Legal and Ethical Considerations in the Conservation of Artwork Produced During Art Therapy

ABSTRACT

Works of art created by children under the care of art therapy pioneer Edith Kramer at the Wiltwyck School for Boys in the 1950s are presented as a case study to examine the practical, legal, and ethical challenges of conserving art produced in the course of therapy. The artworks, deposited in the New York University Libraries Special Collections in 2011, are five drawings and forty-two paintings on paper. Multidisciplinary research into the fields of art therapy, archival management, health care law, and the history of Wiltwyck revealed a broad spectrum of value categories associated with the artworks. A values-based decision-making process, together with information garnered through materials testing and analysis, informed conservation actions, including the retention of post-custodial interventions and redaction of private health information.

RÉSUMÉ

Des œuvres d'art créées par des enfants soignés par la pionnière de l'art-thérapie Edith Kramer à la Wiltwyck School for Boys dans les années 1950 sont présentées comme étude de cas pour examiner les défis pratiques, légaux et éthiques de la conservation des œuvres d'art produites en cours de thérapie. Les œuvres d'art, déposées dans les New York University Libraries Special Collections en 2011, sont cinq dessins et quarante-deux peintures sur papier. Une recherche pluridisciplinaire des domaines de la thérapie, de la gestion archivistique, de la loi des soins de santé et de l'histoire de Wiltwyck a révélé un large spectre de catégories de valeurs associées aux œuvres d'art. Un processus de prise de décisions basé sur les valeurs, jumelé aux informations recueillies au cours de tests et d'analyse des matériaux, guide les mesures de conservation, incluant la rétention d'interventions postérieures et l'expurgation de renseignements médicaux personnels. Traduit par Mireille Brulotte.

RESUMO

Este artigo apresenta obras de arte criadas por crianças sob os cuidados da pioneira da arte-terapia Edith Kramer na Wiltwyck School for Boys (Escola para Meninos Wiltwyck) na década de 1950 como um estudo de caso para examinar os desafios práticos, legais e éticos da conservação da arte produzida no decorrer da terapia. As obras, pertencentes às Coleções Especiais das Bibliotecas da Universidade de Nova York em 2011, são cinco desenhos e quarenta e duas pinturas em papel. A pesquisa multidisciplinar nos campos da arte-terapia, gerenciamento de arquivos, direito da saúde e a história de Wiltwyck revelou um amplo espectro de categorias de valor associadas às obras de arte. É um processo de tomada de decisão baseado em valores, juntamente com informações coletadas por meio de testes e análises de materiais, ações fundamentadas de conservação, incluindo a retenção de intervenções pós-custódia e redação de informações privativas de saúde. Traduzido por Beatriz Haspo.

RESUMEN

Las obras de arte creadas por niños bajo el cuidado de la pionera de la terapia de arte Edith Kramer en la Wiltwyck School for Boys (Escuela Wiltwyck para niños) en la década de 1950 se presentan como un estudio de caso para examinar los desafíos prácticos, legales y éticos de la conservación del arte producido en el curso de la terapia. Las obras de arte, depositadas en las Colecciones Especiales de las Bibliotecas de la Universidad de Nueva York en 2011, son cinco dibujos y cuarenta y dos pinturas sobre papel. La investigación multidisciplinaria en los campos de la terapia del arte, la gestión de archivos, el derecho de la salud y la historia de Wiltwyck reveló un amplio espectro de categorías de valor asociadas con las obras de arte. Un proceso de toma de decisiones basado en valores, junto con información obtenida a través de pruebas y análisis de materiales, informó las acciones de conservación, incluida la retención de intervenciones posteriores a la custodia y la remoción de información privada de salud. Traducción: Amparo Rueda.

KEYWORDS:

• Art therapy
• Edith Kramer
• Matte opaque paint (poster paint)
• Willie Bosket
• Wiltwyck School for Boys
• varnished art on paper
• medical archives conservation
• values-based decision making

Acknowledgement

The lead author is grateful to art therapists Susan Anand, Lani Gerity Glanville, David Henley, and Elizabeth Stone, for sharing their expertise and knowledge of Edith Kramer's life and work. The following conservators have contributed to the conservation of the Edith Kramers Papers since 2011: Morgan Adams, Angela Andres, Lou Di Gennaro, Amy Hughes, Dawn Mankowski, and Maggie Wessling. Michelle Facini and Amy Hughes provided access to resources in the Artist Materials Research and Study Center, Conservation Division, National Gallery of Art. Lastly, the lead author appreciates the assistance of her NYU Libraries colleagues, particularly Janet Bunde, Nancy Cricco, April Hathcock, Tim Johnson, Anna McCormick, and Weatherly Stephan.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laura McCann

Laura McCann is the interim director and conservation librarian in the Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department at New York University (NYU) Libraries. She received a MSLIS from the Palmer School, Long Island University, a MA in Paper Conservation from Camberwell College of Arts, and a BA from Bates College. Address: NYU Libraries, Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department, LL2, New York, NY 10012, USA. Email: [email protected].

Chantal Stein

Chantal Stein is an assistant conservator in the Department of Objects Conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She received her MA in Art History and MS in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works from NYU, and her BA from Columbia University. Address: Assistant conservator, Department of Objects Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1168 Dean St, Apt 4, Brooklyn, NY 11216, USA. Email: [email protected].

Jessica Pace

Jessica Pace is the preventive conservator in the Barbara Goldsmith Preservation and Conservation Department at New York University (NYU) Libraries. She received her MA in Art History and advanced certificate in Conservation from NYU, and her BA from Barnard College. Address as for Laura McCann. Email: [email protected].

Andy Wolf

Andy Wolf is the David Booth Fellow in Objects Conservation in the David Booth Conservation Department at The Museum of Modern Art. He received his MA in Art History and MS in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works from NYU, and his BFA from Rutgers University. Address: David Booth Fellow in Objects Conservation, David Booth Conservation Department, The Museum of Modern Art, 625 Caton Ave, Apt. 3D, Brooklyn, NY 11218, USA. Email: [email protected].

Katherine Parks

Katherine Parks is the conservator for rare and distinctive collections, Cornell University. She received her MA in Art History and MS in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works from NYU and her BA from Wesleyan University. Address: Conservator for Rare and Distinctive Collections, Cornell University Library - Olin Library, Room B-32 161, Ho Plaza, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Email: [email protected].