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Shahn, Mooney
Exhibition
| 2018
This exhibition celebrates one of Ben Shahn’s significant early social commentar…
Hidden Narratives
Exhibition
| 2018
Hidden Narratives brings together a selection of recent acquisitions from LACMA’…
On-Site: Vincent Price Art Museum
Exhibition
| 2018
In conjunction with On-Site: Neighborhood Partnerships with the Los Angeles Coun…
Christian Marclay: Sound Stories
Exhibition
| 2019
In Sound Stories, Christian Marclay (United States, b. 1955) fuses art and techn…
Metropolis II
Exhibition
| 2010
Chris Burden's Metropolis II is an intense kinetic sculpture, modeled after a fa…
Life Model
Exhibition
| 2019
Presented at the original Otis Art Institute campus where Charles White was the…
The Allure of Matter
Exhibition
| 2019
Since the 1980s, Chinese contemporary artists have cultivated intimate relations…
Isaac Julien: Playtime
Exhibition
| 2019
Isaac Julien CBE RA (United Kingdom, b. 1960) is an artist and filmmaker whose m…
Frank Stella
Exhibition
| 2019
Frank Stella (b. 1936) has been a pivotal figure in the development of modern ar…
Betye Saar: Call and Response
Exhibition
| 2019
Betye Saar (b. 1926, Los Angeles) is one of the most talented artists of her gen…
Julie Mehretu
Exhibition
| 2019
Co-organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Whitney Museum of A…
Beyond Line: The Art of Korean Writing
Exhibition
| 2019
Beyond Line: The Art of Korean Writing will be the first exhibition held outside…
Mary Corse: A Survey in Light
Exhibition
| 2019
Mary Corse’s first solo museum survey is a long overdue examination of this sing…
Do Ho Suh: 348 West 22nd Street
Exhibition
| 2019
Do Ho Suh’s works elicit a physical manifestation of memory, exploring ideas of…
Membership & Patron Groups
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Film
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Perhaps the most dominant art form of the last 100 years, film has an important…
Tuesday Matinees
Music
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Enjoy over 100 concerts a year! Concerts feature leading international and local…
Art & Music,Jazz at LACMA,Latin Sounds,Sundays Live
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Painting, printmaking, collage, and more! LACMA offers art classes for kids, tee…
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Rain Room
Exhibition
| 2015
Random International’s Rain Room (2012) is an immersive environment of perpetual…
Rain Room
Between the Lines
Exhibition
| 2019
Typography is at the heart of visual communication. The selection, organization,…
Fiji: Art & Life in the Pacific
Exhibition
| 2019
The first substantial project on the art of Fiji to be mounted in the United Sta…
Where the Truth Lies
Exhibition
| 2020
Few artists in Chinese history have proven as enigmatic as the great Ming dynast…
Rufino Tamayo: Innovation and Experiment
Exhibition
| 2019
Rufino Tamayo (1899–1991) was a leading Mexican artist of the 20th century who a…
Vera Lutter: Museum in the Camera
Exhibition
| 2020
From February 2017 to January 2019, New York-based artist Vera Lutter was invite…
Yoshitomo Nara
Exhibition
| 2020
Yoshitomo Nara is among the most beloved Japanese artists of his generation. His…
Bill Viola: Slowly Turning Narrative
Exhibition
| 2020
On view at LACMA for the first time in almost 20 years, Slowly Turning Narrative…
Modern Art
Exhibition
| 2020
LACMA’s modern collection will be relocated from the Ahmanson Building to the to…
Affinity Groups
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LACMA’s Acquisitions Group and Art Council members share a deep affinity for the…
Art Councils,Acquisition Groups,Art of the Middle East: CONTEMPORARY,Asian Art Council,Costume Council,Decorative Arts and Design Council,LENS: Photography Council,Modern and Contemporary Art Council,Prints and Drawings Council
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Welcome to the employment page of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. To see a…
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Talks & Classes
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Join museum educators, artists, curators, and experts for artist talks, tours, c…
Create+Collaborate
Image: Conservation Image Treatments

