Through the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation the following workshop for the, Honours in Curatorship students at the University of Cape Town has been made possible.

COURSE TITLE
Contemporary Issues in Art Conservation

Course Dates: 13th – 17th July 2015

Open talk: 15th July 2015, 1 -2 pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course introduces students to some of the contemporary issues concerning art conservation theory and practice. Main topics to be considered include the following: How does conservation change the meaning and interpretation of objects and sites? Whose values are considered when conserving an artefact or site? Do objects live, die or have spiritual needs, and how does contemporary conservation practice cope with this? What role does conservation play in restoring memory, human relationships and national identity in the wake of political conflict?

Over the length of the course, we examine the conservator’s approaches, methods and ethics and reflect on how these influence the appearance and interpretation of works of art. We also confront the voices of the artists, makers and users of art, cultural objects and sites, and consider how their intentions and choices of materials complicate or defy the role of the conservator. We further examine how individuals, communities and nations contest and claim bodies, objects and sites. Finally, we look at some of the powerful outside forces—political strife, armed conflict, tourism and the art market—that shape conservation practice.

INSTRUCTOR
Sanchita Balachandran is Curator/Conservator of the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum and Lecturer in the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA . Trained as an objects conservator at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, she teaches courses related to the identification and analysis of ancient manufacturing techniques of objects, as well as the history, ethics and practice of museum conservation. Recent courses include “Recreating Ancient Greek Ceramics”; “Egyptian Funerary Arts in the Archaeological Museum” (co-taught with Dr. Betsy Bryan); “Examining Archaeological Objects”; “Global Perspectives on the Museum” (co-taught with Dr. Elizabeth Rodini); and “Critical Issues in Art Conservation”. Balachandran’s research interests include the history of museum collections and their conservation.

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