Memorandum submitted by the Institute
for Conservation
Inquiry into the sponsorship by the DCMS of
the UK art market…with emphasis "on ways of supporting
and encouraging living artists and the production of new work"
and "in establishing what scope exists to promote best practice
in the conduct of financial relationships between artists and
art market professionals".
1. We should like to draw attention to the
role of professional conservators and restorers in ensuring the
continued existence of art so that owners and the public may continue
to enjoy works of art as initially conceived; conservators' and
restorers' skills can enable the distorting or obscuring effects
of ageing and degradation to be minimised.
2. In the context of publicly-owned collections,
the work of conservators is an important factor in ensuring that
visitors continue to have access to the art and that their understanding
and enjoyment continues to be of the highest quality. Such work
can be both preventive (non-interventive) and remedial (interventive).
3. The financial value of an artwork can
be affected by its condition. This is not a consideration for
conservators, although it is recognised that a conservator's work
can be a significant factor in maintaining the financial value
of a work of art.
4. It should be recognised that some artists
are indifferent to the longevity of their creations, or consider
eventual ageing and destruction part of the conceptual message
of the artwork. Owners, curators and conservators need to be aware
of and respond to the wishes of artists and collectors.
5. An understanding of the materials and
processes by which an artwork was created is the starting point
for any conservation treatment. The scientific analysis of materials
is one method which assists conservators in building a base of
knowledge from which decisions may be made.
6. The number of conservators qualified
to undertake work on modern art is not keeping pace with the increasingly
experimental and transient nature of work by living artists. The
provision of relevant internships for art conservators should
be encouraged.
7. We are impressed by the Arts Council
of England's Own Art scheme, which encourages the purchase of
works of art by the provision of interest-free loans. We should
welcome the opportunity to explore a similar scheme which encourage
owners to have the art they own conserved.
Note: The Institute of Conservation is the lead
voice for the conservation of cultural heritage in the UK, and
results from the merger of five existing bodies: Care of Collections
Forum, Institute of Paper Conservation, Photographic Materials
Conservation Group, Scottish Society for Conservation and Restoration
and the United Kingdom Institute for Conservation.
February 2005
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