Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. AI in Conservation: Sustainability Social hosted by the Institute of Conservation Sustainability Group 2. Call for Papers: Icon Photographic Materials Group Lightning Talks 2025 3. Open Postdoctoral Position – Hyperspectral Imaging in Heritage Science (TUM insiTUMlab) 4. RE: Unknown blue substance on film 5. RE: Unknown blue substance on film 6. RE: Unknown blue substance on film 7. Webinar: Old and New: Combining Digital and Traditional Conservation Methods ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Lorraine Finch Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 7:11 AM Subject: AI in Conservation: Sustainability Social hosted by the Institute of Conservation Sustainability Group Message: Join us for another relaxed virtual get-together where we chat all things sustainability in conservation. It's informal, friendly, and open to anyone! Think of it as a casual conversation with colleagues, just with a sustainability twist! This time, we're talking: "AI in Conservation – Where Does It Fit, and How Sustainable Is It?" AI is popping up everywhere, but what does it actually mean for conservation? And is it something we should be excited about, cautious of, or both? This isn't a technical deep-dive or an expert panel. It's simply a space to explore what we do (or don't!) know about AI, how we feel about it, and whether it has a place in our work, particularly when it comes to sustainability. Whether you've never used AI in your life, or you've just started to dip a toe in, come along and share your thoughts. What are your first impressions? What worries you? What excites you? Are we open to these tools, or is it all a bit too much, too soon? Bring your questions, your curiosity, and maybe even your confusion. No expertise needed, just an open mind and a willingness to explore this big, fast-moving topic together. Look forward to seeing you there! Register: https://www.icon.org.uk/events/ai-in-conservation.html <https://www.icon.org.uk/events/ai-in-conservation.html> Lorraine Finch ACR Chair, Icon Sustainability Group 2.From: Lauren Ashley-Irvine Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 7:11 AM Subject: Call for Papers: Icon Photographic Materials Group Lightning Talks 2025 Message: Hi all! Please consider submitting a talk to our online session: Wednesday 10th December 2025, 10 am - 1 pm GMT The Icon Photographic Material Group is bringing back the Lighting Talks to close the year. The format will be online, and presenters will have five minutes to share their topics. As is customary, there will be space afterwards for questions and ponderings. As always, the event is open to anyone with an interest in the care and preservation of photographic materials. We invite you to submit a titled abstract (c.100 words) with your name, affiliation and time zone and/or location to [email protected] by Friday, 21st of November. Subject summiting can range from treatment practices, preventive conservation, scientific research, education, outreach and funding, but is not limited to these topics. We encourage you to present outside this scope if your topic doesn't fit any of these categories but is related to the conservation of photographic materials. The 5-minute presentations should include around five PowerPoint slides, which should be illustrative rather than textual. Please contact us via email at [email protected] as soon as possible for further details or to discuss your idea. ------------------------------ Lauren Ashley-Irvine Conservator in Private Practice Taufkirchen Germany ------------------------------ 3.From: Eva Angelin Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 10:13 AM Subject: Open Postdoctoral Position – Hyperspectral Imaging in Heritage Science (TUM insiTUMlab) Message: The Technical University of Munich (TUM) – Chair of Conservation-Restoration, Art Technology and Conservation Science – is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher (TV-L E13, 100%) to join the insiTUMlab, a DFG-funded Core Facility dedicated to non-destructive, in-situ analysis of cultural heritage. The successful candidate will develop and apply Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) methodologies and data analysis workflows for the investigation of cultural heritage objects and architectural surfaces. 📎 Please find the detailed job advertisement attached. 🔗 More information about the insiTUMlab: https://www.arc.ed.tum.de/rkk/forschung/insitumlab/ <https://www.arc.ed.tum.de/rkk/forschung/insitumlab/> 💶 Salary: approx. €4,600–€6,500 gross/month, depending on experience (TV-L E13 scale). 📅 Application deadline: 31 January 2026 For inquiries and applications, please contact: Dr. Clarimma Sessa Head of insiTUMlab, Technical University of Munich 📧 [email protected] ------------------------------ --- Eva Mariasole Angelin, Ph.D. Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin / Research Associate Technische Universität München / Technical University of Munich TUM School of Engineering and Design Lehrstuhl für Restaurierung, Kunsttechnologie und Konservierungswissenschaft / Chair of Conservation-Restoration, Art Technology and Conservation Science Oettingenstr. 15 80538 München [email protected] www.ar.tum.de/rkk ------------------------------ 4.From: John Castronovo Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 11:16 AM Subject: RE: Unknown blue substance on film Message: An anti-halation layer is supposed to be removed in the development process, so I'm betting that's the problem here. Maybe a low level in a fixer or wash tank was the original cause, especially if it shows at regular intervals or has a mechanical pattern. That coating would've been on the base side rather than the emulsion though, so if it's a deposit on the emulsion, it was some sort of scum in the processor and probably there since it was developed. Sometimes the previous film that was run through the machine left that scum because it wasn't the right film for the process too. Some films had a physical anti-halation coating that had to be removed with a remjet which wasn't used in other developing processes, and if such a film was run through the wrong machine it would leave a residue in the machine. Hope that helps. john castronovo techphoto llc ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 10/29/2025 5:41:00 AM From: Gwenola Furic Subject: RE: Unknown blue substance on film Hi I am a photograph conservator and I have already seen acetate photographic films exhibiting blue coloration (sorry for the poor quality of images). It seems to be an anti-halation coating that's melting, and it's a stage in the degradation of cellulose acetate. It is described here : https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/collection/engage-learn/publications/lingua-franca/visual-glossary/acetate.html Hope this helps ! ------------------------------ Gwenola Furic Photograph Conservator Freelance/Private Practice/Self-employed/Independent Redon France ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 From: Alexis See Tow Subject: Unknown blue substance on film Hello colleagues, In the process of condition checking some colour 16mm film, and I came across this mysterious residue on the emulsion side of the film. It is extremely stubborn, not very sticky (if at all), and only very slightly lifts when agitated with Isoclene (isopropyl alcohol). When removed, it is blue! On first thought, it could be the result of something mechanical, like the film running through some rollers and one of them was dirty? This residue is across the whole film at regular intervals, imagine it like tyre marks where only a certain section of the tyre is dirty. Has anyone come across something like this? Maybe something with the developing phase? I did some reading and got piqued on something about anti-halation layers? This was projected for viewing maybe less than 5 times, but all other films also ran through the same projector and none had this. I tried to do some reading, something about anti-halation layers but nothing that would suggest residue that looks like track marks over the whole film. Film stock is Fuji 16mm safety film 1976 Jan-Mar Let me know if anyone has any suggestions or leads, thank you for your time! ------------------------------ Alexis See Tow Graduate Student (Class of 2026) UCL Postgraduate Programme in the Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media London United Kingdom ------------------------------ 5.From: Alexis See Tow Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 12:22 PM Subject: RE: Unknown blue substance on film Message: Dear Luisa, Thank you so much for your reply! Do you have any further resources on anti-halation layers and interactions with acetic acid? In the beginning of working on this film, I thought it was surface dirt too so I went at it with some Pec 12, which removed only some blue before lifting flecks of emulsion, leading me to think that it is likely that it's the emulsion that's affected. The website you linked says that it could dye the film pink, which is what I am seeing on my film. All in all I really appreciate your expertise, it's pointing me to some really great research/reading routes. Thank you! Best, Alexis ------------------------------ Alexis See Tow Graduate Student (Class of 2026) UCL Postgraduate Programme in the Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media London United Kingdom ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 10-29-2025 10:54 From: Luisa Casella Subject: Unknown blue substance on film Dear Alexis, I think the residue you are observing on the film is unrelated to the anti-halation layer (a brief summary on anti-halation can be found here <https://filmcare.org/vd_antihalation.php>). While the blue color on your swab is indeed similar to the hue seen when anti-halation dyes are made visible by the action of acetic acid, in this instance there appears to be a distinct, thick substance sitting on top of the film's