North Carolina Preservation Consortium Annual Conference

Preserving Objects and Artifacts: Conservation Science, Collection
    Care, and Outreach
North Carolina Preservation Consortium Annual Conference
William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
November 5, 2010
8:30 am - 4 pm

Objects connect us with the past, our heritage, and the creative
human spirit.  Preserving objects for present and future research
and exhibition is a professional obligation of cultural stewardship
and requires a commitment of resources and sustained effort.  Art
and artifacts in museums, libraries, historic sites, and archives
encompass a wide range of material with unique challenges for
preservation and conservation.  This conference will explore the
application of conservation science, collection care, and outreach
for the preservation of objects in collections of archaeological,
ethnographic, and historic artifacts, decorative arts, sculpture,
folk art, and contemporary art.  Each year the North Carolina
Preservation Consortium Annual Conference provides an opportunity to
learn from experts in preservation and conservation and network with
colleagues form large and small collection institutions throughout
the state.  Our speakers this year include;

    Christina Cole, PhD
    Mellon Fellow in Conservation
    Art Conservation Program, University of Delaware.

        Students in the objects conservation program are taught
        material science, analysis, treatment, and preservation of
        modern plastics, leather, feathers, bone, horn, ivory, hair,
        wood, metals, glass, ceramics, outdoor sculpture, and stone.
        Microchemical techniques and instrumental analysis are used
        to study the physical and chemical nature of objects to gain
        an understanding of the deterioration processes to determine
        appropriate conservation techniques.  Dr. Cole will provide
        an overview of the curriculum for the undergraduate degree
        in Material Culture Preservation, the masters degree in Art
        Conservation, and the doctoral program in Preservation
        Studies.  She will also provide profiles of graduates from
        these programs highlighting the diverse cultural
        institutions that value these degrees and the experience
        gained from university conservation programs.

    Jane Klinger
    Chief Conservator
    Unites States Holocaust Memorial Museum
    Washington DC

        Many objects in this museum collection belonged to victims
        and survivors of the World War II genocide.  Being in the
        presence of these witnesses to history often has a powerful
        affective impact on visitors.  Ms. Klinger will address
        collections care for these objects, tensions that may arise
        between conservators and exhibition curators, and the desire
        of some to let these artifacts return to the earth.  The use
        of digitization and virtual exhibits will also be explored
        as a potential compromise to the preservation of physical
        objects.

    Dr. W. Christian Petersen
    Conservation Scientist
    Winterthur Museum and
    Adjunct Associate Professor
    University of Delaware Art Conservation Program

        "Conservation Science: The Forensics of
        Cultural Material."

        Conservation science combines a variety of scientific
        disciplines in the study of cultural material. Museum
        scientists, typically chemists, work with conservators and
        curators to understand the materials chemistry of artifacts
        in order to aid their treatment and understanding.
        Scientists analyze artifacts to characterize materials and
        manufacturing techniques of various regions, time periods
        and artists, to aid in authenticity studies, to characterize
        previous repairs, alterations, or additions, and to evaluate
        new treatment materials and procedures. Cases studies will
        be presented which demonstrate the use of these techniques
        for the study of objects from the Winterthur Museum as well
        as other institutions and collectors.  As is increasingly
        the case, material culture scholarship and the conservation
        of artifacts are built on a scientific understanding of
        their components and degradation mechanisms.

    Emily Williams
    Conservator of Archaeological Artifacts
    Colonial Williamsburg  Virginia

        The world's largest living history museum, Colonial
        Williamsburg, includes collections of decorative arts, folk
        art, and historical artifacts.  Ms. Williams will present on
        the development and success of the exhibit Conservation:
        Where Art and Science Meet.  This conservation outreach
        project follows the life of objects, beginning with how they
        are made, their discovery and analysis, the processes of
        decay, the application of conservation science, and the
        curation of exhibitions to connect objects with historical
        narratives.  Visitors gained an understanding of the value
        of conservation to heritage tourism and the preservation of
        authentic historical artifacts.

The conference is designed for professionals and staff working in
museums, libraries, historic sites, archives, conservation centers,
and other heritage collection institutions.  Faculty and students in
conservation, museum studies, library and information science, art
history, public history, and related collection disciplines will
also benefit from participating in this conference.  Advocates for
collections preservation are welcome to attend as well.

The registration fee is $60.00 for employees of NCPC member
institutions and individual NCPC members, $75.00 for non-members,
and $50.00 for graduate students in collections programs.  This fee
includes lunch, refreshments, and materials.  To RSVP please send an
email to robertjamesncpc<-at->gmail<.>com then complete and mail the
registration form with payment.  The form is available at
<URL:http://www.ncpreservation.org>. NCPC does not accept credit or
debit card payments.  Attendees may pay at the door with cash or
check if they present an email acknowledgement that their RSVP was
received.

Location, Directions, and Parking: The conference will be held at
the

    William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    Campus Box 1020
    100 Friday Center Drive
    Chapel Hill NC 27599-1020

Parking is free.  Directions to the Friday Center are available on

    <URL:http://www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/directions/index.htm>

Cancellation and Refund Policy: The annual conference may be
cancelled due to low registration or other causes beyond our
control, such as severe weather.  In such an event, registrants will
be notified and fees refunded.  Otherwise, registration fees are
nonrefundable.  Substitution are permitted.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:20
                Distributed: Wednesday, October 13, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-24-20-015
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