Workshop on conservation issues in contemporary photography

Conservation Issues in Contemporary Photography: 20th Century Color
A Collaborative Workshop in Photograph Conservation
Funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Hosted by the Museum of Modern Art. New York
20-24 October, 2008

Description: Utilizing the photography collection and current
photography exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), this
week-long workshop will acquaint the participants with the history,
technology, aesthetics, collecting, exhibiting and storage of
twentieth-century color photography. Many of these processes are
obsolete or fast becoming so, and it is imperative that they be
understood technically and historically and that the collections of
these works receive care from well-informed conservators and keepers
of collections. As in all collaborative workshops, lectures and
hands-on sessions will be presented by an interacting group of
conservators, scientists, artists, curators, and members of allied
professions.

Guest speakers James Reilly and Gawain Weaver of the Image
Permanence Institute (IPI) will join representatives from industry
to present technical histories of most of the salient color
processes popular during the last century. Sylvie Penichon of the
Amon Carter Museum will guide a practicum on identification and will
review the many international research initiatives in the
preservation of face-mounted and laminated photography. An overview
of the history of predictive research in color photography, the
intricacies of the Arrhenius approach, and the application of
research data toward preservation standards will be covered by Peter
Adelstein of the IPI. MoMA scientist Chris McGlinchey will summarize
research into adhesives for use with plastic-base photographic
supports and the practical application of the micro-fade meter in
making exhibition decisions. Views and strategies on treatment will
be shared by participants following presentations by a panel with
representatives from both institutional as well as private practice
conservation labs, including Peter Mustardo and Lee Ann Daffner.
Artists, such as Joel Meyerowitz and Joel Sternfeld, will present
their work and discuss philosophies about the use of various color
processes and image permanence and preservation. MoMA curators,
Peter Galassi and Sarah Meister, will be joined by representatives
from the photography market to consider the history of and issues in
collecting color works in institutional and private settings. Tours
of the MoMA storage areas and conservation labs will complete the
week.

Eligibility: The workshop is open to photograph conservators who
have had limited access to equivalent training. Enrollment is
extremely limited. Priority will be given to those with a proven
history for dissemination whether in a formal conservation program,
in the organization of workshops or meetings, through publication,
or the mentoring of interns.

Application Procedure: Applicants should submit a letter of interest
of no more than 1000 words, a curriculum vitae and one letter of
support. The applicant's letter should describe why participation in
this workshop is important to their educational and professional
goals and how it has direct application to their day-to-day work.
Prior experience with the topic or lack thereof should be noted as
well as opportunities for dissemination of information gained. The
applicant should note other Mellon Collaborative Workshops they have
attended. Applications will be evaluated according to their
statements of purpose, commitment to photograph conservation,
educational needs, letter of recommendation, previous workshops
attended, and access to educational opportunities, and possibilities
for further dissemination.

Limited financial aid will be awarded on the basis of need and may
include some contribution to defray basic travel expenses. A
separate statement indicating the reasons for financial assistance
and a basic budget should be submitted as part of the application.
There is no fee for this workshop. Funding cannot be provided until
original receipts are submitted.

Applications should be submitted to:

     Mellon Collaborative Workshops
     c/o Art Conservation Department
     303 Old College
     University of Delaware
     Newark DE 19716, USA

by July 21, 2008.

Any questions should be directed to

    Marsha Rybicki
    302-831-0837
    mrybicki<-a t->udel< . >edu


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:6
                  Distributed: Saturday, July 19, 2008
                        Message Id: cdl-22-6-017
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