Volume 2, Number 3, Sept 1980, p.3

Meetings in Review

CCI--Conservation of Furniture and Wooden Objects
July 2-3, 1980

The Canadian Conservation Institute hosted a symposium on the conservation of furniture and wooden objects at their facilities in Ottawa. Papers were presented on the following topics: The Nature and Properties of Wood, Bio-deterioration of Wood, Impregnation and Consolidants, Application, Adhesion and Finishing, Cabinet Maker's Guide for Finishes, Restoration of Gilded Furniture, Materials in Association with Wood. The case for scientific furniture conservation fieldwork in furniture conservation and historical and curatorial aspects of furniture conservation were also presented.

Symposium proceedings will be published at the end of the year. Andrew Todd, Canadian Conservation Institute, 1030 Innes Road, Metro Block "C," Ottawa, Ontario KlA OM8, was the Conference Coordinator.

IIC-CG Conference, Ottawa University, Canada
July 4-6, 1980

The International Symposium on the Conservation of Contemporary Art
July 7-12, 1980

The International Symposium on the Conservation of Contemporary Art was held at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa from the 7th to 12th of July, 1980. The West Coast was very well represented among a selection of excellent papers. WAAC members who presented papers were: Inge-Lise Eckmann and Jim Bernstein who spoke on "Compensation Techniques for Contemporary Paintings"; Billie Milam who spoke on "Modern Bronzes: Materials, Techniques and Inherent Vice"; Zora Pinney who presented "The Language of the Tube"; and Denise Domergue whose topic was "Contemporary Paintings: A sampling of Artists' Techniques and Conservators' Constraints." A general survey of adhesives, of artists' manuals, discussion of the causes of cracking in paintings, installation and handling problems, conservation of contemporary photographic materials, and the importance of communication with the artists were just a few of the topics raised. Canadian artists and British artist Brigitte Riley balanced the contributions to the symposium with their concerns and views on the role of conservation.

The conference was attended by between 200 and 250 people, which proved to be an ideal size from the point of view of communication. Much information was informally exchanged during the frequent half-hour coffee breaks. Dialogue was begun on some of the salient concerns of those who work on contemporary art.

A well-illustrated post-symposium publication will eventually be made available to any who are interested. There will be a charge, although it is as yet undermined. For information, write to: Christine Le Palm, Secretary, Restoration and Conservation Laboratory, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa KlA OM8, Canada.