Collection Care - by Brent Powell (Paperback)

About the Book

Collection Care: An Illustrated Handbook for the Care and Handling of Cultural Objects provides a solid overview of basic collection care procedures and policies. The topics covered address the decision making criteria and risk assessment solutions involved in the best practic...

Book Synopsis

Collection Care: An Illustrated Handbook for the Care and Handling of Cultural Objects provides a solid overview of basic collection care procedures and policies. The topics covered address the decision making criteria and risk assessment solutions involved in the best practices for handling art and artifacts. Technical subjects will cover proven techniques, materials, equipment and address problem solving assessment and current solutions. The comprehensive overview of staff responsibilities, relationships and training will bring the book to a conclusion of addressing the unison of all professionals responsible for proper handling and caring for collections.

Review Quotes

Aimed at individuals of all levels of experience, this work dealing with the care of museum collections offers readers an impressive overview of basic tenets and practices. Powell has one-of-a-kind expertise in the field and provides unique insights based on his experiences in both museum and commercial settings. The book begins with an introduction to collection care, including an important chapter on training and personal safety. Subsequent sections cover the principles of handling and caring for two- and three-dimensional artifacts, emphasizing the importance of proper risk assessment and informed decision-making. The final two chapters discuss internal and external environmental factors relevant to collection care, including storage, condition reporting, crating, and transport. One key contribution of this book is its many photos, which provide a visual reference for handling techniques and apparatuses. Such a generously illustrated reference work is rare and extremely useful. The volume concludes with an extensive 'References and Resources' section, which guides readers to more detailed information on all the topics covered in the book. Overall, Collection Care is a unique and important addition to the literature, and suitable for all collections supporting museum studies and operations. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; professionals/practitioners.

Many books address collection care, but they tend to be written by specialists for specialists. Thus, they are inclined to be narrowly focused and too often beyond the grasp of a generalist seeking a broad understanding of collection care. Brent Powell's book is an exception, aimed to educate a wide range of individuals. Anyone who manages a collection, or puts on a pair of gloves to move a small bronze, or packs a large sculpture for shipment overseas, should profit from reading Collection Care: An Illustrated Handbook for the Care and Handling of Cultural Objects.

About the Author

Brent Powell has worked in the museum industry for thirty years within the
United States and Australia. He has created handling manuals for the Nelson-Atkins Museum
of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, and developed ongoing training and educational programs
for many institutions including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and the
National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

Powell has conducted and spoken at numerous workshops and sessions on handling art
and artifacts throughout the United States at the American Alliance of Museums Annual
Meetings, Webinars, regional museum conferences, conservation courses, and private
programs for colleges, private collectors, and commercial fine art handling companies. In
Australia he has conducted workshops for the Australian Registrars Committee, Regional
Victoria; in Malaysia at the University of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur; and for the M+ Museum,
University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, China. Powell is principal of his private company,
Museum Collection Care. He is currently manager and training coordinator at Crozier Fine Arts in New York, NY. He has a Master of Fine Art in painting from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.