The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum).LACMA was founded in 1961, splitting from the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art. Four years later, it moved to the Wilshire Boulevard complex designed by William Pereira. The museum's wealth and collections grew in the 1980s, and it added several buildings beginning in that decade and continuing in subsequent decades. In 2020, four buildings on the campus were demolished to make way for a reconstructed facility designed by Peter Zumthor. His design drew strong community opposition and was lambasted by architectural critics and museum curators, who objected to its reduced gallery space, poor design, and exorbitant costs.LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. It attracts nearly a million visitors annually. It holds more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present. In addition to art exhibits, the museum features film and concert series.
The Amazon Forest displays an immense cultural, human, and biological diversity, holding a wealth of plant-based colorants yet to be scientifically studied. One of them is a blue produced by the Tikuna people, who live near the Brazil-Peru-Colombia borders. The colorant is made from the purple juice of na & imacr;c & uuml; and iron, and the name 'Tikuna blue' was suggested by three Tikuna artisans' associations (Associa & ccedil;& atilde;o das Mulheres Ind & iacute;genas Artes & atilde;s - AMATU, Associa & ccedil;& atilde;o das Mulheres Ind & iacute;genas Ticuna - AMIT; and Associa & ccedil;& atilde;o das Mulheres Ind & iacute;genas de Porto Cordeirinho - AMIPC). To determine the spectroscopic fingerprints, composition, color properties, and colorfastness of Tikuna blue, mockups were prepared by members of the Tikuna community and investigated with colorimetry, fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDX), Raman and resonance Raman spectroscopies, Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy (mu -FTIR), and microfade testing (MFT). Computational calculations were used to aid electronic and vibrational spectra interpretation. The results indicated that the colorant is a supramolecular structure based on anthocyanin(s), pectin, and iron ions, produced via a mechanism comparable to one of those used in nature to fix blue color in flowers. MFT revealed that the colorant is highly sensitive to visible light. This manuscript further addresses the scarce number of scientific investigations on Indigenous material culture, emphasizing the importance of decolonizing conservation science and technical art history. This includes a critical reevaluation of Western canonical values that have traditionally shaped materials analysis in these fields. A Portuguese version is available as the supplementary material.
In 2014 the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) received a gift of thirty-six wooden ceiling panels from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). The panels, which had been installed in the university’s Faculty Club, were rumored to have once been owned by the American media mogul and renowned collector William Randolph Hearst, but little was known about them beyond this local legend. This article reconstructs the ceilings’ itinerant histories, particularly the early- and mid-twentieth-century American context in which they were purchased, circulated, and used by their previous owners. From their initial construction to their sale and reuse in two separate contexts, the LACMA ceilings were appropriated into several projects that sought to convey new national, local, and personal identities informed by an imagined Spanish past.
This article examines the occult underpinnings of British-born craftsperson, artist, and devout Theosophist, Reginald W. Machell’s designs for woodwork between 1895 and his death in 1927. Machell’s theory of the hand-carved picture frame invoked Theosophical concepts of the passage between material and spiritual realms. He described the frame as a liminal borderland, replete with spiritual meaning inexpressible in the figurative scenes he painted on canvas. Examining his pictorial works and woodwork together, I extend this understanding of the frame to his carved furnishings and architectural features at Lomaland—the sprawling San Diego headquarters for the Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society. Machell’s woodwork at Lomaland functioned as “frames” for the lived experience, realizing Theosophy’s core belief in transcendence to the spiritual. Machell navigated the hierarchical duality of matter and spirit underlying Theosophy and its many related religious movements. In doing so, his work and practice also typified a larger dilemma of occult art and design: any image’s or object’s materiality, visibility, and didactic aims risked contradicting esotericism’s fundamental belief in the invisible, non-material, and mysterious.
