Project Proposal: Current Status of Treatment Practices in Photograph Conservation
Project proposal - September 2008
Statement of Purpose
This research will create a basic reference resource (interviews-based) that describes and addresses the current status of treatment within the profession, its philosophies, history; and the criteria and methodologies used for its evaluation. The objective of this resource is to gather and make accessible the knowledge and experience of a group of key individuals in the field, answering fundamental questions that relate to our work.
Significance
Treatment is one of the activities that characterize and differentiate a photograph conservator from other closely related specialists. The possibilities for treating photographic materials depend on a series of complex case-based variables (not only considering the materiality of the object but its present and future context and use) and international accepted standards of practice. Therefore it is important to understand, document and communicate the way in which treatment is approached, conducted and evaluated, both within institutions and in private practice. As it is important to explain the factors that have influenced in the history and development of treatment practices and try to identify the future challenges for the field in the subject.
Background
The general history of the field of photograph conservation has been synthesized in some articles and orally compiled by a series of interviews conducted by Pau Maynés in 2001. However, the emphasis of these previous researches was not treatment practices, its status or history.
Description (Methodology)
I) Interviews with conservators, curators, collectors and conservation scientists will be conducted and video recorded, to describe the following:
Philosophies Guiding Treatment:
- What is conservation treatment of photographs?
-Treatment importance
-Persons that request treatment
-Criteria for treatment
- Standards of practice and code of ethics
Current practice:
-Needs and expectations of people requesting the treatments
-Treatments performed and frequencies
-Factors that determine treatment success or failure
-Treatment solutions and possibilities in response to the existing needs
Evaluation:
-Ways in which treatment results are being observed, considered, documented and measured
-Reasons and importance of treatment evaluation
-Viability of treatment evaluation
History:
-Treatments that were practiced in the past and are no longer practiced
-New treatments practiced
-History and origin of treatment practices
-Reasons for these changes in practice
Future:
-General needs
-Ways and requisites to achieve these needs
The interviews will be recorded, and a complete transcript and abstract produced.
II) A survey –addressing current practice and evaluation- will be designed and sent to photograph conservators.
III) The treatment records from the GEH will be reviewed to identify changes in:
- Treatments performed,
- Treatment evaluation methodologies used or presented.
Deliverables:
-Illustrated essay contextualizing the current status of treatment within the field;
-Set of digitally recorded interviews and transcripts.
Future steps:
-To increase the accessibility of the resource, the creation of a web-based application containing sections of the videos and transcripts will be assessed. This could work linked to the GEHwiki (user:password requested).
-A set of interviews and transcripts will be delivered to the principal schools of Photograph Conservation.
Advisor
Grant Romer
Consultants
Paul Messier
Nora Kennedy
Statement of Purpose
This research will create a basic reference resource (interviews-based) that describes and addresses the current status of treatment within the profession, its philosophies, history; and the criteria and methodologies used for its evaluation. The objective of this resource is to gather and make accessible the knowledge and experience of a group of key individuals in the field, answering fundamental questions that relate to our work.
Significance
Treatment is one of the activities that characterize and differentiate a photograph conservator from other closely related specialists. The possibilities for treating photographic materials depend on a series of complex case-based variables (not only considering the materiality of the object but its present and future context and use) and international accepted standards of practice. Therefore it is important to understand, document and communicate the way in which treatment is approached, conducted and evaluated, both within institutions and in private practice. As it is important to explain the factors that have influenced in the history and development of treatment practices and try to identify the future challenges for the field in the subject.
Background
The general history of the field of photograph conservation has been synthesized in some articles and orally compiled by a series of interviews conducted by Pau Maynés in 2001. However, the emphasis of these previous researches was not treatment practices, its status or history.
Description (Methodology)
I) Interviews with conservators, curators, collectors and conservation scientists will be conducted and video recorded, to describe the following:
Philosophies Guiding Treatment:
- What is conservation treatment of photographs?
-Treatment importance
-Persons that request treatment
-Criteria for treatment
- Standards of practice and code of ethics
Current practice:
-Needs and expectations of people requesting the treatments
-Treatments performed and frequencies
-Factors that determine treatment success or failure
-Treatment solutions and possibilities in response to the existing needs
Evaluation:
-Ways in which treatment results are being observed, considered, documented and measured
-Reasons and importance of treatment evaluation
-Viability of treatment evaluation
History:
-Treatments that were practiced in the past and are no longer practiced
-New treatments practiced
-History and origin of treatment practices
-Reasons for these changes in practice
Future:
-General needs
-Ways and requisites to achieve these needs
The interviews will be recorded, and a complete transcript and abstract produced.
II) A survey –addressing current practice and evaluation- will be designed and sent to photograph conservators.
III) The treatment records from the GEH will be reviewed to identify changes in:
- Treatments performed,
- Treatment evaluation methodologies used or presented.
Deliverables:
-Illustrated essay contextualizing the current status of treatment within the field;
-Set of digitally recorded interviews and transcripts.
Future steps:
-To increase the accessibility of the resource, the creation of a web-based application containing sections of the videos and transcripts will be assessed. This could work linked to the GEHwiki (user:password requested).
-A set of interviews and transcripts will be delivered to the principal schools of Photograph Conservation.
Advisor
Grant Romer
Consultants
Paul Messier
Nora Kennedy
