Guest talk: Tate conservator Bronwyn Ormsby: CANCELLED

Engaging With the Surface - Challenges, Advances and Reflections In the Conservation of Modern and Contemporary Paintings

Join us for a talk by one of the world's most renowned conservators - perfect for anyone who’s interested in the stories about major contemporary artworks and museum practice.

Over the past 5 or more years, Tate has participated in practice-lead and practice-based collaborative research designed to overcome some of the specific challenges associated with the conservation of modern and contemporary painted art. Tate's Principal Conservation Scientist, Dr Bronwyn Ormsby, will discuss three projects that centred around the meticulous modification and evaluation of treatment materials and methods for the removal of unwanted materials from a group of sensitive, visually and materially complex painted works of art from Tate’s collection: The Rothko Conservation Project (2012-14), the Cleaning Modern Oil Paints Project (2015-18) and the Nanorestart project (2015-18).

About Bronwyn Ormsby
Bronwyn Ormsby manages the Conservation Science and Preventive Conservation section and carries out the spectroscopic and chromatographic analysis of Tate’s collection to support the conservation treatment process, research and programme. Bronwyn also leads research into twentieth- and twenty-first century art materials and conservation processes, and has a particular interest in the cleaning of unvarnished painted surfaces. In 2012–14 she was the key scientist on the conservation project for Mark Rothko’s painting Untitled, Black on Maroon 1958. Following on from her longstanding research into artists’ acrylic paints, she is now leading Tate’s modern and contemporary art conservation research programme, including Tate’s contribution to two funded projects and two collaborative doctoral projects on the cleaning and preservation of modern and contemporary artworks.

Need to know:
- If you are a Gallery Member with a valid guest pass, you can bring a friend for the Members price.
- Entrance through the Gallery clocktower on the corner of Wellesley and Kitchener Street
- Doors open 6.45pm, start event 7pm.
- This talk takes place in the Gallery Auditorium on the Lower Ground floor

Supporting partner: AUT

Image credit: Corner detail of Mark Rothko’s Untitled, Black on Maroon, 1958 (Tate, T01170), prior to conservation treatment. © Tate.