The addition of a unique group of negatives to The Metropolitan Museum of Art's (The Met) photography collection in 2013 offered conservators an opportunity to explore innovative solutions to conserve delaminated gelatin glass plate negatives. These negatives by Ernest J. Bellocq portray the New Orleans' red-light district in the 1910s. Although no original prints have survived, the images were revealed to the public in 1970 owing to New York photographer Lee Friedlander's modern photographic prints made from the original Bellocq glass plates. Following the Met's acquisition, when the 88 photographic negatives became available for investigation, they were found to present numerous breaks and a significant delamination of the gelatin layer from the glass support. This paper presents the research conducted during the author's 3-year fellowship, which aimed to identify suitable methods to stabilize the delamination. After a comprehensive literature review, conservation-grade gelatin was selected as a suitable adhesive. Hands-on tests were conducted to compare different application methods, which helped identify appropriate approaches for each type of delamination identified in the collection. Finally, the paper describes the custom housing method designed to address the issue of the breaks in the glass and allow safe access to individual negatives. 2013(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(The Met)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)J(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)1910(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)1970(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(Lee Friedlander)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)88(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). Translation: Chongwen Liu; Revision: Nan Yang. L'arriv & eacute;e dans les collections photographiques du Metropolitan Museum of Art (le Met) d'un remarquable lot de n & eacute;gatifs en 2013 a donn & eacute; aux conservateurs-restaurateurs l'opportunit & eacute; d'explorer des solutions innovantes pour la restauration des n & eacute;gatifs sur plaques de verre au g & eacute;latino-bromure d'argent pr & eacute;sentant des soul & egrave;vements de la couche sensible. Ces n & eacute;gatifs d'Ernest J. Bellocq d & eacute;peignent le quartier des lanternes rouges de la Nouvelle-Orl & eacute;ans dans les ann & eacute;es 1910. Malgr & eacute; la perte des tirages originaux, les images furent r & eacute;v & eacute;l & eacute;es au public en 1970 gr & acirc;ce aux tirages modernes du photographe newyorkais Lee Friedlander, r & eacute;alis & eacute;s & agrave; partir des n & eacute;gatifs sur verre originaux de Bellocq. A la suite de l'acquisition par le Met, lorsque les 88 n & eacute;gatifs sont devenus accessibles pour la recherche, ils pr & eacute;sentaient de nombreuses fragmentations et des soul & egrave;vements importants de la couche de g & eacute;latine du support en verre. Cet article pr & eacute;sente le projet de recherche d & eacute;velopp & eacute; durant les 3 ans de fellowship de l'autrice, dont le but & eacute;tait d'identifier des m & eacute;thodes adapt & eacute;es de stabilisation des soul & egrave;vements. Apr & egrave;s une recherche bibliographique approfondie, la g & eacute;latine de qualit & eacute; restauration fut s & eacute;lectionn & eacute;e comme adh & eacute;sif adapt & eacute;. Des tests pratiques furent effectu & eacute;s pour comparer diff & eacute;rentes m & eacute;thodes d'application du consolidant, ce qui permit l'identification de diff & eacute;rentes approches en fonction du type de d & eacute;lamination observ & eacute; au sein de la collection. Enfin, cet article d & eacute;crit les conditionnements sur mesure mises au point pour s & eacute;curiser les fragments de verre des n & eacute;gatifs et permettre l'acc & egrave;s aux oe uvres de mani & egrave;re s & eacute;curis & eacute;e. Traduit par Sophie Barbisan. La incorporaci & oacute;n de un grupo excepcional de negativos a la colecci & oacute;n fotogr & aacute;fica del Museo Metropolitano de Arte (Met) en el 2013, ofreci & oacute; la oportunidad de explorar diversas e innovadoras soluciones para tratar el desprendimiento de gelatina de negativos en placas de vidrio. Los negativos hechos por Ernest J. Bellocq retratan el distrito rojo de Nueva Orleans en la d & eacute;cada de 1910. Aunque no se conservan impresiones originales, las im & aacute;genes de las placas de vidrio de Bellocq se hicieron p & uacute;blicas en 1970 gracias a las impresiones fotogr & aacute;ficas modernas hechas por el fot & oacute;grafo neoyorquino Lee Friedlander. Despu & eacute;s