Aic
A m e r i c a n
I n s t i t u t e
C o n s e r vat i o n
Historic
artistic works
for
of
and
news
AIc
Inside
From the President 2
AIC News 3
Annual Meeting News 7
FAIC News 8
JAIC News 11
People 11
In Memoriam 12
Conference Reports 12
Allied Organizations 14
Washington Watch 14
Grants and Fellowships 15
Worth Noting 15
Grant Deadlines 16
Health and Safety 17
Donations 18
Specialty Groups 20
Courses, Conferences, and Seminars 25
Positions, Internships, and Fellowships 29
Considerations in Cleaning Historic Stonework
by George Wheeler
Introduction
The word used to describe professionals in the Architecture Specialty Group
(ASG) is different from the words used in other conservation specialities and perhaps
this signifies the inclusive nature of the architecture discipline. For the ASG the term is
"architectural conservator" as compared to "paintings conservator" or "objects conserva-
tor." In the latter two examples, the possessive or attribute modifier is in the form of a
noun and not an adjective. An informal but solid consensus of ASG members indicates
that this difference is neither capricious nor arbitrary, and that it accurately reflects the
fact that the focus of its conservators is objects of architectural scale and may include
anything from grave markers, to outdoor sculpture, monuments, and skyscrapers.While
it may be said that architectural conservators less often engage in actual hands-on work
in the final execution of a project, many of their other functions are similar to those of
conservators in other disciplines and include such steps as preparation of an initial con-
ditions survey (including supporting historical research and materials analysis), explo-
ration of treatment options (including executing trials of candidate treatments), and
preparation or involvement in the creation of bid documents and documentation of all
phases of the conservation work. Architectural conservators are also called upon to
manage large, multi-faceted projects.The primary aims for the conservation of these
objects of architectural scale are virtually identical to all other areas of conservation: aes-
thetic--to improve appearance or readability; structural--to stabilize the substrate; mate-
rial--to reduce or eliminate sources of deterioration.The cleaning of outdoor
stonework can be used to illustrate some of the issues and considerations that architec-
tural conservators deal with when devising and carrying out conservation projects.
Aesthetic Issues in Cleaning Outdoor Stonework
Cleaning art objects to improve appearance and/or readability is a concern of
conservators in all specialties and that process may take on added complexity for
objects that remain outdoors. For example, rainwater run-off on limestone buildings
often creates a nonsensical pattern of light and dark that does not relate to architec-
tural forms and their interplay with sunlight. On the Columbia University School of
Journalism building, areas of limestone exposed to rainwater run-off appear lighter in
color, while darkened areas with no run-off remain soiled (see figure x). Another
striking example of the damaging visual affect of accumulated soiling can be seen on
Giambologna's marble sculpture, Rape of the Sabines, in the Loggia della Signoria in
Florence as it appeared in 1997 (see figure 1).The black "stripes" down the back of
the main male figure result from accumulated soiling and create a false chiaroscuro.
The cleaned sculpture (2005) shows the subtle modulations of grays and the articulat-
ed musculature on the back of the same figure (see figure 2).
Similar concerns exist for stone sculpture that has become soiled in museum or
other indoor environments and the aesthetic aims of cleaning are similar: reducing the
artificial light-dark patterns created by soiling to enhance or reveal the natural patterns
created by play of light across the sculpture's surfaces and volumes. However, indoor
March 2006
Vol. 31, No. 2
continued on page 9
Plan Ahead--2007 and
2008 Annual Meetings
Moving to APRIL
· AIC's 35th Annual Meeting
in Richmond, VA
April 17-20, 2007
Theme: Fakes, Forgeries, and
Fabrications
Museum Exhibit Lighting
2007--A pre-session work-
shop, April 16-17, funded in
part by NEH.
· AIC's 36th Annual Meeting
in Denver, CO
April 21-24, 2008
Theme: Unique Collaborations
Mark your calendars and join
us in April. Deadline revisions
will follow to assist in the
transition of the 2007 and
2008 Annual Meetings from
June to April.
2 AIC NEWS, March 2006
AIC News (ISSN 1060-3247) is published
bi-monthly by the American Institute for
Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works, 1717 K
Street, NW, Ste. 200,Washington, D.C. 20036, (202)
4529545; Fax: (202) 4529328; info@aic-faic.org;
www.aic-faic.org
Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C.
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
AIC News
1717 K Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20036
AIC News is mailed to members for $18 per
year as a portion of annual membership dues.
Opinions expressed in the AIC News are those of
the contributors and not official statements of the
AIC. Responsibility for the materials/methods
described herein rests solely with the contributors.
Deadline for March Editorial Submissions
(jandruzzi@aic-faic.org): February 1, 2006.
We reserve the right to edit for brevity and clarity.
ADVERTISING
AIC accepts position-available ads only from equal
opportunity employers. All position ads must
conform to the standards for equal opportunity
employment.The cost of Internships and
Fellowships, Positions Available, and Classified Ads
is: $1.05 per word for members and $2.15 per word
for nonmembers; the minimum charge is $75.
The cost of advertising in Supplier's Corner is $175
for 100 words.The cost of display ads is: 1/6 page
$215; 1/3 page $360; 1/2 page $445; 2/3 page
$570; full page $695.
Deadlines for advertising copy are: February 10,
April 10, June 10, August 10, October 10, and
December 10.
All ads should be submitted to Ruth Seyler at
rseyler@aic-faic.org.
A
IC NEWS STAFF
Lisa Goldberg, Editor
Eryl P.Wentworth, Managing Editor
Jennifer Andruzzi, Production Editor
Ruth Seyler, Membership Director
Sheila Paige, Meetings & Design Director
Jessica Oplak, Administrative Assistant
© Copyright 2006. AIC News cannot be reproduced in
its entirety without permission from AIC. Individual
articles may be reproduced if permission has been granted
by the owner of copyright and proper citation attributed.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum
requirements of American National Standard for
Information Sciences--Permanence of Paper for
Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives,
ANSI/NISO Z39.481992.
AIC NEWS
From the President
Start Preparing for Providence!
Soon you will be receiving information and regis-
tration materials for the 34th Annual Meeting which
takes place on June 16-19 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Information is also available on our website at
http://aic.stanford.edu/meetings/index.html. Our
Annual Meeting theme, "Using Artifacts: Is Conservation
Compromised?," will explore the criteria that influence
decision making processes. Our AIC staff, the local
arrangements committee, the Specialty Group Program
committees, and the AIC Vice President have worked
with the Annual Meeting General Session Committee
and the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Committee to produce a
program that reflects the tremendous diversity of our field.
The AIC Board has considered the recommendations of the Annual Meeting
Task Force and comments from the Internal Advisory Group.You will see several
changes implemented over the next few years. For example the meetings will be a
little shorter, the general session and specialty group sessions will mesh better, and the
dates of our meeting will range between April and July. Be advised that the 2007
meeting in Richmond,Virginia will be held April 18-20, with workshops on April
16 and 17.
As we move into 2006, AIC has continued to participate in hurricane recovery
efforts. AIC members are still participating in the National Task Force, providing
educational workshops, and are working with institutions and agencies to conserve
collections in the Gulf Region. Our Emergency Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery Committee has received a new charge and this committee will lead the
Issues Session at the Annual Meeting. It is obvious that AIC must expand its efforts
to ensure that more conservators are well prepared to assist in future disasters and to
help with institutional risk assessments. As a membership organization we will also
focus on improving the role of conservators in collaborative alliances with other
organizations.
