The C Word

Join us as we browse through the remarkable collections held in archives together with special guest host Meagen Smith: we talk about the joys of paper and the unique aspects of working with these items. Jenny also chats to archivist Ruth Cummins and our conservation agony aunt tackles a question about landing an internship in ‘Dear Jane.’

00:00:39 News in brief
00:03:05 What’s an archive, anyway?
00:08:52 Beyond paper – what do archives collect?
00:15:56 Decision making and conservation
00:31:29 Nobody believes Jenny about chickens with trousers
00:33:35 Masculine history and addressing the balance
00:36:50 More odd things found in archives
00:43:33 How do we limit damage from use?
00:48:00 Resources to check out
00:50:01 Interview with Ruth Cummins
00:56:28 Dear Jane
01:04:11 Comments, questions, and corrections
01:04:32 Patreon shout out

Show Notes:
– Current Icon salary guidelines: https://icon.org.uk/jobs/advertising-and-salary-guidance
– UK Parliamentary Archives: https://archives.parliament.uk/
– What’s an archives? https://www.archives.gov/about/info/whats-an-archives.html
– The art and science of letterlocking: http://news.mit.edu/2014/art-and-science-letterlocking
– An example of reading a scroll without unfolding it: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1296207419301670
– ‘Eighteenth-century doodles of a chicken in trousers go viral’ via The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/oct/09/eighteenth-century-doodles-of-a-chicken-in-trousers-go-viral
– Glasgow Women’s Library: https://womenslibrary.org.uk/
– The Kitchen Sisters’ The Keepers podcast: http://www.kitchensisters.org/keeperoftheday/
– Quiet by Susan Cain: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0074YVW1G/ 
– Rotherham Archives and Local Studies: http://cliftonpark.org.uk/cpm/homepage/30/archives_and_local_studies
– How to donate via PayPal: https://paypal.me/thecwordpodcast

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Meagen Smith.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. 

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

Together with guest host Lorraine Finch we turn out our pockets, peer into our piggy banks, and root around the back of the sofa for some spare change: how can we make our money go a little further? Conservators are often cash-strapped and we have a chat about everything from sourcing lab equipment to finding cheaper conservation supplies. Also tune in for a review of ’Magnetic Mounting Systems for Museums & Cultural Institutions’ by Gwen Spicer.

00:00:47 News in brief
00:08:30 Budgets and cash flow in conservation
00:11:51 Equipment: borrowing, hiring, and pooling together
00:17:59 Delivery costs and ways around them
00:25:08 Other ways of finding equipment
00:33:04 Getting supplies for less: quality vs price
00:43:27 Repurposing things we’ve already got
00:49:12 What about chemicals?
00:56:48 Could we share books and literature more?
00:59:15 A message from Christina
01:03:33 Review: ’Magnetic Mounting Systems for Museums & Cultural Institutions’
01:12:52 Patreon shout-out

Show Notes:
– ‘A New Definition of “Museum” Sparks International Debate’ via Hyperallergic: https://hyperallergic.com/513858/icom-museum-definition/
– ‘Science Museum workers across England strike over low pay’ via The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/aug/30/science-museum-workers-england-strike-pay
– Caring for Collections on a Shoestring: http://mdem.org.uk/event/caring-for-collections-on-a-shoestring/?instance_id=684
– Rapid Response Network: http://www.rapidresponsenetwork.org.uk/
– Museum Freecycle: https://groups.freecycle.org/group/MuseumUK/posts/all
– Conservation Supplies on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ConservationSupplies
– Magnetic Mounting Systems for Museums & Cultural Institutions: https://spicerart.com/magnetbook/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Lorraine Finch.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

Join us for a special episode when Jenny, Kloe, and Christina all go to Belfast for the ICON triennial conference, #Icon19! (Please note: this episode has VERY varied audio quality throughout due to different recording settings.) Travel with us to the Belfast Waterfront Centre, join us for the opening reception, come along to the pub, listen to our frantic recaps, and have a listen to the talk we gave on the second day of the conference.

