International conference: Photographs and their environment, decisions for their sustainability

The international conference will present photographs as a selected type of artefact in their natural museum and archival environment. It brings topics aimed at expanding knowledge and skills in the field of the professional treatment and care of photographs, as well in the field of prevention. The purpose of the conference is to assist with the qualified task of working with this artefact under the conditions of museums and archives and also to create professional conditions for taking care of such artefacts. It will provide space for the exchange of theoretical knowledge and practical experience from home and abroad in the field of photo restoration and conservation, as well as trends in the protection and professional care of this type of artifact, and methods of presentation. Conference participants have the opportunity to check and compare the knowledge gained directly in workshops led by domestic and foreign lecturers. There will also be a space for professional consultation, guidelines for work in the field of protection, conservation, restoration, digitization and adjustment of photography. The exhibition of photographs and glass negatives from the collection of the conference organizer will allow for the presentation of already successfully carried out conservation and restoration outputs. The target group of the conference is the professional public – experts in the field of restoration, conservation and preventive care of photographs, scientists collaborating on projects related to the quality of the environment of monuments, high school students and university students specialized in working in the field of monument protection.

DATE: October 2, 2024 (1 day)

ADRESS: Nitra Regional Museum, Štefánikova trieda 1, 949 01 Nitra

Conference Programme

BLOCK A

8.30 – 9.00 Welcome (guest speeches) Great hall, 1st floor

BLOCK B

Presentations, panel discussions, Great hall, 1st floor

9.10 – 9.40 Introduction to the technological history of analog monochromatic photography (SK)

Speaker: doc. Mgr. art. Janka Blaško Križanová, ArtD., Mgr. art. Kitti Baráthová, Mgr. art. Ida Radványiová, Mgr. art. Barbora Palatínusová, Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia

9.40 – 10.00  COFFE BREAK

10.00 – 10.30 Various approaches in photography preservation, long term storage and display of
photographs at American museums and institutions (EN)

Speaker: Krista Lough, MA., The Art Institute of Chicago, USA

10.35 – 11.05 Collection management, preservation, display and conservation treatments of Photographs at the Croatia State Archive in Zagreb (EN)

Speaker: Martina Bagatin, MA., Croatian State Archive in Zagreb, Croatia

11.10 – 11.40 Preventive care, preservation and conservation at Hungarian museums and institutions (EN)

Speaker: Zita Sor, MA., Museum of Etnography, Budapest, Hungary

11.40 -12.40 LUNCH BREAK

BLOCK C

WORKSHOP 12.40 – 16.00 h

Workshop 1: Identification, Room n. 60, 1st floor

The participants will focus on indentifying the basic historical monochromatic analog photographs from the reference collection of the Photography Conservation Studio (AFAD). Besides the visual identification, participants will learn about several types of portable optical microscopes and their utilization in the correct indentification of photographic techniques.

Speaker: Krista Lough, MA., The Art Institute of Chicago, USA, doc. Mgr. art. Janka Blaško Križanová, ArtD., Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia

Workshop 2: Preventive care and protection , Room n. 60, 1st floor

Various forms of storage and display options of photographs will be presented, alongside different types of applied materials sold by companies, which are avaible for the Slovak market.  Those packages and boxes will be compared and their use will be dicussed as well. The lecturers will also present various custom-made packaging for specific photographs.

Speaker: Zita Sor, MA., Museum of Etnography, Budapest, Hungary, Mgr. art. Kitti Baráthová, Mgr. art. Ida Radványiová

Workshop 3: Basic conservation treatments , Room n. 60, 1st floor

The last practical topic will focus on the direct care and handling of photographs. The lecturers will present strategies on how to manage and handle single photographs and photographic collections, both in museums or wherever found. The participants will become familiar with basic treatments of several types of photographs.

Martina Bagatin, MA., Croatian State Archive in Zagreb, Croatia, Mgr. art. Barbora Palatínusová

BLOCK D

EXPO, room n. 60, 1. floor

Presentation of glass negatives from the collection fund of the Nitra Regional Museum.

Exhibition of historical photographs with the theme of women’s clothing in an urban environment.

Curator: PhDr. Katarína Beňová

BLOCK E

16.30 – 17.00

Closing of the conference, Great hall, 1st floor

LANGUAGE: slovak, english (translation)

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: September 25, 2024 till 17.00 (the number of participants is limited by the capacity of the premises)

CONTACT: +421 948 194 385, marketing@muzeumnitra.sk 

As part of the conference, a participation fee of EUR 25 is set for employees of ZMS member museums, EUR 29 for employees from other institutions, and EUR 10 for students and pensioners. The participant will pay the participation fee in cash at the conference.

Dear visitors of the event “International Conference: Photographs and their environment, decisions for their sustainability”, please allow us to inform you that photographs will be taken and subsequently published from the event. Photographs will be taken on the basis of our legitimate interest in increasing the number of visitors to our museum and increasing the public’s interest in cultural and educational events. You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data at the email address obseneudaje@muzemnitra.sk. Further information on the processing of your personal data can be found on the website www.muzeumnitra.sk