Between organic media and technology. Unstable materials and contemporary conservation

© DOCAM 2010

Day 2, Session 6 Hanna Hölling (New Strategies for Conservation of Contemporary Art, University of Amsterdam)   In the recent time, there has been a notable amount of artefacts based on organic media and technology presented either in exhibition venues, during larger art events or entering the public and private collection. This presentation focuses on the transitory character of art objects comprising the playback equipment that becomes obsolete or originally living plant constituents becoming dead in the course of their life. Within this particular genre of art production, one has to deal with the question of disappearing, transformation, re-execution and, consequently, with emulation or even migration in everyday conservation practise. How far does the change of a physical component alter the meaning of artwork? How do those processes challenge the established conservation theories?

Hanna Hölling: Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, University of Applied Science in Cologne and the Central Institute of Conservation in Rome. Grants of GFPS e.v., DPG e.v. und NWO. Conservator at the Restoration Centre in Düsseldorf, Museum Folkwang in Essen, Museum Ludwig in Cologne (fl) and many other museums; Head of Conservation at the ZKM | Centre for Art and Media in Karlsruhe. Lecturer at the State Academy of Art and Design in Stuttgart, Faculty: Conservation of New Media and Digital Information. Since 2009, PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam. Lives and works in Amsterdam and Zürich.