Research Themes

2022

1. Aarsen, Jordan, "An Analysis of Metal Soap Formation:A Case Study of 7 Known Model Oil Paint Samples and 3 Samples Taken From Late 19th Century and early 20th Century Oil Paintings"
2. Alexander, Cody, Conserving kalikina Bornstein, Daniel, 3D Imaging of Musical Instruments: investigating 3D imaging for heritage conservation
3. Bramich, Emily, Investigating and Proposing Conservation Strategies for a Ptolemaic Limestone Funerary Stela (C.332- 30 BCE) Restored in Early 20th Century
4. Dacey, Emma, Malignant polymers in photographic collections: A case study of investigating polymer components of mid- to late-twentieth century photographic materials
5. Davis, Rachel, Defining resilience: A history of silo art in Victoria and an investigation of paint materials
6. Duckett, Georgina, Testing the Efficacy of three Essential Oils as potential green biocides for architectural stone and terracotta
7. Flores, Leandra, Clear as a Gel: An Exploration of the Use of Alpha Amylase and Gellan Gum Gels to Reduce Aged Wheat Starch Paste from Watercolour Paper
8. Kozyrevich, Sasha, Investigation of UV Photography in Varnish Identification Molinari, Michelle, An Investigation into Deterioration Susceptabilities of Oil Paint on Aluminium Substrates
9. Poppins, Victoria, Evaluating Solid Phase Microextraction Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (SPME GC/MS) analysis for identifying Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Cellulose Nitrate and Cellulose Acetate based museum objects
10. Sullivan, Genevieve, Conserving The Laos Bells: Investigating Preservation Strategies for c.2000-year-old Decorative Archaeological Bronze Bells
11. Walker, Isabel, A Materials Investigation of a Polychrome Guanyin Sculpture Head
12. Williams, Annabelle, Conservation and materials identification of an Indian inlay table as a practice-based, owner- focused project
13. Wily, Georgina, Development and application of a methodological approach to an outdoor sculpture

2021

1. Bray, Vanessa, An Exploration In The Conservation of Elastic and Elastane Materials; Aging, Treatments, and Storage With Case Study: The Arts Centre Melbourne Akira Collection, Sydney Dance Company
2. Bridie, Rubie, Documenting Performance: The Conservation of Performance Art Archives
3. Collins, Bernadette, Preserving plastic: what we know about treating plastics in cultural heritage collections: A literature review & analysis: treatment of plastics
4. Colton, Imogen, Sustainable Material Choice for Conservation: Life Cycle Assessment Methodologies in an Australian Context
5. Dellas, Peter, Residual Surfactant Material: A Study of Degradation Processes on Oil Paint Films Etherington, Kerry, Penfold’s Plastics: from Utopian Promises to Invaluable Epitaphs
6. Ghoukassian, Gemma, The concept of “bespoke codes of ethics” for conservation professionals: An inquiry into its benefits for an ethnographic museum
7. Gonzales, Micaella Angelica, Conservation of Paper-Based and Digital Archives of Southeast Asian Modern Artists in the Collection of National Gallery Singapore
8. Gralton, Elizabeth, Getting a grip on Delaware solutions in agarose: a literature review of chelators in rigid gel for paper conservation treatments
9. Harrington, Freya, The Costume Collection of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 1780s – 1920s: A collection assessment
10. Hollingworth, Jayde, Intangible Cultural Heritage in Australian Fashion Hornum, Emily, Re-Enactment: A Conservation Strategy For Performance-Based Art
11. Hutchinson, Rory, Green chemicals in conservation: the effectiveness of cyrene, isopropyl myristate, cyclomethicone, and dibasic ester
12. Ignatia, Phoebe, Plastic Fantastic— Conserving Polymer-based Materials in Textile and Accessories Collections
13. Ishiwata, Meiling, Textured Japanese Paper as a Fill Material in Leather Conservation: an Experimental Research of an Alternative to BEVA 371
14. Legg, Isabelle, Whose digital heritage? Cross-cultural archiving projects in Australian Indigenous communities
15. Lewis, Sunita, Cultivating Community Access via Digital Records: Facilitating Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage Conservation Through Increased Cross-Cultural Participation
16. Lim, Cheralyn, Getting Unstuck: Conserving Two Self-adhesive Photographic Albums from the Kanamkek-Yile Ngala Museum
17. Lojkine, Frances, Assess and plan for the preservation of four tukutuku from Christchurch Cathedral, New Zealand
18. Mikolaitis, Manon, Persistent Preservation Standards? Time-Based Media Installations and the Shifting Paradigm of Museum and Conservation Practices
19. Mitchell, Paddy, "Cultivating Community Access via Digital Records: Facilitating Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage Conservation Through Increased Cross-Cultural Participation"
20. Pigott, Katherine, Developing conservation management plans and treatment priorities for the University’s Middle Eastern Manuscript Collection
21. Revell, Monique, Keep it Separate, Keep it Safe: Exploring Rooibos Tea as an Economical and Accessible Adsorbent Alternative for Semi-synthetic Cellulose Plastics
22. Scibiorski, Christopher, Flowing On From Acquisitions
23. Topp, Katherine, Stakeholder Engagement and Action Heritage: Documenting the NKC collection through collaborative action research
24. Veleña, Israelex, Piña as a fibre source for leaf casting: identifying its potential
25. Wang, Jingwen, How can conservators work with communities whose cultural beliefs and practices are outside their own experience and knowledge?
26. Wood, Lydia, Evaluating the Conservation of Plastinated Material Zeitz, Eleanor, “Saving the Nation’s Memory” and Artist’s Intent: an argument for crowd-sourced digitisation
27. Zhang, Yuhong, "Care and Collection Survey of the Modern and Contemporary Chinese Women’s Dress Collection at the Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne"

