AICCM Preventive SIG Online Forums 2021
The AICCM Preventive Special Interest Group is proud to announce a new series of online forums. Following on from the successful 2019 conference Managing Risks to Collections, 10 AGENTS OVER 10 MONTHS will explore and expand the traditional 10 Agents of Deterioration to encompass relevant and topical themes – such as the climate change, bushfires, repatriation, and COVID
The series ran from March to December 2021 covering one Agent per month, and was developed to enable our Conservation community to continue to share knowledge, insights and experiences virtually through talks, presentations, workshops, panel discussions and hybrid events.
#1 Temp/RH
In the first of the AICCM Preventive Conservation SIG’s webinar series, Amanda Pagliarino and Ainslee Meredith discuss their research mapping climate change and risks for Australian cultural collections.
#2 Physical Forces
John Marshall and Rhiannon Walker discuss how previous damage caused by physical forces has led to the development of innovative and unique custom mounting solutions. Focussing on three large and vulnerable works from the QAGOMA collection, they will share how the workshop team collaborated with conservators to design and fabricate safe and secure mounting systems, allowing these works to be moved, installed and displayed with much less risk of damage.
# 3 Dissociation
Conservation relies on material evidence and continuous assessment of the materials and techniques being used for monitoring or treating heritage. Dr Athanasios Velios will discuss the barriers for sharing documentation records alongside the ethical responsibilities of conservation organisations towards the profession and the public. Margaret White will discuss strategies institutions are using to tackle issues of dissociation in the context of major collections projects, such as relocation and digitisation.
# 4 Lighting
David Saunders, Scott Rosenfeld and Ian Langston will each explore the topic of Light and managing its impact on collections, with a Q&A session following the three presentations.
# 5 Pests
Collaborative approaches to Integrated Pest Management in Museums, Galleries and Historic sites will be explored in this session. Australian conservators Rehan Scharenguivel (they/them) and Jessie Gray (she/her) will share their separate institutional experiences in collaborating with commercial operators and Amber Xavier-Rowe will provide an update to “Operation Cloths Moth” from English Heritage. We have also created a survey to better understand the state of IPM in our organisations. Link will be shared shortly.
#6 Pollutants
Pollutant is a mysterious agent. It is infiltrating your museum from the outside, but can surprise you by been in your display case or even been released by your loved objects. It shows up as old known problem but can hit on the back of your ego with unexpected damages on objects while you have done everything to prevent it. Three speakers from different time zones will talk about their experiences on pollutant control and monitoring followed by a Q&A session.
# 7 Theft, Vandals, Repatriation
This forum will be moderated by Dr Robyn Sloggett and will take the format of a panel discussion around provocations connected to Theft, Vandalism and Repatriation. The panel will feature: Dr Lyndon Ormond Parker, Dany Williams and Dr Amber Aranui.
# 8 Disasters
Our country, like others, is experiencing more frequent and more intense natural disasters. This session will revisit the devastating 2019 bushfires, discover how recovery networks are building, uncover the community response and look beyond the traditional response and recovery.
# 9 Covid
This session will explore how the conservation profession has been affected by COVID at an International, State and local level. We are engaging Prof Jane Henderson to present a paper from the UK and are looking to include State and local organisations to provide input and perspectives.
#10 Master Minds
Isolation and the silver linings – How do we prevent isolation becoming the 11th risk.
Through the isolated filter we see the faults in the profession and we have challenged five experts from our profession to create a new environment for the conservator of the future.
Conservation Sketches: