The Power of Water

Water is a unique element also in conservation. It is a universal element that occurs on Earth in all states of aggregation at the same time. Its properties, which may seem unremarkable at first sight, allow this element to be used and modified in a number of ways. In addition to established measures, new scientific discoveries are constantly finding their way into conservation. The workshop »The power of water« will offer some insights into the application of water in conservation treatments – with practical examples and experiments, you are welcome to explore conservation methods and techniques.

Dates and Registration

The workshops take place on June 14th, 1-3 pm and June 15th, 10-12 am, in the object lab at the Tieranatomisches Theater. They are organized by Cluster Member Nina Samuel and will be held in English. Interested persons should contact Nina Samuel via email, stating their preferred date. Participation is only possible after prior confirmed registration.

Bios of the Speakers

The conservator Dipl.-Rest. Johanna Hoffmann is based in Berlin, where she established Hoffmann Conservation in 2018. She specializes in the conservation of modern and contemporary art and works as a conservator and consultant for international museums, private collectors, and galleries.

Hoffmann graduated from the Cologne Technical University’s conservation program and worked as a freelance conservator in Cologne and Düsseldorf. From 2005 to 2015, Johanna Hoffmann held the position of Chief Conservator at New York-based Contemporary Conservation Ltd.

In addition to her work for museums and institutions, a further focus of Hoffmann’s activity is the close cooperation with emerging and established artists, whom she advises on material and conservation issues in the realization of works of art.

Mag. Lisa Herold is an object conservator with a main focus on treatments of modern and contemporary art specialized in synthetic materials. She earned her Master's Degree in conservation at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 2019. Since the beginning of her studies in 2012, she has participated in numerous projects in private practices and museums. In 2015, she worked on the slide conservation project at the Hamburger Kunsthalle; in 2016/17, she had been working at Contemporary Conservation Ltd., in New York. In the winter of 2019, Herold began working as a post-graduate fellow at Whryta Inc. Contemporary Art Conservation in New York. During that time, she worked on sculptures, paintings, and research projects including a paint database for inpainting. Her Master thesis is about rigid phenolic foam and fluorescent colors from the 1970s.