Each year conservators and museum professionals from across the United States and other countries attend the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) Annual meeting, and each year, a new topic is selected and papers are solicited for presentations and posters.This past week, some of the McKay Lodge Conservation conservators attended the AIC’s 46th Annual Meeting held in Houston, Texas.
For 2018, the topic was Material Matters. This included any material studies which impacted “the conservation profession, including the emergence of innovative treatments, new ways of “looking” and “seeing,” shifts in decision-making and desired outcomes, and changes in collection care strategies”. Papers were welcomed from other disciplines as well such as archaeology, museum and curatorial fields, and art history.
In 2017, research for “An Evaluation of Cold Paste Waxes Used in Conservation for Outdoor Bronze Sculpture” by our Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, Christina L. Simms, was presented at the AIC’s 45th Annual Meeting held in Chicago, Illinois.
This year, all events were held at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Houston.
While the weather was hot and humid outside, the presentations inside the conference center were thought-provoking and informative ranging from research and technical studies to treatment for all disciplines to a panel discussion about the response to natural disasters such as Hurricane Irma. Many vendors were also present in the AIC Exhibit Hall for preservation related services and supplies.
But all those presentations and workshops were complemented by loads of fun tours and after hour festivities, including an after hour reception hosted at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
Thank you, AIC for another great annual meeting. We look forward to next year.