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.