Small Museum Research Strategies at the Alaska State Museum

ABSTRACT

The Alaska State Museum in Juneau is a small, remote institution that must lean heavily on cultivating relationships with experts in other disciplines, graduate interns, and conservation colleagues, as well as adherence to three interrelated guiding principles to carry out research with its limited staff, sole conservator, and small budget. The first principle is called comparative observation with known positives and negatives. Examples include using microchemical spot testing, polarized light microscopy, and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. The second principle is defined as a preponderance of the evidence and will be illustrated through the characterization of indigenous and archaeological objects such as the Alaska Fur ID project and generation of a collections care “What’s That White Stuff” blog for small museums. The third principle is referred to as collaborative consensus, using examples of testing of adhesives for collections labeling, treatments of waterlogged archaeological basketry, and ongoing research about dyes used in Chilkat robes combining the expertise of a local group of weavers with GCMS analysis performed at Portland State University through the Pacific Northwest Conservation Science Consortium serving to highlight this concept. This manuscript shows how adherence to these principles has generated practical research results for more than twenty years.

RÉSUMÉ

Pour faire de la recherche avec un seul restaurateur à l'emploi, un personnel restreint et un petit budget, le Alaska State Museum (musée de l'état d'Alaska) à Juneau, qui est un petit établissement dans une région isolée, doit s'appuyer fortement sur le développement de relations avec des experts dans d'autres disciplines, des étudiants faisant des stages dans le cadre de leurs études ainsi que des collègues restaurateurs, et aussi sur son adhésion à trois principes directeurs inter-reliés. Le premier principe est l'observation comparative à l'aide de positifs et de négatifs connus. Des exemples en sont, entre autres, les essais microchimiques ponctuels, la microscopie en lumière polarisée, et la fluorescence aux rayons X (XRF). Le second principe est défini comme étant la prépondérance des preuves. Il sera illustré dans cet article par des projets autour de la caractérisation d'objets autochtones et archéologiques, tels que l'Alaska Fur ID project (projet d'identification de fourrures de l'Alaska) et la création du blogue “What's That White Stuff” (« C'est quoi cette substance blanche ») portant sur le soin des collections pour les petits musées. Le troisième principe désigne le consensus collaboratif. Parmi les exemples qui l'illustrent, on retrouve les tests d'adhésifs en vue de la pose de numéros d'enregistrement sur les collections, des traitements de restauration de vannerie archéologique gorgée d'eau et une recherche en cours sur les colorants des robes cérémonielles Chilkat. Ce dernier projet allie l'expertise d'un groupe local de tisserandes à l'analyse par couplage de chromatographie en phase gazeuse et de spectrométrie de masse (CG-SM) exécutée à la Portland State University (université d'état à Portland) par le biais du Pacific Northwest Conservation Science Consortium (le consortium en science de la conservation de la côte nord-ouest du Pacifique). Cet article démontre comment l'adhésion à ces principes a généré des résultats en recherche pratique depuis plus de vingt ans. Traduit par Carole Dignard.

RESUMO

O Alaska State Museum em Juneau é uma instituição pequena e remota que deve se apoiar firmemente no cultivo de relacionamentos com especialistas de outras disciplinas, estagiários de pós-graduação e colegas de conservação, bem como na adesão a três princípios orientadores inter-relacionados para realizar pesquisas com sua equipe limitada, com um único conservador e um pequeno orçamento. O primeiro princípio é chamado de observação comparativa com positivos e negativos conhecidos. Os exemplos incluem o uso de análises microquímicas prévias, microscopia de luz polarizada e fluorescência de raios-x (XRF). O segundo princípio é definido como uma preponderância da evidência e será ilustrado através da caracterização de objetos indígenas e arqueológicos, como o projeto Alaska Fur ID e a criação de um blog chamado “What's That White Stuff” dedicado ao cuidado com coleções para pequenos museus. O terceiro princípio refere-se ao consenso colaborativo, o qual usa exemplos de testes de adesivos para rotulagem de coleções, tratamentos de cestaria arqueológica encharcada e pesquisas em andamento sobre corantes usados em mantos de Chilkat. A combinação da experiência de um grupo local de tecelões com análises de Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada à Espectrometria de Massas (CGEM) realizadas na Portland State University através do Pacific Northwest Conservation Science Consortium, serve para enfatizar esse conceito. Este manuscrito mostra como a adesão a esses princípios gerou resultados de pesquisa prática por mais de vinte anos. Traduzido por: Caroline Lodi.

