Search

In the day-to-day practice of conservators, involving deadlines, resource challenges and management demands, there are relatively few opportunities to compare the relationship of the profession to the changing social landscape. As conservation practice itself is relatively stable, the need to question assumptions raises the challenge of how to build this reflexive record constructively into a more diachronic social discourse. A radical reflexive approach to reviewing our own practice generates opportunities to question the way we account for what we experience and, by questioning claims, assumptions, knowledge, and beliefs, to make them more transparent. In this paper a technique of collaborative autoethnography is proposed. Its aim is to support professionals in their engagement in reflexive practice and thus better represent the continual process of connection and change between the cultural context and conservation practice. A case study from a recent conservation project is used to explore the potential of this methodology. Based on this experience we argue that the profession will become more sustainable by extending its practice beyond reflection, to acting with reflexivity.

Descriptions of conservation practice typically tend to focus on the range of activities under-taken by conservators and on the quality of the outcomes achieved. Using case studies, this paper examines the conservation tasks that can be explored within teaching, from undergraduate through to postgraduate level, and describes how these can be used to help practitioners effectively develop and achieve the competencies required in the sector. In higher education, the need to show this developmental framework explicitly, capturing progressive challenge in an auditable way when all of the students are doing ‘conservation’, is an increasing pressure. By setting out this progression in terms of com- plexity and using the language employed in education to describe an increasing sophistication in conservation practice the sector as a whole creates the opportunity to offer descriptions of the degree of sophistication of expert practitioners. This may be useful in workplace discussions, as colleagues sometimes struggle to understand the complexity underlying proficient practice.

Three of the leading heritage agencies in Wales formed a partnership to commission an investigation into the needs of archaeological collections. These span some 230,000 years from the first known arrival of early humans in Wales to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The project was intended to gather evidence to inform policy makers to help plan the future needs for archaeological storage and to promote the value of the archaeological record.

The Spotlight on Museums report aims to provide baseline information to CyMAL to inform the development of Welsh Assembly Government policy for museums in the next few years. CyMAL also plan to use the results of this survey to inform priorities for their development work including grant and training programmes.

A Dynasty 21/22 Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin and mummy were subjected to detailed visual analysis, traditional X-radiography and computed tomography (CT) scanning procedures. Interaction withstaff at a local hospital optimised the use of their radiographic and ct facilities to meet the needs of the analytical process. CT images were procured with dedicated computer software that used a range of mathematical algorithms. Comparing results of the radiographic and CT images enabled a full technological assessment of the coffin construction and confirmed an absence of objects in the mummy wrappings. In conclusion it was felt that conservation planning was only marginally influenced by the wealth of information revealed in this instance. A detailed visual assessment sufficed for developing the conservation plan.

Trends in the management of education and demands from students for clarity in assessment resulted in the grading of course work being extensively articulated and described. Students rightly expect to know what they will be marked on and what constitutes work of an appropriate level. This can lead to the disarticulation of a topic into tiny graded fragments that no longer equate to a ‘whole’ professional experience. This paper looks at changes to the assessment of practical conservation in Cardiff University that attempt to offer an assessment of conservation as a complete professional activity whilst respecting the student and administrative demands for clarity and accountability.

This paper considers a range of assessment methods available in conservation, it evaluates aspects by which they can be described and evaluates the priorities expressed by stakeholder groups. Responses show that there is a strong community of practice with all conservators having similar priorities for conservation assessment with conservation practice being the priority for all. The authors use this data to rate the applicability of the different assessment methods to the stakeholders priorities based on their specific use in a conservation teaching context at Cardiff University. This illustrates how educators can review forms of assessments to ensure that what the students are assessed in, and therefore what they learn, matches with the expectations of different communities.

Three of the leading heritage agencies in Wales formed a partnership to commission an investigation into the needs of archaeological collections. These span some 230,000 years from the first known arrival of early humans in Wales to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The project was intended to gather evidence to inform policy makers to help plan the future needs for archaeological storage and to promote the value of the archaeological record.

The Spotlight on Museums report aims to provide baseline information to CyMAL to inform the development of Welsh Assembly Government policy for museums in the next few years. CyMAL also plan to use the results of this survey to inform priorities for their development work including grant and training programmes.