Lessons Learned at LAAC: Fire Remediation in Private Paper Conservation

Presentation authors: Madison Brockman and Erin Jue

Blogpost Summary by Jennifer Ly

Presented by Madison Brockman, the talk covered LAAC’s experiences in undertaking recovery projects for fire-damaged works on paper as a private practice. By sharing their professional strategies and findings, they hoped to not only share practical tips with the conservation community, but also encourage collaboration and ethical frameworks to empower fellow conservators in their own response efforts. 

Brockman first emphasized the importance of an evacuation protocol, as LAAC’s lab is located right between the sites of the Palisades and Eaton fires and conservators had a firsthand look at the harrowing impact. She also noted an essential aspect of recovery work: proper PPE. While the amount may fluctuate based on the project’s needs, extra PPE must always be present as protocol dictates and a routine for donning and doffing PPE should be developed. Due to the large undertaking of the projects, the conservators also found themselves increasingly branching out their skills to act as registrars, logistics managers, etc. as they accounted for enough time and money in travel, treatment, and material costs.

As LAAC began recovery efforts, they allocated dedicated lab space for damaged objects and worked on treatments for a variety of items not classified as ‘fine art,’ but rather were valuable simply due to the fact they had survived. The main concerns for these objects were usually discoloration, frame damage, and mold, with unmounted works vacuumed and surface cleaned and frame works unframed, dry cleaned, and remounted as necessary. 

As a result of this variability, Brockman highlighted how active communication with their clients was essential to professional expertise and compassionate care. She described how much emotional and psychological work was being put in, and advised conservators to respond empathetically to not only their clients, but also themselves and others in the conservation community.