Exhibition maintenance

Margrit Reuss <margrit [at] rmv__nl> writes

>... We are now starting to set up an exhibition maintenance
>scheme which will include the planning of the exchange of the
>objects as well as cleaning of the exhibition space. We plan a
>rotating system for the paper and textile objects that will permit a
>display of about 6 months per object over a timespan of 5 years.
>
>We would be very interested to hear of exhibition maintenance
>programmes in other museums and what the experiences are regarding
>the effectiveness and feasibility of such programmes. What do other
>museums regard as an acceptable exposure time for light-sensitive
>materials?

We have been working on a 'Practical light policy' for some time
(see ICOM-CC 12th Triennial Meeting, Lyon, 1999, Derbyshire, A. and
Ashley-Smith, Jonathan. 'A Proposed Practical Light Policy for works
of art on paper at the V&A' pp38-41). We are currently updating this
policy.

In this policy we suggest simplifying categorisation of objects as
Sensitive (ISO 1-4) or Durable(ISO 5-8). The idea is to allow easy
and rapid categorisation without the need for analysis to determine
which pigments are present etc.

Sensitive category objects are then allowed on display at 50 lux for
20% of the time. e.g. 1 year in 5 or 2 years in 10 before rotation.
Durable category objects can be on permanent display at 200 lux
without rotation. These figures are based on giving an object 'a
life' of some 500 years. They also require a suggested rotation only
every 2 years in order to reduce the burden on
curators/conservators/exhibition staff.

Alan Derbyshire
Senior Paper Conservator
V&A Museum


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:21
                  Distributed: Friday, August 31, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-21-001
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