R.K. - Fine Art Solutions led a capacity-building seminar at the French corporate counsel association

In October 2022, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a seminar with art lawyer Cyrielle Gauvin at the French corporate counsel association ACE (Avocats conseils d’entreprise) entitled "The legal framework of the conservation profession: what about field realities?". 

This capacity-building event aimed to help art lawyers understand the difference between the legal aspects involving French conservators and the reality of the profession. It also included an overview of how conservators view their work and their ethical and legal responsibilities.

I was also able to touch upon the less-discussed aspect in contemporary art of who owns the artwork and who has a final say in the work that can be done, depending on whose viewpoint it is: the collector or the artist. Whether the artist is living or has passed away but left clear instructions regarding how they wish their work to be conserved.

The ensuing exchanges with the online and in-person participants opened the door to further talks on the international aspects of conservation and a conservator's job. Amongst them was how, while there is a single universally accepted code of ethics, specificities regarding the actual work may vary according to different cultures.

Renata Kaminker – Fine Art Solutions returns as a guest lecturer to Sotheby’s Institute of Art

It was an honour to have been, once more, invited to Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London as a guest lecturer for the MA in Art Logistics.

 Speaking to a room full of students on issues regarding the ethics and legalities of conservation and restoration as well as introducing them to the dynamics of restitution of cultural goods proved as enriching as always, the questions and ensuing discussions leading to new thought processes around these two important issues.

 Over the course of two and half hours we covered legal and normative frameworks, case studies, the definitions of what a conservator is and the responsibilities involved in this role, the differences between restitution, repatriation, and return, and many other subjects.

 As always, it was a great pleasure being involved in the MA, interacting with the students, and seeing thefuture generation of art market professionals.

Summer 2021 Teaching at Sotheby's Institute of Art's MA in Art Logistics

I am delighted to have once more been invited to talk to students at Sotheby’s Institute of Art on the important legal and ethical issues surrounding conservation.

This is the second year the MA in Art Logistics is taking place, and just like last year it was a pleasure to exchange with a new generation of future art professionals.

The students and I discussed a wide range of issues, from the legal and normative framework to international conservation ethics, to ongoing debates and conservation surprises and scandals (both historical and contemporary).

I look forward to future exchanges with them, and other student groups.

Work in progress

Thanks to the ongoing partnership with Art In Lab we are able to work on collections from a holistic point of view.

As we move forward through the different project stages, our combined knowledge and expertise allow for better understanding of the works in front of us. Which in turn will provide a more complete report to our client.

The samples are studied under microscope in order to comprehend the stratigraphic structure of the paint layers, they were taken from a 19th century French oil on canvas. As we take a deeper look at the layers that make up the piece, we can see how the creative logic used by the artist. The build-up of layers tells the story of how the artist conceived the painting should be, how he built his image up from a simple drawing to the final work. It also helps date the piece, as we acquire more information on the pigments and other materials themselves.

Sample studying also plays a key role in confirming whether any paint or varnish was added after the artist finished the artwork, all of which, when combined with other tests such as UV, IR, and X-Ray, provides key information in understanding the object’s history.

What’s cooking?

I am delighted to announce a new partnership with an old friend: Art in Lab!

Following several exchanges and meetings, Renata Kaminker – Fine Art Solutions and Art in Lab have decided to work together on a series of requests from a private client.

We are delighted to be able to offer a complete solution to an increasing problem in private art collections: What do I have? What state is it in? Is it really as old as it purports to be? Is the author truly the one I think it is?

As we plan our approach to the incoming pieces and prepare the work that this new project requires, we look forward to answering this and any other questions that may arise along the way.

Come back to read on more news and details ­­­­­­­­ as we advance on this new and exciting project. We will be sharing insights into the hows and whys of our intervention choices.

Collections in lockdown: What do we do now?

Following a very busy summer working alongside the French Blue Shield Committee, I am delighted to announce that we are publishing a set of guidelines for collections care under lockdown conditions: Veille sanitaire, sûreté et sécurité en situation de confinement (Health, safety and security monitoring in lockdown situations).

The document gives a simple set of steps that may be followed when guiding your teams. It’s meant to help with monitoring situations, specifically regarding sanitary, security and safety measures.

The document is particularly aimed at institutions with limited staff and material means.

At the moment, only the French version is available, but the English and Spanish ones have been prepared and will be published in the coming weeks.

You may access and download the French document here.

Renata Kaminker - Fine Art Solutions was once more invited by Sotheby's Institute of Art to lecture at one of its London courses

It was a pleasure to have been invited back as a lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, this time for the MA on Art Logistics, as well as an honour to have been part of the creation of the MA exam on Art Law. With over 15 years of experience in the field, it is always enjoyable to see the future generation of art professionals’ interest regarding all the legal and ethical issues faced by the market.

The lectures given were: “Legal and Ethical Issues: Conservation and Restoration” and “Art Restitution”. Students were thus introduced to the different codes of ethics that rule a conservator’s work, conservation’s legal and normative framework (at an international level, but also in France and the UK), and the importance of conservation treatments when researching collections.

We also discussed issues regarding the restitution of art and antiquities, and the class was able to use the knowledge it acquired on this issue from other art law lectures when discussing specific case studies.

I look forward to coming back to Sotheby’s Institute of Art for future exchanges and discussions, and to meet further new professionals as they prepare for a changing and ever-developing industry.

Renata Kaminker - Fine Art Solutions works on national military collections

I had the honour several years ago of working for the French national museum, Musée de l’Armée – Hôtel national des Invalides (Paris). I was asked to apply remedial conservation measures, as well as create or update inventory files, for the museum’s 19th and 20th century military uniforms and other paraphernalia (textile, leather and metal).

It was a pleasure to work on a national collection such as this one, and to have been part for nearly a year of the museum’s 7-year building and exhibition spaces renovation project.

Conservation of mural paintings in Bonaparte's childhood home

I enjoy looking back at past projects. The conservation intervention at the Musée de la maison Bonaparte à Ajacciò (Corsica, France) is one that particularly delights me as it consisted in the retouching of close to 250 square metres of rediscovered mural paintings. Created in the 19th-century, they decorate Napoleon Bonaparte’s childhood home and recreate wallpapers that were in vogue at the time.

For several decades, these beautiful faux wallpapers were hidden under layers of modern industrial paint. Bringing them back to light was a true pleasure.

The end result of the work is that museum visitors are now able to fully immerge themselves in the original décor and lifestyle which the Bonaparte family enjoyed.