Behind the scenes with the conservators
Conservators call it ‘fugitive media’ – those items in the collection that prolonged exposure to light can cause irreparable damage. One such example of this is an album of pressed seaweed from the Daniel Bunce Papers, currently on display in the World of the Book exhibition in the Dome Galleries.
Originally collected in the Victorian era, these specimens will only retain their astonishing, vibrant hues with proper preservation. This is what brings Katrina Ben (Senior Conservator, Books) and Emily Keppel (Conservator, Books) to the Dome Galleries: to painstakingly turn the delicate pages so that each seaweed specimen is exposed to light for an appropriately brief amount of time.
‘When we receive collection material intended for display in exhibitions, we assess each item for its light sensitivity,’ explains Katrina. ‘The assessment is based on knowing how much light exposure an item can sustain before there is fading or deterioration.’
The conservators arrive in the gallery armed with the tools of their trade: tiny, sharp-pointed scissors, rolls of clear polyethylene tape, a modified septum elevator (normally a surgical tool, but used here as an aid for gently turning pages). There are three showcases being updated: two displays of Victorian-era botanical albums, as well as one featuring the watercolour sketchbooks of English pastoralist John Cotton.
Before each book is moved, Katrina and Emily take measurements to ensure they know its exact place in the showcase. Then, the volumes are removed, placed into new, custom-made cradles to protect their spines where necessary, and returned to the cabinet with different pages on display.
Under current display conditions, where the gallery lighting is 50 lux or under, most of the books are able to withstand 12 months without a page turn. However, the volumes containing plant specimens or watercolours must undergo page turns every 3 months to ensure that this fugitive media is preserved and protected.
The conservators complete their task. The pages have been turned; the showcases closed once more. The delicate fronds of seaweed – some insubstantial and feathery, others like pressed petals – can continue to be enjoyed by visitors to World of the Book for years to come.
Did you know?
The World of the Book exhibition averages around 2300 visitors per day!
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Image: Installation view of the World of the Book exhibition. Photo by Christian Capurro.