A Conservation Conundrum Ephemeral at the National of African Art

Stephanie E. Hornbeck he permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art includes both tradition-based and contemporary objects, which sometimes employ fugitive materials or media Agents of DeteriorAtion that render them ephemeral. Among these exists a smaller grouping of objects which are ephemeral visible and ultraviolet (UV) light by design. To comprehensively fulfill its mandate to collect and Light catalyze reactions, often resulting preserveT the visual of Africa, the National Museum of African in fading and/or discoloration Art (hereafter the Museum) began acquiring contemporary works in the 1990s, while continuing to collect tradition-based art. Since influences the rate of chemical 1997, a large gallery has been devoted to contemporary African art, Temperature reactions, can cause hardening or in which rotating exhibitions are always on view. desiccation, leading to physical Ephemeral materials pose challenges on conceptual and practi- damage cal levels to the conservators faced with their display, treatment, and preservation. Indeed, the concept of ephemeral-by-design causes moisture absorption and stands in direct opposition to the major tenet of conservation: the Humidity acid hydrolysis; facilitates biolog- preservation of cultural patrimony for future generations. Con- ical attack sequently, conservators sometimes effect a compromise between the objectives of preservation and artistic intent, thereby aim- catalyzes reactions, which may ing to prolong the life span of a transient work. The conservation Oxygen form unstable free radicals that challenges inherent to ephemeral art have been addressed by a can alter the molecular structure number of conservation conferences and attendant publications. These include “Saving the ” in Ottawa in 1991; “Mod- ern Art Who Cares?” in Amsterdam in 1999 (a sequel conference Table 1 The primary variables that can catalyze or accelerate chemical reac- is planned for 2010); “Mortality/Immortality” in Los Angeles in tions leading to the deterioration of artifacts (primarily organic materials). These agents affect both chemical and physical properties of materials. When two or 1999; and most recently “Modern Art: New ” in Bilbao more agents combine, a synergistic effect results in even greater degradation. in 2004. A number of collaborations among conservators special- izing in contemporary art have arisen, perhaps most notably in (opposite counterclockwise from top) 1 This graphic image hypothesizes the way a fragile collage may deteriorate Britain, the , and North America (see Hummelen and over time. The image at left shows how the work (The Muse 3 [1994] by Garth Scholte 2004 and http://www.MattersinMediaArt.com). Perhaps Erasmus) looks at the present while the one on the right postulates the effects the largest collaborative network is the International Network for of agents of deterioration. PhoTo: Franko khoury naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, the Conservation of Contemporary Art (INCCA), founded in GraPhic dEsiGn: lisa Vann, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion. 1999 by the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage and the Tate Museum in London. INCCA is a network of interdisciplin- 2 Bowl with figures olowe of ise (ca. 1875–ca. 1938). yoruba peoples, , c. 1925 ary professionals dedicated to the conservation of modern and Wood, pigment; 63.7cm x 33.8cm x 39 cm (25” x 13½” x 15½”) contemporary art, and it has grown to include “250 members … Bequest of William a. Mccarty-cooper. 95-10-1 from over 150 organizations in 30 countries” (http://www.incca. PhoTo: Franko khoury naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion note darkened coating. org). One of the most useful contributions of INCCA to the field is its literature database of over 2000 records related to the conserva- 3 Bowl with figures olowe of ise (ca. 1875–ca. 1938) yoruba peoples, nigeria, early 20th century tion of contemporary and modern art. Wood, paint; 53.8cm x 25cm x 35cm (21¼” x 9¾” x 13¾”) Thus, issues of unpredictability, permanence, and deteriora- Gift of Walt disney World co., a subsidiary of The Walt disney company. 2005-6-34 tion processes particular to ephemeral materials, as well as par- PhoTo: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

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af_52-61.indd 52 5/20/2009 7:41:01 PM ticular legal and ethical conservation considerations, have been agents of deterioration are multiplied, such as when an object is widely discussed by conservators. Many issues come into play; exposed to both elevated temperature and light, the agents of dete- in her discussion of the topic, Christiane Berndes presents a rioration can combine synergistically to accelerate chemical reac- diagram of a circle with spokes labeled “’s opinion,” “resto- tions resulting in faster deterioration (Fig. 1). Composite objects ration ethics,” “historicity,” “authenticity,” “functionality,” “rela- can have materials that act as agents of deterioration, which have tive importance,” “technical limitations and possibilities,” “legal an antagonistic effect that accelerates damage on other materi- aspects,” “aesthetic and artistic factors,” and “financial limita- als. Interventive methods to slow down the deterioration process tions and possibilities” (Berndes 1999:170). Indeed, the subject involve environmental measures—such as refrigeration, dark stor- can seem daunting for the professionals involved. Drawing on a age, and anoxic micro-environments—that are not readily appli- number of case studies, this paper aims to present an overview cable to whole categories of artifacts, especially those comprised of of the key conservation issues and challenges that ephemeral composite materials. media have presented at the Museum. A primary reason that contemporary materials are so problem- atic for conservators is the lack of understanding about how new e phemerAl mAteriAls: Definition AnD exAmples of materials will behave over time, as often no precedents guide us. DeteriorAtion Advances in organic chemistry over the past two centuries have Ephemeral objects are often fabricated of fugitive media, a dramatically increased the materials available to . In the category comprising materials that in a relatively short period of time—within decades—undergo chemical or physical changes which permanently alter them. Conservators refer to such changes as “inherent vice,” a phrase which describes the permanent, deleterious alteration inherent to some materials. Both inorganic and organic materials undergo chemi- cal and consequent physical changes from exposure to agents of deterioration—light, temperature, humidity, and oxygen (Table 1). However, the crystalline chemical struc- tures of inorganic materials renders them much more stable whereas the polymeric structure of organic materials, consisting of long chains of bonded chemical com- pounds, renders them more susceptible to changes due to alterations which their chemical structures can undergo. When

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af_52-61.indd 53 5/20/2009 7:41:10 PM 4a Magdalene anyango n. odundo (b. 1950, kenya) Vessel Untitled I (1994) ceramic; 47.5cm x 42.8cm x 42.8cm (18¾" x 16" x 16") Museum purchase. 95-8-1 Pho To: Franko khoury naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

4b–c details of damage from lime-popping, 12X magnification (l) and 64X magnification (r). Pho To: sTEPhaniE hornBEck, consErVaTion archiVEs, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

nineteenth century these advances exponentially increased the Roslyn Walker noted that the dark coating of this object is unusual colors available to artists via new synthetic pigments and dyes, for Olowe’s , notably as compared to a similar bowl, many of which are impermanent. Similarly, in the twentieth cen- thought to be earlier in date (Fig. 3). Conservators sampled it and tury, advances in polymer chemistry have produced the broad submitted it to analysis. If the coating were characterized as a syn- category known as plastics. Both tradition-based and contem- thetic material, it would have provided clear rationale for removal, porary African objects incorporate plastic materials. Categories as most synthetic coatings were not used as early as 1925. However, of plastics run the gamut from stable to unstable, and their long- analysis by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy1 revealed that term behavior is unpredictable. Research and technical studies the coating is a natural substance—a gum-carbohydrate mixture. undertaken by conservation scientists into the characteristics of While it could have been applied post-collection, it could also have different plastics have yielded much useful information for the been applied by Olowe. In the latter case, it is also possible that the conservator regarding storage and treatment of these materials. coating was clear when it was applied and darkened over time, thus However, we still rely on observations from real-time aging to changing the appearance in an undesirable way. However, as Olowe understand the actual behavior of materials; this is the one criti- died in 1938, these questions remain unanswered and the coating cal variable that cannot be recreated in the laboratory. has been left intact. If conservators had the benefit of communica- tion with Olowe regarding his artistic intent, the treatment outcome se hAr D ConserVAtion AspeCts of ethnogrAphiC AnD could have been completely different. ContemporAry mAteriAls Through extensive experimentation over the past three While contemporary African art in many ways has much in decades, the ceramicist Magdalene Odundo has perfected the use common with global contemporary art trends, materials, and of a marl-rich terra sigillata to create her ceramics. Subsequent to media, it has become apparent to conservators who work with manufacture, tiny white spots have formed on some of her oxi- ethnographic materials that contemporary objects also share dation-fired ceramics (Figs. 4a–c). The spots are visible on these many characteristics with tradition-based objects. These include monochromatic orange wares and have been noted as “flaws” the use of composite media on a single object (Figs. 9, 13); the by curators and collectors. X-ray diffraction analysis2 identified use of re-purposed materials (Figs. 6, 15); and the use of fugi- the white accretions as Portlandite (calcium dihydroxide). The tive materials (Fig. 5). My colleagues and I at the Museum have Portlandite formed when compounds in the clay absorbed ambi- found that the ethnographic conservator’s repertoire and famil- ent moisture to yield a new larger compound, whose formation iarity with the wide range of materials found in anthropologi- caused spalling of the ceramic surface. This process is known as cal collections is readily applicable to aspects of the conservation “lime popping.” Lime popping has been found on archaeological of contemporary art. The two case studies below present two ceramics fabricated of certain types of clays, and we looked to objects in the collection, one tradition-based and one contem- the archaeological literature to understand what was happening porary, which have undergone post-manufacture changes that to this ceramic fabricated in 1994. The occurrence of lime pop- have altered their appearance. These examples illustrate how ping is related to firing temperature. While the phenomenon can conservators draw on their experience with ethnographic and be avoided by firing in a specific temperature range, the color contemporary materials, rely on analytical testing, and consult of the fired ceramic is also altered. Thus, Odundo explained her with artists and scholars to formulate treatment protocol. acceptance of the lime popping found on her orange wares as A polychrome bowl fabricated by Olowe of Ise in 1925 has an a minor consequence of her chosen materials and a fabrication applied dark coating which obscures the painted surface below (Fig. technique perfected to yield her desired plasticity and coloration 2). In 1997 Olowe scholar and then-senior curator at the Museum (Moffett and Hornbeck 2002).

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af_52-61.indd 54 5/20/2009 7:41:18 PM DoCUmenting Artists’ mAteriAls AnD teChniqUes As these case studies illustrate, conservators must understand the materials and techniques of manufacture that artists use to help us understand deterioration, as well as to establish treat- ment protocol and exhibition conditions. There is a dearth of technical and craft information in the art historical literature and while the curator is often the point of contact with an art- ist, the information that the conservator needs may differ greatly from what the curator seeks. To this end, it is useful for curators and conservators to collaborate in dialogues with living artists. In the case of contemporary materials, American conservators and curators and our European counterparts, most notably at institutions in the Netherlands and , have initi- ated the development of elaborate surveys for living artists and the resulting documentation is archived for reference (see, for example, the Guggenheim Museum’s Variable Media Approach, http://www.variablemedia.net, and the International Network for the Conservation of Contemporary Art, http://www.incca. org; Hummelen and Scholte 2004). In a related aspect of infor- mation sharing between conservators and artists, the Intermu- seum Conservation Association (based in Cleveland, Ohio) recognized the needs of artists to know more about their mate- rials by establishing an on-line forum where artists can consult 5 chant avedissian (b. 1951, Egypt) The Nasser Era conservators and find valuable technical information. AMIEN, Mixed media on cardboard, cloth; 248cm X 150cm (97½" X 59") the Art Materials Information and Education Network, aims to Museum purchase. 96-20-3 provide artists with unbiased, comprehensive information based Om Kalsoum (1994) Mixed media on cardboard, cloth; 247cm X 150cm (97¼" X 59"). on current scientific research regarding the quality, durability, Museum purchase. 96-20-4 and health hazards of artist’s materials (http://www.amien.org). The Dogs (1994) The particular documentation needs of time-based media are Mixed media on cardboard, cloth; 246.6cm X 149.7cm (97½" X 59"). Museum purchase. 96-20-1 addressed below. PhoTo: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

the ConserVAtion ChAllenges of ArtistiC intent: 6a rudzani nemasetoni (b. 1962, south africa) Urban Testaments IV (1995) ephemerAl-by-Design Tin, wood, found objects, plaster, copper, pigment; 98.5cm x 52cm x 7cm (38¾” In addition to recording technical information from artists, x 20½” x 2¾”) documentation should also record artistic concepts and deci- Museum purchase. 95-13-10 PhoTo: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion sions, which can have direct bearing on treatment and display. For example, while the use of fugitive media is not necessarily 6b detail of damage to plaster on proper left side of top chain. a deliberate choice, sometimes artists knowingly elect to work PhoTo: dana MoFFETT, consErVaTion archiVEs, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

