LA Conservation

Conservation staff speak at 50^th American Institute for Conservation

Cardiff conservators have addressed the 50th annual conference of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) in Los Angeles.

With more than 1,000 delegates attending, the gathering at the iconic Westin Bonaventure hotel was the biggest in-person gathering for the profession in many years.

The American Institute for Conservation represents more than 3,500 conservators and academics in the domains of science, art, and history through treatment, research, collections care and education in some 40 countries, all working to preserve cultural heritage so we can learn from it today and appreciate it in the future.

Professor of Conservation Jane Henderson ACR, FIIC, SFHEA (MSc Care of Collections 1999/BSc Archaeological Conservation 1987) and Lecturer in Conservation Dr Ashley Lingle ACR (PhD) jointly gave a presentation on the power of touch, inspiring conservators to rethink definitions of the role of the conservator and the wider profession.

Their powerful talk was also live-streamed to a wider international audience.

International Institute for Conservation Secretary General, Professor Henderson also presented on the conservation implications of rapid response collecting at Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum of Wales in a paper co-authored with Diane Gwilt, keeper of collections services.

The Cardiff team were delighted to reconnect with a significant gathering of alumni now working in prestigious conservation roles across the USA, as well as taking the opportunity to visit the Getty Centre (pictured) and Huntingdon Library Conservation laboratories.