Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 The ICOM-CC Metal Working Group as a promoter of research in metal conservation Dr Christian Degrigny Coordinator of the ICOM-CC Metal WG

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Research and the Metal Working Group METAL triennial conferences Need of other tools?

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 ICOM (International Council of Museum) Created in 1946 Objectives? Preservation, conservation and communication of the value of cultural and natural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible members in 140 countries 29 international committees, 115 national committees

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 ICOM activities Professional cooperation and exchange Dissemination of knowledge and raising public awareness of museums Training of personnel Advancement of professional standards Elaboration and promotion of professional ethics Preservation of heritage and combating the illicit traffic in cultural property

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 ICOM-CC (Conservation Committee ) Promotion of conservation, research and analysis of cultural and artistic works of art the larger of all international committees (1400 members) 22 working groups 14 th triennial meeting: The Hague 2005

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 The Metal Working Group More than 600 professionals (2/3 are conservators and 1/3 are involved in research activities) 53 countries represented (majority in Europe and America) Communication: METAL meetings are highly praised but members are not attending ICOM-CC meetings National Groups: French Group…

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Research in metal conservation

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Actors involved in research projects Collaboration conservation scientist / conservator Funding bodies: ministries, research institutes, foundations, European Commission (1991) End-users: conservators, archaeologists, conservators Funding bodies Conservation scientist Conservator End-user ?

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Research topics published in METAL proceedings In-situ Conservation Characterization and properties of metals Alteration Interventions Coatings and protection systems

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Critical review Papers = reflecting ongoing research projects? Absence of data on - Ongoing projects (fundamental or applied research) -Projects performed by archeometers, corrosion scientists, researchers involved in environmental sciences… -Effective collaborations between research institutes -Existing funds

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 A new role for the ICOM-CC Metal WG? Favouring collaboration between professionals involved in research activities and end-users

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Future activities Effective networking of professionals Delegation of responsabilities: the national correspondents Development of communication tools (the BROMEC, the ICOM-CC website)

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Effective networking of professionals Up-dating of the members directory Setting up of national correspondents Setting up of Subgroups

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 National correspondents Europe Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK America USA, Chile, Brazil, Argentina Africa South Africa Asia? Australia Russian Republic

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Subgroups Preventive conservation of archaeological iron artefacts from the excavation to the storage Preventive conservation of artefacts in museum collections Conservation of ethnographic artefacts Use of Electrochemical Techniques In metal Conservation (EThIC)

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Communication tools: the BROMEC Bulletin of the Research on MEtal Conservation 5 sections - Applied research - Ongoing research projects - New research projects - Call for collaboration - General information

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Sharing the tasks National correspondents collect abstracts sent by - professionals - students Abstracts are forwarded to the editor After correction availability of the BROMEC issue on the ICOM-CC website Professionals Students National correspondents Editor

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Topics Preventive conservation conservation In-situ conservation Collections managment managment Application of protections

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Corrosion issues Analyses Innovative analytical analytical techniques techniques Innovative documentation documentation techniques techniques Investigation

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Intervention BettermonitoringOptimisationInnovative process process New issues Composite Compositematerials

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Outcomes Start: February 2002 Every 3 months English / French available on internet

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Impacts Increase of the number of members Members are more demanding Favouring collaboration between professionals Internet availability and protection of scientific rights Improvements required: Optimisation of the use of BROMEC (databases...) Other initiatives?

Metal Working Group Metals: conservation and Research - Brussels, October 2003 Conclusion Research in metal conservation: absolutely needed but lack of funding Compensate the low production of scientific work by an excellent communication Promote the importance of research in conservation