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af_52-61.indd 55 5/20/2009 7:41:27 PM i7 nstallation photo of Julie Mehretu’s Untitled (2003) from “Ethiopian Pas- the Artist-ConserVAtor interACtion: instAllAtions sages: dialogues in the diaspora,” May 2–december 7, 2003. Temporal installations, in which the artist has chosen to limit Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion the life span of an installation, represent large-scale examples of 8 Willem Boshoff standing before Writing in Sand. installation photograph the ephemeral-by-design concept. At the Museum this scenario from “TEXTures: Word and symbol in contemporary african art,” February 11– september 4, 2005. has occurred in two exhibitions. In each case, the artist worked in Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion situ on large-scale works, which were destroyed upon the close of the exhibition. Photographic documentation was undertaken of 9 2002 gallery installation of sue Williamson’s The Last Supper Revisited (1993) each work in progress and to record its existence; in-progress vid- Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion eos can be viewed on the Museum’s web site (www.africa.si.edu). In 2003 for the exhibition “Ethiopian Passages: Dialogues in the Diaspora,” artist Julie Mehretu painted in ink and latex the mural with materials that they know will deteriorate, incorporating this Untitled directly on the gallery wall (Fig. 7); Mehretu stipulated aspect into their overall concept. For The Nasser Era, Om Khal- that her was to be over-painted at the close of exhibition. soum, and The Dogs (all 1994), Chant Avedissian chose to paint For the 2005 exhibition “TEXTures: Word and Symbol in Contem- these images evoking ancient and contemporary Egypt using local porary African Art,” Willem Boshoff created his sand installation, dyes and gum arabic medium applied to cotton cloth backed with Writing in Sand, of stenciled words in black and white sand on the thin, curved, acidic cardboard substrates, formerly used as pack- gallery floor (Fig. 8). Boshoff expressed his belief that anything ing materials for refrigerators (Fig. 5). that might occur to the work while on display was an acceptable For his 1995 assemblage Urban Testament IV, the artist Rud- consequence of openly exposing his fragile to the pub- zani Nemasetoni incorporated found objects, including large lic. However, as the meaning of Writing in Sand depended in part chains from a marine environment (Fig. 6a). The iron chains upon the legibility of its words, Museum curators Christine Mul- have developed chloride corrosion resulting from the failure len Kreamer and Allyson Purpura consulted with Boshoff about of an applied corrosion inhibitor and immersion in salt water having conservators restore any damage the work might encoun- (Moffett and Hornbeck 2002). The resulting corrosion products ter during exhibition. crystallize on the surface of the chain, causing the applied plas- In this scenario, the conservator acts as the artist’s surrogate, ter to spall off the surface in numerous areas, yielding a spotted executing the artist’s wishes in his or her absence. For Writing in appearance overall (Fig. 6b). This deterioration process cannot Sand, this process entailed Boshoff leaving his materials (black be halted and periodic treatment will be necessary to repair the and white sand and stencils) with conservators to use for repair as damaged plaster. Both artists have expressed their deliberate use needed. Visitors frequently touched or stepped on the sand, dis- of ephemeral materials, which impart temporality to their work. placing the black sand of the words and the natural sand of the

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af_52-61.indd 56 5/20/2009 7:41:39 PM 10a–b commemorative trophy head Benin kingdom court style, Edo peoples, nige- ria, late 15th–early copper alloy, iron inlay; 23.2cm x 15.9cm x 20cm (9" x 6¼" x 8") Purchased with funds provided by the smithso- nian collections acquisition Program. 82-5-2. Pho To: dana MoFFETT, consErVaTion archiVEs, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion a: Before treatment in 1992. note the matte, olive green appearance of the surface b: after treatment in 1992. Pho To: dana MoFFETT, consErVaTion archiVEs, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

spaces around them. The work required repair nearly once a week. lg e Al AnD ethiCAl AspeCts of ConserVing Contempo- While the conservation interventions restored legibility to the text, rAry Art the displaced black and natural sand became increasingly mixed For both the Boshoff and Williamson installations, conserva- together. Consequently, as the exhibition continued, the initial tors relied on direct communication with the artists as well as crisp lines of the work evolved into a slightly blurry evocation. documented installation instructions and photographs. Another One form of damage, which did not obscure text or disfigure the consideration in thoroughly documenting communication with work, was allowed to remain: a single line of mouse tracks along living artists pertaining to the conservation of their work is the the back wall of one half of the painting. Upon the close of exhibi- legislation related to copyright law.3 Copyright law distinguishes tion, Boshoff wished the work to be destroyed—swept away, as it between economic rights and moral rights; the most important were. We conservators invited all interested Museum staff to par- moral right is termed “the right of integrity” and describes the ticipate in this process. Some people swept some of the sand into right of the artist to resist another’s intervention in his or her small glass jars to save before we collectively swept and then vacu- work (Beunen 1999). Although the moral rights of artists were umed up the sand. This instinct to save/preserve the work—even introduced internationally in Berne in 1886, the United States in a small way—attests to the difficulty viewers may have accept- did not ratify the Berne Convention until 1989 (ibid., p. 223). The ing the concept of art designed to be purposefully temporary. American Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) of 1990 resulted in In 2002, the first time her work The Last Supper Revisited was the addition of Section 106A, the “Rights of certain authors to displayed at the Museum, artist Sue Williamson traveled to the attribution and integrity,” to the Copyright Law of the United Museum to direct and participate in the installation (Fig. 9). For States of America, thereby incorporating the moral rights of two subsequent installations, conservators installed the work. visual artists into American copyright law (Copyright Law n.d.). The multimedia installation includes a round glass table, lit from VARA protects conservators from broad categories of legal below, to illuminate over 100 solid blocks of clear resin, in which recourse from living artists. Section 106A(c)(2) states: small fragments of the bulldozed District Six community—ironic The modification of a work of visual art which is the result of con- souvenirs, as the artist called them—were suspended. The origi- servation … of the work is not a destruction, distortion, mutilation, nal table incorporated a patchwork of electrical wiring to illumi- or other modification … unless the modification is caused by gross nate numerous incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs under negligence (ibid.). the table, generating considerable heat build-up—and a poten- tially hazardous situation—under the glass table top. In several Whereas European copyright law is guided much more strin- exchanges the curator, conservators, and the designer spoke gently by the rights of the artist, American copyright law is guided with Williamson about replacing the wiring and lighting system by the right of owners, and the larger public interest, to preserve with fiber optic lights; these would be powered on 110 voltage cultural property (Beunen 1999:227, Robinson 2000:1935–36). and would generate a minimal amount of heat. Although Wil- Importantly, even in cases where the artist consciously chooses to liamson agreed, she expressed her concern that the fiber-optics incorporate deterioration into works of art, VARA states explicitly be arranged in a manner to recreate the intended appearance of that the preservation of the cultural property supercedes the indi- ethereal lighting rather than the spot-lit effect characteristic of vidual wishes of the artist (Beunen 1999:232). fiber-optic lighting. The lighting effects Williamson desires have Although there is no legal obligation to do so, conservation not yet not been satisfactorily achieved and this issue remains codes of ethics nevertheless address the responsibility of the unresolved, for now. conservator to the maker of the object, in so far as the preser-

