School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Research Publications

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    Speckle and Conservation
    Miles, E ; Roberts, A ; Tse, N ; Sloggett, R (International Seminars, 2008)
    The aim of this research is to demonstrate the usefulness of speckle, a trait of an expanded laser beam, for the non-destructive testing of artwork in both the imaging of subsurface structure and the quantitative detection of physical movement of canvas. Laser Speckle Contrast Method (LSCI) is a useful method for the viewing of subsurface layers and movement. By investigating the statistical properties of dynamic speckle it is possible to reveal drawings that are hidden beneath scattering layers such as the primary layer of paint or adhered paper. This is achieved by taking a series of speckle images captured in a short time frame and applying one of a number of post processing algorithms. We explore the limitations of this method when applied to various paper samples that have a sketch executed in various media beneath the top layer. The ability to resolve gray scale images was examined as well as looking at the dependence of the contrast of the revealed drawings to the temperature of the surface. Current work is being done on using LSCI to reveal indentations in artwork caused by the application process. The successful use of Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) both in the laboratory and in-situ for the detection of in-plane movement of painted canvas due to humidity fluctuations and the out-of-plane movement of paint as it dries has also been demonstrated. Canvas paintings can be very susceptible to movement due to changes of the environment. ESPI is a non-destructive technique yielding sensitive results that can detect displacement on a surface of less than the wavelength of the illuminating coherent light source. While ESPI has been successfully applied to the in-situ study of painted frescoes, previous studies have employed tensile testers as a support for painted canvas. We have shown a portable version of ESPI to be of use in tropical environment in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore with original artworks where variations in humidity occur and the samples have not undergone special preparation before analysis, revealing significant directional movements. Furthermore, a simple variation in the direction of beams paths permits the characterisation of out-of-plane movement, specifically as the height of paint shrinks due to the drying process. We have used ESPI to view the drying process of alkyd resin paints over the time period of 24 hours.
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    Collections of paint colour charts, paint tins and paintings as a source for developing an understanding of paint making history
    Dredge, P (Museums Australia, 2011)
    A project looking at a collection of painting items from a studio used by the artist Sidney Nolan (1917-1992) from 1951 to 1953 is beginning to grapple with the subject of house paint technology from the pre World War II period up to the mid 1950s. Sidney Nolan was particularly engaged with house paint as an artist’s medium, and it seems sought information from paint makers to obtain a deep technical understanding of these complex paint systems. A number of additional collections of paint material held in Sydney museums have been identified that hold potential to provide new information on paint resins and pigments. A collection of historic paint colour charts which use the paint itself in the swatches of colour, and a collection of early synthetic paint resins from 1934-1937, are both valuable sources for analytical standards and the dating of technologies in Australia.
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    Accreditation and Standards: Developing a National Strategy
    Sloggett, R (Heritage Collections Committee of the Cultural Ministers Council, 1996-10-01)
    This working paper examined the link between accreditation and standards at a time when the Federal Government was seeking to develop a strategic method of delivery for the National Conservation Policy for Australia's Movable Cultural Heritage. This Working Paper explored models for professional accreditation and how accreditation supports professional development. This work informed the development of the National Conservation Strategy and was the basis for a four year program in national developments in conservation. It informed SD3 of the National Strategy.
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    Attainable and Sustainable: Skills Gap in Conservation in Australia. Produced by the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM) for the Collections Management and Conservation Working Party of the Heritage Collections Council (HCC). 2000
    Sloggett, R ; KERRY, A (Commonwealth of Australia 2000 on behalf of the Heritage Collections Council, 2000-01-01)
    The National Conservation and Preservation Strategy for Australia's Heritage Collections recognises skills development as one of the major areas requiring strategic support. Key Strategy SD3 aims to: Facilitate the development of a range of conservation and preservation education opportunities and support the development of professional codes of practice, codes of ethics, accreditation and standards for conservators and collection managers. The action required, which forms the basis for this survey, was: Audit gaps in skills and match of trained conservators in certain fields eg. conservation and preservation of textiles, natural history collections, photography and furniture. In order to better assess this need, and in order to identify individuals who are recognised by the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM) as being accredited conservators, the Collections Management and Conservation Working Party of the Heritage Collections Council (HCC) commissioned the AICCM to undertake a skills gap audit of specialist conservators in Australia. This document goes some way to identifying the issues relating to the auditing of conservation skills in materials conservation in Australia.
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    Science in the service of religion and art: analysis of pigments in Middle Eastern Manuscripts
    Sloggett, R ; Kerry, A ; Nugent, K (University of Melbourne, 1999)
    The Middle Eastern Manuscript Collection housed in the Baillieu Library at the University of Melbourne present a rich resource for scholars exploring Middle Eastern book production and the trade of manuscripts between the east and west. This paper explores how Raman analysis can help inform studies of production and trade in Middle Eastern Manuscripts. It also demonstrated the value of Raman analysis as a non-destructive tool in manuscript studies.
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    Preserving the Past: How to ensure the development of the conservation profession in Australia is preserved for the future
    Pearson, C ; Lyall, J ; Sloggett, R ; Cook, I (AICCM, 2011-10-19)
    The first AICCM conference “Conservation in Australia”, which was held in Canberra in 1976 at the Australian National University, was organised by the few conservators located in Canberra. The intervening 35 years have seen changes in the organisation and conservation profession. This 2011 AICCM National Conference, “Conservation in Australia: Past, Present and Future”, now back in Canberra, will allow us to view where we have come from, and examine the challenges for the future development of the AICCM and Australian conservation profession.
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    Respect: Engendering participatory relationships in conservation education
    SLOGGETT, R (Canadian Association for Conservation, 2009)
    In 2004, the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (The University of Melbourne) established a new subject, Respect, as part of a new Masters by Coursework in Cultural Materials Conservation. In this subject, guest lecturers who have extraordinary or senior cultural expertise and knowledge introduce students to the political and societal aspects of cultural materials conservation. They lead students through the complexity of issues relating to context, disruption, authenticity, legal standing, development, reinvention, identity, and minority status. In Respect, students are asked to think about conservation as a practice that could benefit from incorporating intellectual positions and emotional skills that have been developed by other cultures, or marginalized communities within our own culture, to support the preservation of their cultural material or cultural identity. In order to do this, Respect seeks to indicate to students the political nature of cultural material conservation decision-making. The subject also asks students to consider who the partners in cultural materials conservation are, and whether conservators and those with the responsibility and interest in cultural preservation have the skills to enter into successful participatory partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
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