Conservation

Established in 1967, the Conservation Center at LACMA supports the museum’s commitment to collect, preserve, study, and share its collections. It was the first West Coast facility to combine conservation, scientific research, and imaging in a comprehensive program for the analysis, authentication, and characterization of artists' materials and methods of fabrication. A staff of 30 assess condition and treat artworks, monitor the museum environment, and establish procedures for safe display, storage, and transport of the collection. Through the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Arts and Heritage program, LACMA offers four postgraduate fellowships for students from graduate training programs in conservation and science, promoting a diverse and sustainable ecosystem for the discipline of conservation. To make our global artistic heritage more accessible for our visitors, LACMA conservators collaborate with curators and international scholars on publications and research. These endeavors help to broaden the art historical and cultural context for our artworks and enrich the experience of the arts.

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Established in 1967, the Conservation Center at LACMA supports the museum’s commitment to collect, preserve, study, and share its collections. It was the first West Coast facility to combine conservation, scientific research, and imaging in a comprehensive program for the analysis, authentication, and characterization of artists' materials and methods of fabrication. A staff of 30 assess condition and treat artworks, monitor the museum environment, and establish procedures for safe display, storage, and transport of the collection. Through the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Arts and Heritage program, LACMA offers four postgraduate fellowships for students from graduate training programs in conservation and science, promoting a diverse and sustainable ecosystem for the discipline of conservation. To make our global artistic heritage more accessible for our visitors, LACMA conservators collaborate with curators and international scholars on publications and research. These endeavors help to broaden the art historical and cultural context for our artworks and enrich the experience of the arts.


Paintings
Paper
Objects
Textiles
Science
Imaging

Paintings conservators support the care of paintings created from the Renaissance to the present. These works consist primarily of layers of oil, tempera, or modern synthetic media applied to canvas, wooden panels, or non-traditional supports. Scientific analysis and technical imaging help paintings conservators to understand the artist’s creative process relative to the work’s current condition. Dialogue with curators enhances the conservators’ understanding of the art historical framework for a painting as a unique expression of its material nature and cultural context. This collaboration informs treatment decisions, and helps to determine what is essential for appropriate display.

Read More

Paintings conservators support the care of paintings created from the Renaissance to the present. These works consist primarily of layers of oil, tempera, or modern synthetic media applied to canvas, wooden panels, or non-traditional supports. Scientific analysis and technical imaging help paintings conservators to understand the artist’s creative process relative to the work’s current condition. Dialogue with curators enhances the conservators’ understanding of the art historical framework for a painting as a unique expression of its material nature and cultural context. This collaboration informs treatment decisions, and helps to determine what is essential for appropriate display.


Related Media


Unframed Blog Posts

Restoring LACMA’s New Vicente Albán Paintings from Ecuador
Feb 4, 2015

In May 2014 LACMA acquired two important paintings by Vicente Albán, an 18th-century master from Ecuador. Over the past few months the museum’s painting conservators and scientists...

Behind the Scenes with Paintings Conservation
Dec 15, 2016

LACMA’s renowned Conservation Center cares for the many artworks in our collection, studying them to learn more about how they were made and preserving them for future generations....

See All Blog Posts

Paper conservators are responsible for the treatment, exhibition, and analysis of historic, modern, and contemporary works of art on paper. These include prints, drawings, paintings on paper, photographs, thangkas, books, and ephemera, as well as paper-based artworks and artifacts. To ensure the integrity and long-term preservation of these artworks, which are often fugitive and fragile in nature, paper conservators draw on their expertise to advise on environmental conditions for display and storage. Technology like micro-fadeometery and colorimetric measurements make it possible for paper conservators to quantify and predict rates of fading as well as subtle changes in tonality and color density to support their recommendations for the long-term preservation of light-sensitive artworks.