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af_52-61.indd 57 5/20/2009 7:41:40 PM 11a–b amir i.M. nour (b. 1939, sudan) Horned Gate (1973) Bronze; 60.8cm x 52.5cm x 41.2cm (24" x 20¾" x 16¼") Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Fred richman. 95-17-1. Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion a: Before treatment in 2002. note the blue- green streaky appearance of the surface, char- acteristic of outdoor exposure over time. b: after treatment (re-patination) in 2002. Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

vation of the object allows. Article II of the Code of Ethics of talline wax left accumulations of white residues, further detract- the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic ing from the object’s appearance. In consultation with Museum Works (AIC) states: curator and Benin expert Bryna Freyer, the decision was made All actions of the conservation professional must be governed by an to remove these post-collection applied coatings. The successful informed respect for the cultural property, its unique character and treatment revealed the metal surface as it was intended to appear significance, and the people or person who created it (AIC Code of and the surface nuances were again visible (Fig. 10b). Ethics 2008). Contemporary objects sometimes involve more significant interventions than conservators would typically consider for his- In instances when the artist is still living, it is important to toric objects. In 1995 when the Museum acquired the cast bronze communicate with him or her regarding the desired appearance Horned Gate by Amir Nour, the work had the green and display of the work of art. However, artists and conservators patina and acidic water tidelines characteristic of outdoor metal have very different roles. It is imperative that the artist remain sculptures (Fig. 11a). Indeed the previous private owners had focused on the original intent rather than approaching treat- displayed the work outside, which was never the artist’s inten- ment as an opportunity to revise the original art work. The cura- tion.4 Other works by Nour in our collection, such as Spoon, as tor and conservator together must consider the intrinsic value well as sculptures in other American collections (for example, of the original, no matter how deteriorated, when considering Crescent Gate owned by the Fine Arts Museum in St. Petersburg, conservation intervention. Every conservation treatment carries Florida) have golden brown patinas. In discussions with Nour, the risk of damage or change to the original, thus the conserva- he confirmed that the appearance of Horned Gate at the time tor bears the responsibility of approaching treatment judiciously. of acquisition departed from his intention.5 Thus, then-curator As the upcoming case studies illustrate, sometimes the issues of contemporary art Elizabeth Harney and conservator Dana presented by modern materials require a greater emphasis on Moffett elected to have the sculpture repatinated in prepara- restoration than would be considered ethical today for tradition- tion for exhibition in 2002.6 The repatination required removal based objects. The Guidelines for Practice of the AIC was revised of the microns-thick oxidized metal to reveal base metal and a in 1997 to address this issue in Guideline 23: subsequent application of a golden brown chemical patina (Fig. In the treatment of contemporary cultural property, the aesthetic 11b). The resulting appearance enables the sculpture to again be requirements of the maker/artist may necessitate compensation prac- appropriately considered among Nour’s corpus of cast bronzes, tices that sacrifice original material and surface to obtain a specified rather than as an anomalous example of his work. result (AIC Guidelines 2008). It is important to note that, although repatination is some- times done for outdoor metal sculptures, it is no longer regularly ArtistiC intent AnD ConserVAtion treAtment considered as a treatment option for historic metals in museum In deference to artistic intent, and in close collaboration collections because of the necessary removal of original mate- with the curator, conservators will sometimes reverse disfigur- rial. Repatination would certainly not be a treatment option for a ing post-collection alterations to return a work to its original Benin bronze, for example. intended appearance. When the Museum acquired a sixteenth Artist Berni Searle provided precise instructions for the 2000 century Benin Kingdom cast copper alloy head, it had a matte, (and subsequent 2006) installation of her work To Hold in the olive-green appearance from the post-collection application of Palm of the Hand, including the sprinkling of powdered green a coating which obscured the original surface qualities of the henna onto the lower portion of the six panels comprising the metal (Fig. 10a). In contrast, sixteenth century Benin cast cop- work (Fig. 12). Because the henna gathers dust from display, it per alloy objects which exhibit no subsequent alteration typically cannot be reused for future installations. With the assistance of have dark brown patinas. Subsequent applications of microcrys- Harney, I asked Searle how she felt about my purchasing addi-