00:00:25 The journey begins
00:09:45 Opening reception shenanigans
00:13:44 Day one
00:35:36 Let’s go to the pub!
00:40:15 Day two
00:41:57 Our talk
00:55:31 What was your favourite bit?
01:00:10 Final thoughts from us

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik. With thanks to everyone who contributed!

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

How and why should conservators publish their work? Who are we trying to reach and why does it matter? Kloe quite likes the established conference paper or journal article routes while Jenny prefers Twitter papers, blogs, and methods without paywalls. Christina tries to demystify the publication world and talks us through the stages of publishing a traditional article. Also tune in for a review of ‘Cultural Heritage Marketing: A Relationship Marketing Approach to Conservation Services’ by Izabella Parowicz, and a Dear Jane about mid-career futures.

00:00:40 News in brief
00:15:16 Perceptions from university
00:24:05 Considering your audience
00:34:48 We need students!
00:36:18 Finding the time
00:41:18 How do you publish an article?
00:57:44 Conservation abstract databases
01:00:19 Open source publishing
01:02:22 Review: ’Cultural Heritage Marketing – A Relationship Marketing Approach to Conservation Services’
01:06:49 Dear Jane
01:15:22 Questions, comments, and corrections

Show Notes:
– ‘Machine Learning Brings Old Paintings and Photos to Life’ via Tech Crunch: https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/22/mona-lisa-frown-machine-learning-brings-old-paintings-and-photos-to-life/
– The Rosetta Project: https://rosettaproject.org/
– The Long Now Foundation: http://longnow.org/
– Conservation Dist List archive: http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/
– Studies in Conservation: https://www.iiconservation.org/publications/sic
– Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.uk/
– ’Can Conservators Read (Or Write)?’ by Velson Horie (2007): https://icon.org.uk/system/files/icon_news_8_january_2007.pdf
– Kloe’s joint paper with Jane about communicating hazards: https://collectionforum.org/doi/pdf/10.14351/0831-4985-29.1.49
– Jenny’s Twitter paper on museum gel: https://twitter.com/curatedjenny/status/916252990364901376
– Christina’s publishing workshop in Cambridge: https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/events/publishing-conservation
– Journal of the American Institute of Conservation: https://www.culturalheritage.org/publications/journal-(jaic)
– Journal of Paper Conservation: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/yjpc20/current
– The Picture Restorer: https://www.bapcr.org.uk/the-picture-restorer/
– Museums Journal: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal
– Museum Practice: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museum-practice
– Coré (in French): http://sfiic.free.fr/publications/core.html
– Journal of Conservation and Museum Studies: https://www.jcms-journal.com/
– e-Conservation Journal: http://e-conservation.org
– Heritage Open Access Journal: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/heritage
– CeROART: https://journals.openedition.org/ceroart/
– ICCROM list of open access resources: https://www.iccrom.org/news/new-conservation-resources-open-access
– AATA Online: http://aata.getty.edu/Home
– BCIN: https://www.bcin.ca/
– Cultural Heritage Marketing: https://www.palgrave.com/gb/book/9783030002862

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

We talk about the importance of touch: intentional and sometimes unintentional touching, what touch means to us as conservation professionals, and how we can facilitate access (particularly for visually impaired audiences). How do you go about setting up a touch tour? How do we encourage or discourage touch? Christina interviews Liz Pye about her work around touch and object handling, and we’ve got a couple of reviews of the recent AIC conference too!