Over the past year, several new staff were added to our national office. Many
new initiatives are currently underway to improve how our organization serves the
membership. A few examples include: renewed attention directed to the website;
expansion of the professional development courses with the award of a new NEH
grant; and further advancement of the FAIC. Our executive director and her talented
staff have worked very hard to maintain ongoing organizational responsibilities as
well as suggest new ideas to improve efficiency.
The quality and degree of professionalism within our field is a reflection of
individual conservators.The AIC should be more than an organizational label.
Membership should signify the highest level of professionalism.While AIC attempts
to represent the membership as best it can, it is your active participation that will
assure that your interests are heard.
--Nancy Odegaard, AIC President, Conservator, Arizona State Museum, Professor,
Anthropology and Materials Science Departments, Co-Director, Heritage Conservation Science
Program, University of Arizona,Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-6314; fax: (520) 621-2976
3 AIC NEWS, March 2006
AIC News
Call for Nominations for Candidates
for the AIC Board
The AIC Nominating Committee is
pleased to present the following slate of can-
didates for the AIC Board of Directors for
2006.
·
Secretary: Meg Loew Craft
·
Treasurer: Richard Kerschner
·
Director, Committees and Task Forces:
Dare Hartwell
We invite other nominations in writing
from the membership-at-large.
The AIC Bylaws require that candidates
for director be Fellows or Professional
Associates in good standing. Nominations
should be sent to Jill Whitten, Chair of the
AIC Nominating Committee, c/o AIC, 1717
K Street, NW, Suite 200,Washington, DC
20036.The deadline for nominations is
March 16, 2006.
If you have questions, please contact one
of the Nominating Committee members:
Jill Whitten, Chair
Phone/fax: (713) 426-0191
wpfineart@houston.rr.com
Kate Garland
(816) 751-1253
kgarland@nelson-atkins.org
Beverly Perkins
(951) 698-1520
perkins.b@comcast.net
Call for Nominations for Candidates
for the AIC Nominating Committee
The president of AIC seeks nominations
of qualified candidates for the Nominating
Committee election to be held at the 2006
AIC business meeting.There are three mem-
bers on the committee and the service com-
mitment is three years. Each year one new
member is elected to the Nominating
Committee.
Per the AIC Bylaws, all nominations
should be sent to the AIC President, Nancy
Odegaard, c/o AIC, 1717 K Street, NW, Suite
200,Washington, DC 20036. A written state-
ment that the nominee is willing to serve
must accompany the nominations. Additional
nominations will be accepted at the business
meeting.
Certification Update
In November 2002, after the AIC
Certification Task Force presented a model for
a certification program (AIC News, May
2002), the AIC Board called for a vote to get
a sense of member support for a certification
initiative.The Board circulated a mail ballot to
all members of AIC asking whether the
resources of the organization should be put
toward developing a professional certification
program. Sixty two percent of the ballots cast
were in the affirmative.The Board then creat-
ed a Certification Development Committee
(CDC), charged with developing a certifica-
tion program for conservators, including a
mechanism for re-certification or renewal.
Building on the work of the Certification
Task Force, the Committee was tasked to cre-
ate a program for membership and Board
review through:
·
Direct involvement of AIC membership
·
Cooperation and input from AIC
Specialty Groups, Committees, and Task
Forces
·
The judicious and appropriate use of
expertise outside of AIC
·
Research on and evaluation of existing
conservator certification programs
The CDC Structure
As chair of the committee I was
delighted that many AIC members immedi-
ately expressed an interest in participating in
what was certain to be the long and com-
plex process of developing a certification
program. In order to begin addressing the
many diverse tasks necessary to develop a
successful program and to get the input of as
many members as possible, a unique AIC
committee was formed. The initial CDC
members were chosen from the other AIC
committees that would be most impacted by
certification: Membership, By-laws, and
Education and Training. In addition, the spe-
cialty group chairs were asked to select a
representative to serve on the CDC, and
CIPP was asked to select an additional repre-
sentative for the CDC to be certain that we
considered issues and concerns relating to a
growing number of AIC members engaged
in private practice.
Each member of the CDC was asked to
form a working group and was assigned certi-
fication development tasks relating to areas of
interest or expertise.
This structure allows the CDC to tackle
a large number of tasks simultaneously--
expediting the development process--and also
broadens the base for member participation in
Visit the AIC
website for up to
the minute 2006
Annual Meeting
information.
Be in the
know--bookmark
the AIC website
today:
www.aic-faic.org
4 AIC NEWS, March 2006
the development of a certification program.
The working groups are made up of AIC
members who previously had expressed inter-
est in working on certification or have special
expertise in the task subject.The specialty
groups were asked to create their own certifi-
cation task forces by soliciting interested
group members, and to select managers for
their task forces who also would serve on the
CDC specialty group working group.
A process is now in place for all work-
ing groups to carry out their tasks and to
make recommendations to the CDC and for
the CDC, after discussion, to make recom-
mendations to the AIC Board and the AIC
membership.
Initial Tasks
Current members and initial tasks of the
CDC and working groups are the following:
CDC:
Terry Drayman-Weisser (Chair);
Rebecca Rushfield (recently replacing
Rosemary Fallon) (By-laws);Tom
Edmondson (Membership); Kory Berrett
(CIPP); Martha Singer (Education and
Training); Frederick Wallace (Specialty
Groups).
Tasks:
·
Determine whether certification should
be general as opposed to specialty-specific
and whether initially for practicing
conservators only
·
Recommend categories for certification,
e.g. Fast-Track, Regular, and Renewal
·
Develop a format for the certification
examination
·
Evaluate staff needs for running a
certification program (working with AIC
office staff)
·
Evaluate the cost of a certification
program and create a budget
By-laws Working Group:
Rebecca
Rushfield (Chair), Rosemary Fallon, Maria
Fredericks, Hilary Kaplan.
Tasks:
·
Determine whether any by-laws changes
are necessary for AIC to carry out
certification
·
Develop an appeals process for
certification and recommend the make up
of an appeals body
·
Investigate a system for record
confidentiality and make a
recommendation (with AIC office staff)
including a budget
Membership Working Group:
Tom
Edmondson (Chair), Susan Adler,Tom Heller,
Sarah Fisher, Shelley Sass, Jonathan Thornton.
Tasks:
·
Examine the possible effects of
certification on membership in AIC,
including membership categories, increases
or decreases in membership numbers
(including if AIC requires membership to
apply for certification)
·
Determine whether Fast-Track
certification is recommended and what
the qualifications should be
·
Address how we determine practical skills
CIPP Working Group:
Kory Berrett
(Chair), Nancy Pollak.
Tasks:
·
Update review of successes and failures of
existing conservation certification programs
(Canadian, British, European, etc.)
·
Recommend minimum requirements to
sit for certification exam (education,
training, experience)
Education and Training Working
Group:
Martha Singer (Chair), Rebecca
Rushfield, Karen Pavelka, Erika Lindensmith.
Tasks:
·
Evaluate opportunities for preparing for
exams (bibliographies, courses, seminars,
literature, on-line courses, etc.)
·
Recommend a format for re-certification
program (how many years after
certification? Method for demonstrating
continuing education and participation?)
·
Develop bibliographies for preparation for
exam
Specialty Group Working Group:
Frederick Wallace (Chair); Dorothy Krotzer
(Architecture); Susan Russick (Book and
Paper); Kory Berrett (CIPP); Marlan Green
(Electronic Media); Julie Wolfe (OSG);
Harriet Irgang (Paintings Specialty Group);
Laura Downey Staneff (Photographic
Materials Group); James Martin (RATS);
Deborah Lee Trupin (Textiles Specialty
Group); Randy S.Wilkinson (Wooden
Artifacts).