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af_52-61.indd 58 5/20/2009 7:41:48 PM tional henna to use as her stock diminished.7 She agreed, and I found a supply of pure henna at an Ethiopian market in Wash- ington, DC. In contrast, conservators would not typically replenish lost pigment on tradition-based objects. Many African objects have friable pigments which are poorly bound to the substrates. Con- servators consolidate pigments and paints, preserving the existing materials. However, significant amounts of non-original colorant would not be added to areas of loss. Thus, unlike the approach taken with the henna on To Hold in the Palm of the Hand, conser- vators would not consider replenishing losses to the powdery red lead pigment on a Zulu hat, for example (Fig. 13). Kinetic sculptures are another category of contemporary object requiring greater conservation intervention than would typically be undertaken on tradition-based objects. Due to the repeated movements and consequent stresses placed on com- ponents, parts wear down. On Sokari Douglas Camp’s sculpture Masquerader with Boat Headdress (1987) rotating bands lift cloth legs attached to bells that clang against the metal feet, evoking the impression of the figure dancing (Fig. 14). Over time, the bells break and become stuck in the metal feet, inhibiting move- ment and causing the cloth legs to tear. The conservator repaired the cloth legs by backing them with bands of sturdy canvas dyed to match the fabric. In this manner, the canvas bands are sub- jected to the stresses of movement and the original cloth legs are no longer weight-bearing. In time, the canvas bands will require replacement in their turn. A mid-twentieth century egungun costume acquired by the Museum in 2005 exhibited tears and holes from its former use in masquerades (Fig. 15). As with the repairs to Douglas Camp’s Masquerader, a textile conservator backed damaged areas of cloth with more sturdy cloth. Although the egungun costume was once worn and danced, it is no longer considered a kinetic object per se, and it is displayed in stationary on a mount. As testimony to how the object was once used, mountmakers and conservators at the Indianapolis Museum of Art collaborated to fabricate ingenious mounts that create the impression of move- ment (Alig 2003). We rely on archival images and film footage to view these now-stationary objects in motion. It is conceivable that at some future date, as the objects deteriorate, we will rely on similar footage to view contemporary kinetic objects, like Sokari Douglas Camp’s Masquerader, in motion.

12 To Hold in the Palm of the Hand (2000) Berni searle (b. 1964, south africa) inkjet prints on vellum, henna; 156.3cm x 389cm x 135cm (61½" x 153" x 53") Pho To: sTEPhaniE hornBEck, consErVaTion archiVEs, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion detail of applied henna powder on lower portion of vellum panels (in 2000).

13 hat Zulu peoples, mid 20th century Plant fiber, cloth, red lead pigment; 15cm x 45.3cm x 45.3cm (6" x 17¾" x 17¾") Museum purchase. 95-11-1 Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

s14 okari douglas camp (b. 1958, nigeria) Masquerader with Boat Headdress (1987) Mixed media; 225cm x 103.5cm x 122cm (88½" x 40¾" x 48") Museum purchase. 97-4-1 Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion installation photograph of “insights,” February 27–november 28, 2004

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af_52-61.indd 59 5/20/2009 7:41:55 PM (counter clockwise from left) 15 Egungun mask costume yoruba peoples, mid 20th century cloth, wood, metal, plastic; 170.2cm x 129.5cm (67" x 51") Museum purchase 2005-2-1 Pho To: By Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFri- can arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

16 Gallery installation of the video Africa Rifting: Lines of Fire, Namibia/Brazil (2003) by Georgia Papa- george (b. 1941, south africa). Museum Purchase. 2004-12-1. installation photograph of “Body of Evidence (selections from the contemporary african art collection),” June 14, 2006–december 2, 2007. Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

