"Adhesives, Coatings and Consolidants"
Tate Britain

Fee: UKP500 (Brtish Sterling)
Course Tutor: C. Velson Horie

Conservators use materials on their objects all the time. Why do you use the materials you use? What criteria do you use in making those choices? Is the choice based on evidence, familiarity, or custom and practice? This Masterclass examines the existing evidence, develops practical experience with materials' properties, and tests custom and practice. The course is evenly split between practical sessions working with materials and the theoretical background needed to understand their properties. The role and merits of both high technology studies and investigations in a conservation studio are investigated. Participants can bring and share their individual problems as object lessons to be examined by the group, always a productive process.

Monday
1000 Introduction: Polymers in Conservation
1100 Coffee
1130 Hazards
1200 Introduction to practicals
1230 Lunch
1330 Practical

Tuesday
0900 Polymer science
0930 Vinyl Polymers
1030 Coffee
1100 Solvents
1200 Textile adhesive testing (Karsten)
1230 Lunch
1330 Practical

Wednesday
0900 Cross-linking resins
1000 Adhesion
1030 Coffee
1100 Mechanical testing (Dillard)
1200 Lunch
1300 Practical

Thursday
0900 Carbohydrate polymers
0945 Natural resins
1030 Coffee
1100 Degradation
1130 Physical Properties
1200 Lunch
1300 Practical

Friday
0900 Miscellaneous Polymers
1000 Developing a conservation adhesive system (McGlinchy)
1030 Coffee
1100 Practical (finishing off)
1200 Lunch
1300 Choosing a polymer for a treatment

If you are interested in attending the workshop please send email to yunsun.choi@tate.org.uk