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ICA - Art Conservation
America's first nonprofit art conservation center
April 2012 - Vol 6, No 2
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Fanny Hayes portrait after treatment

Fanny Arabella Hayes Platt, (1820-1856) Fanny was the older sister of President Rutherford B. Hayes. This portrait was painted posthumously in 1882 by American artist E. F. Andrews.

Visions of spring are popping up everywhere at the ICA, like this beautiful portrait belonging to the Hayes Presidential Center, which is being treated as part of the museum's Save America's Treasures grant. From paintings to programs, our labs and calendar are filled with great projects and initiatives. Read on to learn more about what has sprung up recently at the ICA.

Composite image of lining process
The Londoner's Transport Throughout the Ages by R.T. Cooper, 1928; color lithograph poster, 40" x 50".

This unique poster was likely produced for the London underground, and may have been displayed in tube stations around the city. When the poster came to to the ICA for treatment, it was in poor condition overall. The paper was extremely brittle and discolored with minor surface dirt on the front and back. There were numerous small losses likely due to bug damage and small edge tears and losses from the paper hitting the sides of the original frame. In addition, there were several tears in the images area, and the sheet was quite distorted with horizontal ripples and creases.

Treatment consisted of a thorough surface cleaning of the object, back and front, with soft dry-cleaning sponges. The solubility of the printing inks were first tested to determine if the object could withstand water-based treatment. With the inks testing stable, the object was washed in a water bath adjusted to a slightly alkaline pH. This helps to reduce discoloration by rinsing out acidic degradation products in the paper. While the paper was still damp, the object was lined on the reverse with a strong but flexible sheet of Japanese paper adhered with wheat starch paste to provide strength and support to the sheet. The new lining will allow the object to hang vertically in a frame without too much stress on the paper. The object was stretch dried by pasting the edges of the lining paper to the table, which helped reduce the distortions in the sheet. Small losses in the media were retouched with colored pencils to minimize their appearance.
WBOE mural from CMSD
ICA is helping the Cleveland Metropolitan School District with one of the WPA murals in its collection. The mural was painted by Louis Grebenak in 1939 for the Board of Education's pioneering radio station, WBOE. Strong, geometrical composition in the artwork represents the power of radio to communicate the arts and sciences.

This unique mural has been moved several times throughout its history, and now it does not have a permanent home. Over the years it has suffered some wear and tear and become quite grimy. However, despite these minor issues the mural is basically in very good condition. In preparation for moving the mural, ICA paintings conservators performed minor treatment and took the canvas off of a non-original plywood support, then rolled it on a tube for transport. While the school district determines what to do with the mural, it will be stored in the ICA's climate controlled art storage facility.
OMA 2012 Conference logo
Iconic artifacts and experiences, and the museums that house them, are indispensable cornerstones of our communities. How does an artifact, an experience, or a museum itself become iconic? Are there signature pieces in your collection that have yet to realize their full potential to benefit your institution and your community? Join us in Cincinnati April 15 & 16, for the Ohio Museums Association's Annual Conference as we explore ways to tap the iconic potential of institutions and to inspire audiences through Iconic Experiences.

ICA's Education Outreach Officer, Jennifer Souers Chevraux, and Julie Parke, Executive Director of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, will present "Iconic Exceptions: Finding a Balance Between Visitor Access and Preservation Practices" at the OMA conference. Using pertinent examples of objects deemed so iconic they must never been taken off public view, yet perpetually exposed to the bright lights and environmental hazards of permanent exhibition, Jennifer and Julie will referee the debate over the practice of making preservation exemptions to avoid disappointing visitors.

Must we give the people what they want and accept gradual deterioration as a consequence of being one-of-a-kind? Or, in this age of virtual experiences and lifelong learning, can we think of creative alternatives and draw a professionally accepted line been access and stewardship? Come to the conference and join the discussion as we aim to find an acceptable middle ground between best practices and iconic experiences.
Heather working
In February, ICA paintings conservator Heather Galloway was awarded Fellow status in the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). The rank of Fellow is achieved through a peer review process. Conservators who have worked in the field for a minimum of ten years must demonstrate through the examination of their work that they have exercised professional skills of high quality and that they uphold the ethical standards for conservation set by the AIC. They must share examples of their work and documentation about their professional involvement, which is reviewed by the membership committee of AIC. In addition, their application must be supported in writing by five Fellows familiar with the candidate's work. Amongst Heather's supporters was the ICA's executive director Albert Albano. ICA is proud of Heather's professional achievement and is pleased to share the news of her AIC Fellow status with our community.
ICA is pleased to announce that we have been awarded grant funding from the GAR Foundation and the George Gund Foundation to support our ongoing educational programming and increase community outreach. The grant from the GAR Foundation is specifically aimed at adding to ICA's programming in the Akron area, while the grant from the Gund Foundation will add a virtual gallery of completed conservation projects to the ICA website. We wish to thank these foundations for their support of our important mission and service to this region.
60 sign
ICA will host its 60th Annual Meeting Wednesday, November 14th, 2012. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for a special program celebrating the ICA's 60 years of service to artistic and heritage organizations and the collecting community throughout this region. Watch for more news about ways ICA will honor this important milestone over the next year.
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Photographs courtesy of John T. Seyfried and Jennifer Souers Chevraux, copyright ICA - Art Conservation, 2012.

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Jennifer Souers Chevraux, Education Outreach Officer
ICA-Art Conservation

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