AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
$264 registration fee; maximum 40 registrants

This two-day, hands-on workshop will provide an introduction to the two types of lasers most frequently used in conservation: Nd-YAG and Er-YAG. For decades, neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd-YAG) lasers have been used in conservation particularly for removing dark crusts from stone sculpture and architectural facades. Erbium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er-YAG) lasers can be used to thin/remove aged natural varnishes, biological growth, and adhesives by beneficially producing thermally-induced photo-disruption at the surfaces of media that contain O-H bonds. Both laser classes and their associated wavelengths can work well in tandem with other traditional cleaning techniques.

Conservation professionals from all specialties are invited to join this workshop as instructors and expert users will discuss laser applications for architecture, gilded surfaces, metals, paintings, paper, stone, textiles, and other media. The workshop will combine presentations and hands-on demonstrations focusing on the type of lasers most frequently used for conservation and small-scale site work. Participants will learn important concepts such as damage thresholds, fluence, pulse duration, high frequency systems, beam profile, and safety considerations as well as some specific characteristics that distinguish individual systems. After general background and case studies are presented, subsequent sessions will be dedicated to using Nd-YAG and Er-YAG lasers. Attendees will have the opportunity to experiment with both classes of lasers on different materials. The intent of this workshop is to introduce Nd-YAG and Er-YAG lasers, with a secondary outcome to create a community of conservation professionals interested in using laser technologies. Following this workshop, the hope is that participants will have acquired the knowledge necessary to determine what wavelength(s), pulse duration, power, etc., may be necessary and be inspired to seek out dedicated user training on specific laser systems that align with their own conservation needs.

To maximize the hands-on component of the workshop, some of the introductory lectures will be pre-recorded and made available prior to the workshop. Participants will be requested to watch the lectures in advance of the workshop. A laser questionnaire and waiver of liability will be circulated prior to the workshop and will need to be completed prior to the workshop. All safety precautions, such as protective eyewear and barriers, will be provided.

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
$330 registration fee; maximum 10 registrants

Conservation professionals often focus on detailed artistic process, especially when it comes to printmaking, as it is valuable to the context of the artist and the work of art. Often conservators are responsible for the technical identification of prints without having extensive hands-on printmaking experience themselves. This workshop will give participants the opportunity to be involved in every step of the lift ground etching process, from image formation to printing.

Conservation professionals will be introduced to the basics of etching and the more advanced ground lift techniques (e.g. sugarlift, soap ground, aquatint). Lift ground was invented in the 17th century, was resurrected in the 19th century, and is still used to make images today. The workshop consists primarily of hands-on printing activities but will also include lectures on history and technique. Participants will assemble resources throughout the workshop from a combination of lecture slides, notes, printing materials (plates and prints), and other useful references. This will allow participants to walk away with a strong understanding of the technique and have invaluable resources at their fingertips when returning to work. No prior printmaking experience necessary.

Participants will gain an understanding of the:

• Basics of etching
• History of lift ground etching (developments and use over time)
• Different types of lift grounds
• Creation of a lift ground image (variety of techniques and gain a sensitivity to materials)
• Preparation (aquatint) and etching of the plate
• Printing of an intaglio plate (including troubleshooting)

Some attention will be given to identifying the characteristics of lift ground etchings.

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
$66 registration fee; maximum 10 registrants

This workshop will teach participants how to use SketchUp, a 3D modeling software tool, to plan artwork installations and help conservators converse and collaborate with other departments and stakeholders. SketchUp software is currently used by many artists, exhibition designers, construction and build teams, fabricators, and curators to create models that outline and describe how multimedia installations, groups of objects, and furniture can be arranged in a space. Completed 3D models can be shared with and edited by external stakeholders, allowing for remote collaboration and discussions about how artworks are experienced by viewers as they enter a space. SketchUp can also be used as a documentation tool to show how an installation or exhibition was arranged down to its exact measurements.

Participants in this workshop will learn how to build a 3D gallery from an existing floorplan or from manually captured dimensions. They will then learn how to create 2D objects (paintings, photographs and works on paper, both with and without frames), 3D sculptures, and additional furniture such as plinths, barriers, and seating. Finally, participants will learn how to place and move these objects within the space. There will also be a discussion on exporting the model into various file formats. This workshop will provide participants with the language and skills to better communicate and collaborate with exhibition design teams and other museum professionals, living artists and estates, and external fabricators and stakeholders.

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
FREE (please only add if you plan to participate); maximum 50 registrants

In response to the Equity and Inclusion Committee’s “Recommendations for Advancing Equity and Inclusion in the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works”, effort has been made over the past several years to bring awareness of the conservation profession to more diverse communities and encourage them to consider it as a career. These have been welcome opportunities and experiences to those who hadn’t previously seen space for themselves in the field. However, there has not been training offered to mentors to provide guidance on creating an inclusive environment that accounts for a more racially and culturally diverse group of professionals. While the principal target has been to increase racial and cultural diversity, intention to include gender, abilities, beliefs, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation, among other human aspects is imperative to creating a holistically inclusive environment.

