UV protection for art installation

Tom Dixon <tom.dixon [at] ngv__vic__gov__au> writes

>Devorah Sperber <devorahsperber [at] earthlink__net> writes
>
>>My work will be installed in a train station (non climate controlled
>>with heat, humidity, salt air, and dust). My medium will be 80,000
>>spools of Coats and Clark thread. I need to find a product to spray
>>on or brush on the thread, which will provide UV protection and make
>>it possible to clean the thread periodically for a minimum of 10
>>years. The thread is cotton covered polyester spun onto plastic
>>cores. Ideally I'd like to find a coating with a satin finish  as
>>close as possible to the satin finish of the original thread.
>
>I believe the answer to this question is that the artist needs to
>engage a professional conservator to properly research the issues of
>preservation and display she raises and advise her.  Perhaps someone
>on the list who is experienced and qualified and works in the NYC
>area might like to contact her and offer their professional
>services.
>
>
>    **** Moderator's comments: While this is good advice--indeed an
>    artist/conservator collaboration makes a lot of sense here (I've
>    referred the querier to the AIC Guide to Conservation Services),
>    it need not preclude discussion here. This seems an intriguing
>    query, responses to which would be of interest to quite a few of
>    us.

Assuming that the recommendation "...to engage a professional
conservator..." means she needs to hire a conservator, I think that
this type of reply is unprofessional and inappropriate. As an artist
and a conservator, this response appears exploitive and implies that
the primary impetus for the conservator is one of profit. Who are
conservators to think that with their aid in the creation of the
artwork that future conservation problems can be avoided all
together? Doesn't that endanger the original intent of the artist?
Why can't we simply give an artist the information he needs to
fulfill the intent of the project? It is not our place, in the world
of the artist, to interfere with the creation of the product. Simply
giving the artist the information he needs to produce a sound
product isn't going to eliminate the need for our services. An
artist doesn't need to "collaborate" with a conservator. An artist
needs to just be an artist. Giving this woman a simple answer to a
simple question does not merit her hiring someone for
"collaboration."

If I might cite an article that appeared in the Getty's publication
Conservation (Vol. 17, Number 3, 2002), "Time and Change: A
Discussion about the Conservation of Modern and Contemporary Art," a
discussion with Jeffrey Levin, Editor of Conservation between the
Chief Conservator at MoMA, Jim Coddington; the recently deceased and
brilliant art historian, Kirk Varnedoe; and the widely known and
innovative Carol Mancusi-Ungaro addressed this exact situation.
These leading minds of our field brought up points such as: the
artist should be supplied with the information they need to create
their final product; the intent of the artist cannot be inhibited or
interfered with by the conservator. This article illustrates how
leading professionals in our field approach this topic and perhaps
explains *why* they are the leading professionals in our field.

I will reply to this woman and offer her some possible solutions for
such a simple situation--at no cost.

Lori Arnold
Architectural Conservator
Arnold Wood Conservation, LLC
1822 Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA  19130
215-763-3120
Fax: 215-763-7021


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:26
                Distributed: Tuesday, September 2, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-17-26-004
                                  ***