Photograph Conservation Workshop

for Book and Paper Conservators

October 21-24, 2013
Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
San Marino, CA

Instructors: Gawain Weaver and Jennifer Olsen  

Course Description

Libraries and archives collect more than books and manuscripts. Textiles, digital files and audio-visual materials are common in collections. Photographs are probably the most-represented media after paper-based objects, but their value is usually to the collection as a whole not as individual artist’s prints. Conservators working in libraries and archives are charged with their care, but often feel they don’t have the knowledge and skills to address basic conservation issues at the collection level. In this class, conservators will learn basic cleaning, stabilization, and repair techniques for 19th and 20th century photographic prints. While the focus will be on practical treatment skills, there will also be basic instruction about the history and composition of photographs, and housing and exhibit strategies.
Basic process identification will not be covered in depth. Though it is not a prerequisite, a Care and Identification of Photographs workshop will be taught the week prior at the same venue and provides a solid foundation for this more advanced course.

Format

4-day workshop, mix of lecture and hands-on instruction, 4-day schedule available on request

Who Should Attend

This class is taught at an intermediate to advanced level. Participants should have experience in book or paper conservation in evaluating condition, making treatment decisions, and performing intermediate to advanced level conservation treatments.

What’s Included

4-days of instruction, color workshop notebook, a variety of damaged photographic materials for workshop treatment and take home, 60x handheld microscope. Participants should bring their own tools though some will be provided.

How To Apply

Application deadline July 1st, responses sent by July 15th.
Send CV and a brief letter explaining your reasons for attending the workshop to workshops@gawainweaver.com. Mid-career experience level in book or paper conservation strongly preferred. Applications accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis after the deadline if there is still space in the workshop. Workshop registration and materials fee of US$1500.00 payable upon acceptance.