surface. The anti-halation layer, by contrast, is embedded within the film's structure. I'm sorry I don't have a more definitive solution, but I hope this distinction helps narrow down the possible nature of the accretion. Best regards, Luisa ------------------------------ Luisa Casella Independent Photograph Conservator ------------------------------ Original Message: Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 From: Alexis See Tow Subject: Unknown blue substance on film Hello colleagues, In the process of condition checking some colour 16mm film, and I came across this mysterious residue on the emulsion side of the film. It is extremely stubborn, not very sticky (if at all), and only very slightly lifts when agitated with Isoclene (isopropyl alcohol). When removed, it is blue! On first thought, it could be the result of something mechanical, like the film running through some rollers and one of them was dirty? This residue is across the whole film at regular intervals, imagine it like tyre marks where only a certain section of the tyre is dirty. Has anyone come across something like this? Maybe something with the developing phase? I did some reading and got piqued on something about anti-halation layers? This was projected for viewing maybe less than 5 times, but all other films also ran through the same projector and none had this. I tried to do some reading, something about anti-halation layers but nothing that would suggest residue that looks like track marks over the whole film. Film stock is Fuji 16mm safety film 1976 Jan-Mar Let me know if anyone has any suggestions or leads, thank you for your time! ------------------------------ Alexis See Tow Graduate Student (Class of 2026) UCL Postgraduate Programme in the Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media London United Kingdom ------------------------------ 6.From: Alexis See Tow Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 12:22 PM Subject: RE: Unknown blue substance on film Message: Dear John, Thank you for taking the time to reply, this is really helpful! When the anti-halation layer is removed, is it done in a vat, a tank, over rollers? The reason I am asking is because the film has these spots in regular intervals. And if in the process, it involves rollers of some kind, that could be very possible it was from the development process. Do you have any resources on the steps of film processing, maybe if it includes references/pictures to equipment that would be used? Unfortunately, I don't know much about the usage history of this film, so it's tough to be definitive about the possibilities. I looked at the film again and saw that the marks don't really line up while it's wound on its spool, so I'm guessing this all happened as it went through something. The question though, is what did it go through? It also has an overall very pink tint to it, which I don't think is intentional. Haha, what a head scratcher! All in all though, this points me in a good direction to look into. Thank you so much! Best, Alexis ------------------------------ Alexis See Tow Graduate Student (Class of 2026) UCL Postgraduate Programme in the Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media London United Kingdom ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 10-30-2025 10:44 From: John Castronovo Subject: Unknown blue substance on film An anti-halation layer is supposed to be removed in the development process, so I'm betting that's the problem here. Maybe a low level in a fixer or wash tank was the original cause, especially if it shows at regular intervals or has a mechanical pattern. That coating would've been on the base side rather than the emulsion though, so if it's a deposit on the emulsion, it was some sort of scum in the processor and probably there since it was developed. Sometimes the previous film that was run through the machine left that scum because it wasn't the right film for the process too. Some films had a physical anti-halation coating that had to be removed with a remjet which wasn't used in other developing processes, and if such a film was run through the wrong machine it would leave a residue in the machine. Hope that helps. john castronovo techphoto llc Original Message: Sent: 10/29/2025 5:41:00 AM From: Gwenola Furic Subject: RE: Unknown blue substance on film Hi I am a photograph conservator and I have already seen acetate photographic films exhibiting blue coloration (sorry for the poor quality of images). It seems to be an anti-halation coating that's melting, and it's a stage in the degradation of cellulose acetate.It is described here : https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/collection/engage-learn/publications/lingua-franca/visual-glossary/acetate.html <https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/collection/engage-learn/publications/lingua-franca/visual-glossary/acetate.html>Hope this helps ! ------------------------------ Gwenola Furic Photograph Conservator Freelance/Private