Workshop on cleaning plaster surfaces with agar

"Cleaning Plaster Surfaces with agar"
Workshop

Lunder Conservation Center
Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery
8th and G Streets, NW
Washington, D.C.
June 12-13, 2012

Cleaning plaster surfaces is challenging. This workshop will review
existing methods used for cleaning plaster surfaces and present agar
gels as an alternative method. Agar is a seaweed which, in its
gelled form, is capable of delivering water in a controlled way. The
physicochemical properties of plaster as well as cleaning methods
will be reviewed.

Workshop topics will include:

    Introduction
    What is plaster?
    What is agar?
    An evaluation of other cleaning methods.
    The use of agar in conservation.
    Evaluation of the technique of using agar.

The workshop will be taught by Sonia Tortajada. Sonia Tortajada is a
sculpture conservator at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid,
Spain. She earned a degree (Licenciatura) in Fine Arts specialising
in sculpture conservation, and a graduate degree (D.E.A.) at the
Fine Arts School of the Complutense University of Madrid, and a
degree (Diplomatura) in painting conservation at the
Conservation-Restoration Superior School.

This workshop is free. If you would like to participate please send
an email with a statement of interest to Mary Tait <taitm<-at->si<.>edu> by
April 20, 2012.

Participants will be selected and notified by April 27, 2012.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:44
                   Distributed: Monday, April 2, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-25-44-022
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