Read More

Paper conservators are responsible for the treatment, exhibition, and analysis of historic, modern, and contemporary works of art on paper. These include prints, drawings, paintings on paper, photographs, thangkas, books, and ephemera, as well as paper-based artworks and artifacts. To ensure the integrity and long-term preservation of these artworks, which are often fugitive and fragile in nature, paper conservators draw on their expertise to advise on environmental conditions for display and storage. Technology like micro-fadeometery and colorimetric measurements make it possible for paper conservators to quantify and predict rates of fading as well as subtle changes in tonality and color density to support their recommendations for the long-term preservation of light-sensitive artworks.


Related Media


Unframed Blog Posts

Fishing for Answers
Dec 24, 2018

This Japanese woodblock print, Abalone Fishergirl with an Octopus (c. 1773–74) by Katsukawa Shunshō, was selected for inclusion in an upcoming touring exhibition titled Every Livin...

The Examination and Conservation of Antonio da Trento’s Martyrdom of Two Saints
Feb 4, 2016

The print above is Antonio da Trento’s chiaroscuro woodcut, Martyrdom of Two Saints, from the first half of the sixteenth century. The term chiaroscuro originates from the Italian ...

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Objects conservators manage a vast array of three-dimensional objects and artworks. This broad category includes objects from many cultures, from ancient to contemporary, which are made of diverse materials such as bone, ceramic, ivory, glass, metal, stone, plastic, lacquer, and wood. Imaging and technical research are instrumental to the objects conservator’s understanding of deterioration, materials identification, structure, and manufacture. Each object presents unique challenges; therefore, analysis—combined with the conservator’s interdisciplinary knowledge of archeology, studio arts, and physical science—is critical for designing treatment protocols and preventing damage during exhibition, transit, and storage.

Read More

Objects conservators manage a vast array of three-dimensional objects and artworks. This broad category includes objects from many cultures, from ancient to contemporary, which are made of diverse materials such as bone, ceramic, ivory, glass, metal, stone, plastic, lacquer, and wood. Imaging and technical research are instrumental to the objects conservator’s understanding of deterioration, materials identification, structure, and manufacture. Each object presents unique challenges; therefore, analysis—combined with the conservator’s interdisciplinary knowledge of archeology, studio arts, and physical science—is critical for designing treatment protocols and preventing damage during exhibition, transit, and storage.


Related Media


Unframed Blog Posts

Damascus Room Completed at Last
Sep 21, 2015

This is the third communiqué in as many years about the Damascus room at LACMA. Previous posts focused on the room’s historical context and its reconstruction and conservation. But...

The Collaboration Behind Revealing Creation: The Science and Art of Ancient Maya Ceramics
Nov 16, 2016

Currently on view in the Art of the Americas Building, Revealing Creation: The Science and Art of Ancient Maya Ceramics considers ancient Maya ceramic production as both art and sc...

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Textile conservators care for collections that include costumes and clothing of aesthetic or historical value, from the seventh century to the present; flat textiles ranging from archaeological fragments to contemporary fiber-based sculpture; and upholstered furniture. While textile conservators use their expertise to determine materials and methods of manufacture, they often require scientific analysis and consultations with curators to confirm their observations and provide additional insight on how best to preserve these artworks. Conservators and curators also work together on the fabrication of custom mannequins to safely support and display period fashion.

Read More

Textile conservators care for collections that include costumes and clothing of aesthetic or historical value, from the seventh century to the present; flat textiles ranging from archaeological fragments to contemporary fiber-based sculpture; and upholstered furniture. While textile conservators use their expertise to determine materials and methods of manufacture, they often require scientific analysis and consultations with curators to confirm their observations and provide additional insight on how best to preserve these artworks. Conservators and curators also work together on the fabrication of custom mannequins to safely support and display period fashion.


Unframed Blog Posts

Behind the Scenes: Conservation of Power of Pattern
Feb 25, 2019

The installation of Power of Pattern: Central Asian Ikats from the David and Elizabeth Reisbord Collection began on a gray winter day. Over a period of two weeks, about 60 robes, w...

