Painting damaged by fire before and after conservation treatment.
By Tiffani Emig and Bethany L. Hawkins
Do you have a broken item in your collection? Is there a painting that is dark with years of grime and cigarette smoke? What about a textile with disintegrating silk pieces? If so, you may be asking yourself how to properly care for those objects.
With the pressures of funding for collections care competing against salaries, education programs, and adding new items to the collection, it is difficult to get boards to commit a serious amount of money to conservation work. They may suggest that staff can do this work (after all, you have a museum studies degree, right?) or suggest a volunteer. Most of us, however, remember the story of the Jesus fresco in northeastern Spain that was destroyed by a well-meaning volunteer.
The question of when to call a conservator comes up quite often on museum message boards and in questions emailed to the AASLH staff. When I get those calls, I refer them to the American Institute of Conservation (AIC). AIC is the leading membership association for current and aspiring conservators and allied professionals who preserve cultural heritage. They represent more than 3,500 individuals in more than forty countries around the world working in the domains of science, art, and history through treatment, research, collections care, education, and more.
In order to help AASLH's audience learn more about the work of conservators, I interviewed their Deputy Director Tiffani Emig via email. Her answers help unlock the mystery of what a conservator does and how they are vital to the work of museums of all sizes.
What is a conservator?
Conservators are charged with preserving our cultural heritage. Their training involves a combination of art and science, and they typically specialize in specific material type (such as paper, photographs, wooden objects, or textiles) or in approaches, such as preventive conservation or conservation science. They might work within cultural institutions or in private practice.
When should I call a conservator?
You might call a conservator if you are concerned about deterioration of your collections and want guidance on how to slow that inevitable deterioration or repair existing damage.
Why should I not try to repair an artifact without consulting a conservator?
There is a lot of bad information out there on how to "repair" artifacts (a commonly cited example is using a bagel to clean a painting). By trying to repair an object yourself, you can cause irreparable damage. Conservators are trained to carefully examine objects and offer suggested treatments or methods to stabilize the object or repair it.
How can I find a reputable conservator?
In the United States, there is no certification process for conservators. However, the American Institute for Conservation has a peer-review process that grants Professional Membership status to conservators who demonstrate through an application process that they have achieved a standard level of training, skill, and understanding of professional standards. Professional Members must also agree to adhere to the AIC Code of Ethics and remain engaged by obtaining a minimum number of continuing professional development credits every five years. You can search for a Professional Member at https://www.culturalheritage.org/professional-membership/find-a-professional.
What are some questions I should ask the conservator before hiring them?
Certainly ask if they are a Professional Member of AIC (you can also check on your own by searching for their name at https://www.culturalheritage.org/professional-membership/find-a-professional). Ask them about their experience working with materials similar to the one(s) you are asking them to work on. They should be able to provide you with justification for their proposed treatments plan and for their proposed fees. It is also important to communicate any deadline you may have. Conservators often have a backlog of work, and it may take some time to complete your project. You can find more advice at https://www.culturalheritage.org/professional-membership/why-hire-a-professional.
How much does a conservator cost?
Like most things, it depends! Sometimes the conservator can offer multiple approaches at varying price points. It might be helpful to get multiple quotes but be wary of estimates that seem like a "good deal," especially if they are from individuals who are not AIC Professional Members. You might also be able to find grant funding to support your conservation project. A few sources of non-federal funding include the Costume Society of America Small Museum Collection Care Grant and the Bank of America Art Conservation Project. State and local governments might also have grants to support these projects.
For more information, please visit www.culturalheritage.org.