Tasks:
·
Determine what knowledge all
conservators should have regardless of
specialty (beginning with a review of the
document,"Defining the Conservator:
Essential Competencies," available at the
AIC website, under "About AIC/AIC
Core Documents," AIC 2003)
·
Develop questions for exam
·
Develop case studies for exam, if required
CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS
At a meeting of the CDC held in
Minneapolis in 2005, the CDC first discussed
Introducing
Electronic
Ballots for
2006 AIC
Board of
Directors
Elections
AIC is streamlin-
ing the voting
process in an
effort to reduce
costs to the
organization while
maintaining the
basic framework
of the elections.
By April 16, the
ballot form, the
candidates'
answers to the
questions posed
by the Nominat-
ing Committee,
and candidate
biographical infor-
mation will be
placed in a mem-
bers-only section
on the AIC web-
site.
When the ballots
are available,
members will be
notified in two
ways:
· By email, on
April 17, with
the link to the
ballot section of
the AIC web-
site.
5 AIC NEWS, March 2006
two issues that have been brought up by AIC
members in the past: whether program train-
ing will be a requirement for certification
and whether an undergraduate college degree
will be required. The group also discussed
general vs. specialty-specific certification, lim-
iting the initial certification program to prac-
ticing conservators, certification categories, a
certification exam format, and proof of prac-
tical skills.
Graduate Program Pre-requisite
The CDC recommends that program
training not be a requirement for certification
because there are many highly skilled and
competent conservators who have not been
trained through a graduate training program.
A certification exam should test for compe-
tencies, not for the source of training.
Undergraduate Degree Pre-requisite
An undergraduate degree is generally
regarded as a basic level of formal education
(see "Defining the Conservator: Essential
Competencies," AIC 2003 pg. 2,).The CDC
recognizes that some highly qualified, compe-
tent conservation professionals may not have
undergraduate degrees, and that these conser-
vators should not be excluded from the certi-
fication program. One possible solution dis-
cussed was to provide a grace period and not
require an undergraduate degree for anyone
applying during the first five years of the cer-
tification program. Alternatively, an under-
graduate degree could be required but the
rules could be flexible enough so that a con-
servator without an undergraduate degree
could apply for a variance and be allowed to
sit for the certification examination. If he/she
passes, the lack of a degree should not prevent
the conservator from being certified.
Membership representative,Tom
Edmondson, observed that it would make
sense to have pre-requisites in keeping with
those currently used for Professional Associate
membership: "An applicant should have an
undergraduate university degree or the inter-
national equivalent. Applicants without a
degree may still apply, but must request a
waiver from the `Board of Examiners' (or
other governing body)."There was consensus
that the CDC adopt Tom Edmondson's rec-
ommendation.
General Certification vs. Specialty-specific
Certification
The CDC recommends that certification
should initially be general rather than special-
ty-specific.The specialty groups currently are
at various stages of readiness to develop spe-
cialty-specific certification programs. Some
specialty groups may be many years away
from even beginning to plan for specialty cer-
tification.The consensus was that it would be
detrimental to the development of a working
program if it were created in a piecemeal
fashion.The CDC recommends that AIC
begin with general certification and that spe-
cialty certification be added if and when each
specialty group develops a specialty certifica-
tion program.
Limiting Initial Certification to Practicing
Conservators
The CDC recommends that certification
be initially offered to practicing conservators
with the possibility of expanding to educa-
tors, conservation scientists, administrators,
etc., if these groups are interested and wish to
create appropriate methods of evaluation and
testing. If an educator, scientist, administrator,
or other conservation-related professional, is
also trained as a practicing conservator, he/she
could apply for certification.
Certification Categories
The CDC recommends the following
categories for certification: Regular (by
exam), Fast-Track (without exam, but with
specific requirements), and Renewal (re-certi-
fication after a specified time period).The
Renewal category was considered especially
important for assuring that those certified
would stay abreast of advances in the field in
order to retain their certification (education
and training working group to recommend
requirements).Tom Edmondson added com-
ments from the membership working group
concerning the Fast-Track category.The
membership working group felt that the
inclusion of this category will be accepted
only if it is not considered a `free ride.'
The membership working group's rec-
ommendation was that "only Fellow and PA
members with 7 years or more experience be
eligible for Fast-Track certification, with the
additional requirement of having their first
certification renewal in a shorter timeframe
than required for all others.There should be a
well-broadcast one-year window available
prior to launching the Fast-Track program for
anyone eligible to be a PA, who has 7 years or
more experience, but has not upgraded from
Associate to do so."
The CDC members suggested an addi-
tional requirement that those certified
through Fast-Track agree to be involved with
evaluating the exam questions by taking sam-
ple tests anonymously.There was general
agreement by the CDC members that all of
· By postcard,
mailed on or
near April 7,
with instruc-
tions on how to
request that a
ballot be faxed
or mailed to
you if you do
not have Inter-
net access.
Once you have
downloaded your
ballot, return the
completed ballot
to AIC no later
than May 16 in
one of three ways:
· Fax
· Email
· Postal Service
If you have not
already done so,
be sure to let AIC
know of any mail-
ing or email
address changes
prior to April 1.
6 AIC NEWS, March 2006
the above would be reasonable requirements
for a Fast-Track category.
Certification Exam Format
CDC members discussed the format
for a certification exam. The intent of the
model proposed previously by the
Certification Task Force was to make the
exam as objective as possible. The following
format was suggested: a written two-part
multiple choice exam, the first section
would be made up of questions on general
widely-based knowledge across all specialties
and the second section would include a
specified number of self-selected case histo-
ries with questions addressing complex con-
cepts and processes. A passing grade would
be required on each part of the exam. All
members of the CDC agreed that this for-
mat be recommended. Proctored examina-
tions in conjunction with AIC meetings as
well as at selected regional locations were
recommended by the Committee.
Proof of Practical Skills
The CDC recommends that proof of
practical skills be required before taking the
written exam.The membership working
group addressed how a conservator's practical
skills could be assessed.Their initial com-
ments on this are as follows:
"We think that a visiting committee to
each studio is probably impractical.We also
had to refine what was meant by practical
skills.We arrived at `important practical skills
relevant to the individual's discipline,' and
which included problem solving, powers of
observation, reasoning and treatment design.
One way of actually being able to ascertain
these skills might be to send out a CD with
high quality images of an object or work of
art, have the applicant perform an examina-
tion and write a condition report with a
treatment proposal.The report should
include a well-developed rationale for the
proposed treatment.This plus 3 letters of rec-
ommendation that address the applicant's
capabilities in all of the above, including an
assessment of the applicants applied treat-
ment skills."
On-going Work
All working groups have been address-
ing assigned tasks and the chair of each
group will report progress in future issues of
the AIC News.The CDC in collaboration
with AIC Board Director, Jane Klinger, and
AIC Executive Director, Eryl Wentworth, are
pursuing funding sources to expedite the
development of a certification program. I
wish to thank Katy Untch for her past efforts
in this area.
If you are interested in participating in
the certification development process, we wel-
come your input.There is still much to do.
The best way to contribute is to volunteer on
a specialty group task force.We also encourage
your comments and suggestions which can be
sent to me at tweisser@thewalters.org.