2020

1. Coleman, Paul, Documenting internet-based art: Conceptual frameworks for documentation as conservation Davies, Jackson, Reconstructing E. Phillips Fox’s Rocks and Sea (c.1911)
2. Drury, Kathryn, Materials used as linings for the temporary and permanent backfill/reburial of Archaeological Sites Dyer, Jesse, hyperjpegness — conserving the velocity of digital images
3. Fitrani, Laila Nurul, Identifying Degradation of Unsaturated Polyester Resin in Indonesian Artist’s Material
4. Flanagan, Denise, The Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material and its impact: past, present and future
5. Lambert, Kate, Considerations and recommendations for improving the condition and display/storage of the Cranbourne Meteorite at the University of Melbourne: An international comparative study
6. Mansfield, Lisa, Art in flux: stewarding Learning to Love You More along its life trajectory McKenzie, Julia, Emerging Shifts In Conservation Practice: An Overview Morrison, Emma, The Land of Streams Glen Moriston Invernesshire 1881 Putri, Gadis Fitriana, Art Material Availability in 20th century Southeast Asia: Japan-Occupied Indonesia, 1942-45
7. Ranisau, Amalia, Sign of the Sun: Determining the Original Binding for the Grammar Book Whitintoni Editio cum interpretamento Francisci Nigri Diomedes de Accentu, Written by Robert Whittington (c. 1480-1553) and Printed by Wynkyn de Worde (ca.-1534) 1519
8. Raynolds, Louella, The Support Materials of Australian Women War Artists: Investigations into Supply and Choice Concerning Works in Oil by Nora Heysen, Stella Bowen, and Sybil Craig (1943-1946)
9. Song, Sandra, Investigating KARIBARI, the Drying Boards and their Materials Used Thomev, Velika, Climate Change and Cultural Material Conservation in Australia
10. Walker, Isabella, The Conservation of Conservation: The Excavation, Preservation and Restoration of Conservation's Past Through Historiographical Analysis
11. Welsh, Lucy, The Conservation of Rock-Art at Gariwerd: A response to recreational impacts
12. Yee, Sandra, Investigating anoxic storage methods for the long-term preservation of a large, fragile work on paper by Winsome Jobling

