest art that has become so important in 2020. Which one is your favourite?
From Trash to Treasure
Where: Cincinnati Art Museum
Why? Learning from test and analysis is a key part of progress in the world of conservation and its interesting to take a step back and realise how far techniques and processes have come when old experiments are found. Done by conservators 30-40 years ago, take a look at these now treasured experiments that the Getty have helped found a new home for.
Revisisting a Conservation Project
Where: The Getty
Why: The tallest object ever displayed at the Getty at about 19 feet and it weighing in at about 2.5 tons, the conservation of an ancient Obelisk was no mean feat. Two years on, the project is fondly looked back on in its entirety.
Preserving Protest Art
Where: University of Delaware
Why? In a year of protests, Balboa Art Conservation Center’s new program, Preserve Community Art, kicked off with a project gathering and preserving social justice art. In a year that many of us will never forget, it’s important that these artworks are preserved for future generations to learn from.
An Unexpected Delivery
Where: The British Library
Why? What do you do when 85 rolls form the Kings Library arrive unexpectedly at your studio in need of cleaning, repair, housing, cataloguing and a new storage space?
Continuing Conservation through a Pandemic
Where: Cincinnati Art Museum
Why? While many conservation professionals were furloughed or quarantined, here’s a conservation treatment that continued during the stay-at-home period for one Cincinnati Museum’s paintings conservator.
Compelling Viewing
Where: MoMA
Why? We featured this video in a previous round-up but it’s popularity means we couldn’t not feature it again! This hypnotising video see conservator Diana Hartman tackles the question of how to repair holes in the painting’s canvas by microscopically reweaving it.
Conversation and Conservation in Glass
Where: National Museums Scotland
Why? This thorough and extremely insightful project, the Dan Klein Conservation project in fact, brings new dimensions to the world of glass conservation. We particularly enjoyed reading about how the artist’s input added a whole new dimension of understanding to then go on to conserve the artwork or piece.
New discoveries about the altarpiece of St George
Where: The V&A
Why? A remarkable example of the Valencian school in the ‘International Gothic Style’, which combines medieval and Renaissance elements, we enjoyed reading about the different possible treatments and the collaborative approach between the V&A and Institut Valencià de Conservació i Restauració de Béns Culturals.
Saving an Ancient Roman Sculpture, Step by Careful Step
Where: The Getty
Why? We love this in-depth, step by step journey that allows readers to follow along in photos as Getty conservators and scientists devote 15 months to preserving an ancient treasure from one of Italy's great museums.
A Gentler Approach to Fixing Wobbly Legs
Where: West Dean College
Why? Last but not least, this project looks at an alternative to the default way of fixing wobbly furniture legs. Simple yet effective, and a one that proved popular with our followers!
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