It's a Material World

The Grimwade Centre sits right up there with the ISCR in Rome and the Courtauld in London with regards to its equivalent eight-point Masters programme. I’ve been advised by several New Zealand conservators from within various disciplines to pursue my studies at this institution. State of the art equipment, first rate technologies, and the all-round approach to educating us about conservation: the department is run by some of the most innovative and experienced conservation specialists: Robyn Sloggett is an inspiration. From my understanding, I couldn’t ask for a more in depth analytical study of materials and techniques, which, in contemporary practice, having this knowledge to fall back on is essential to providing the most precise treatment methodology.

I began my tertiary education at Auckland University in 2012, straight out of school. I finished my conjoint last year with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours and a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in English and Ancient History. During my studies I took an exchange semester in Calgary Canada, where I not only learnt that country music is a Canadian’s life source and “burrs” don’t like bells, but that experience whilst travelling is key.

During my time at the University of Auckland I presented work in the four Carmel College Art Fusions exhibitions – my first work being sold to Sir James Wallace of the Wallace Arts Trust. Because I’m a past student of Carmel College I can’t stress how grateful I am to continue this relationship with my teachers there. In my Honours year in Fine Arts I spent a year researching, conversing and advocating for the awareness of Domestic Violence in New Zealand. I worked with an organisation called Family Action out in Henderson and developed an art project that highlighted the work that this organisation did. I painted the portraits of the women who worked there. I organised for two exhibitions to run at the Lake House Arts Centre in Takapuna and Corban Estate Arts Centre in Henderson, creating a photobooth, which people could use as a means of visually stating their support. If you’d like more information please go to the Facebook page: Breaker of White Horses.

My first experience with conservation occurred when I was 16 years old. I spent two weeks of work experience at the Auckland Art Gallery under the administration of Sarah Hillary, Head of Conservation. Can you remember the Tissot scandal at the end of the 1990s? A man came in a bludgeoned a painting clean off its hinges, rolled up the canvas and escaped on a bike. The painting was tracked down and restored by Sarah Hillary and her team in record time. When I went to the Auckland Art Gallery, Sarah actually handed me the flyer from the exhibition, which has then since been and gone. But I always remembered her being incredible proud of the work they’d done. This painting could have been lost – Sarah Hillary and her team managed to salvage it, restore it, enough so that we can still appreciate the artwork today.

Whilst taking my first Semester break in Auckland (mid-June 2017), I visited the Auckland War Memorial Museum. In it there is a window, a gateway if you like, into the conservation department, allowing the public to witness this magic that goes on behind closed doors. Upon a plank of Perspex glass beside this window it stated that there were thousands of botanical, marine and land items in need of consolidation. 1.2 million images. The Auckland Art Gallery has over 15, 000 works of art. Museums are constantly updating and improving their databases. They are always in need of conservation experts.

Cultural conservation helps to foster the survival of different expressions of value. The profession provides a means of preserving items of individual and cultural identification. I went to the New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials symposium in Wellington last year. I joined the group a couple of years ago and had to be the youngest person there. In it they discussed the upcoming He Tohu exhibition. Conservation experts helped conserve the Treaty of Waitangi, Women’s Suffrage Petition, and the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand. These three documents build up the history of this nation. Taken directly from the website is the following quote: “Without people to talk about them, without people to care for them, these taonga will be silenced.” My lecturer Robyn Sloggett in her essay What is Conservation? establishes that it is the practitioner’s responsibility to ensure the lasting significance for the ‘human cultural record’.

Can you imagine a life without your cultural identity?

I am the only New Zealander, but the rest of the class is split between Australians and international students from all over the world. I want to bring back what I learn. I have never felt prouder of this country as I have whilst studying this degree. New Zealand has an inspiring ethnical appreciation for difference and I can only hope that one day I will be working here, helping to preserve this diverse, deeply rooted and conscious cultural history.

For the privilege of attending this course is costing $26, 000 per year. That’s not including my books, materials, cost of living. I’m working three different jobs looking after peoples’ pets as they go on vacation, teaching English to a young boy who believes that “gidday mate” is a prominent Scottish greeting (took a long time to convince him otherwise), and the Birds Basement, a Jazz Club at the ground level of my apartment block in Melbourne city. Working these shifts alongside my volunteer work at the Hellenic Museum and Grainger Art Gallery gives me little time to socialise and experience Australia, but at least I’m doing what I love.

I feel I’m doing something important with my life. I’m salvaging a future. This is why I’m involved in Art Conservation. This is my cause and I’m proud to be a part of it.