Practitioner (In)visibility in the Conservation of Contemporary Art

ABSTRACT

This article explores the role and position of the conservator of contemporary art and proposes the concept of invisibility as a way of thinking about ideas and practices of authorship, agency, and knowledge in the field of conservation. The invisibility of the practitioner is a concept drawn from the field of translation, and the work of translation theorist Lawrence Venuti. Venuti describes the translator’s traditional position of invisibility, exploring how it manifests both in relation to the translated text, as well as in wider epistemic, professional, and social senses. Sparked by Venuti’s 1995 book The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation, invisibility has been the subject of significant study and debate in translation and can also be identified as a common concern across several disciplines. This article explores how the concept of invisibility applies to the conservator of contemporary art, and its effect in respect of understandings of the work, the nature of conservation practice, and the recognition of practitioner knowledge.

RÉSUMÉ

Cet article explore le rôle et la position du restaurateur d'art contemporain et propose le concept d'invisibilité comme façon de penser les idées et les pratiques de paternité, d'agentivité et de savoir dans le domaine de la conservation. L'invisibilité du professionnel est un concept tiré du domaine de la traduction et des travaux du théoricien de la traduction Lawrence Venuti. Venuti décrit la position traditionnelle d'invisibilité du traducteur, explorant comment elle se manifeste à la fois par rapport au texte traduit, ainsi que dans des sens épistémiques, professionnels et sociaux plus larges. Introduite par le livre de Venuti de 1995 The Translator's Invisibility: A History of Translation, l'invisibilité a fait l'objet d'études et de débats importants en traduction, et je suggère qu'elle peut être identifiée comme une préoccupation commune à plusieurs disciplines. Cet article explore la façon dont le concept d'invisibilité s'applique au restaurateur d'art contemporain, et son effet à l'égard de la compréhension de l'œuvre, la nature de la pratique de la conservation, et la reconnaissance du savoir du professionnel. Traduit par Isabelle Cloutier.

RESUMO

Este artigo discute o papel e a postura do conservador da arte contemporânea e propõe o conceito de invisibilidade como uma forma de pensar sobre ideias e práticas relacionadas a autoria, atuação e conhecimento no campo da conservação. A invisibilidade daquele que é especialista praticante é um conceito extraído do campo da tradução e da obra do teórico da tradução Lawrence Venuti. Venuti descreve a postura do tradutor tradicional de invisibilidade, explorando sua manisfestação tanto em relação ao texto traduzido quanto em sentidos epistemológicos, profissionais e sociais mais amplos. Difundida pelo livro de Venuti, The Translator's Invisibility: A History of Translation, de 1995, a invisibilidade tem sido objeto de estudos importantes e debates na tradução, e eu sugiro que também pode ser identificada como uma preocupação comum em várias disciplinas. Este artigo explora como o conceito de invisibilidade se aplica ao conservador da arte contemporânea e o seu efeito no que tange ao entendimento da obra, à natureza da prática de conservação e ao reconhecimento da experiencia daquele que pratica. Traduzido por Claudia Carvalho.

RESUMEN

Este artículo explora el rol y la posición del conservador de arte contemporáneo y propone el concepto de invisibilidad como una forma de pensar sobre las ideas y prácticas de autoría, agencia y conocimiento en el campo de la conservación. La invisibilidad del profesional es un concepto extraído del campo de la traducción y del trabajo del teórico de la traducción Lawrence Venuti. Venuti describe la posición tradicional de invisibilidad del traductor, explorando cómo se manifiesta tanto en relación con el texto traducido como en sentidos epistémicos, profesionales y sociales más amplios. Impulsada por el libro de Venuti de 1995 La invisibilidad del traductor: una historia de la traducción, la invisibilidad ha sido objeto de importantes estudios y debates en la traducción y sugiero que también puede identificarse como una preocupación común en varias disciplinas. Este artículo explora cómo el concepto de invisibilidad se aplica al conservador de arte contemporáneo y su efecto con respecto a la comprensión de la obra, la naturaleza de la práctica de conservación y el reconocimiento del conocimiento de los profesionales que la practican. Traducción: Amparo Rueda.

KEYWORDS:

• Conservation
• contemporary art
• invisibility
• visibility
• translation
• practitioner
• knowledge

Disclosure statement

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

Notes

1 The concept of invisibility is discussed here only in relation to conservators working in the context of museums. I am grateful for the panel discussion and comments from audience members at the Contemporary Art (New Tactics) Panel—The Evolving Influence of the Conservator of Contemporary Art at the 2019 AIC Annual Meeting, for articulating the different ethical positioning and concerns of conservators working in private practice, and how concerns of privacy and commercial value inform a commitment to invisibility.

2 On the meaning of musealization, see: Desvallées and Mairesse (2010).

3 This description echoes Johnson’s explanation of the lack of fixity in the position of the translator (Johnston 2010, 16).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions [grant number 642892].

Notes on contributors

Zoë Miller

Zoë Miller is a doctoral researcher at Tate and PhD candidate at Maastricht University. Her research explores the issues of authorship and ownership in contemporary art conservation and the epistemic aspects of conservation practice. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland, Australia. In 2015 she was awarded a distinction for her MA in Museum Studies, and in 2016 she completed a Diploma in Art Profession Law and Ethics with the UK Institute of Art and Law. Email: [email protected].