The goal of this workshop is to collaboratively work as members of this profession to improve our practices of inclusivity and belonging. Through facilitated discussions and reflection on our own experiences, we will identify the characteristics of effective mentorship and formulate recommendations for training to increase access to mentorship skills. The discussion and your feedback will help inform a series of professional development programs with the ultimate goal of training mentors to support an inclusive and supportive environment that will sustain a more diverse workforce. A summary of insights from the workshop will be shared with the AIC community at large at a later date.

Registration is open to all Annual Meeting attendees with some spots reserved for emerging professionals. Space is limited, so we ask that you only register if you plan to attend the workshop and commit to reflecting on and sharing your experiences with the group. The instructor will work to create a safe space. This is an interactive and participatory workshop. We understand that some may not feel comfortable sharing their experiences in person. If this is the case and you are uncomfortable or unable to attend the session and still wish to participate, we have provided an anonymized form in this link for you to contribute to the conversation (no registration is needed to participate in this way). The information gathered during the workshop and in this survey will be used to help inform future workshop development.

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
$165 registration fee; maximum 18 registrants

Let’s keep those neon-containing artworks in your care from gathering dust! Neon tubes are increasingly present in cultural heritage collections, and their display almost entirely relies on whether a conservation professional can bring the piece to an operational status. However, their care is virtually never covered in conservation training programs. This workshop will provide documentation protocols, strategies for problem-solving, and tips and tricks in care and handling.

The first half of the workshop will cover the technology of neon tubes, their mechanisms for operation, protocols for assessment and documentation, and considerations for installation environments and illumination. The second half will be hands-on assembly, care, handling and packing of neon artworks. The workshop will be team-taught by a neon conservator and a neon fabricator.
Following the workshop, participants will be able to:

• recognize common gases in neon units.
• describe the components and assess their operability.
• document the condition of neon artwork.
• advise on handling, assembly, packing, and storage.

This workshop is co-organized by the Getty Conservation Institute, AIC’s Contemporary Art Network, AIC’s Objects Specialty Group, and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation.

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
$165 registration fee; maximum 30 registrants

Do you create and maintain digital records (e.g., condition images, x-rays, data, treatment reports, artist interviews, audiovisual documentation, etc.) at your institution or private practice? According to principle VII in the AIC Code of Ethics, conservators must create “permanent” documentation, but most documentation generated today is digital.
If you’ve ever wanted to know the basics of planning for the long-term availability of your digital conservation records and collections, this workshop is for you. It will not only cover the fundamentals of digital preservation and storage, but will also include a visit to the University of Utah’s Marriott Library Digitization and Digital Preservation departments. Participants will have the opportunity to learn some common tools and techniques for file management and preservation through a series of guided hands-on exercises and will leave with a roadmap for incrementally advancing their own digital preservation efforts. This is an entry-level workshop; no previous experience with digital preservation is necessary.

Attendees will gain an understanding of:

• fundamentals of digital preservation, including what digital files are, the risks to their long-term preservation, and strategies for managing those risks.
• digital preservation storage, how it differs from "back-ups," and how to use key resources developed by the digital preservation community as a roadmap to advance digital preservation efforts.
• digital preservation community, and how conservation professionals and institutions can engage with that community for mutual benefit.
• key tools and techniques that can be immediately applied.

Registration required - add this session to your Annual Meeting registration
$165 registration fee; maximum 25 registrants

Where do you begin? What do you do next? Do you have the right supplies, space, people, and money to respond? How do you calculate the number of objects damaged? These are questions that are commonly asked in the initial response to a collections emergency. The initial response, the first phase following a collections emergency, will set the tone for the entire response, which in turn will set the tone for and even shorten recovery. Approaching a collections emergency with a calm clear mission in mind, responders will benefit from a faster and less emotional response that allows institutions to return to operational status as soon as possible.

Join this workshop to learn how to approach an emergency through assessment and emergency stabilization that guarantees effective (not chaotic) response. The workshop will walk all participants through these skills utilizing scenarios based on a real-life collections emergency.

This workshop will touch on initial damage assessments, setting up a response space, triage, emergency documentation, and position an institution for successful recovery. Participants will leave the workshop feeling confident to approach and organize any collections emergency response.

The Health & Safety Network is hosting the annual Respirator Fit Test on Thursday. Add it to your annual meeting registration for $39, or free if you're a member of CIPP. You will receive an invitation to watch the lecture, take a quiz, then schedule a 15-20 minute time slot on Thursday, May 23, to get fit tested. Be sure to get your forms filled and bring your respirator!