00:00:21 Touch and handling where we work
00:16:34 Setting up a touch tour
00:36:48 But what about damage?
00:40:22 Why is our touch allowed?
00:44:06 Replicas for handling
00:45:48 Professional touch
00:50:23 Interview with Liz Pye
01:14:16 Reviews of AIC conference
01:30:16 Patreon shout-out

Show Notes:
– Touch in Museums – Policy and Practice in Object Handling: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/touch-in-museums-9781847882387/
– The Power of Touch – Handling Objects in Museum and Heritage Context: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Touch-University-Archaeology-Publications/dp/159874304X
– Conservation and Access (IIC 2008 London Congress): https://archetype.co.uk/our-titles/iic-2008-london-congress/?id=140
– Viscovery Days at the Science Museum: https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/viscovery-days
– Blog about the touch tour Christina helped create: https://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/news/conservation/2015/11/17/please-touch-the-objects-planning-our-first-touch-tour/
– Living Paintings: https://www.livingpaintings.org/
– Sounds of Roman Egypt project: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/culture/projects/researching-sounds-roman-egypt

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

Please take a seat in the waiting area as we have a little chat about the all-important topic of portfolios as part of recruiting conservators: what makes a good one, what format should it be, and what do we put in ours? We’re joined by guest host Julia Jabłońska, an emerging paintings conservator, as we try to figure out what people want. Also tune in for an interview with Tamsin Russell from the Museums Association about interview confidence, a Dear Jane about PhD studies, and a special guest review from William Tregaskes of ’Always Time for Coffee’ by Kate Minchin.

00:00:39 News in brief
00:08:23 So what are conservation portfolios?
00:12:13 Academic work vs employment portfolio
00:16:42 Inspiration and anxiety
00:19:42 Do you put ’personality’ into yours?
00:36:31 Going digital
00:40:37 Twitter responses
00:52:55 Review of EPN portfolio workshop
00:55:38 Interview with Tamsin Russell, professional development officer
01:07:34 Review: ‘Always Time for Coffee’
01:12:20 Dear Jane
01:18:41 Patreon shout out
01:19:47 Comments, questions, and corrections

Show Notes:
– Meet-up at #Icon19: https://www.facebook.com/events/334625240523009/
– ICOM working on a new definition of museum: https://icom.museum/en/news/the-museum-definition-the-backbone-of-icom/
– Fire at Notre Dame: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/20/notre-dame-fire-uk-ready-to-share-conservation-expertise
– About the EPN: https://icon.org.uk/groups/emerging-professionals-network/about-the-epn
– ICON Emerging Professionals Network on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307825550045272/
– S02E04 Emerging Professionals 2: http://thecword.show/2017/10/04/s02e04-emerging-professionals-2/
– Always Time For Coffee: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N5MB5F5/

Support us on Patreon! http://www.patreon.com/thecword

Hosted by Julia Jabłońska, Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

Join us as we explore the topic of working with communities of all sorts: from source communities to new audiences. How can conservators work with community groups? How can museums be more welcoming to diverse audiences? Can we take collaboration outside of the museum walls? We talk to Rachel Hand and Ali Clark about their work at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and to Francis Lukezic about the Nunalleq Project. Also tune in for a Dear Jane about archaeological exhibitions and a Parisian book review!

00:00:37 Our experiences of working with communities
00:07:31 What do we mean by community anyway?
00:14:18 Interview with Rachel Hand and Ali Clark
00:41:53 Relinquishing control and growing collaboration
00:48:02 What is value? What are we conserving?
00:49:25 Interview with Francis Lukezic
01:05:29 Active collecting from groups
01:08:31 Review: ‘The Littler Museums of Paris’
01:12:12 Dear Jane
01:18:15 Patreon shout-out

Show Notes:
– Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology: http://maa.cam.ac.uk/
– Pacific Presences project: http://maa.cam.ac.uk/pacific-presences/
– Nunalleq – Archaeological Excavation and Conservation Lab: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/geosciences/departments/archaeology/archaeological-field-school-in-quinhagak-alaska-281.php
– Nunalleq Project Blog: https://nunalleq.wordpress.com/
– GoFundMe for Nunalleq Culture & Archaeology Center: https://www.gofundme.com/nunalleq
– The Little(r) Museums of Paris: https://www.runningpress.com/titles/emma-jacobs/the-littler-museums-of-paris/9780762466405/
– Unravelling the Past: https://caerheritageproject.com/2014/07/30/unravelling-the-past-one-scroll-at-a-time-new-blog-by-sara-brown/
– Roman Lead Sheet Treatment Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAYdpFKE60A&feature=youtu.be
– Conserving the Curse Tablet: http://archaeologicalmuseum.jhu.edu/the-collection/object-stories/a-roman-lead-curse-tablet/conserving-the-curse-tablet/
– ‘Archaeologist Dana Goodburn-Brown set to conserve Roman scroll’ via Kent Online: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/archaeologist-dana-goodburn-brow-a61087/
– Rare Runic Stone Discovery: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/news/rare-runic-stone-discovery

