Masterclass on plastics

Masterclass

Identification, Degradation and Conservation of Plastics

By Thea van Oosten and Anna Lagan

Ateliergebouw
Hobbemastraat 22
Amsterdam.
16-20 September 2013
09:00 - 17:00.

The Ateliergebouw is situated next to the Rijksmuseum.

Overview: This masterclass aims to acquaint object and sculpture
conservators with the current state of knowledge regarding
identification, degradation, curative and preventive conservation of
plastics, rubbers and composite materials. This five days course is
split between theoretical and practical sessions. Participants will
improve their theoretical background on plastics and develop
practical experience in conservation treatments such as: cleaning
and adhering plastics and creating an anoxic environment for rubber
objects. Moreover one day of the masterclass will be especially
dedicated to the consolidation of PUR ether foams. The state of the
art for preventive and curative conservation will be discussed and
include the latest research.

This course will bridge the gap between the practical aspects of
conserving plastics and the physical- chemical basis underlying
their degradation.   Although the emphasis will be on
three-dimensional objects, conservators from all other disciplines
are welcome to attend. Plastics and rubbers are found in a variety
of collections: historic, ethnographic, scientific, design, as well
as modern and contemporary art. Most museums have these materials in
their collections and the amount will increase over the years. Due
to the growing need, this course on the conservation of plastics is
to be offered by the UVA for an International audience.

Participants are strongly encouraged to bring objects or images of
objects to the course for discussion.

Programme

Day 1

    History of plastics: from Celluloid to Biobased Plastics
    Chemistry of polymers and plastics manufacturing processes
    Practical (Solvents and Plastics)
    Manufacturing PMMA objects and works of art
    Practical (Solvents and plastics)
Day 2

    Physical/Mechanical properties of plastics
    Degradation of plastics
    Identification of plastics/ and of families of plastics
    Case studies: adhering PMMA, UP and PVC objects
    Practical (Adhering plastics)

Day 3

    Case studies: research into the conservation of art works
    Case study: Nylon and Rapid prototyping
    Introduction into Cleaning plastics
    Practical (Cleaning Plastics)

Day 4

    Case studies: consolidation of PUR foam design objects and works
    of art
    Practical (Consolidation of PUR foam. Materials and techniques)
    Practical (Selecting a plastic object for a conservation
    treatment)

Day 5

    Preventive conservation of plastics
    Degradation of rubber
    Practical (Encapsulation rubber objects)
    Practical (Conservation treatments on the selected plastic
    object)

Instructors:

Thea van Oosten

    Since 1975, Thea B. van Oosten has been employed as a
    conservation scientist at the Central Laboratory for Objects of
    Art and Science (CRL) which was also known a Netherlands
    Institute for Cultural Heritage (ICN) and from January 2011
    called Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE).   In
    1989 she started as senior conservation scientist the research
    programme on plastics and she has been developing that ever
    since.

    Specialized in the conservation of modern and contemporary art
    and design objects of Cultural Heritage she has contributed to
    several publications and books, such as 'Modern Art, who Cares',
    'Plastics, Collecting and Conserving' and 'Plastics in Art' and
    'Preservation of Plastic Artefacts in Museum Collections'. One
    of her research topics was the consolidation of polyurethane
    foams, which resulted in a book published in May 2011 called;
    PUR Facts, Conservation of Polyurethane Foam in Art and Design.
    She further tries to disseminate her knowledge and experience by
    teaching courses and workshops and giving lectures on this topic
    both in the Netherlands and in various workshops around the
    world.   Since July 2011 she is on retirement and is working as
    a free-lance conservation scientist for the research into
    plastics and the conservation of modern and contemporary art.
    Anna Lagana

    Anna Lagana is conservator/researcher specialized in the
    conservation of modern materials.  She is trained as conservator
    at the Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro
    (ISCR) in Rome where she specialized in modern and contemporary
    art conservation with a thesis on conservation of plastics in
    art. In 2006 she did a Master in a"Conservation Teachinga" at
    the Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale (CCR) in
    Turin which included an internship at the research department of
    the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) on modern
    materials conservation.

    From 2007-2008 she worked as coordinator of the Contemporary Art
    Conservation Laboratory at the CCR in Turin. From 2008-2012 she
    worked at the RCE, as a conservator/researcher of modern
    materials on several research projects on plastics conservation
    such as the EU project POPART (Preservation Of Plastics
    ARTefacts).  Anna is currently working as a free-lance
    conservator/researcher. She has collaborated with institutes and
    museums in the Netherlands and abroad such as: the Biennale of
    Venice, the Castello di Rivoli Museum, ADI (Association for
    industrial design), the Plastics Museum PLART, the Stedelijk
    Museum and the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam and the Getty
    Conservation Institute.  Beside her free-lance activities, she
    is working as a lecturer, giving workshops on the conservation
    of plastics in art and design for several institutes and
    universities. Anna is founding member and coordinator of the
    INCCA Italy group (International Network of Contemporary Art).

Costs: Course fees are Euro 1.195,-. Participants are responsible
for all evening meals, accommodation and transportation. Lunches
will be provided.

Personal Equipment: Participants are also requested to bring with
them personal tools, a pair of UV safety glasses/ goggles, a lab
coat (or equivalent) as well as a personal gas mask with appropriate
filters for organic solvents. Materials for the workshop will be
provided.

Number of Participants: maximum 15.

Registration is open to restorers, conservation scientists and
related professionals practicing within the field.

Language: The course will be given in English. Participants are
advised that a basic knowledge of scientific terms in English is
required.

Deadline for application: August 30, 2013.

To apply please send a signed application form by mail or e-mail,
addresses are mentioned on the attached registration form. The
Programme Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage aims to
compose a list of participants of whom the level matches each
other's as much as possible. For that reason, we would like to
receive your resume.

Once you have registered you will receive a confirmation plus
information for payment. Your registration is final when we have
received the course fee.

Please contact Angele Goossens (coordinator continuing education or
Rosa Hoogenboom (secretariat continuing education) by e-mail
pe-cenr<-at->uva<.>nl or telephone +31 20 525 2021 or +31 20 525 4899 with
any further queries.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 27:7
                 Distributed: Wednesday, July 31, 2013
                        Message Id: cdl-27-7-015
                                  ***