The Centre for Photographic Conservation Newsletter No: 1 ARCHIVE/INTERNET COPY

CPC NEWSLETTER


Issue 3. 1st January 1994 INTERNET EDITION

CPC Newsletter is published once a year. Reproduction and/or translation of the contents is permitted, with acknowledgement of the source.

News and comments from The Centre for Photographic Conservation


Dear friends

The Centre has had a very hectic year so far despite the postponement of the conference planned for April 1994 "Photographs: Preserving A Moment in Time". The National Museum of Wales very kindly tried to help keep the conference afloat, Bob Childs, Head of Conservation there was extremely kind, giving up a great deal of time to show us over the Folk Museum and the Main Museum and discuss the ramifications of a change of venue. Unfortunately the Folk Museum whilst being a most delightful venue, was too small, in December we already had over 80 registrations, and the Main Museum auditorium was far too big, capacity for 400, we would have been rattling around in there like peas in a drum, we were aiming for between 160-180 delegates. Changing the venue at the eleventh hour would also have increased the costs for the conference considerably so we reluctantly decided in the end to let it go for this year and are now already planning for another time probably 1998 the Arts Council's Year of Photography.

We apologize for the disappointment this caused and we would also like to take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to all of you, who telephoned, fax'd or wrote, for your encouragement and good wishes.

The Netherlands

In May our exhibition "Rediscovering Historic Photographic Processes" was included in over twenty exhibitions which were part of Foto Manifestatie Eindhoven 1994 in the Netherlands. The Centre would like to acknowledge the generous support for this exhibition from The Conservation Unit of the Museum and Galleries Commission of Great Britain. FME94 whose general theme was "Man and the Environment" ran throughout May and also included a two day conference "Photography: Man and the Environment" speakers included Prof. Margaret Harker, Pamela Roberts and Ian Moor.

The Museum and Heritage Show

Also in May The Centre took part in The Museum and Heritage Show at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. The exhibition, spread over two extremely spacious halls was split into two different categories. The first represented the services and expertise that the museum world needs to preserve and conserve its collections and the second represented the public face of Museums. Whilst a show like this can not possibly represent the entire conservation profession it is, however, able to illustrate a good cross section and it is very encouraging to see how the level of professionalism in the conservation field in the UK is increasing all the time. During the show we were delighted to be visited by many of our clients, past students and colleagues.

Mexico

In May and June The Centre was working with Coordinaci¢n Nacional de Restauraci¢n del Patrimonio Cultural INAH, Sistema Nacional de Fototecas INAH and the Escuela Nacional de Conservaci¢n Restauraci¢n y Museografia "Manuel del Castillo Negrete". The Institute Nacional de Antropologia e Historia SEP organized and hosted a 3 day conference Curso Sobre Restauracion de Materiales Fotograficos Ian Moor was the principal speaker and lectured on photographic preservation, conservation and restoration. The conference was attended by 69 delegates from cultural institutions throughout Mexico. After the conference Ian Moor and Angela Moor undertook Photographic Conservation workshops for two weeks at the Escuela Nacional de Conservaci¢n Restauraci¢n y Museografia "Manuel del Castillo Negrete" for twenty nine students and conservators from the Escuela Nacional, and also from Sistema Nacional de Fototecas INAH.

Broadfield House Glass Museum

At the present time The Centre is undertaking the conservation of a unique collection of photographs of cameo glass by the Victorian sculpture George Woodall. Many of these wonderful images illustrate Woodall's creative process and techniques. Many of the pieces executed by Woodall are no longer in existence therefore these photographs are a priceless record of this eminent sculptor's work. The quality of the photography and print process characteristics capture the superb qualities of the cameo glass sculptures. What is also important, and previously little known, is that Woodall took and produced the photographs himself.

"Fire or Flood": Dealing with the Aftermath

On the 14th July The Centre undertook a one day in-house disaster preparedness course for personnel at the National Gallery in London. The Centre was invited to undertake the course by Sara Hattrick, Head of the Photographic Department. National Gallery staff who attended the course not only include those from the Conservation and Photographic Departments but also the Fire and Security Departments.

Courses

The Centre's programme of courses starts on the 8th August and runs through until the 23rd of September. This year we have students from as far afield as the USA, Singapore and South Africa. Students on our seven week certificated course in 1993 produced some excellent work; we hope to use a number of the work studies they produced as part of an exhibition we are planning for 1998 which is the Arts Council's Year of Photography. Our Course schedule for 1995 will run from 14th August to the 29th September.

Internships

The Centre will welcome its first intern this year. From September Sandra Petrillo, in her final year at The French Institute for the Restoration of Works of Art (IFROA) Paris, will spend three months undertaking work-studies and research.

RESTORATION '94

From 12-14th October The Centre will be part of a group of British conservation specialists who under the auspices of the Conservation Unit of the Museum and Galleries Commission will take part in Restoration '94 at the RAI in the Netherlands. The UK Pavilion will be sponsored and co-ordinated by the Museum and Galleries Commission and grant funded by the Department of Trade and Industry. Having taken part in previous trade exhibits organized by the RAI in the Netherlands we are expecting to have a very busy but enjoyable three days. If you are visiting Restoration '94 do come along and say "Hello" you will be sure of a very warm welcome.

European Photographic Materials Conservation Group

The European Photographic Materials Conservation Group will finally get underway when it has its inaugural meeting on the 27th October at the National Gallery, London. The meeting, organized and sponsored by The Centre for Photographic Conservation, will be hosted by the Photographic Department at the National Gallery and will be for one day only and comprise lectures and a business meeting to install an interim steering group. Cost for the meeting is £20.00 plus V.A.T (£23.50). For further information please get in touch with EPhMCG, The Centre for Photographic Conservation.

Open Day and Advice Surgery

The Centre will have an Open Day on the 28th October. As part of the programme we are offering a free consultation and Advice Surgery for curatorial and conservation and preservation professionals. As the time is very limited may we request that any one who would like to attend the surgery should write, telephone or fax' for a consultation appointment time. Please feel free to bring material for discussion. In order to provide refreshments for visitors to the Open Day would anyone who intends to visit the Centre that day please let us know they are coming.

Exhibitions

An exhibition which might be worth visiting is The Photographer's Gallery's, "New Processes" where three American photographers explore the versatility of historic processes notably the Cyanotype and the Van Dyke process. The exhibition is on from 28th June until 12th August. The Photographer's Gallery in Great Newport Street, London WC2 is well worth a visit, for anyone interested in photography, at any time of the year. Also highly recommended is the National Portrait Gallery's exhibition Edwardian Women Photographers 8th July to 25th September.

Publications

"The Imperfect Image: Photographs Their Past, Present and Future." proceedings from The Centre for Photographic Conservation's conference at Windermere 1992. The proceedings, from this the first international conference, comprises 52 papers by many of the worlds leading photographic conservators, conservation scientists, historians and curators and constitutes a major collection of information in the field of photographic preservation and conservation. The publication is A4 format and contains 379 pages extensively illustrated with black and white and colour photography. The text is in English. Price £42.00 ($85 USA) including surface postage world-wide.

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