17 Gallery installation of the video Can’t Forget, Can’t Remember (1999) by sue Williamson (b. 1941, England). Museum purchase. 2004-13-1. installation photograph of “Body of Evidence (selections from the contemporary african art collection),” June 14, 2006–december 2, 2007. Pho To: Franko khoury, naTional MusEuM oF aFrican arT, sMiThsonian insTiTuTion

time-bAseD meDiA: A new ConserVAtion frontier periodic updates of format (such as laser disc to CD-ROM) and Moving images are now routinely created by artists as pri- presentation mechanism (i.e. projector, television, DVD player, mary works of art (Figs. 16–17); these works are inherently etc.). However, each data migration usually results in some loss ephemeral. Works that incorporate audio, film, video, 35mm of information, so it is important to judiciously consider the slides, or computer-based elements are categorized as “time- consequences beforehand. based media,” “new media,” or “electronic media” in museum The acquisition and consequent care of such materials are new collections. Their preservation represents a new area of focus areas for curators and conservators at the Museum. We are in the in conservation. Although such works have been produced for early stages of developing protocols for obtaining artists’ direc- decades, in the past ten years production of this category of art tives, documenting formats, and creating guidelines for storage work has increased dramatically, creating a need for conserva- and exhibition. Our colleagues caring for collections of contempo- tion specialists in electronic media. To care for such media, con- rary and modern art are pioneers in this area and we are drawing servators draw on the experience of archivists, who have been upon their experience. One consortium of museums, including addressing preservation issues related to moving images for a MoMA, the Tate Modern, SFMoMA, and the New Art Trust, much longer time. The main issues involved are: data migration has collaborated in a multiphased project dedicated to provid- with advances/obsolescence in audio-visual technology, optimal ing information related to the care of time-based media. Since its storage format and conditions, and physical wear from continu- inception in 2003, Matters in Media Art, the web site created by ous display. Obsolete technology presents the potential need for the collaborators, has served as a valuable resource for informa-

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af_52-61.indd 60 5/20/2009 7:42:06 PM tion, protocols, guidelines, and down-loadable templates to docu- Working with art created by living artists, as we navigate ment information from the artist, as well as to record condition between the sometimes-competing demands of preservation assessment (Wharton 2009; http://www.MattersinMediaArt.org). of the physical art work and respect of artistic intent, requires As with , time-based media requires an inter-dis- collaboration among the artist, their studio assistants, cura- ciplinary team; in this case, consisting of the artist, curators, con- tors, conservators, and conservation scientists. At the National servators, archivists, and technical media/audio-visual specialists. Museum of African Art, we have come to apply our experi- Ideally, this team should communicate with the artist during the ence with preserving ethnographic materials to contemporary period of purchase consideration to determine the current and works in the collection, and vice versa. The technical study of future needs of the art work, which can be considerable. new materials and advances in the conservation profession will continue to inform our approach to the treatment and exhibi- ConClUsion tion of ephemeral art. Conservation professional codes of eth- Ephemeral materials, because they are often unpredictable, ics will continue to be modified as needed to accommodate the present challenges to conservators entrusted with their preser- special considerations particular to art created by living artists. vation. This apt quotation from conservation scientists David To understand the arc of a work of art’s lifespan, the conservator Grattan and R. Scott Williams of the Canadian Conservation must first understand the original materials and techniques of Institute describes the conservator’s dilemma: fabrication. Consequently, we rely upon descriptions of mate- Works of art, therefore, have two kinds of life: that of the concept— rials and media and documentation of artistic intent, includ- the meaning—and that of the materials. As an object ages it changes; ing installation details. These critical resources will guide us ultimately, the disintegration of the materials brings obliteration. But as unknown, future scenarios unfold. Indeed, our experiences in modern art, ideas are often transient and materials ephemeral. So, demonstrate that the dialogues surrounding the conservation of what then is the question being asked of the conservator? Is it to pre- ephemeral art are dynamic and continually evolving. serve the material at all costs? To convey the artist’s intent? Or is it simply to define the nature of the materials and understand the deg- Stephanie E. Hornbeck is Conservator, specializing in ethnographic and radation? (Grattan and Williams 1999:73). contemporary objects, at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art, where she has worked since 1998. [email protected]

