Modern Materials and Contemporary Art Working Group Triennial Programme 2023-2026

Specific themes for investigation
 

• The Contemporary Art Ecosystem: exploring the interconnected roles of stakeholders and laborers that enable the creation and preservation of an artwork (e.g. artists, fabricators, conservators, communities).
• Contemporary public Art, Land Art and Street Art, conservation and preservation.
• Innovative materials and technologies, conservation and preservation (e.g. “green” art and technologies; 3D printing materials).
• Time-based Media, conservation and preservation (especially software and computer-based art)
• Preventive Conservation Strategies for modern materials and contemporary art.
• Sustainability within modern materials and contemporary art conservation and preservation: sustainable approaches in conservation interventions and preventive conservation, sustainable practices in the workspace, and environmentally friendly materials and methods for treatments.
• Ethical and Theoretical aspects in the conservation of contemporary art
• Education in conservation of contemporary art: current state and needs.

Projects

• ICOM-CC Modern Materials and Contemporary Art Virtual Gatherings:
  • The Modern Materials and Contemporary Art Working Group will continue to hold a series of virtual gatherings on the zoom platform.
  • Topics Series: These events focus on specific themes to create opportunities for sharing projects, experiences, expertise, and ideas, posing questions, and discussing issues related to each theme. Potential collaborations with the Contemporary Art Network - CAN! a Specialty Group within the American Institute of Conservation (AIC) will be explored and could developed into joint events.
  • Emerging Professional Coffee Chats: These events are a series of virtual gatherings organized to inform our Working Group members as well as non-members of the many interesting research projects carried out every year in our field by students and PhD researchers, and to provide the latter an opportunity to introduce their work to our larger community. Some of these virtual gatherings will be organized to increase connections between students in modern and contemporary art conservation and to provide opportunities for emerging professionals and students to network with established conservation professionals (online mentoring sessions).
• Triennial Conference: The Modern Materials and Contemporary Art Working Group will contribute to the ICOM-CC 21th Triennial Conference by organizing and moderating the Modern Materials and Contemporary Art Working Group Session.
• Publications: Complete and publish the Postprints of the last interim meeting: “Semi-synthetic and Synthetic Textile Materials in Fashion, Design and Art” held virtually in February 2023 and will participate in the review process of the 21st Triennial Conference Preprints. The Interim Meeting Postprints will be published using the AKC funding.
• Communication: continue to develop our Working Group’s social media presence and expand the capabilities of the Working Group’s page on the ICOM-CC website to allow more interaction and networking between the members.
• General: Grow membership - with a particular focus on areas outside Europe and the USA.
  • Support emerging professionals and students - organise activities to strengthen their network and provide mentorship; increase their participation in the Modern Materials and Contemporary Art Newsletter and meetings.
  • Intensify interactions with other Working Groups - to create exchanges through collaborative activities and joint meetings.

Activities

• The Working Group will organise regular virtual events “Topics Series” (approximately once per year) on specific themes that provide sharing and question sessions. Potential collaborations with the Contemporary Art Network - CAN! a Specialty Group within the American Institute of Conservation (AIC) will be explored and could developed into joint events.
• The Working Group will organise regular virtual event “Emerging Professional Coffee Chats” (approximately twice per year) where students and PhD researchers will present their studies and network with experienced professionals.