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

We’re joined by guest host Sarah Potter as we have a chat about working with contemporary art. Jenny interviews Julia Nagle about the joy of colour and solvent free studios, and Kloe talks to Ann French about problem solving and how to share your knowledge. Also tune in for a special training review by Anthi Soulioti (including an interview with Vivian van Saaze), and a review of the West Dean plastics course by Kloe.

00:00:37 What is contemporary art?
00:05:51 Our experiences
00:15:33 Unusual materials and artist involvement
00:21:22 Do we need conservators for this?
00:25:01 Challenges of display
00:31:23 Interview with Julia Nagle
00:48:59 Choice of art materials
00:52:07 Resources and training
00:53:36 Interview with Ann French
01:03:24 Review of recent contemporary art conservation events by Anthi Soulioti
01:07:46 Interview with Vivian van Saaze
01:16:14 Review of West Dean’s plastics course

Show Notes:
– Jorge Otero-Pailos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Otero-Pailos
– Ethics of Dust (2016 article): https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/jun/29/the-ethics-of-dust-jorge-otero-pailos-westminster-hall-artangel
– Jeff Koons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Koons
– Marc Quinn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Quinn
– ‘Marc Quinn Will Draw Two Tons of Blood From Refugees, Kate Moss, and Others for a New – Artwork to Raise Awareness About the Migrant Crisis’ in ArtNet News: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/marc-quinn-blood-refugee-statue-1378570
– ’Blood Sculpture May Be Ruined’ via The Guardian (2002): https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jul/04/arts.artsnews
– Damien Hirst: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Hirst
– ‘Damien Hirst’s preserved carcasses leaked formaldehyde gas, study claims’ via The Guardian (2016): https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/apr/21/damien-hirsts-preserved-carcasses-leaked-formaldehyde-gas-study-claims
– Evaporation by Tania Kovats: https://capefarewell.com/latest/events/67-news/875-lovelock-3.html
– Julia Nagle: https://www.julianagle.com/
– Barry Finan: https://venturearts.org/artists/barry-anthony-finan/
– Posca pens: https://www.posca.com/en/range/
– Lightfastness tests on art materials: https://www.theenchantedgallery.com/lightfast.html
– ICON Contemporary Art Network: https://icon.org.uk/groups/contemporary-art-network
– INCCA: https://www.incca.org/
– West Dean conservation courses: https://www.westdean.org.uk/study/short-courses/courses?type=short&category=Conservation
– NACCA: http://nacca.eu/
– Whitworth Art Gallery: http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/
– Vanishing Point – The Curation and Preservation of Virtual Reality: https://www.dpconline.org/events/past-events/vanishing-point
– Lives of Net Art workshop: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tate-exchange/workshop/lives-net-art
– NACCA Conference 2019: http://nacca.eu/conference-2019/

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Sarah Potter, Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

Buckle up as we go on a ride exploring the topic of couriering and the art of escorting an object on loan: from low-glam trips to prestigious treks across the globe! What’s involved? Who gets to go? What if something goes wrong? Kloe documents her first courier trip to Brussels and Christina shares her various conservation adventures. Also tune in for a Dear Jane that unexpectedly turns into Dear Fletcher!