Notes References cited ern Art, New Museums: Contributions to the IIC Bilbao Congress 13–17 September 2004, ed. Ashok Roy and Perry My conservation colleagues at the Museum, Steve Mel- AIC. 2007. “Article II, Code of Ethics.” In Code of Ethics, Smith, pp. 208–212. London: The International Institute lor and Dana Moffett, and I have benefited enormously Directory of the American Institute for Conservation of for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. from discussions with curators Christine Mullen Kreamer, Artistic and Historic Works of Art. Washington DC: AIC. Allyson Purpura, Elizabeth Harney, and Karen Mil- Artist Materials Information and Education Network ______. 2007. “Guideline 23: Compensation for Loss, D. bourne. We have also greatly enjoyed working with artists (AMIEN). n.d. http://www.amien.org, accessed Febru- Special Practices, approved 1997.” In Guidelines for Practice, Willem Boshoff, Sokari Douglas Camp, Fathi Hassan, ary 4, 2009. Directory of the American Institute for Conservation of Julie Mehretu, Aimé Mpane, Rudzani Nemasetoni, Amir Artistic and Historic Works of Art. Washington DC: AIC. International Network for the Conservation of Con- Nour, Magdalene Odundo, António Ole, Berni Searle, temporary Art (INCCA). n.d. http://www.incca.org, and Sue Williamson. We look forward to future engage- Alig, Dorothy. 2003. “Vibrant Dancers: Egungun accessed February 6, 2009. ments and discussions. Costumes from Southwestern Nigeria.” In Pre-prints 1 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to the North American Textile Conservation Conference de Leeuw, Riet. 1999. “The Precarious Reconstruction of (FTIR) is a spectrographic method which characterizes (NATCC), pp. 1–4. Philadelphia: NATCC. Installations.” In Modern Art: Who Cares? ed. Ijsbrand organic materials by measuring the vibrational energies Hummelen and Dionne Sillé, pp. 212–21. Amsterdam: Berndes, Christiane. 1999. “The Decision-making Model of their chemical bonds. The Foundation for the Conservation of Modern Art for the Conservation and Restoration of Modern and 2 X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an analytical method and the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage. Contemporary Art.” In Modern Art: Who Cares? ed. Ijs- which identifies crystalline materials (usually inorganic brand Hummelen and Dionne Sillé, pp. 164–72. Amster- Matters in Media Art. n.d. http://MattersinMediaArt. compounds) by capturing their unique energy diffrac- dam: The Foundation for the Conservation of Modern com, accessed February 4, 2009. tion patterns. Art and the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage. 3 For further information, the topic of visual art Moffett, Dana, Stephanie Hornbeck, and Stephen and copyright law was addressed by the Committee on Beunen, Annemarie. 1999. “Moral Rights in Modern Mellor. 2002. “Common Problems in Archaeologi- Intellectual Property of the College Art Association in Art: An International Survey.” In Modern Art: Who cal and Ethnographic Conservation Intersect with the a panel discussion titled “Beyond Copyright: Do Artists Cares? ed. Ijsbrand Hummelen and Dionne Sillé, pp. Contemporary: Case Studies of two African Objects.” Have Rights?” at the 90th annual College Art Associa- 222–32. Amsterdam: The Foundation for the Conserva- In Pre-prints to the 13th Triennial Meeting of the ICOM tion in Philadelphia on February 21, 2002. tion of Modern Art and the Netherlands Institute for Committee for Conservation, pp. 679–84. Rio: Interna- 4 Dana Moffett, email to Elizabeth Harney, Sep- Cultural Heritage. tional Council of Museums (ICOM). tember 9, 2002. At the time Moffett was Conservator Copyright Law of the United States of America. n.d. Robinson, Christopher J. 2000. “The ‘Recognized Stat- at the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Pub. L.No.101-650,104 stat.5089, 5128. http://www.copy- ure’ Standard in the Visual Artists Rights Act.” Fordham Institution, Washington DC. right.gov/title17/92chap1.html#106a, accessed February Law Review 68 (5):1935–36. 5 Ibid. 9, 2009. 6 Ibid. Wharton, Glenn. 2009. “The Future of New Art Tech- 7 Elizabeth Harney, personal communication, Grattan, David, and R.Scott Williams. 1999. “From ‘91’ nologies: Time-based Media Conservation.” Lecture, email November 2, 2000. At the time Harney was cura- to ‘42’: Questions of Conservation for Modern Materi- January 21, 2009, Smithsonian American Art Museum tor of contemporary art at the National Museum of als.” In Mortality/Immortality: The Legacy of Twentieth and National Portrait Gallery. Century Art, ed. Miguel Angel Corzo, pp. 67–74. Los African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC. Wiles, David M.1993. “Changes in Polymeric Materials Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Trust. with Time.” In Saving the Twentieth Century: The Con- Hummelen, Ijsbrand and Tatja Scholte. 2004. “Sharing servation of Modern Materials, ed. David W. Grattan, Knowledge for the Conservation of Contemporary Art: pp. 105–112. Ottawa: Canadian Conservation Institute. Changing Roles in a Museum without Walls?” In Mod-

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