Whitney Museum of American Art: Recent pages: Conservation

Conservation

Whitney Museum of American Art — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:45:06 -0400

The Conservation Department at the Whitney Museum was founded in 2001. From the outset, it was designed to be both a treatment and research center. As such, it moved into a reclaimed and renovated modest space within the current building designed by Marcel Breuer. Conceived as a partner with the Center for the Technical Study of Modern Art at the Harvard Art Museum, it shares in the Center’s dissemination of information through teaching, lecturing, and publication.

Artists Documentation Program

Whitney Museum of American Art — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:38:40 -0400

Conservation/Interviews

The Artists Documentation Program was established in 1990 at The Menil Collection, Houston, by Carol Mancusi-Ungaro, the former chief conservator at the Menil and currently associate director for conservation and research at the Whitney and founding director of the Center for the Technical Study of Modern Art at the Harvard Art Museums. Supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and in partnership with the Whitney Museum of American Art and Harvard Art Museum, the ADP interviews artists and their close associates in order to gain a better understanding of their materials, working techniques, and intent for conservation of their works.

Conservation In The News

Whitney Museum of American Art — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:27:56 -0400

Conservation/Press

“A Low Cost Show Reinflates a Big Bag”
—The New York Times

“Going Softly Into a Parallel Universe”
—The New York Times

“With a Coat of New Paint, Revealing the True Judd”
—The New York Times

“‘What Happens when I die?’ The Whitney Museum is interviewing artists on video to document their instructions for the conservation of their art"
—The Art Newspaper (International Edition), October 2006

“Chiedere agli artisti come conservare le loro opre d’arte”
—la Repubblica/The New York Times

“Giving the Artists a Voice in Preserving Their Work”
—The New York Times

Replication Committee

Whitney Museum of American Art — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:41:22 -0500

Conservation/ReplicationIssues

The Replication Committee addresses issues related to the duplication of works of art in the permanent collection and/or related collections for various purposes associated with the Museum’s program. It meets monthly to discuss pressing issues of replication and associated matters of refabrication, exhibition copies, and authentication. The intent is to institute a more rigorous and consistent approach in terms of policy and practice through critical review of precedent within the institution with an eye toward resolution of current issues.

Dialogues On Materiality

Whitney Museum of American Art — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:20:10 -0400

Conservation/DialoguesOnMateriality

The Dialogues on Materiality series focuses on the Whitney’s research involving artists’ materials and techniques. Participants engage in on-going discussions regarding trends and specific challenges to the preservation of unconventional art. Founded in 2001, the Conservation Department embraces innovative approaches to the treatment and technical study of works of contemporary and modern art in the Whitney’s collection.

Treatments

Whitney Museum of American Art — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:16:09 -0400

Conservation/Treatments

The Conservation Department preserves works of art in the Whitney’s collection so that they may be exhibited and made accessible to scholars and the general public. Through constant review of the collection or in response to requests for exhibition, either at the Whitney or from another institution, decisions regarding specific treatments are made and implemented. In some cases, works that are known to be unstable may be considered for treatment regardless of exhibition priorities. Technical research and study of related works are part of the preparation for any treatment, and often a group of related pieces will be treated concurrently. The goal of every treatment is to present the work as originally intended, in so far as we know through artist interviews and other avenues of research, so that the public may enjoy an informed viewing experience.