--Terry Drayman-Weisser
tweisser@thewalters.org
AIC Help us Reach Out
As an AIC Member, you already have
an understanding of the valuable informa-
tional, professional, and educational benefits
that AIC membership provides. In addition
you have had the opportunity to play a role
in shaping the conservation profession.
In 2006 help us spread AIC benefits to
your colleagues. As a professional in the field,
you probably know of other conservators
and related professionals who are not AIC
members. Help us grow our membership by
providing us with their contact information,
so that we can introduce them to the AIC
you know and value.
Here are just a few examples of col-
leagues you can refer to AIC:
·
Your co-worker(s)--especially if they
always ask to borrow your AIC
publications
·
Your museum or organization (AIC has
institutional memberships)
·
Peers at other institutions you have
worked or networked with
·
If you attend a conference or workshop,
you can send the attendance list (these are
often in any set of materials your receive
onsite) to AIC.
Don't worry if you are unsure whether
a colleague is an AIC member; refer them to
us anyway and we will check on their mem-
bership status.
We welcome anyone as an "AIC
Ambassador." If you would like to approach a
colleague and explain the benefits of AIC
membership, we can provide you with some
talking points.
Please take a minute to think of at least
one person to refer to AIC and email or mail
us contact information. Not only will you be
helping your association grow, you will be
doing a colleague a favor.
Please email or mail information to:
Ruth Seyler
Membership & Marketing Director
Better an
expiration date
on your
respirator than
you! Reorder
your cartridges
before they are
finished. (Do you
know how many
hours a cartridge
is good for?) And
get fit tested
every year.
(A message
from the AIC
Health and
Safety Commit-
tee.)
rseyler@aic-faic.org
AIC
1717 K St. NW, #200
Washington, DC 20036
Members Respond to Education
Survey
Thomas Edmonson and Thomas Heller
of the AIC Membership Committee drew the
two winning names from more than 700
members who responded to the AIC educa-
tion survey this fall. Roger Joyce of the
Wyoming State Archives and Kevin Gleason
of Conservart, New York, will receive free
registrations to the 2006 AIC Annual Meeting
in Providence, Rhode Island. Congratulations
to the winners and many thanks to everyone
who responded to the survey.
Results from the education survey will
be compiled by late March. A summary
should appear in the May AIC News.The
response rate was approximately 30%, which
is excellent for a survey of this type.The sur-
vey results will be used to help evaluate AIC's
professional development program and to
guide future activities.The data will also be
compared to a similar survey conducted in
2001 to identify trends and changing needs.
The survey was funded in part by a
Preservation and Access Education and
Training grant from the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
--Eric Pourchot
epourchot@aic-faic.org
$10,000 Grant from the Samuel H.
Kress Foundation Supports
Workshops in Louisiana
With funds from a generous $10,000
grant from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation,
the AIC is taking lessons learned from the
2005 hurricane season to present three one-
day workshops on wet recovery of collections
in locations across Louisiana. Organized by
Mary Striegel, with the support of the
National Park Service's National Center for
Preservation Technology and Training
(NCPTT), the workshops are open to collec-
tions staff and volunteers from cultural organ-
izations and private collectors.
Professional conservators will present
topics in disaster recovery based on docu-
mented research and first-hand experience.
Instructors will cover personal safety, disaster
planning, salvage and recovery methods for a
variety of materials, needed supplies, and first
steps after a disaster. Additionally, participants
will have an opportunity to handle damaged
materials similar to those they would likely
encounter in their own collections.
Instructors include Beverly Perkins, a
member of the Emergency Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery Committee of the
AIC and acting AIC volunteer responder
coordinator, and Hilary A. Kaplan, a senior
conservator at the U.S. National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA).The
National D-day Museum, LSU Rural Life
Museum, and NCPTT have generously
agreed to be the institutional host sites.
AIC's partners in sponsoring the work-
shops include the Federal Emergency
Management Agency; the Louisiana
Association of Museums; the Louisiana
Department of Culture, Recreations, and
Tourism; NARA; and NCPTT.
Annual Meeting News
2006 Annual Meeting Registration
Has Begun.
Keep an eye out for the 2006 Annual
Meeting Registration Brochure.You should
be receiving it in the mail soon. Get the best
value by registering by the early bird deadline
of April 2. Join your colleagues in Providence,
Rhode Island, June 16-19, for the latest infor-
mation about the conservation field.
·
Participate in the ongoing debate that is
the 2006 Annual Meeting theme: "Using
Artifacts: Is Conservation Compromised?"
·
Experience an Exhibit Hall packed with
the latest conservation products and
services.Vendors will be on hand to assist
you with your product assessments.
·
Discover new treatment techniques from
the many papers presented.
·
Develop and strengthen relationships with
colleagues through the many networking
opportunities available at the Annual
Meeting.
·
Learn new skills in an AIC pre-conference
workshop.
·
Delight in Providence--a modern
American city full of Old World charm.
See you in Providence! Visit the AIC
website at www.aic-faic.org for more infor-
mation.
Volunteers Needed!
Are you looking for a way to reduce the
cost of attending AIC's Annual Meeting?
Consider becoming an Annual Meeting vol-
unteer. AIC is looking for individuals to pro-
vide between four and eight hours of volun-
teer service during the Annual Meeting.
Projects can include assembling packets, assist-
7 AIC NEWS, March 2006
Low Hotel
Rates in Major
Cities
At your next
opportunity, check it
out and check into
Club Quarters! As a
member of AIC, you
and your guests can
take advantage of low
hotel room rates (par-
ticularly on weekends
and holidays). Hotels
are located in New
York, Philadelphia,
Chicago, San Fran-
cisco, Houston,
London, and Wash-
ington, DC.
Club Quarters
offers 24-hour room
service and a fitness
facility.The rooms all
have free high-speed
wireless Internet
access, a dataport, a
speakerphone with
two lines, cordless
phone, a well-lit desk
and work area, refrig-
erator, and tea and
coffee makers.
We hope you and
your colleagues,
friends, and family
can take advantage of
this AIC member
benefit!
For more informa-
tion, visit the Club
Quarters' web site at
www.clubquarters.com
or email them at
reservations@
clubquarters.com.
(Password:AIC)
ing at the registration desk, staffing a local
hospitality table, staffing the AIC booth, and
monitoring sessions. All selected volunteers
must be current AIC members and are
required to register by the early bird deadline
(April 2, 2006).
In appreciation of a minimum of eight
hours of service, student volunteers receive a
full refund and regular members a 50%
refund of the applicable early bird registration
fees ($80/students and $270/regular mem-
ber.) For volunteers who provide less than
eight but at least four hours of service, stu-
dent volunteers will receive 50% and regular
members 25% off the applicable early bird
registration fees.
For consideration and more information
relating to this opportunity, please contact AIC
Membership & Marketing Director, Ruth
Seyler at (202) 452-9545 ext. 18 or rseyler@aic-
faic.org.
FAIC News
FAIC Receives NEH Grant for
Professional Development
The National Endowment for the
Humanities awarded FAIC a $288,312
Preservation and Access Education and
Training grant to support an expansion of AIC's
program of professional development for conser-
vators during 2006 and 2007.The award
includes support for program costs as well as
additional FAIC scholarships for participants.
Upcoming workshops funded by the grant
include:
"Tear Repair of Paintings," May 11-13,
New Haven, Connecticut
"Water and Paper," August 1-4, Buffalo,
New York, and August 8-11, San
Francisco, California
"Adhesives for Conservation,"
September 11-15, Los Angeles,
California
Workshop topics proposed for 2007
under the grant request include "Bleaching of
Works on Paper," "Museum Exhibit
Lighting," "Characterization of Hides,"
"Modern Drawing and Painting Media," and
an additional presentation of "Adhesives for
Conservation."
