AIC-PMG Winter Meeting 2025

Fifty years is a long time in the relatively short history of photograph conservation. This presentation begins with the rediscovery of the matte collodion process and the then current belief that most issues seen in photograph prints were caused by poor fixing or washing. Since then, much has been experienced; and this will be this conservator’s focus – which immersion techniques have gone well, when have there been issues, and how can potential problems be identified ahead of time. While gelatin photographs make up the majority of examples, other processes will be included other processes will be included as well.

“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.' So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there."

Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

In April and September 2024, the "Taller de Conservación y Preservación de Fotografía" at Finca Vigía, Cuba, marked the latest in a series of trainings, following previous efforts by Monque Fisher and Walter Newman of the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC).

Finca Vigía, Ernest Hemingway's residence in Cuba, attracts over 100,000 visitors annually, making it one of the most popular cultural sites in the country. The estate serves as an important diplomatic bridge between the United States and Cuba, fostering collaboration in preservation efforts and cultural exchange. Through initiatives led by the Finca Vigía Foundation, a Boston based organization dedicated to preserving Hemingway's legacy, the site has become a symbol of shared heritage and a platform for building mutual understanding between the two nations. Under the guidance of NEDCC, the Foundation has built a state-of-the-art conservation lab that is however faced with significant challenges, including the country’s frequent electricity and water limitations. The lab commonly has at least one conservator on staff.

Sponsored by the US Embassy in Havana and made possible by the Finca Vigía Foundation, spearheaded by Executive Director Mary-Jo Adams, this two-session workshop focused on hands-on, practical conservation techniques, conducted in the participants’ native Spanish to maximize engagement and effectiveness. All workshop materials, including a specially developed conservation kit, had to be hand-carried after obtaining export permission from the Department of Commerce and other US government agencies as well as cleared through stringent Cuban customs checks, underscoring the logistical hurdles. There is a severe limitation of access to conservation supplies in the country. The level of knowledge in photograph conservation of participants could not be anticipated although it was understood that they would be mostly trained conservators. These hands-on sessions covered essential topics such as the evolution of photographic processes, emergency preparedness, and interventive treatments, requiring participants to engage directly with the tools and techniques provided.

The workshops are part of the ongoing efforts of the Finca Vigía Foundation to preserve Ernest Hemingway’s legacy.

This presentation will focus on the pedagogical strategies and materials developed for these workshops, emphasizing the innovative solutions required to overcome the unique challenges of training in Cuba.

Photograph collections connect humanity. These holdings are universal and treasured across geographic, religious, and societal divides.

As nations worldwide struggle with escalating natural disasters, armed conflict, economic collapse, illiteracy, and other crises, the need to work together to preserve our world’s photographic heritage is clear and immediate. While we vigilantly document, treat, and care for these collections, photograph conservators must also lead, collaborate, transform, advocate, and fundraise……

Individuals seeking support for new and existing photographic preservation initiatives must be alert to changes in the philanthropic environment. We must pay attention to the aims of funders and develop pioneering proposals that connect to their mission. While foundations are guided by educational goals and vision, individuals give to causes they feel passionate about – or institutions to which they are closely connected. And for our private practitioners, we must pursue for-profit/non-profit partnerships or sponsored opportunities that enable financial access to 501(c)3 entities.

We must find resonance and connect our work to global societal concerns. We should connect with established regional partners and not operate in isolation

In doing so, each of us must build our skills and refine our vision. AIC-PMG members offer experience in national and global outreach and collaborative initiatives.

Our message must be unified and consistent. And our work, collaborative.

We must highlight our stories, preservation challenges and solutions, celebrate success and keep donors engaged. As we work to preserve photographic collections we must emphasize the central role of arts and culture in inspiring change and promoting unity.

This presentation will center on the lessons learned in fundraising for the preservation of photographic materials and the education and training of emerging conservators and collection care professionals globally.

In doing so, the author will provide practical guidelines learned following decades of rewarding work in institutional advancement / development – relevant for both institutions and sole proprietors and connected to outcomes from Held in Trust.

The following topics will be addressed:

Documenting Need, Relevance. and Addressing WHY?

Connecting to Funders Goals and Opportunities

Funding Sources and Strategies

• Government grants (local and national)
• Global or local foundations
• Corporations
• Professional organizations
• Established programs for collections preservation
• Online platforms
• Advanced research fellowships & partnerships
• Special events
• Individual donors
• Project Specifics and Proposal Guidelines & Tips

Lessons Learned in Aggregate

• Identify a spectrum of funding needs. Pursue many.
• Build a culture of philanthropy.
• Tell stories.
• Seek spendable and endowment funding. And matching support too.
• Inform and involve decision makers regularly. Share success.
• Involve the public. Engage communities broadly. Seek volunteers.
• Be a part of the solution.
• Collaborate globally. Connect to societal needs.
• Share your passion; it is contagious.
• Take risks. Do not be shy.
• Ask for support with enthusiasm and conviction.
• Lead.
• Prepare clear/transparent budgets.
• Pursue multi-phased preservation initiatives with pilot projects based on collection assessment and need.
• Celebrate accomplishments and clearly articulate next steps.

The M+ Museum is striving to establish new guidelines to direct the decision-making process for the conservation of photographs during acquisitions and throughout the conservation of legacy works, with a particular emphasis on reproduction awareness.

The goal is to fully comprehend each photograph as a unique work of art while taking into account the opinions of various museum stakeholders. It also aims to provide advice and negotiate on the best long-term collection care strategies for the museum and whether reproduction could aid in preservation.

This presentation will draw attention to certain crucial areas: The first step is to establish descriptive terminology for different types of reproductions that acknowledge stakeholders, nomenclature, and budgets. Second, diligent work on setting up a procedure for evaluating the collection's values and allocating stakeholders to those attributions, including the combination of the museum's artist questionnaire with the photographic information record. Thirdly, incorporating this work into the museum's overall guidelines, procedures, policies, and standards.

In order to comprehend the collection and recommend the best conservation measures, the work is being developed in cooperation with the registration, curatorial, and collections database teams under the (color) photographic committee. This presentation will provide an overview of the work done over the past two years, our starting point, preliminary case studies, and ongoing work.

The Wayside, a historic home in Concord, Massachusetts, is renowned for being the residence of several prominent 19th-century authors, including Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Sidney (Harriet Lothrop). In 1965, the house became part of Minute Man National Historical Park, marking the first literary site acquired by the National Park Service.

This presentation will focus on the ongoing efforts to preserve and conserve the collection of photographs permanently displayed in the house.

The walls of The Wayside are adorned with artwork, documents, and family photographs, many of which have been on display since their original placement by the owners. In 2023, a project was launched to address the conservation of framed paper artifacts on display. A team of paper and photograph conservator, along with object conservators, working through CCI Industrial Services, LLC, was contracted by the National Park Service for this task. The conservation work took place at the Historic Architecture, Conservation, and Engineering Center in Lowell, MA.

This presentation will delve into the decision-making processes behind the conservation efforts, considering the unique qualities of the artwork, its contextual significance, and the specific requirements of preserving it within a historic house setting. The collaborative efforts between conservators, curators, and National Park Service Project Inspectors will be a key focus.

The aim of the talk is to introduce the collection and highlight the factors specific to The Wayside that influenced the conservation approach. The presentation will be accompanied by images of the house and examples of the treatments undertaken.