Lister, A. 2019. ‘Conservation costs: why we need to talk about money.’ In Conservation Matters in Wales: Disruptive Conservation, December 18, 2019.

Abstract: With the decrease in permanent museum-based jobs in recent years more conservators are working for themselves as freelancers or small business owners.  The work can be varied and interesting but making a stable living is difficult.  Only limited guidance on the commercial aspects of conservation practice is offered by training programme and professional bodies, and references to the costs and costing of conservation are almost totally absent in the specialist literature.  Individuals have to find out the hard way what their services really cost to deliver and what others consider these services to be worth financially.  This situation does little to support a sustainable private sector at a time when it is most needed.

In this paper the author will make some of the financial aspects of working in private practice explicit through an analysis of the costs associated with running her independent textile conservation studio – a business that has operated for 30 years.  The obvious and not so obvious costs will be explained, and the challenges of balancing income with expenditure and economics with ethics will be highlighted.  Case examples will be used to illustrate how and why money always has an influence on conservation practice.

Lister, A. 2019. ‘Colouring for camouflage: exploring the use of artists’ pencils to reduce the visual disturbance of irremovable stains on textiles.’ In Conservation in Colour: Innovations and experiences in creating colour for textile treatment and display’ Icon Textile Group Symposium, November 8, 2019.

Abstract: Stains on textiles can be highly disfiguring and can disturb the appreciation of the imagery and patterns the fabrics exhibit.  In cases where the stains have no evidential value it is appropriate to remove through cleaning, but sometimes complete removal can be impossible without causing physical disruption or damage to the fibres.  The presence of residual stains on some historical textiles is considered acceptable but there are cases where the owner/custodian considers the aesthetic value of the textile compromised by the stains rendering them un-displayable and of lesser worth.  Drawing upon infilling techniques used in fine art conservation to restore visual integrity by compensating for losses this paper will provide an account of the experience of using artists’ pencils to camouflage stains on modern printed textiles and a discussion of the conceptual and practical issues raised by this approach to treatment.

Herriges, M., Palomino, S. Yusá-Marco, D. 2018. ‘Carmen Miranda Museum Collection: Discussion about the condition of two costume pieces.’ In The Nature of Textiles: Textile Group Forum, Institute of Conservation (Icon), May 21, 2018. (poster)

Abstract: Carmen Miranda was an entertainment icon from 1930 to 1950. She began her career on the screens and radios of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carmen soon became a Broadway and Hollywood star, using the stylized version of traditional Baiana costume. Her costumes, frequently consisted of turbans, skirts, high-heeled shoes and a lot of accessories, can be seen in her films and photographs. Her style is also reflected in current fashions, being an influence to art and culture worldwide.

Carmen Miranda´s costumes were donated in 1976 to give birth to the Carmen Miranda Museum, in Rio de Janeiro. The importance of the collection is easily recognized, not only as an expression of her style but also as a feminist influence in history. It is also a rich collection when it comes to the manufacture of the costumes and the different materials used.

The range of materials and their interaction pose a major challenge to their conservation, which raises a timely discussion in the field of conservation of textile artworks. This poster aims to define the condition of the materials used in a skirt and a headdress, through chemical and morphological characterization. It also intends to discuss their issues as well as to propose measures of preventive conservation.

Gardner, S., Lister, A., Tyler, A. 2015. ‘Hanging Around:  Unobtrusive display solutions for working clothes in the Barbara Hepworth studio’ In: Material in Motion: 10th NATCC Conference, November 19-20, 2015. (poster)

The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in St. Ives, England was originally the home and studio of British artist and sculptor, Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975). The Museum’s workshops, which have remained virtually unaltered since Hepworth’s death, contain half-finished sculptures, tools and several garments worn by Hepworth’s assistants. These textiles are believed to hang where the owners left them on their last day of work. 

The textiles hang from hooks on wooden doors at the back of the workshop. These doors are the only disabled access into the museum’s garden and the textiles are frequently moved by staff and volunteers so the doors can be opened.

Textile Conservation Ltd, Bristol was contracted by the Tate Gallery (as part of the Hepworth studio conservation project) to assess, conserve and support the textiles for continued open display in the workshops.

The brief was to provide mounts that would enable the garments to hang from their original hooks with greater support, and allow them to be easily removed and rehung by volunteers. This poster focuses on the challenges of providing solutions to protect the integrity of historical objects that are regularly handled and moved, while working within the limitations of a historic building.

Lister, A., Banks, J. and Loosemore, V.  2007. The conservation of the original 1950s textile hangings in the auditorium of the Royal Festival Hall, London. (paper)

The Royal Festival Hall is the last remaining building from the 1951 Festival of Britain, the post-war celebration of the best in British art, design and industry.  Considered a triumph of Modernist design, it was the first post-war building to be listed as being of special architectural/historic significance.  In 2005, as part of a major refurbishment programme of the building Textile Conservation Limited was contracted to remove, conserve and reinstate the original woven and tufted wool hangings designed by Hilary Bourne, that cover approximately 330 square meters of the walls behind the auditorium boxes.  This paper discusses the challenges arising from the need to reconcile conservation principles and practice with the client’s aesthetic vision and technical specifications.  These included removing fifty years’ worth of soiling, addressing fire retardant regulations, and attaching the hangings to a new tracking system designed to draw them apart during performances to enhance the acoustics in the auditorium.  The importance of engaging with the client, formulating workable compromises, and providing context-specific advice and information on future care is illustrated and explained.