2019

1. Melissa Holt, Technical examination and treatment options for the pillar blocks from the Tomb Chapel of Mose (18th- 20th Dynasty).
2. Annabel Livingstone, Version Control: How and Why Things are Conserved
3. Bella Lipson-Smith, Version-control: a study of why and how things are conserved at a particular moment and the extent to which a model based on version-control might effect change in processes both within and beyond conservation.
4. Michael K. Davies, GAPS IN THE LEAVES: A re-conceptualisation of the item record, as a public document, based on the version control system.
5. Margaret Barclay, Sustaining a future: An examination of sustainable collection management at the Castlemaine Art Museum
6. Heather Berry, Closing the Gap: Conservation and Community Run Museums
7. Grace Barrand, Targeting Specialist Skill Deficiencies through Work Integrated Learning: a Case Study in Frames Conservation at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
8. Rebecca Delaney, Artists acrylic paints exposed to high humidities: Evaluating suitable cleaning systems to remove dirt pick-up
9. Anurati Krishnamurthy, Mould removal techniques on artist acrylic paint: comparing the use of 70% ethanol in water against enzymatic cleaning and the use of short wavelength ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
10. Jessica Walsh, Cleaning painted surfaces with green chemicals: Investigating the sustainable removal of natural and synthetic resin varnishes from oil-based painted surfaces
11. Lia Sumichan, Affandi’s Materials and Techniques: A Preliminary Technical Art Study of Paintings from the 1950s Catherine Gill, Investigation into and proposed conservation of the portrait "Jack Wetherly a Victorian Native"
12. Jessica Doyle, Daylesford Historical Society and Museum: Developing sustainable actions for the management of a small community museum.
13. Rong Wei Sim, Examining and investigating the intangible qualities of musical instruments using a non-invasive acoustic characterisation technique.
14. John David Morrison, Problems with the Plasticiser:
In search of ideal cleaning methods for Plasticised Poly (Vinyl Chloride)
15. Patrice Holstock, Archaeological Plastics: An experimental study of how a soil/burial environment might affect the deterioration of plastic artefacts.
16. Kate Ritchie, Identifying plastics in the musical instruments collection of the Grainger Museum
17. Rachelle Bridges, To clear or not to clear: Comparison of the long-term effects of the A to F aqueous washing system on two types of paper
18. Jessica Gray, Keeping Our Spirits Up: Analysis and Case Study Treatment of Fluid-Preserved Botanical Specimens at the Australian Museum
19. Ashley Hayes, Acquiring the Ephemeral: An Exploration into the Conservation of Performance Art Daniel Schwartz, Repatriation as Conservation: Moving Toward a Decolonised Conservation Ethic
20. Juanita Kelly-Mundine, Safeguarding Australian Indigenous Performance: Maintaining Living Cultural Heritage in Cultural Institutions
21. Maite Toro, Intergenerational Pottery Practices: Documentation of the materials and techniques used to make the traditional pottery transmitted from generation to generation in Barichara, Colombia
22. Kaleigh Kenney, Virtually Conserved: Digital Reproduction in the Modern Museum
23. Laura Daenke, The Investigation and Conservation Treatment of an Albrecht Dürer woodcut: The knight and the lansquenet, a Case Study
24. Constantina Iacovou, Investigating Australian bromoil prints within a large photographic donation: a case study from the Monash Gallery of Art (MGA) collection
25. Toni Sampson, Building a Toolkit for community-based conservation education Jessica Rachel Brennan, The characterisation of pigments and resins from church panel paintings in Wadeye, NT
26. Murphy Bouma, Invasion of Melbourne: An investigation into the condition and cultural significance of Invader’s street art in Melbourne
27. Alice Hackworth, The Investigation and Treatment of an 18th Century Japanese Woodblock-Printed Map
28. Caitlin Knight, Knowing the Original through the Remnants: Authenticating the Binding of a 1577 Holinshed’s Chronicles from the University of Melbourne Collection.
29. Kathleen Tara Rowbottom, Making Meaning of Material from the La Mama Fire

