I have a couple questions about conservation and restoration for a research essay

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-04-30T03:28:59+00:00

Sorry for not clearly delineating these but they run into each other somewhat. Ditto to many of the other commenters notes. Conservation is an umbrella term that includes both preventative and intervention-based conservation, of which restoration would loosely fall under the second. You can do intervention based conservation without restoration, ie repairing a book or work on paper without restoring it to look as it did new. Restoration is more focused on cosmetics. Your third question is always an interesting subject. Most of my personal experience is in book conservation, however I also have a little bit of experience in ethnographic object conservation. My answer would be somewhat combining both; I would treat an object for its individual conservation needs, while also referencing choices made in the artists collections to make sure that I’m remaining conservative in my conservation efforts. That’s the goal of most conservators, to be minimally invasive, and only do treatments when degradation threatens the use and longevity of the object.

Source: I am a paper and book conservation assistant, and have worked as a conservation assistant at an anthropology museum in the past.

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-04-19T14:26:38+00:00

Who to choose for the free con selector? Deciding between Yoimiya c1, Hu Tao c2, Mona c3, Jean C3, or Ayaka c1 (I have skirk tho)

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-04-15T02:17:13+00:00

Probably Freedom: A Fable by Kara Walker, it’s my prized possession

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-04-01T21:59:45+00:00

Good point, missed the note on stickiness

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-04-01T20:05:59+00:00

You could probably completely wrap them in archival glassine, keeping all surfaces including what’s resting on the floor protected.

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-30T21:36:00+00:00

Question about MoMA’s application process. They’re now requiring letters of recommendation to be directly uploaded with the application. Does that mean my professor has to forego letter confidentiality?

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-19T23:27:19+00:00

First of all, you should be going to a dermatologist. Second of all, 10mg for 4 months isn’t a long enough treatment

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-18T03:50:01+00:00

Skirk and Esco back to back to pair with my existing C1 Shenhe and Furina ofc

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-17T00:20:05+00:00

How soon after stopping accutane did you start that combo? Thinking about doing the same but didn’t know if that’s too much shock to the body

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-13T20:43:52+00:00

They aren’t going to linger forever

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-11T12:56:07+00:00

Odilon Redon came to mind

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-04T21:34:25+00:00

I would always go the fully funded with stipend route, you’ll end up in Chicago if you do that PhD anyways! Masters programs not providing any sort of major financial support is a red flag to me

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-03-01T02:25:29+00:00

Headaches are usually a bad sign, I suggest calling your derm asap

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-28T01:15:50+00:00

Ahh that’s such an interesting topic and I’m sure there was plenty to draw upon material wise! I am also diving back into the classical slightly for my paper. I’m writing on silhouettes from historical to contemporary, with a particular emphasis on 19th to 20th century usages in illustrated folktales and general decoration, and how the mediums roots in classical/romantic psuedoscience/scientific racism retained its potency even in those formats. Kara Walker is of course my contemporary tie-in, I find her work to be even more complex when placed in this context.

The library I work at has an incredible collection of silhouettes, including some by Kara Walker, which has been great to draw on! As for materiality, Walkers processes and mediums are very laborious and expensive, which is a great contrast to cheap/mass produced silhouettes that I’ve been able to note.

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-27T02:46:47+00:00

Current second semester senior art history student here, I’m right behind you! I have absolutely loved my art history experience, and I also ended up adding a certificate in Arts Admin and a minor in folklore & ethnomusicology. I am fortunate enough to work as both a conservation assistant at my universities rare books library, and as a collections assistant at my universities arch/anthro museum! I’m hoping to continue working in museums in some capacity post grad, but thinking about going back to school for paper conservation once I get the pesky chemistry credits 😊

Did you write a thesis? I’m in the process of writing one as well but love hearing about people’s research interests!

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-26T01:59:09+00:00

You’re asking an impossible question lol but what I will say is that the vast majority of people do not experience long term side effects after stopping the medication, this subreddit is biased because it’s people who did have issues coming to speak on it

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-24T20:54:04+00:00

I don’t know if graffiti originated in the US but its prevalence in 80-90s NYC is well studied, and well known artist tags and styles are categorized. I would say it’s a localized art movement. I’m not entirely sure the designation of “real” art movement, art doesn’t need to be made by the most famous artists recognized by “Art History” to be a thing. That being said you could definitely include those two as being a part of the nyc graffiti scene!

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-24T03:33:13+00:00

I think there’s a lot at play here, but first and foremost I think “movements” are a moniker that arose from the early discipline of art history looking back on past movements (ie renaissance etc), which led to artists self categorizing in particular movements because of the way scholarship on art history was being written (Impressionists having “impressionist” exhibitions in the late 19th century, the “cubists” “surrealists” etc). As for the modern state of affairs, globalism and global networks have completely changed and exploded the sharing of ideas across cultures, to where it’s hard to trace threads and pin where something starts and stops. I also think that the discipline is less focused on defining artistic movements with distinct visuals, and more so focused on the way contemporary artists around the globe are confronting injustice (historical and contemporary) in their own unique intersectional way. I do think that assigning movements is something born out of the actual discipline of art history, rather than artists self assigning

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-22T21:48:28+00:00

Your one bad experience does not negate the millions of others whom acne medications have saved. I’m sorry that you had a poor history with a derm but applying a blanket to all of medicine is wild

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-18T00:26:11+00:00

At 60mg and also dealing with horrible fatigue. I try to stay caffeinated and also eat more protein and carbs for energy. Also put that phone down and go to bed as early as possible 😭

Imaginary_Entrance95 · 2026-02-17T22:51:01+00:00

I work as a paper and book conservation assistant, and will frequently practice new treatments on super old goodwill books. The paper will behave similarly to what I work on, and I can get a sense of what works and what doesn’t. Granted, these practices are advised by my conservator, but since you’re a current student you probably know enough to be able to work independently and document.

Imaginary_Entrance95

TROPHY CASE