Appel à communication : « Conservation of sculpture parks » (Sisak, sept. 2015)

Conservation of sculpture parks (Sisak, 14-16 Sept 15) Sisak, Croatia, September 14 – 16, 2015

Deadline: Jan 31, 2015

Arts Academy of the University of Split (Croatia), Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb (Croatia) and Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (Germany) are organizing an international conference on conservation of sculpture parks on September 14-16, 2015 in Sisak, Croatia. Conservation of outdoor sculpture collections poses many challenges. Sculptures are executed in a wide array of materials, ranging from metal and stone to cement and plastics. Harsh and varied outdoor conditions accelerate the degradation of materials and reduce their lifetime. How can the original appearance of a sculpture be determined? How can the life and appearance of outdoor sculpture collections be extended? Which of the changes that the sculptures undergo are culturally valued, and which are seen as damage? How is a sculpture collection that is spread over an extremely large area managed? What is the relation between outdoor sculptures and their ever-changing natural or built environment? This conference aims to address all aspects connected to conservation of outdoor sculpture collections, from technical questions on how to carry out the treatments to collection administration/management. Possible themes include, but are not limited to:

– Terminology (critical review of categories and terms that are used to describe outdoor sculpture display: sculpture park, sculpture walk, sculptural landscape etc.)- Planning (collections curation, acquisition of sculptures, landscape planning)

– Administration- Documentation and mapping- Maintenance plans (surveying and assessment, periodic cleaning, protective coatings)- Deterioration mechanisms- Conservation treatments (development of conservation strategies, analysis of materials, treatment execution, application of new materials and methods)

– Preventive conservation (community involvement, landscaping, relocation)

Abstract submission If you have an interesting subject that connects to a topic of the conference, please consider submitting an abstract, up to 500 words, for oral presentation. Include the proposal title, full name and institutional affiliation of author(s), email address for the corresponding author and his or her bio of no more than 300 words. Please send abstracts to spark.conference.sisak@gmail.com. The deadline for submission is January 31st, 2015. Submissions will be evaluated by the scientific committee and successful proponents notified by March 15th, 2015. Authors of accepted proposals will be required to submit a full paper for presentation. The papers will be reviewed in a double-blind peer review process and published electronically in an edited post-conference publication under an ISBN.

Conference organizers will make every effort to publish the proceedings in a book form. Language The official language of the conference is English. Important notice If the abstract does not provide a clear enough summary of the proposed paper, the author can be asked to submit an extended abstract. Please make sure that your document is spell checked and proofread before submission, as the accepted abstracts will be published in the Conference Abstract Book. Non-English speakers should ensure that they have the manuscript proof read by a native speaker.

Dates to remember Deadline for abstracts: January 31st, 2015Notification of outcome: March 15th, 2015Deadline for full paper: July 1st, 2015Conference: September 14-16, 2015 The three-day conference will provide opportunities for attendees to take part in practical and theoretical workshops, and will include tours of sculpture parks in Sisak and Zagreb. The detailed conference program and further information about fees and registration will be posted at the end of March 2015.

Organizing Committee Sagita Mirjam Sunara, Arts Academy, University of Split, CroatiaMirta Pavic, MA, Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, CroatiaFriederike Waentig, Ph.D, Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Cologne, Germany International Scientific Committee (in alphabetical order) Claudia Bortolussi, Ph.D, Siltea srl, ItalyMirta Pavic, MA, Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, CroatiaRachel Rivenc, Ph.D, Getty Conservation Institute, USASagita Mirjam Sunara, Arts Academy, University of Split, CroatiaAndrew Thorn, Artcare, AustraliaFriederike Waentig, Ph.D, Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Cologne, Germany Local Organizing Committee (in alphabetical order) Vlatko Cakširan, M.Sc., City Museum Sisak, CroatiaNatalija Dolic, Ph.D, Faculty of Metallurgy, University of Zagreb, CroatiaIvana Miletic Cakširan, Conservation Department Sisak, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, CroatiaMirta Pavic, MA, Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb, CroatiaSagita Mirjam Sunara, Arts Academy, University of Split, CroatiaAlma Trauber, City Gallery Striegl, Croatia Why Sisak? The City of Sisak has been chosen as the location for the conference because of its unique sculpture park, which consists of thirty-eight public sculptures created between 1971 and 1990 by prominent ex-Yugoslav sculptors who participated in the Art Colony “Željezara Sisak” [Sisak Ironworks].

Equally important is the fact that 2015 is designated as European Industrial and Technical Heritage Year, and Sisak Sculpture Park is an important part of Croatia’s industrial patrimony. Sisak is well connected to Croatia’s capital, Zagreb. Regular bus service connects Zagreb International Airport to the Zagreb Central Bus Station. From there, buses drive to Sisak every hour. The distance between the two cities is 60 km. Contact (general, abstract submission): spark.conference.sisak@gmail.com