2018

1. Alexandra Taylor, What constitutes the term verifiable and what does it mean of certainty and requirements for proof in art authentication
2. Angela Payne, Angela Payne Mind the Gap: Using contemporary conservation theory to approach archaeological excavation
3. Bailey, Thomasin, Investigation of the Material and Ageing Properties of Malaysian Rubber Paints
4. Bakhri, Saiful, Contextualising Cultural Materials Conservation in Indonesia: Discipline, Profession, and Professional Practice
5. Bennion, Lily, Evaluating Value: Significance Assessment and Aboriginal Art Centre Based-Collections of Cultural Material
6. Christine Mizzi, Christine Mizzi An analysis of wallpapers from Captain Mills Cottage, Port Fairy, Victoria Claire Rowson, Claire Rowson Conservation Management Plan: Coining Master Tools at the Perth
7. Clare Kim, Challenges of Plastic Identification: a case study of archaeological plastic finds excavated from the Former Wheeler Residence in Mernda, Victoria
8. Congreve,Tristan, Conservation and Comic Books: A question of approach and applied methodology
9. Deborah Peart, The Kauer woman Emily Vering, Considering Costa Scena: Using object biography to deal with the ‘myth’ around a family heirloom
10. Ewing, Madeleine, Waterborne Acrylic Coatings for Contemporary Outdoor Mural Paintings: an investigation into the efficacy of Carboset 527 as an anti-graffiti barrier layer
11. Harding, Anastazja, A Collaboration Examination Of Traditional Retablo And Santos-Making Skills, Usage, And Conservation
12. Ka Ian Kong, An Investigation into the Conservation of the Replaced Limestone Jambs/Pedestals of Janet Clarke Hall, University of Melbourne
13. Katrina Watson, Framing Polaroids cameras in the conservation of plastics
14. Kyra, Kim, Shen Shaomin’s I want to know what infinity is: An investigation of the materiality and deterioration mechanisms of a plastic kinetic sculpture
15. Lee, Sang Hee, Damage and Perception of Change: the realities of Tropical Climates and Place
16. Lily Bennion, Evaluating Value: Significance Assessment and Aboriginal Art Centre Collections
17. Marie Claire Petrowski, Early Plastics Manufactured in Melbourne by Nylex: Composition and Condition c. 1950-1980
18. Maurice, Rose, Let it wash over you: The long term effects of Richards Wolbers' Immersion Solutions A=F for the Aqueous Treatments of Works on Paper
19. Mizzi, Christine, An analysis of materials and techniques used to produced the wallpapers at captain mills cottage
20. Molly Culbertson, Good process and cultural sensitivity: the changing relationship between cultural materials conservation and remote aboriginal cultural collections
21. Nick Baylart, Exploration into the treatment of silver mirroring using siloxane masking techniques: towards the wholistic conservation of photographs
22. Redman, Chris, Saving Games: Identifying challenges from online updates to console video games and exploring potential solutions through documentation and involving the gaming community.
23. Rose Maurice, The long-term effects of Richard Wolbers’ Immersion Recipes A-F for Aqueous Treatments of Works on Paper
24. Rowson, Claire, Conservation Management Plan: Coining Master Tools at the Perth Mint
25. Sophie Phillips, An exploration of the condition and significance of the fluid preserved specimens held in storage at the Tiegs Museum of Zoology
26. Stewart, Hannah, Microclimate Framing for Tropical Environments: Investigating the use of microclimate frames to protect paintigns in hot and humid climates
27. Thompson, Karen, A Preliminary Investigation into the Influence of Archaeological Contents on the Condition tf Polyethylene Packing Bags
28. Tobin, Gen, George Colville (1887-1970): Materials investigation of the Canvas Oil Painting Waratah Bay (c. 1949) and Other Composite Supported Paintings
29. Vernon, Kim, Investigation into the Behaviour of Hydrogenated Castor Oil in Modern Oil Paints

2017

1. April Kim, Educating young museum visitors of cultural materials conservation Candice Crammer, Time-based media preservation: risk analysis and recoverability in the ACMI Collection
2. Celeste Wing Young, The theory of Volunteerism within the Cultural Heritage and Arts Sector for cultural materials conservation
3. Lois Waters, Developing a Treatment Strategy for Screenprints: Investigating the Larry Rawling Print Workshop Rosemary Gooden, The Role of Conservation in the Commemoration of the Holocaust
4. Amelia O’Donnell, '‘Dirty Audit’ an emerging’s conservator’s reflections on the dynamics and realities of collection project work at the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (kalacc), Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia

Our staff provide disciplinary expertise in the areas of:

• Cultural Materials Conservation
• Cultural Anthropology
• Chemistry
• Material Science
• Technical Art History
• Experimental Media Arts

Collectively the Grimwade Centre offers broad conservation expertise in the following specialisations:

• Paintings and frames
• Objects, stonework, textiles and archaeology
• Paper, books, photography and parchment
• Digital heritage, audiovisual preservation and time-based media
• Intangible heritage, ritual studies and performance art

Our research centre generates:

• Interdisciplinary collaborations
• Industry facing programs
• Indigenous partnerships
• International partner programs, especially in Souteast Asia
• Research translation and commercialisation

The Grimwade Centre is a collective team of experienced academic and professional conservation specialists working across scholarly programs, community projects and research translation.

Our Academic staff

Our Commercial staff