Practice/Self-employed/Independent Redon France ------------------------------ Original Message: Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 From: Alexis See Tow Subject: Unknown blue substance on film Hello colleagues, In the process of condition checking some colour 16mm film, and I came across this mysterious residue on the emulsion side of the film. It is extremely stubborn, not very sticky (if at all), and only very slightly lifts when agitated with Isoclene (isopropyl alcohol). When removed, it is blue! On first thought, it could be the result of something mechanical, like the film running through some rollers and one of them was dirty? This residue is across the whole film at regular intervals, imagine it like tyre marks where only a certain section of the tyre is dirty. Has anyone come across something like this? Maybe something with the developing phase? I did some reading and got piqued on something about anti-halation layers? This was projected for viewing maybe less than 5 times, but all other films also ran through the same projector and none had this. I tried to do some reading, something about anti-halation layers but nothing that would suggest residue that looks like track marks over the whole film. Film stock is Fuji 16mm safety film 1976 Jan-Mar Let me know if anyone has any suggestions or leads, thank you for your time! ------------------------------ Alexis See Tow Graduate Student (Class of 2026) UCL Postgraduate Programme in the Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media London United Kingdom ------------------------------ 7.From: Phillipa McDonnell Posted: Thursday October 30, 2025 8:28 PM Subject: Webinar: Old and New: Combining Digital and Traditional Conservation Methods Message: Old and New: Combining Digital and Traditional Conservation Methods 5th November 2025 | 13:00 - 14:00 GMT | £25 This webinar explores how digital tools can be meaningfully integrated into established conservation processes. Using case studies, we will examine practical applications of digital techniques to address common challenges in the conservation of objects-particularly ceramics-and decorative surfaces. The session will also consider the ethical and material implications of implementing digital methods, showing how they can complement, rather than replace, traditional skills. A combined methodology can expand a conservator's toolkit, support more confident decision-making, and improve outcomes in both treatment and research. Designed as CPD for both trained and training conservators, this session requires no prior experience in digital heritage-only an interest in broadening practice with innovative yet grounded approaches. About the speaker Celeste Sturgeon is a Senior Technician and Conservator at Lincoln Conservation. She holds an MA in the Conservation of Historic Objects (2015) and has since worked across a wide range of projects involving historic objects, artworks, and interiors-both as a freelancer and in her current role. Her professional interests include the conservation of historic repairs and the innovative use of emerging technologies, such as 3D imaging and 3D printing, within conservation practice. Celeste combines hands-on expertise with research-led innovation, making her ideally placed to explore how digital and traditional methods can be effectively integrated into everyday conservation work. Book here <https://store.lincoln.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/conferences/school-of-humanities-and-heritage/old-and-new-combining-digital-and-traditional-conservation-methods-webinar> Heritage Horizons is Lincoln Conservation's new webinar series exploring fresh perspectives on the heritage industry. In collaboration with colleagues across the University of Lincoln-home to Lincoln Conservation-we'll bring you a wide range of topics that connect academic research with professional practice. Each session draws on the expertise of our academic staff to equip heritage professionals with research-led insights that can inform practice and add value to projects. Find out more <https://www.lincolnconservation.co.uk/training/online-webinars/heritage-horizons> Lunchtime Talks is Lincoln Conservation's series of free webinars offering accessible insights into heritage conservation. Drawing on both practical and academic expertise, these sessions introduce the specialist areas we know best, from decorative surfaces to digital heritage. Each talk is designed to give heritage professionals knowledge they can apply directly to their projects, adding value and confidence to decision-making. Find out more <https://www.lincolnconservation.co.uk/training/online-webinars/lunchtime-talks> ------------------------------ Phillipa McDonnell Research Fellow / Conservator Lincoln Conservation School of Humanities and Heritage University of Lincoln Lincoln United Kingdom ------------------------------ You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to https://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