Collaborating institutions include Yale
University Art Gallery, State University of
Buffalo, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco,
UCLA/Getty Archaeological and
Ethnographic Conservation Program, Getty
Conservation Institute, Canadian
Conservation Institute, Gerald R. Ford
Conservation Center,Winterthur Museum,
New York University Institute for the Arts
Conservation Center, and The Morgan
Library.
Letters of support from past workshop
participants and many of AIC's allied organiza-
tions helped to make the case that affordable
continuing education opportunities for con-
servators will significantly enhance stewardship
of America's cultural property and important
primary sources for humanities research, edu-
cation, and dissemination. Thanks to everyone
for their support!
--Eric Pourchot
epourchot@aic-faic.org
FAIC Board Establishes New Grant
Category
At its November meeting the FAIC
Board voted to establish an additional grant
category entitled "Small Meeting Support."
The Small Meeting Support grant, up to
$2500, is intended to help AIC members
defray the costs of developing and holding
small meetings. A small meeting is defined as
one that has more than five but less than 12
people. Meetings may include seminars,
research, brainstorming, problem solving, or
other continuing education endeavors that
support both professional development and
the conservation profession.The small meet-
ing grant is intended to create a participative
environment where problem(s) are solved and
decisions are made on a subject, problem, or
idea.The grant can also be used to facilitate
communication among meeting participants,
so funds could be spent on telephone, video,
or web conferencing expenses. Application
forms and grant guidelines will be posted on
the AIC website by June 1 and the deadline
for application is September 15, 2006.
8 AIC NEWS, March 2006
Comparing
health insurance
rates?
Call 888/450-
3040 to find out
if you can benefit
by joining AIC
Association
Health Programs!
9 AIC NEWS, March 2006
sculpture (or architectural fragments
and larger sets of building elements)
generally present a more consistent pat-
tern of soiling than sculpture, monu-
ments, and buildings outdoors. Indoors,
high points, projections, and up facing
surfaces tend to soil more and become
darker than recesses and this preferential
soiling can create a garish and confus-
ing appearance.
This pattern of soiled high points
and projections is essentially the nega-
tive of what occurs outdoors for lime-
stone and marble where recesses and
areas not exposed to run-off accumu-
late black deposits and fully exposed
areas remain light. Surfaces of carbon-
ate rocks exposed to no-rain events or
run-off participate in a process known
as dry deposition and become pervasive-
ly soiled--any light-dark effects of
light play are muted or obliterated in
the overall dark grayness of tone.
Sandstones and other silicate rocks also
soil pervasively in thin layers. Another
effect for buildings that are completely
soiled is that their sense of weight is
greater than that naturally created by
their massing and materials.
Differences in choice of building
materials can also result in unintended
visual effects. For example, the soiling of
limestone and sandstone exposed out-
doors is demonstrated to good effect on
the New York Academy of Medicine,
which is constructed of both light gray
Indiana limestone and mottled, mustard
colored Ohio sandstone (see figure 3).
The building's "salt and pepper" appear-
ance results from rain-washed, light
limestone and completely soiled sand-
stone and is an artifact of their mineral-
ogy and related mechanisms of soiling.
Risks in Choosing Not to Clean
Conservators also rationalize clean-
ing outdoor stonework to reduce or
eliminate sources of deterioration.
Although aesthetic aims for cleaning may
apply equally to limestone and sandstone,
this equality does not apply when the
goal of cleaning is to slow or eliminate
deterioration. Mechanisms of soiling and
the resultant components are different for
carbonate and silicate building stones.
For example, limestone and marble inter-
act with acid rain and sulfur dioxide to
produce gypsum (calcium sulfate dihy-
drate) that secures black particulates (fly-
ash) in place. This results in the patterns
of light (erosion or loss) and dark (accre-
tions or crusts) seen on the façade of the
Columbia University building and the
Giambologna sculpture. In contrast, soil-
ing of most silicate rocks such as sand-
stones does not involve the action of acid
rain or sulfur dioxide and the resulting
deposits contain only hydrocarbons and
flyash. Gypsum is not present and the
soiling layer is thin, pervasive, and tightly
bound to the stone surface.
What potential risks do these dif-
ferent structures and components of
soiling pose for their respective sub-
strates? For limestone and marble out-
doors, experience indicates that leaving
soiling crusts in place leads to loss of the
underlying stone because of the water
solubility of gypsum. Removing these
crusts significantly reduces the risk of
loss. Some readers may recall that a
similar argument was recently put forth
for removing gypsum deposits from
Michelangelo's David, but this argument
is not easily supported for objects
exhibited indoors. Gypsum must be
exposed to rain, or humidity in excess
of 97% (i.e. its equilibrium relative
humidity), for it to dissolve, be mobi-
lized, and then recrystallize. In contrast,
the absence of gypsum in the soiling
layer for most sandstones and other sili-
cate rocks leads to a much lower risk of
deterioration if the soiling is left in
place.Therefore, the rationale for
removing soiling solely to slow deterio-
ration of the stone is much weaker.
Risks in Choosing to Clean
The different components of soil-
ing associated with carbonate and sili-
cate substrates, and the relative tenacity
with which they are attached, influ-
ences their ability to be removed and,
therefore, the relative risk associated
with cleaning.The water solubility of
gypsum, which is the source of its abil-
ity to cause deterioration, also allows
for its removal by water alone--usually
with misting devices.Water alone is
continued from page 1
Figure 1: Giambologna, "Rape of the
Sabines," before cleaning.
Figure 2: Giambologna, "Rape of the
Sabines," after cleaning.
Figure 3: NY Academny of Medicine,
constructed of limestone and sandstone.
Note soiled sandstone.
10 AIC NEWS, March 2006
ineffective for cleaning sandstone.
Other methods, such as chemical
cleaning--using acids, bases, alone or
in combination, and particulate or
abrasive cleaning--using mineral or
glass particles delivered under pressure,
are generally considered to carry
greater risk of damage to stone sub-
strates than water misting.
Both chemical and abrasive meth-
ods have advanced considerably in the
last 25 years.The term most commonly
used for abrasive cleaning prior to
about 1980 was sand blasting.The wide-
spread use or misuse of the technique
led to a ban on abrasive cleaning by the
Department of the Interior for its his-
toric properties. At that time, the words
sand and blasting were quite appropriate.
The abrasive medium was sand--both
in the geologist's sense, i.e. a collection
of mineral particles ranging in size from
0.06 to 2 millimeters (60 to 2000
micrometers), and, in our common
sense, i.e. primarily particles of quartz
beach sand.The particles were also
"blasted" at stone surfaces at pressures
ranging from hundreds to thousands of
pounds per square inch (psi).The large
size and relative hardness of the parti-
cles, and the high pressure of delivery
allowed significant damage to occur
during routine cleaning operations.
Newer methods have employed much
smaller (a softer) particles (typically 50
micrometers or less) and much lower
pressures (60 psi or less).These
improvements allow use with much
lower risk, for cleaning not only sand-
stones, granites, schists, and gneisses, but
also limestones and marbles.