00:00:22 Announcement: #Icon19 meet-up!
00:00:56 What do we mean by couriering?
00:03:31 Our experiences of couriering
00:11:41 Who pays for loans, anyway?
00:15:40 Lending pressures and object fatigue
00:22:23 Kloe’s courier trip to Brussels
00:41:48 When things don’t go to plan
01:01:03 Modes of transport and financial compensation
01:06:22 The perks of the job (and some drawbacks)
01:11:02 Listener stories
01:13:36 Dear Jane
01:18:02 Patreon shout-out
01:19:10 Questions, comments, corrections: digitization and acknowledgements

Show Notes:
– Making Collections Effective (2007): https://www.museumsassociation.org/download?id=14112
– ‘The mummy of all Tutankhamun shows will land in London’ via The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/feb/21/largest-ever-tutankhamun-display-coming-to-london
– House of European History: https://historia-europa.ep.eu/en
– Restless Youth exhibition at HEH: https://historia-europa.ep.eu/en/restless-youth
– Fashion & Lace Museum: http://www.fashionandlacemuseum.brussels/en
– BELvue (Museum of Democracy): https://belvue.be/en
– NatSCA blog ‘Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be?’ by Paolo Viscardi: https://natsca.blog/2017/02/28/neither-a-borrower-nor-a-lender-be/
– ‘Server crash takes out rich digital archive at Memorial University’: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/mun-digital-archives-wiped-out-1.4787960
– ‘A visit to the CBC archives, on the eve of destruction’: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/article-15-million-digitization-project-for-cbc-archives-upsets-some-critics/
– ‘CBC says it will carry on with destruction of broadcast archives once digitized’: https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/cbc-says-it-will-carry-on-with-destruction-of-broadcast-archives-once-digitized

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.

We’re joined by guest host Johanna Sandström as we embark on an adventure with brown soggy stuff: from waterlogged wood and leather to mudlarking and replica toilet seats! We interview Mags Felter from York Archaeological Trust, Kim Roche from MSDS Marine, and Luisa Duarte from Museum of London. Also tune in for a review of ’Preserving Vasa’ and a Dear Jane about university admissions!

00:00:53 News in brief
00:05:34 Our experiences with wet stuff
00:14:56 Interview with Mags Felter
00:33:36 Sulphur is a real pain
00:37:37 Interview with Kim Roche
00:52:27 Interview with Luisa Duarte
01:07:20 Books in bogs
01:14:13 Textiles in ice cubes
01:15:06 Waterlogged rubber?!
01:17:16 Dear Jane
01:21:52 Review: ’Preserving Vasa’
01:26:52 Patreon shout-out

Show Notes:
– 14th ICOM-CC Wet Organic Archaeological Materials (WOAM) Working Group Conference: http://www.woam2019.org.uk
– Town hall debate now available as a bonus episode: http://thecword.show/2019/03/01/bonus-episode-diversity-discussion-panel/
– AIC re-branding: https://www.culturalheritage.org/
– The Nordic Museum: https://www.nordiskamuseet.se/en
– Vasamuseet: https://www.vasamuseet.se/en
– The Mary Rose: https://maryrose.org/
– The National Museum of Denmark: https://en.natmus.dk/museums-and-palaces/the-national-museum-of-denmark/
– York Archaeological Trust: https://www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/
– London Mudlark: https://www.facebook.com/LondonMudlark/
– Rooswijk 1740 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rooswijk1740
– MSDS Marine: https://msdsmarine.com/en/home/
– Protected wreck pilot programme: https://msdsmarine.com/en/nextpwageneration/
– Museum of London: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london
– 12th-century three-person loo seat goes on display: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/feb/13/helles-toilet-12th-century-three-person-loo-seat-goes-on-display
– ‘The methodology used for dewatering the vellum from the Faddan More Psalter’ from JAIC: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19455224.2012.744678?fbclid=IwAR3pvvoeLLoRbQuTuCW-ndsjGKzywOvJRtAaAQs7pG5wC6AjnddvUn31RqI&instName=University+of+Cambridge&journalCode=rcon20
– Preserving Vasa: https://archetype.co.uk/our-titles/preserving-vasa/?id=269

Support us on Patreon!

Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, Christina Rozeik, and Johanna Sandström.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2019.