Workshops on care and identification of digital prints

The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of
Historic and Artistic Works, in collaboration with the Museum of
Fine Arts Boston, presents

"Identification and Conservation of Digital Prints: A Collaborative
    Workshop in Photograph Conservation"
Organized and led by Martin Jurgens
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
October 29 - November 2, 2012

    <URL:http://www.conservation-us.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=1603>

Participants will be selected from the pool of applications received
by June 1, 2012. Later applications will be considered if space is
available. No payment required to apply; registration fee is payable
after admission to the workshop.

Registration Fee: $500 AIC Members; $700 non-members
Enrollment limit: 14

Scholarships are available. Use the "FAIC/NEH Individual
Professional Development Scholarship" guidelines and form available
at

    <URL:http://www.conservation-us.org/grants>

Scholarship application deadlines are Feb 15, 2012 and May 15, 2012.
Applicants should apply for scholarships prior to receiving
notification of admission decisions.

Pre-requisites: This workshop is designed for mid-career
conservators who specialize in the treatment of photographic
materials, works of art on paper, and/or contemporary art as their
primary focus. Participants may be selected based on order of
training, experience, balance of institutional and private practice
conservators, number of registrants from a single organization,
ability and willingness to disseminate information from the
workshop, receipt of registration, and geography.

To apply for this workshop, please send a resume, statement of
interest/qualifications, and full contact information to:
courses<-at->conservation-us<.>org

Course description: The technology of digital printing has developed
at a very rapid pace over the last 25 years, and today an increasing
number of graphic documents are being generated digitally, including
photographs, fine art prints, contemporary works of art, advertising
posters, letters, prints, journals, books, office documents, price
labels, and product packaging. This speedy development can make it
very difficult to keep up to date with the newest trends. As digital
prints constitute a major part of our current and future social and
cultural heritage, it will be important to gain an understanding of
their structure, materials, and stability. This will necessitate an
ability to differentiate between different output technologies.

In this 4-day workshop, participants will be guided by a number of
experts in understanding the complex subjects of the identification,
preservation, and restoration of digital prints. A general overview
and an understanding of the historical development of digital
printing, in both the office environment and the worlds of art and
photography, will be supplemented with in-depth examinations of the
individual printing processes. Sample collections and works of art
from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston will serve as a basis for the
workshop. The aim is to provide participants with the knowledge and
tools to handle the issues surrounding the acquisition and
preservation of digital prints, as well as an understanding of the
trends in imaging technology and artists' use of modern photographic
printing techniques.

The workshop will consist of lectures, practicum sessions,
discussions, and artists' presentations. The sessions will include:

Introduction to the importance of being concerned with the wide
variety of digital print processes available today

    Use of digital printing technologies by contemporary artists

    History of computers and digital printing

    Materials, techniques, and chemistry of digital printing

    Identification of digital print processes

    Deterioration of materials found in digital prints: substrates,
    colourants, coatings

    Methods of testing for stability

    Preservation and conservation of digital prints: exhibition,
    storage, treatment, disaster recovery, restoration treatment

    Long-term preservation of digital files

The major processes found in archives and art collections since the
1950s covered in this workshop are:

    Exposure to photographic materials
    Inkjet, liquid and solid
    Direct thermal (fax)
    Direct thermal transfer
    Dye diffusion thermal transfer
    Electrophotography (photocopiers and laser printers)
    Dot matrix
    Pen plot

The less common but equally important processes covered in this
workshop are:

    Photothermographic transfer (Fuji Pictrography)
    Risography
    ZINK (Zero Ink)
    Thermal autochrome (Fuji Printpix)
    Cycolor
    Scanachrome/Scanamural

The objective of this workshop is to improve care, access, study,
and exhibition of digital prints within humanities collections in
the U.S.A. Towards this goal, the workshop will enable the
participants to return to their institutions or private practice
and:

    Describe and identify the various digital printing processes
    used in the past and today, in both the office environment and
    in art and photography

    Understand the materials and techniques used for the different
    processes

    Explain the permanence issues associated with the different
    processes

    Assess and devise storage and exhibition requirements for
    digital prints

    Devise and carry out conservation treatment for damaged digital
    prints

While print samples will be provided, participants are also
encouraged to bring expendable items for the treatment practicum.
The necessary range of small tools and solvents will be present;
however, participants are encouraged to bring a kit of specialized
tools they have found useful.

Travel Information: Directions and other travel information,
including recommended hotels, will be sent to all participants prior
to the workshop. Information about the Museum of Fine Art Boston can
be found at

    <URL:http://www.mfa.org>

General information about Boston can be found at

    <URL:http://www.bostonusa.com>

This workshop is supported by grants from the National Endowment for
the Humanities and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Additional
funding comes from the Foundation of the American Institute for
Conservation of Historic and Artist Works Endowment for Professional
Development, which was created by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation and donations from members of the American Institute for
Conservation and its friends. Without this support, the registration
fee for this workshop would be $3,200.

Questions?  Contact:

    Abigail Choudhury
    FAIC Development and Education Associate
    1556 15th Street, NW, Suite 320
    Washington, DC 20005
    202-661-8070
    courses<-at->conservation-us<.>org


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:43
                 Distributed: Saturday, March 24, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-25-43-024
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