Advances in chemical cleaning
have not been as dramatic as with abra-
sive methods. However, formulations
have become more complex and have
taken advantage of many new surfactants
and wetting agents in addition to the
primary cleaning agents that may be
mixtures or organic and mineral acids,
strong bases, and chelating agents. For
several decades now, many building
cleaning products have contained gel
components and other additives similar
to or the same as those that have
become a focus of attention (and con-
troversy) for cleaning paintings. Gels
provide intimate contact with soiled sur-
faces and the slight adhesion keeps active
cleaning ingredients localized.With
resultant shorter dwell times, the risk of
damage, either by direct action of clean-
ing agents or by their subsurface migra-
tion, is much reduced. Gel clearance, a
problem cited for more fragile surfaces,
is more easily achieved for outdoor
stonework where copious quantities of
water and power washers can be used.
Another important aspect in the
judicious use of chemical cleaners over
the last two decades is that the skill level
of the mechanics that employ them has
been raised through various collabora-
tive efforts. For example, training pro-
grams initiated by institutions like
RESTORE have brought together con-
tractors, architects, conservators, and sci-
entists to increase general and specific
awareness of building conservation
methods and materials. Product manu-
facturers and suppliers have shared infor-
mation, experience and expertise about
cleaning materials and their proper use.
It should also be pointed out that archi-
tectural conservators have been both a
spur and a lubricant for raising the skill
level and awareness for all participants.
Like abrasive methods, chemical
methods are not without risk. In the
author's experience, it is easier to make
a mistake and the words "too clean"
are more often heard with chemical
cleaning than with other methods.
Cleaning and Over Cleaning--
Perception, Rhetoric and
Responsibility
Surprisingly, many of those who
have opinions about whether an object
or building has been over cleaned appear
to rely on the same yardstick used by
Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart
when discussing pornography. ("I may
not be able to describe it but I know it
when I see it.") Although the eye-con-
nected-to-the-brain is a powerful data
collection and data processing instru-
ment, false conclusions can be drawn
when data are over interpreted. For
example, sometimes the words "too
clean" or "over cleaned" are taken to
mean that irreparable physical damage
has been done, as is evidenced by a detri-
mental aesthetic affect. Concerns raised
by what knowledgeable eyes see should
be taken seriously. However, concluding
that physical damage has been done
based on concerns for what one sees is a
logical construction both incomplete and
casuistic and should not be used to put
boundaries around the activities (particu-
larly cleaning activities) of conservators.
To be sure, conservators are not
compelled to clean, but they should also
not give up their authority and responsi-
bility in making the choice to clean on aes-
thetic grounds alone.That authority must be
exercised openly and honestly--acknowl-
edging and making clear to our partici-
pant colleagues the risks involved in
cleaning so that an informed, collective
decision can be made. Many in the AIC
have a deep and vested interest in explor-
ing the boundaries of our knowledge in
ways that inform our actions as conserva-
tion professionals and, like other specialty
groups, the ASG has much to contribute
to this exploration and resulting dialogue.
--George Wheeler
gw2130@columbia.edu
Figure 4: Columbia University School of
Journalism Building, soiled limestone.
Figure 5: Columbia University School of
Journalism Building, unsoiled limestone.
11 AIC NEWS, March 2006
JAIC News
Staff changes
We welcome two new members to our
editorial team.They are: Anikó Bezúr, Associate
Conservation Scientist at the Art Institute of
Chicago and Greg Smith, Assistant Professor of
Conservation Science Buffalo State College.
Both Anikó and Greg are new associate editors
for the conservation science area. Regretfully,
Jennifer Mass has stepped down as associate
editor after serving for three years.
Recognition
With the closing of 2005 and the begin-
ning of 2006, I want to take the time to thank
and acknowledge the JAIC editorial staff, asso-
ciate editors, reviewers, and authors who
worked together to produce three wonderful
issues in 2005.The Fall/Winter issue has been
or will be delivered shortly.Writing and
reviewing a journal publication is an arduous
task that can sometimes even seem thankless.
We at the JAIC recognize that the Journal
could not be as successful as it is without the
dedication and hard work of these individuals
and we are grateful for their efforts. As the edi-
torial list is available in each issue and the
names of the JAIC article reviewers shall
remain anonymous, I have compiled a list of
the JAIC authors and book reviewers from
2005. Please join me in commending them.
JAIC Author Recognition list for 2005
Michele Austin
Valerie Baas
John Bogaard
Susan Bradley
Elizabeth Brown
Sandra Connors-Rowe
Patricia Cox Crews
Pete Dandridge
Janet Evenson
Mark Feitl
Natalie Firnhaber
Walter Franke
Silvia Garcia Fernandez-Villa
Lisa Goldberg
Fiona Graham
Greta Hansen
Susan Heald
Erica James
Jessica Johnson
Marian Kaminitz
Emily Kaplan
Catherine Magee
Kelly McHugh
Paul Messier
Magda Mircea
Hannah Morris
Garnet Muething
Mark Ormsby
Pachael Perkins Arenstein
Margarita San Andres Moya
Martha Smith
Joseph Swider
Diane Tafilowski
Joel Taylor
Lauren Varga
Robert Waller
Paul Whitmore
Leslie Williamson
Angela Yvarra MeGrew
JAIC Book Reviewer Recognition list for
2005
Thomas Braun
Thea Burns
Patricia Garland
Heather Hendry
Marian Kaminitz
Katherine Olivier
Leslie Rainer
Donna Strahan
--Michele Derrick, Editor-in-Chief, JAIC
mderrick@mfa.org
People
Corinne Dune
has joined Etherington
Conservation Services (ECS) as the Associate
Photograph and Paper Conservator. Corinne
brings many strengths, including her years of
hands-on experience and her accumulated
knowledge of photograph conservation. ECS
is pleased to add a conservator of Corinne's
experience and education to the staff in
Greensboro, North Carolina. Corinne's con-
tact information is: cdune@etheringtoncs
.com; (336) 665-1317; 7609 Business Park
Drive, Greensboro, NC 27409.
Scott Homolka
has been appointed
Associate Conservator of Works of Art on
Paper at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Since graduation from the Art Conservation
Department at SUNY, Buffalo, he has held
positions at the Fine Arts Museums of San
Francisco, the Straus Center for Conservation
and Technical Studies, and the PMA where he
previously was a Mellon Fellow in Paper
Conservation. Scott can be reached at (215)
684-7674 or shomolka@philamuseum.org.
Katrina Newbury
joined staff at The
Virginia Herrick Deknatel Paper
Conservation Laboratory, Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston in January as the Saundra B.
Lane Associate Conservator. Formerly, Katrina
was Associate Conservator of Paper and
Photographic Materials at the Williamstown
2006 Annual
Meeting Web
Page
It is never too early
to start making arrange-
ments for the 2006
Annual Meeting in
Providence, Rhode
Island. For important
details relating to this
event including infor-
mation about the host
city, hotel, registration
fees, and marketing
opportunities, visit
http://www.aic-faic.org.
Be sure to look for
your copy of this year's
registration brochure. If
you have any questions
or are currently not a
member and would like
to receive copies of our
promotional materials,
please contact:
Ruth Seyler
Membership Manager
AIC
1717 K Street NW,
Suite 200
Washington, DC
20036
(202) 452-9545 ext. 18
rseyler@aic-faic.org
See page 7 for money
saving volunteer opportu-
nities.
12 AIC NEWS, March 2006
Art Conservation Center. During her five
years at the regional lab, Katrina relocated to
Georgia for two years to establish the paper
lab at the satellite Atlanta Art Conservation
Center. She received her graduate training in
conservation at the Winterthur/University of
Delaware Program in Art Conservation, and
completed her third year internship at the
Western Regional Paper Conservation
Laboratory at the Fine Arts Museums of San
Francisco. She can be reached at (617) 369-
3849 or knewbury@mfa.org.
