New challenges for frames conservation in Australia: a pragmatic vision of future hands-on training

Abstract

Frames conservation is based as strongly on materials science and technical art history as on practical art and craft skills. Few conservation training courses prepare students for future work as a gilded/polychrome objects conservator, which also includes the role of a frame conservator. Preventive conservation and collection management activities are prioritised in institutions, and consequently are seen as progress of the profession impacting education and training of conservation students, diminishing the importance of hands-on practical training. The specialised conservation training gave the space to the cross-disciplinary knowledge and development of ‘general conservator’ skills. Shifting trends in cultural institutions and in conservation profession endangers the high-level conservation skills and undermine prospects to undertake future complex interventions. With a generation of senior conservators reaching retirement, it is inevitable tthe opportunities to learn the necessary skills for high-level hands-on conservation will be lost. Partnership and collaboration between the universities and the cultural institutions are proposed in defining the structured hands-on training of future conservators, particularly frames conservators. Through close partnership with universities, and by engaging in the education of future conservators, cultural institutions could take on an active role in promoting conservation to the community, while assuring that the collections will be appropriately treated.

Keywords:

• Frames conservation
• Gilded/ polychrome objects conservation
• Conservation internship
• Hands-on conservation training
• Frames conservator
• Gilding conservation

Notes

1 Long-term research of the author conducted by visiting varied conservation laboratories in the world, collaborating with the a number of cultural and educational institutions on varied projects, accessing websites of varied conservation courses in Europe, and by communication with conservation students and conservation educators at selected universities.

2 The legacy of AGNSW frame conservators and frame-makers is displayed in the exhibition rooms of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, particularly in the Old Courts.

3 In 1999 Tom Proctor, Frames Conservator, Dulwich Gallery, London, became the first intern trained for six months at the Frames Conservation section of the Conservation Department at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. In the following 20 years the AGNSW Frames Conservators provided hands-on training to the conservation students from the following universities: EVTEK University of Applied Sciences, Vantaa, Finland (1999, 2006), later Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Vantaa, Finland (2010, 2018), University of Applied Science and Arts, Hildesheim, Germany (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013), the Dresden Art Academy, Dresden, Germany (2000, 2005), The City & Guilds of London Art School, London, UK (2005), Bern University of the Arts, Switzerland (2015), University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC, Australia (2011, 2015, 2017, 2018 2019).

4 More information available at: https://www.uva.nl/en/discipline/conservation-and-restoration/education/study-programme/article.html

5 See also Ashley-Smith’ comments at: https://www.iiconservation.org/node/7384, were he remarks that a number of students internship places is decreasing as a consequence of decreasing time spent by museum conservation departments on practical interventions and decreasing a number of conservators employed in on-going roles at the cultural institutions.