New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
This summer I had the privilege of working at the Barbara Goldsmith Paper Conservation Division of the New York Public Library (NYPL) and the Scientific Research Department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). Both institutions offered me the opportunity to immerse myself in art conservation, scientific research, and the internal structure of art institutions. Throughout my summer internship, I met dozens of conservators, collection management, curatorial staff, registrars, and scientist that made me feel welcomed within a museum setting.
At the New York Public Library, I worked in the Conservation Division that specialized in preparing and treating special collection items of the library. My internship consisted of two main projects: 1) reorganizing and taking inventory of the lab and paper supplies in communal areas and 2) gaining hands-on experience conducting paper treatments.
The reorganizing of the lab spaces served as an introduction to working in a conservation lab by teaching me which tools and materials were predominantly used when conducting paper treatments. Furthermore, I learned about how works on paper are housed, repaired, hinged, and matted for archival and exhibition purposes.
For the second half of my summer, I worked on rehousing and treating prints from the Libre Veritatis collection that had been mounted onto secondary supports in 1935. Due to acidification, these supports had become brittle and unstable. These prints are primarily used for research and remounting them onto acid-free mat boards would allow the viewer to handle them. To improve the color of the prints and remove the support, we soaked them in water baths. After drying, the prints’ surfaces were examined to determine if further conservation was warranted. Some of the prints had surface abrasions that removed the ink in central parts of the print, therefore needing to be inpainted using watercolor pigments after placing a thin layer of methyl cellulose to the area. The prints were then flattened for 1-2 weeks prior to hinging them their mat boards and stored.
Being able to work alongside gifted conservators taught me the importance of innovation and problem-solving. Every object requires a different treatment plan that is tailored to specifically to their needs. I learn many skills from watching seasoned conservators work and create their tools. Being surrounded by individuals that valued me and my work created an environment that fostered growth.
At the Department of Scientific Research at the MET, I conducted volatiles analysis using a Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). My project focused on analyzing pheromone compounds that are used to attract webbing moths. Webbing moths can be one of the most destructive insects for objects made of organic materials (e.g. textiles, canvas, furniture, or paper). Although special care goes into ensuring that these insects do not enter the museum, it can be very difficult to manage with new acquisitions and thousands of visitors each year.
The main goal of my project was to develop an experimental protocol and calibration curve to quantify the concentration of pheromone needed in wool pellets that were placed inside sticky traps designed to attract the moths. The GC/MS was utilized to identify different chemical compounds present in the solution and give the mass spectrum of every compound. Once the sample was injected and converted into a gas, it travelled along a 30-meter copper column that separated the compounds based on temperature, column affinity, or solvent affinity. Once the compounds eluted off the column, causing a peak to appear on the graph, it was sent to the mass spectrometer to fragment. Because every compound has a distinct chemical structure, the MS allows scientist to determine the structure of unknown and known compounds due to characteristic fragmentation.
I was able to determine the mass spectra for both pheromones using the liquid samples sent by the manufacturer. Although the project was not as successful as I would have hoped, I gained valuable experience in instrumental analysis and experimental procedures. I was able to optimize the parts of the experimental procedure and develop a preliminary calibration curve for one of the compounds. Having the opportunity to work with individuals that are committed to ensuring that works are housed using materials that will aid in their longevity was a great experience. Furthermore, working within this department gave me the chance to see the intersection of art and science.
This internship also gave me a glimpse into the important work done behind the scenes at these institutions as they prepared for exhibitions. Working with conservators allowed me to ask questions about how the works are treated, why they are chosen to be treated, and how are they created. Talking to registrars taught me about how objects are deaccessioned into the collection and about the re-patronizations of scared objects. My summer deepened my understanding of the role of an institution within the community they serve. I observed differences in how museums displayed ethnographic objects. While some museums lumped Oceanic, African, and South American works together, other curate spaces that give each culture its own identity.
I would like to thank the Class of 1951 for this experience to explore and work with beautiful pieces of art; it undoubtedly solidified my desire to continue to work in conservation and for that I am grateful.