Yoshi Nishio
of Nishio Conservation
Studio in Washington, D.C. was videotaped
from January 22 through February 1 for a
Japanese TV program, "Gates To A Dream."
The popular 30-minute program, broadcast by
the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), intro-
duces Japanese viewers to people working in
interesting and unique professions--in this
case, a Japanese painting conservator working
in the United States. In addition to Mr.
Nishio,TBS interviewed
Eric Pourchot
of
AIC,
Linda Stiber Morenus
of the Library
of Congress,
Barbara Buckley
of the Barnes
Foundation, and
Judy Walsh
of the Buffalo
Conservation Program.The program helped
raise awareness in Japan of Asian painting
conservation in the U.S.The program aired
on Sunday February 19th at 6:30 p.m.
In Memoriam
Kathryn O. Scott (1911- 2005)
AIC Fellow and honorary member of the
American Institute for Conservation, Kathryn
Olivia Scott died peacefully in her home in the
Murray Hill section of New York on Saturday,
October 15, 2005. She was 94 years old.
Born in Galesburg, Illinois, Miss Scott
moved to Manhattan in the early 1930s. After
holding a variety of jobs and attending courses
at the Arts Students League, she was given a
carton of textiles by a dealer and collector of
pre-Columbian art. He asked her to treat
them as he didn't know anyone else with
Scott's ingenuity.Thus began her career in tex-
tile conservation. Her trademarks were to plan
carefully and to seek the advice of leading
experts. She'd consult the renowned Dr. Junius
Bird (American Museum of Natural History,
NY) or a superb surfactant chemist, and she
would carefully find the best answer to her
question. She went on to work on many fine
textiles for a number of private clients and
museums in New York City and across the
United States. As a private conservator she
considered craftsmanship and integrity to be
the cornerstones of her practice. She offered
to return a fragile textile whose owner wanted
a `rush job' and a discount, or a check for a
treatment that she decided was not adequate.
She worked on projects for Junius Bird,
advised Francesca Greene at the Textile
Museum, delivered presentations at AIC,
ICOM-CC, and even the Centre
Internationale d'etude des Textiles Anciens in
Lyon, France.Yet her primary concern was for
the individual textile in her care. She routinely
stayed up into the wee hours of the morning
to ensure the proper packaging of a finished,
treated specimen. (She often said, "Do not call
a textile `an object'--it sounds too careless!")
Despite her penchant for perfection, she
made each fledgling protégé feel as though he
or she was the most special person Kay Scott
had ever known! Beginning in 1964, she was
an Adjunct Associate Professor of Conservation
at the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine
Arts, New York University, where she trained
many of the American textile conservators who
are currently in practice today. She leaves
behind a niece and nephew as well as many,
many devoted friends and admirers. Burial was
private; a memorial celebration was sponsored
by the Conservation Center and the family.
--Mary Ballard
ballardm@scmre.si.edu
Conference Reports
Gleaming, Conservation Initiatives
From the Orinoco River
The Second Forum on the Conservation
of the Patrimony, held in Caracas from
November 4-5, was designed by Alvaro
Gonzalez, conservator of documents and
books and Executive Director of the National
Archives of Venezuela.The Forum was car-
ried out by Gonzalez's staff of 18 people
under the auspices of a foundation he has cre-
ated with The Institute for Advanced Studies
(IDEA).The Forum was supported through
grants from the United Nations, ICCROM,
and local foundations. (For more information,
visit www.fundacionconservacion.org.) Five
more days of workshops took place after the
Forum.The number of participants from
Latin America countries was about 120, and
the predominant language was Spanish.
The opening lecture, given by José
Orraca, addressed the preservation of history,
art, music, and literature in terms of cultural
identity, in "I am...I was, Our Patrimony
Defines Us." Conference talks covered multi-
ple aspects of cultural patrimony and present-
ed the opportunity for specialists to intermin-
gle and create advantageous dialogue. Ramón
Paolini, an architect who impressed us with
AIC Announce
Get the latest con-
servation-related
announcments
delivered straight to
your email inbox.
Join AIC Announce,
AIC's listserv, and
keep up-to-date
with what's going
on in the conserva-
tion community.
Here's how to join:
· From the email
address at which
you want to
receive announc-
ments, send an
email to:
majordomo@lists.
stanford.edu
· In the body of
your email, put
this message: sub-
scribe aic-
announce
Questions? Contact:
aic-announce-owner
@lists.stanford.edu
13 AIC NEWS, March 2006
his use of color, presented a paper on the
restoration of a house in Petare. He empha-
sized a dominant and controversial theme of
the Forum--the use of color in conservation,
especially in architectural conservation and the
conservation of contemporary art.This theme
was continued in a presentation by Paolo
Donghia, another architect, who reported on a
restoration project of "Teatro Baralt" a beauti-
ful Art Deco theatre in Maracaibo,Venezuela.
Jesús Fuenmayor and Alvaro Gonzales gave
participants a real feeling for the philosophical
issues regarding museums and conservation in
"Curating and Conservation: Uno a la vez.
Drawings from Mercantil Collection."Villena
Figueira of the National Library, spoke widely
of criteria necessary for the evaluation of pho-
tographic collections. Ruby de Valencia, spoke
convincingly about the need to conserve pre-
historic drawings and sculptures, and her pres-
entation was especially poignant because
Venezuela has the largest number of cave
drawings in the world. Carmen Rosa Pfuyo,
from Peru, presented a history of early inter-
ventions in the restoration of documents, the
use of adhesives, tapes, and papers.
Few people know of the quality and
quantity of Contemporary Art in Venezuela.
Two individuals gave fabulous presentations on
the conservation of work by Jesús de Soto, and
Gego, Ingrid Lucena, and Ester Crespín.These
works are beginning to find their way into
institutions in America. Franz and Zully
Grupp, of Peru, reported on the creation of a
Museum of Colonial Art in Arequipa following
a major earthquake, the subsequent structural
collapse in the Santa Teresa nunnery and the
treatment of the many polychrome sculptures
that were damaged. Luis Blanco, from
Barquisimeto,Venezuela, charmed us with his
presentation on the conservation techniques he
has designed and implemented for the large
archives of an important newspaper, El Impulso.
From ICCROM, Gael de Guichen, presented
his usual plea for museums to improve their
storage conditions and overall preservation
standards. Concurrent with the Forum, Mr. de
Guichon and Mr. Gonzales led a course for
beginning professionals which espoused inter-
national preservation standards and was meant
to help participants design appropriate storage
conditions specific to their own institutions.
Overall, everyone who attended this
conference displayed a great spirit of com-
radeship, a willingness to admit mistakes, and a
desire to learn.The experience was reminis-
cent of the early days of AIC in that it raised
questions that crossed all areas of specializa-
tion and was imbued with excitement and
inquiry about all aspects of preservation.
The third Forum is already being
planned. Our brothers and sisters in Latin
American can teach us about an unparalleled
commitment to art, history, preservation, the
value of excellent craftsmanship, and an
unquenchable thirst for more information,
new materials, and new techniques.