RESUMEN

El Museo Estatal de Alaska en Juneau es una institución remota y pequeña que debe apoyarse en gran medida en el fomento de relaciones con expertos de otras disciplinas, estudiantes de maestría y colegas de conservación y adicionalmente en la adherencia a tres principios rectores interrelacionados para llevar a cabo investigación con personal de trabajo escaso, un único conservador y un presupuesto reducido. El primer principio se denomina observación comparativa con ejemplos positivos y negativos conocidos. Los ejemplos incluyen el uso de pruebas puntuales microquímicas, microscopía con luz polarizada y fluorescencia de rayos X (FRX). El segundo principio se define como la preponderancia de la evidencia y se ilustrará a través de la caracterización de objetos indígenas y arqueológicos como el proyecto Alaska Fur ID (Proyecto de identificación de pieles de Alaska) y la generación del blog “What's That White Stuff” (Qué es esa cosa blanca) con información sobre cuidado de colecciones para museos pequeños. El tercer principio se denomina consenso colaborativo, en el cual se utilizan ejemplos de pruebas de adhesivos para etiquetar colecciones, tratamientos de cestería arqueológica empapada, e investigaciones en curso sobre los tintes utilizados en las túnicas Chilkat, en donde se resalta este concepto al combinar la experiencia de un grupo local de tejedores con análisis GCMS (Cromatografía de Gases acoplada a Espectrometría de Masas) realizado en la Universidad Estatal de Portland a través del Pacific Northwest Conservation Science Consortium (Consorcio de Ciencia de la conservación del Pacífico nordeste). Este texto muestra cómo la adhesión a estos principios ha generado resultados prácticos de investigación durante más de veinte años. Traducido y revisado por: Diana Díaz, Estíbaliz Guzmán y Amparo Rueda.

KEYWORDS:

• Alaska
• analysis
• collaborative
• low tech
• basketry
• labeling
• chilkat dye
• cedar

Acknowledgements

The topic of this paper was originally presented at the Research and Technical Studies session at the 47th Annual American Institute for Conservation in Uncasville, Connecticut, May 16, 2019. The author is grateful not only to the individuals and funders mentioned in this paper, but also the ongoing partnerships with the graduate conservation training programs at Queen’s University, New York University, the University of Delaware/Winterthur Museum, and the University of California at Los Angeles/Getty Institute.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The work described in section 4.3 was funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation [grant number # G-31700644]. The work described in section 2.3 was funded by the Rasmuson Foundation [grant #6557].

Notes on contributors

Ellen Carrlee

Ellen Carrlee holds a PhD in cultural anthropology (University of Alaska Fairbanks 2020), an MA in Art History and Conservation (New York University 2000), and a BA in Art History (University of Wisconsin Madison 1995). She has been working with Alaskan collections since 2001, and as the conservator at the Alaska State Museum since 2006. She specializes in the care of indigenous and archaeological organic materials with a focus on collaboration with Alaska Native experts as well as museum conservation colleagues. Her research emphasizes networks of relationships among persons both human and non-human, endeavoring to promote hands-on engagement with materials alongside Indigenous artists and intellectuals. Recent projects include collaborative gut processing, exploring wool dyeing with Chilkat weavers, and making space for Indigenous authority in object treatments. Address: Alaska State Museum, 395 Whittier St., Juneau, AK 99801, USA. Email: [email protected].