de la adquisici & oacute;n del Met, y luego que las 88 placas de negativo en vidrio estuvieron disponibles para su investigaci & oacute;n, se descubri & oacute; que muchas estaban fracturadas y que hab & iacute;a un desprendimiento significativo de la capa de gelatina del soporte de vidrio. Este art & iacute;culo presenta la investigaci & oacute;n que la autora llev & oacute; a cabo en el & uacute;ltimo a & ntilde;o de sus estudios en la pr & aacute;ctica en el Met, cuyo objetivo fue determinar los m & eacute;todos adecuados para estabilizar los desprendimientos. Tras una revisi & oacute;n bibliogr & aacute;fica exhaustiva, se seleccion & oacute; la gelatina de grado de conservaci & oacute;n como adhesivo adecuado. Se realizaron pruebas para comparar diferentes m & eacute;todos de aplicaci & oacute;n, lo que permiti & oacute; identificar las formas m & aacute;s adecuadas para tratar cada tipo de desprendimiento identificado en la colecci & oacute;n. Por & uacute;ltimo, este art & iacute;culo describe los sistemas de almacenamiento que fueron dise & ntilde;ados espec & iacute;ficamente para las placas fracturadas, para asegurar la correcta manipulaci & oacute;n y el acceso adecuado. Traducci & oacute;n y revisi & oacute;n Mirasol Estrada y M & oacute;nica P & eacute;rez; revisi & oacute;n final: Amparo Rueda e Irene Delaveris. A adi & ccedil;& atilde;o de um grupo & uacute;nico de negativos & agrave; cole & ccedil;& atilde;o de fotografias do Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) em 2013 ofereceu aos conservadores a oportunidade de explorar solu & ccedil;& otilde;es inovadoras para conservar negativos de placas de vidro com gelatina delaminada. Estes negativos de Ernest J. Bellocq retratam o bairro da luz vermelha de Nova Orleans na d & eacute;cada de 1910. Embora nenhuma impress & atilde;o original tenha sobrevivido, as imagens foram reveladas ao p & uacute;blico em 1970 devido & agrave;s impress & otilde;es fotogr & aacute;ficas modernas do fot & oacute;grafo de Nova York Lee Friedlander feitas a partir das placas de vidro originais de Bellocq. Ap & oacute;s a aquisi & ccedil;& atilde;o do Met, quando os 88 negativos fotogr & aacute;ficos se tornaram dispon & iacute;veis para investiga & ccedil;& atilde;o, descobriu-se que eles apresentavam in & uacute;meras quebras e uma delamina & ccedil;& atilde;o significativa da camada de gelatina do suporte de vidro. Este artigo apresenta a pesquisa realizada durante a bolsa de estudos de 3 anos do autor, que teve como objetivo identificar m & eacute;todos adequados para estabilizar a delamina & ccedil;& atilde;o. Ap & oacute;s uma revis & atilde;o abrangente da literatura, a gelatina de qualidade de conserva & ccedil;& atilde;o foi selecionada como um adesivo adequado. Testes pr & aacute;ticos foram realizados para comparar diferentes m & eacute;todos de aplica & ccedil;& atilde;o, o que ajudou a identificar abordagens apropriadas para cada tipo de delamina & ccedil;& atilde;o identificado na cole & ccedil;& atilde;o. Finalmente, o artigo descreve o m & eacute;todo de acondicionamento personalizado projetado para resolver a quest & atilde;o das quebras no vidro e permitir o acesso seguro a negativos individuais. Translation: Francisco Vieira; revision: Teresa Lan & ccedil;a.
Blue is one of the most challenging colors for humans to produce and one of the most important colors in art history. Literature from the Tikuna/Magüta culture, from the Amazon Forest, suggests the use of chemical reactions between the juice of the naīcü fruit and iron to produce a blue colorant still unknown among technical art historians and conservation scientists. Additionally, the coloring materials from the Tikuna/Magüta people were never chemically investigated. Therefore, this manuscript presents the investigation of blue colorants from twenty-two Tikuna/Magüta masks and one stamp used to decorate similar items. Collections from four museums, from the USA and Brazil, were examined, and Raman spectra indicated the presence of Prussian blue, phthalocyanine blue, indigo, ultramarine, crystal violet, amorphous carbon, anatase, and barium sulfate (or lithopone). Although the unknown blue colorant was not detected in this campaign, the authors hypothesize the chemical composition and reactions involved in its production by considering the chemistry of naīcü and anthocyanins. The continuation of this work with community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches is also discussed, justifying why reproduction was not considered in this work and supporting a more socially responsible and inclusive practice in technical art history and conservation science.
