Position in New York City

Museum Art Handler (Paper, Textile, Objects)
New York City

Seeking multiple art handlers with experienced museum backgrounds to
work on a 12-16 month project, digitizing a large, local museum's
collection.  The position is full time, 9-5, M-F, occasionally in
Manhattan, but predominately at a remote storage location in New
Jersey.  (Free AM and PM shuttle service provided from central
Manhattan location to remote site approximately 25 minutes away).

Art handlers will work on site with Project Manager, Project
Registrar, Curators and Conservators from the museum, but need to
have the ability and knowledge to work independently, moving objects
from storage locations to a staging area and then to a digital
imaging capture area for digitization and back to storage.  Each Art
Handler will have a main area of expertise based on previous
experience; please elaborate in your cover letter which areas you
have the most experience with (Paper and/or Books, Textiles, or
Objects); be specific as to types of objects in each area you have
handled.

Multiple positions available in each specialization; each team will
consists of several other object handlers, and a photographer or a
scan operator, overseen by a Project Manager.  Due to the training
involved, we are looking for art handlers who are interested in
making a long term, full time investment in the project.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

    You are responsible for ensuring that all objects are safely and
    confidently moved from storage location to the staging area and
    back according to standard and safe museum procedures, providing
    the utmost level of protection for each object in the
    collection.

    You must be able to treat each piece, including familiar objects
    such as appliances, modern furniture, and other domestic
    objects, in appropriate context as an art object in a museum
    collection

Required Training and Qualifications:

    Museum experience required; 2 years strongly preferred

    Object photography or previous digitization/scanning experience
    a plus

    Responsible, confidential nature, able to work in secured museum
    environment

    Must have high degree of manual dexterity and attention to
    detail, with ability to understand container conformation or
    shelf arrangement and return objects to storage in the same
    configuration

    Must have the ability to work efficiently and safely to hit
    noted targets on a timeline oriented project, with a somewhat
    repetitive nature

    Ability to receive, quickly process, and follow instructions
    regarding specific art handling procedures and a receptive
    attitude to direct and in the moment correction; must be able to
    solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete
    variables in situations where limited standardization exists

    Experience assessing fragility and weak points in objects in
    area of specialization, and modify handling and support
    appropriately in the moment

You will be subject to a material based assessment as part of the
interview process; please indicate which of the following
specializations you meet the qualifications for:

Paper

    Experience: Handling both unmatted and matted, and framed and
    unframed works of art, including large format works (posters and
    wall coverings), rolling and rerolling fragile works on paper,
    ability to assess their condition, and adjust technique
    accordingly

    Please note experience directly handling rare books or wall
    coverings

Textile

    Experience: Two years as a trained textile handling specialist
    or conservator in a museum

    Rolling and unrolling textiles of various sizes and fragility;
    experience assessing fragility and weak points in a textile, and
    modifying handling and support appropriately

Objects

    Experience: Working with objects as an art handler in a museum,
    familiarity with a varied design collection desired (porcelain,
    furniture, ceramics, etc.)

    Past responsibility must include retrieval and moving of three
    dimensional objects back and forth from storage to temporary
    locations; knowledge of safe and standard museum methods of
    stabilization on carts and experience using ladders and other
    moving equipment to access museum objects from high storage
    shelves

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, the
employee is regularly required to stand, to walk, for extended
periods of times; employee is frequently required to reach with
hands and arms and to climb or balance.  The employee is
occasionally required to sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
Specific vision abilities required by this position include close
vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth
perception and ability to adjust focus.  Requires the physical
strength necessary to lift and/or move heavy objects (able to lift
and carry 50 pounds., e.g., work of art; able to move, maneuver, and
manipulate 250 pounds., e.g. crate)

Please send cover letter, resume, and salary requirements and/or
history to Ava Vitali <a.fortevitali<-a t->picturae< . >com>; any portfolio
photos, information or web links of specific examples of objects you
have experience handling or treating will gladly be accepted; please
note any relevant conservation coursework or internships?


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:27
                 Distributed: Friday, December 5, 2014
                       Message Id: cdl-28-27-019
                                  ***