from The New York Times -
Incandescent Bulbs Return to the Cutting Edge
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A much needed improvement in energy consumption for museums when that spot of lighting of artefacts that can only be achieved using good old incandescent light bulbs.
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from The Telegraph -
World's oldest Bible published in full online
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from IIC News -
Earliest Christian Bible virtually restored
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Codex Sinaiticus
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In this project, the minimal conservation treatment rendered - repairs made to the pages so that they could be photographed, and nothing more - was crucial in enabling a wider dissemination of the context via electronic means. Would the understanding of "minimal interventuion" in another era (say, without computers) be different? Or has to be different...
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from The Telegraph -
Westminster Abbey to be given a corona in first change for 250 years
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Adding onto an iconic architecture need not be tantamount to "destruction" of heritage if one can recognise and practice with a heightened sensitivity towards - and deep understanding - of history, context and materials
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from Wired Magazine -
Packing It In: Why the Foam Noodle Couldn't Cut It in the Protection Racket
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What a waste when something goes under - not because of its an inferior product but because of the failure of gaining a foothold in the market. Perhaps it also points to the innate (and irrational, at times?) cautiousness within the museum and art logistic sector.
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from Emerging Tech -
Robo-furniture eats household pests
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Every museum should have one ... or more, if budget allows.
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from The Guardian -

Street clutter threat to conservation areas
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The English Heritage patient
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Decay of conservation areas in England
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Highlighting an aspect in the preservation of urban environment that is usually overlooked - streets.
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from Art:21 Blog -
No Preservatives: The Clocks’ Tic Tic Tic …
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An insider's view (with monthly updates in a new column, "No Preservatives: Conversations and Conservation", by Richard McCoy) on the issues surrounding efforts and approaches in the preservation of contemporary art.

"[E]ven when guidelines are established as to how an artwork can change over time, the concept of authenticity and correct representation is still complicated and open to some level of interpretation."

As conservators increasingly embrace the use of scientific tools and techniques in conservation work, more than ever, the subjective nature of conservation work is - and has to be - made apparent and necessary. Apparent, because human decision-making processes are subjective in nature. Necessary, because we should neither delude ourselves nor pretend otherwise.
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from The New York Times -
Making Things Work
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Although not a direct comment on the work of conservators, but it resonates to a large degree:

"The fact of the matter is that most forms of real knowledge, including self-knowledge, come from the effort to struggle with and master the brute reality of material objects — loosening a bolt without stripping its threads, or backing a semi rig into a loading dock. All these activities, if done well, require knowledge both about the world as it is and about yourself, and your own limitations."

Which, perhaps, explains why I'm happy doing what I do ...
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from Technology Review -
A Camera from a Sheet of Fiber
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Not quite earth-shattering preservation news, but a potential new technology for imaging and real-time sensing. With specially engineered sensors (for light, specific colour, temperature or other possible parameters) incorporated into a fabric sheet, such a device could record data pertaining to pollution, moisture, light and temperature - factors which have detrimental effect on materials.

The 2-dimensional array of sensors could also give an actual map of how the monitored parameters change and interact over time. And being thin, the fabric sheet could be attached as a temporary skin onto any surface of interest - stretched behind paintings; pinned onto walls; wrapped around sculptures; stitched into showcases etc.
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from MIT News -
MIT engineers find way to slow concrete creep to a crawl
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A somewhat troubling thought ... What would become of architecture preservation if buildings actually lasts 16,000 years?

Link via BLDG BLOG
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