Winter Wool and Moths: Repairing a Museum-Grade Textile
Dec 25, 2013

Have you ever pulled your favorite wool coat out of the closet, only to find that some hungry moths had been busily at work during the summer? Given that today is Christmas, and su...

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In 2002, LACMA received an additional endowment from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for a senior scientist and additional resources to build a state-of-the-art research facility. Since the inception of the Conservation Center in 1967, the science staff has played a critical role in gaining a deeper understanding of the materials, techniques, methods of manufacture, and technology of structure for the varied collections at LACMA, as well as for the connoisseurship and study of international collections.

The conservation research lab is equipped with a digital microscope, Raman spectrometer, Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometer, portable X-Ray radiograph, portable X-Ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometer, fiber-optics reflectance spectrophotometer (FORS), spectrofluorometer, polarized light microscope (PLM), and Micro-Fadeometer (MFT).

Read More

In 2002, LACMA received an additional endowment from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for a senior scientist and additional resources to build a state-of-the-art research facility. Since the inception of the Conservation Center in 1967, the science staff has played a critical role in gaining a deeper understanding of the materials, techniques, methods of manufacture, and technology of structure for the varied collections at LACMA, as well as for the connoisseurship and study of international collections.

The conservation research lab is equipped with a digital microscope, Raman spectrometer, Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometer, portable X-Ray radiograph, portable X-Ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometer, fiber-optics reflectance spectrophotometer (FORS), spectrofluorometer, polarized light microscope (PLM), and Micro-Fadeometer (MFT).


Unframed Blog Posts

Beyond Bling: Are Diamonds A Girl’s Only Best Friend?
Jan 25, 2017

As a Mellon Fellow of the Conservation Research Laboratory, I work on different projects to answer questions that curators and conservators have about the art objects they are work...

Out of the Dark Ages and Into the 21st Century: Finding LED Bulbs for “Urban Light”
Mar 12, 2018

Four years ago, LACMA was already making efforts to be a more environmentally sustainable museum when we initiated a conservation research project to retrofit the lamps in Chris Bu...

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The mandate dictated by the American institute for Conservation (AIC) code of ethics states, “The conservation professional shall document examination, scientific investigation, and treatment by creating permanent records and reports.” Since 2004, black-and-white negatives and prints, along with color transparencies and slides, have been replaced with sophisticated digital photography that is often recognized by different names, including technical, forensic, and scientific imaging. LACMA’s photography studio is at the forefront of technical documentation and image-based condition reporting.

Conservation photography capabilities include reflected, transmitted, and raking visible light imaging, Infrared reflected and reflectography, visible induced Infrared luminescence, Ultraviolet reflected and visible induced fluorescence, and digital X-radiography, computational imaging in the form of polynomial texture mapping (PTM) and reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), and 3D modeling through photogrammetry.

Read More

The mandate dictated by the American institute for Conservation (AIC) code of ethics states, “The conservation professional shall document examination, scientific investigation, and treatment by creating permanent records and reports.” Since 2004, black-and-white negatives and prints, along with color transparencies and slides, have been replaced with sophisticated digital photography that is often recognized by different names, including technical, forensic, and scientific imaging. LACMA’s photography studio is at the forefront of technical documentation and image-based condition reporting.

Conservation photography capabilities include reflected, transmitted, and raking visible light imaging, Infrared reflected and reflectography, visible induced Infrared luminescence, Ultraviolet reflected and visible induced fluorescence, and digital X-radiography, computational imaging in the form of polynomial texture mapping (PTM) and reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), and 3D modeling through photogrammetry.


Unframed Blog Posts

The Inside Story: Seeing Maya Vessels in A New Light
Aug 29, 2016

In 2015, LACMA’s Program in the Art of the Ancient Americas embarked on the Maya Vase Research Project, a fruitful collaboration with the museum's Conservation Center to conduct te...

A Peek Beneath the Paint
Oct 1, 2009

With work underway on a catalogue of LACMA’s exceptional collection of seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish paintings, our team of painting conservators, scientists, and curators ...

See All Blog Posts

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