--José Orraca
jorraca@earthlink.net
The Fifth Biennial North American
Textile Conservation conference
(NATCC): Recovering the Past: The
Conservation of Archaeological and
Ethnographic Textiles
Recuperando el Pasado: La
conservación de textiles
arqueológicos y ethnográficos
The Fifth North American Textile
Conservation Conference (NATCC) held in
Mexico City, November 9-12, 2005, represent-
ed a diversity of participants, objects, and per-
spectives concerning the complex field of tex-
tile conservation. Our Mexican colleagues and
the joint board of the NATCC did a tremen-
dous job of organizing a thoughtful, enriching
conference, with gracious and elegant hospitali-
ty.With approximately 250 participants, the
logistics alone were an enormous task, and the
organizers did a great job.The two long days
were packed with presentations and the sessions
were well-coordinated thematically so that
groups of papers addressed similar or related
issues through a focus on very different subjects.
The scope of presentations ranged from
obscure moosehair embroideries in souvenir
objects by Anne Macaky to monumental
caches of Pre-Columbian textiles from caves
in Leymebamba, Peru, by Lena Bjerrgaard.
Fanella France, Patricia Lissa, and others dis-
cussed extremes in preservation climates, such
as the intentionally frozen ritual burials from
the Inca period in the high-altitude Andean
peaks of Northern Argentina and the acciden-
tal artic preservation of a man and his gar-
ments in British Columbia presented by
Kjerstin Mackie.Textiles from other climatic
and cultural zones were presented by D Begay
and Jeanne Brako, in their discussion of
weavers from the Arizona deserts, Stephanie
Hornbeck in her discussion of tribesmen from
the African plains, as well as Christine Guintini
and Maya Naunton in their descriptions of
textile traditions from the Sudan. Additionally,
Cándida Ferández de Calderón addressed
Maya descendants from the semi-tropical
southern Mexican state of Chiapas. Re-
Your Bequest
Will Leave a
Legacy to the
AIC
A bequest to the
FAIC is a simple,
direct way to sup-
port the work of
the AIC--work
that supports con-
servators and pro-
motes the field of
conservation.
Bequests made
without restriction
go to the FAIC
Endowment,
which provides
annual scholarship
and development
income while
building support
for the future.
If you wish to
place restrictions
on the use of your
bequest, please
contact Eryl
Wentworth to
develop language
that meets your
special interests
and the needs of
the AIC.
Please consider a
bequest to the
FAIC when talk-
ing with your
lawyer and finan-
cial advisor about
estate planning.
14 AIC NEWS, March 2006
weavers in villages in India were
addressed by Priya Ravish.
A recurrent theme for the confer-
ence was the interrelationship between
preservation of indigenous cultural
heritage and the role of living commu-
nities in the interpretation, preserva-
tion, and presentation of their artwork.
Peruvian archaeological collections
located in Brazil were discussed by
Luciana da Silveira, Elizabeth
Mendonca, and Arabel Fernández
López. Lorena Román's discussion of a
Mexican feather mosaic tied together
themes of indigenous versus colonial
influences. Presentors also touched
upon a range of contexts for fiber art,
including ecclesiastical textiles from
Mexico by Mercedes Gómez Urquisa,
and from the Greek Church by Tatiana
Kousoulu. Alejandro Gonzáles
Villarruel talked about the redesign of
the ethnographic galleries in the
National Museum in Mexico.
The wide range of media present-
ed (including shells, beads, silver,
leather, squirrel, basketry, leopard skin,
and feathers) underscored the need of
the textile conservator to share creativ-
ity and a constant willingness to learn
about and adapt to the requirements of
the artform that we strive to preserve
and protect. Papers that focused on
laboratory work and analytical proce-
dures explicitly and implicitly dealt
with the effects, responsibilities, and
processes of conservation treatment.
Topics included such issues as pesticide
contamination, bleaching agents
(appropriate or not), wet-cleaning,
invisible reweaving, composite material
and three-dimensional installation
design, and x-radiography.
Although I did not participate in
the supplemental workshops, the con-
sensus from colleagues was that they
were professional, informative, and con-
structive experiences.The tours includ-
ed a survey of the rich cultural heritage
of Mexico City and its art collections
as well as surrounding archaeological
monuments.The organizers even
excelled in choosing craftspeople who
presented their wares during the two
days, enabling conference participants
to understand and partake in traditional
craft production (including local silk
weaving and cochineal farming).
Although Mexico has a rich textile
heritage, environmental circumstances
have left relatively few extant remnants
of its ancient pre-hispanic textile past.
The organizers propitiously prepared
several very important exhibitions so
that attendees could experience a rare
glimpse into this little known and rarely
preserved part of Mexican history.The
exhibition of archaeological materials
preserved in dry caves exhibited at the
Escula Nacional de Conservation
Restoration y Museografía with its frag-
ments from garments hundreds of years
old woven in supplementary weft pat-
terning, and the special textile exhibition
at the Instituto Nacional de
Antropología y Historia, including the
renown "Malinche huipil" replete with
silk and feathers woven into the tradi-
tional woman's dress, and a fantastic
multi-colored ikat-dyed quechquemitl,
were rare experiences, greatly appreciat-
ed by participants.These exhibitions
could have additionally served as a focal
point for dialogue regarding practices of
conservation treatment, installation, and
documentation.
Two key scholars bookended the
conference. Mary Frame, an independ-
ent scholar of Andean textiles, opened
the conference with an in-depth pres-
entation of her work systematically
unraveling and revealing the conceptu-
alization of textiles and textile process-
es in Andean culture.The conference
ended with a tribute to Irmgard
Weitlander Johnson, an American
scholar who has lived in Mexico for
over 50 years. She was honored for her
lifetime devotion to the study of
Mexican ethnographic and archaeolog-
ical textiles. Her presence during the
conference was a reminder of how
important it is to recognize the pio-
neers in our field and for that recogni-
tion to occur in a timely fashion.
Many of the participants from
North, Central, and South America
were present due to the generosity of
the Getty Foundation, which provided
funds for travel and registration for
many of the Latin American partici-
pants.The Chilean-based Comité Textil
held a coordinated meeting prior to
the conference, and many of their
members were in attendance. Although
the over-produced PowerPoint anima-
tion seen in many of the presentations
hindered communications at times, the
bilingual, spontaneous translations
(provided with help from the
American Embassy) facilitated the
cross-cultural dialogue among partici-
pants.The combination of colleagues
from a variety of countries and the
range of interests, experience, and
expertise created a dialogue that will
hopefully continue in the future.
Conference papers are forthcom-
ing. For more information, contact:
Suzanne Thomassen Krauss at
thomassenkrauss@nmah.si.edu or
Emilia Cortes at
paramodepisba56@yahoo.com.
--Elena Phipps, Conservator,Textile
Conservation Department
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Elena.phipps@metmuseum.org
Allied Organizations
NCPTT Creates Online
Clearinghouse for Disaster
Management of Cultural
Resources
Immediately following the
Hurricane Katrina disaster, NCPTT
created a website--
www.ncptt.nps.gov/hurricanes--that is
becoming a national clearinghouse for
information on hurricane response,
recovery, and disaster research.
The website is updated daily and
has four major divisions: Hurricane
Response, Publications, Organizations,
and Maps and Lists. Also on the site is
a weblog by Andy Ferrell, NCPTT's
architecture and engineering program
chief, who has been working with
FEMA in New Orleans.
Washington Watch
IMLS Budget Request
President Bush's budget requests
$262,240,000 for fiscal year 2007 for
the Institute of Museum and Library
Services (IMLS).The request, which
was delivered to Congress February 6,
represents an increase of $15,096,000
or 6.1 percent for IMLS.
"The Bush Administration con-
tinues its strong support for America's
libraries and museums because they are
an essential part of the infrastructure
that supports learning in the U