Conservations solutions

Textile Conservation: Ethical Considerations

Posted by Conservation Solutions on Jul 19, 2022 in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Textile Conservation: Ethical Considerations

My treatments, as a member of the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM) are guided by the AICCM Code of Ethics. This document can be found at AICCM. The principles of the code relate to personal integrity,  and the integrity of the treatment towards the object in our care.

Firstly, as a Conservator, I have a duty of care to maintain the highest standards of our profession within the limits of my professional expertise. Last year, I organised the AICCM bi-annual conference for textile conservators. This resulted in an on-line publication of papers presenting the most up to date conservation treatments for textiles.

Secondly, materials and practices relating to conservation treatments should be of the highest standard and should not compromise the cultural value of the object. So prior to any treatments, a thorough examination of the materials and methods used to manufacture an object is undertaken. This forms the foundation of a treatment report which documents the condition prior to and after treatment.

Underpinning any decision relating treatments and materials depends on the physical, scientific, historic and aesthetic value of an object.