Reyhane with a Senne gelim weaver in Naysar, Sanandaj, Iranian Kurdistan, taken by Saadat Aslani in January 2019; photo credit to Reyhane Mirabootalebi and the UD PSP.

IIC MARCH ROUND UP

Resilience - some reading and listens to keep you connected

Colleagues in many countries find themselves in new territory this month as the world responds to the challenge of Covid-19. You can read our statement and message from Executive Director, Sarah Stannage, on how IIC will be adapting in the light of the novel coronovirus here. Fortunately, for the next few months we can continue to offer most services remotely - and we are still planning for a successful IIC Edinburgh Congress this November.

Above all though, whether you are adapting at your place of work, or like our colleagues at IIC Spanish Group 'preventive conservation means staying at home', we hope you all keep safe and well. Conservation has always been a big, global family: we would like to express our solidarity with all of you - do come and chat on our Facebook, Insta or twitter or post your stories on our IIC community platform, if you're a member or belong to an IIC Regional Group.

Many events hosted by our partners and friends have been cancelled for at least the coming month, but there are still ways to add to your continuing professional development, catch up with some reading or even finding ways to engage with collections and conservation practice in a more virtual form. We hope you enjoy our suggestions below.

You can also browse our jobs, news, book review and publications pages.

Catch Up On

Watch the sessions of our Student and Emerging Conservator Conference, which took place in September last year in Cologne, reflecting on how our profession is seen in a changing world.

Hear why our 2018 Forbes Prize lecturer Stefan Michalski thinks conservators are a pretty happy lot (look out for the announcement of our 2020 Forbes Prize honoree here.

If you're an IIC member or belong to an IIC Regional Group, access our recent 'Writing for Publication' webinar, or watch the film of Beatriz Haspo's talk on the resurrection of the National Museum of Brazil. (If you need reminding how to get access, drop Tina a line: office@iiconservation.org)

Virtual Tours

Enjoy virtual tours of 12 World museums from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul.

Check out a 'huge conservation project on a tiny scale' as the National Trust completes the restoration of its dolls house sized stately home.

Image above: Beatriz Haspo presenting at the IIC 2020 AGM. Image by David Saunders.

Think Green

Check out the Sustainability episode of the C Word Podcast (which, as ever, comes with an array of links and references, if you want to know more)

Learn more about the Climate Heritage Network (which IIC joined last year)

Catch up on recent articles from News in Conservation including Sustainability in Conservation: Saving Our Heritage and Our Planet by Caitlin Southwick (NiC Issue 72, June 2019, p. 12-16)

If you're a subscriber or IIC member, read the latest climate-related Studies in Conservation articles including Material Weathering and Structural Damage in Historic Adobe Constructions in Spain: Preliminary Results of a Quantitative Approach and The Influence of Hygroscopic Materials on the Fluctuation of Relative Humidity in Museums Located in Historical Buildings.

And in our IIC Community group for members, you can also join Caitlin Southwick and others to discuss the issue of Sustainability, from nitrile glves to the future of some major heritage sites.

Image above: The Climate Heritage Network (CHN) in partnership with IIC, promotional image.

McEwan Hall - the magnificent and newly restored venue for our 2020 Edinburgh Congress in November

IIC Calendar

Our latest professional webinar 'Presenting at Conferences' will take place on 6 April at 2pm GMT, led by a group of conservation professionals with wide experience of public speaking and includes tips on taking part in 'virtual conferences'. Whether you are a beginner or want to sharpen up your skills, do join us. Tickets are FREE for IIC Members or £20 per person for non-members, you can book here.

Our 2020 Edinburgh Congress takes place in the magnificent McEwan Hall from 2 - 6 November and registration will open at the end of March. Our topic will be "Practices and Challenges in Built Heritage Conservation". Including tours and talks about Edinburgh's World Heritage sites, we will also be exploring everything from painted tombs in Sudan to Scagliola interiors in Vienna. Read the evolving programme here. We will be offering details of how we will adapt should coronavirus restrictions or travel difficulties extend past the next few months, so everyone will be able to book with confidence.

Fellowship nominations

A reminder for IIC members that there is still time to make suggestions in the latest round of Fellowship nominations, which runs to 31 March. Find out more about becoming an IIC Fellow here. The next deadline for nominations will be 31 July.

News in Conservation

¡Bienvenidos! Welcoming the University of Arts of Cuba to the IIC Community through the Opportunities Fund: Help us welcome the ISA into the IIC family!

The 30th Anniversary of the Latvian Society of Restorers: This incredible celebration included a conservation exhibition that exceeded expectations.

Tourists damage and vandalize UNESCO World Heritage site Machu Picchu: It is more important than ever to protect our global heritage!

Get the Full Issue Here

Career Opportunities

Browse jobs listed on our website here. Opportunities this month include:

Assistant/Associate Objects Conservator - MoMA, New York City

Project Specialist – Getty conservation Institute, Los Angeles

Advertise for free - use the form to the right of our Jobs page to promote your career opportunities.

Book Reviews

The Medieval Girdle Book, By Margit J. Smith: "As part of my course study, I was required to reproduce a historic binding. I chose the girdle book, though I had never seen one in person... I was fortunate enough to be conducting my project research post-publication of Smith’s book, which became my main source of information... It is a favorite upon my bookshelves, well-referenced and well-loved.

Above image: Book cover. Image courtesy of Oak Knoll Press.