Beyond the Museum: The Conservator of Contemporary Art in the Private Sector. Challenges, Procedures and Solutions

  • Rita L Amor García Cons-Graf. Londres, Reino Unido
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v20i1.1077
Keywords: Collecting, conservation, private sector, auction houses, decision-making, preventive conservation, contemporary art, solutions

Abstract

On a purely academic basis, conservation focuses on the maintenance of artistic and historical objects for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Implicitly, this is commonly related to museums and public cultural institutions, as well as the conservation work that takes place in such places. However, conservation does not only work in public sectors, as the private sector is a considerable source of work for many conservators who employ their knowledge and experience in often demanding situations. In addition to the problems of contemporary art with regards to new techniques, concepts and materials, there are eventualities and damages that could have easily been avoided if certain guidelines had been set beforehand. The following article presents how contemporary art collecting and conservation are related with the aim of introducing situations experienced by conservators and proposing concrete solutions that can be easily applied.

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Author Biography

Rita L Amor García, Cons-Graf. Londres, Reino Unido

Doctora en Ciencia y Restauración del Patrimonio Histórico-Artístico por la Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Además, es Licenciada en Bellas Artes (2010) y Posgraduada en Conservación y Restauración de Bienes Culturales (2011) por la UPV. Desde 2010, combina el trabajo de conservador en ambientes multidisciplinares con la investigación sobre materiales contemporáneos, centrándose en la conservación de pintura en aerosol dentro de los movimientos del grafiti y arte urbano, así como el uso en sectores más institucionales y vinculados a la conservación en sectores privados. Entre 2011 y 2014, trabajó como becaria de especialidad en proyectos de investigación vinculados al uso de nuevos materiales y adaptación de procedimientos para pinturas murales arrancadas, dentro del Instituto Universitario de Restauración del Patrimonio.
Tras finalizar su tesis doctoral en 2017, comenzó a trabajar como conservadora de superficies pictóricas y objetos no convencionales en Londres en el estudio privado de conservación Plowden and Smith, Ltd. Desde entonces, ha realizado proyectos en diferentes instituciones públicas y privadas a nivel internacional en Europa, Estados Unidos y el Medio Oriente.
La Dra Amor García ha realizado colaboraciones con artistas, trabajando en diferentes momentos del proceso creativo, ofreciendo apoyo y soluciones a cuestiones particulares y recomendaciones prácticas para la producción artística. Además ha empleado y adaptado la entrevista a artistas a sectores artísticos alternativos. Gracias a todo ello, ha escrito numerosos artículos de difusión científica y participado en congresos a nivel internacional con su trabajo con materiales contemporáneos, experiencia con artistas y su investigación en la conservación de grafiti y arte urbano.

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Published
2021-12-17
How to Cite
Amor García, R. L. (2021). Beyond the Museum: The Conservator of Contemporary Art in the Private Sector. Challenges, Procedures and Solutions. Ge-Conservacion, 20(1), 369-388. https://doi.org/10.37558/gec.v20i1.1077
Issue
Vol. 20 (2021): Ge-conservación Nº20
Section
Suplemento
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