Third-year Internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
After the extraordinary summer work project at the J. Paul Getty Museum, I drove across the country to New York City for my third-year internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the MET).
Back: Jody Hansen, Yang Xu, Nick Pedemonti, Carole Hallé, Ivo Kipre
Front: Jessica Ng, Mecka Baumeister, Lisa Ackerman
Photo credit: Richard Lee
It's a great fortune to work with the conservation team for furniture and wooden artifacts, on the New British Galleries project, which would reopen in March 2020. There were five members in the team including me: Lisa Ackerman, Nick Pedemonti, Ivo Kipre, assistant conservators, and supervised by Mecka Baumeister, conservator in the Objects Conservation Department. Mecka and I got to know each other when she supervised my training in the CRAFT Program at the Palace Museum, Beijing, in 2016. It's a great opportunity to reconnect with her and work together in the different context.
The collection of English decorative arts at the MET is the largest and most comprehensive outside of Britain. The renovation and reinstallation project, or the New British Galleries project launched in 2014. The British arts in the galleries will be presented in chronological sequence from the 16th to the 19th century and more clearly defined by chronological narrative, better lighting, and more extensive interpretation. The project also calls for a reconsideration of much of the furniture and the incorporation of outstanding tapestries, ceramics and silver. There is a great need for conservation of these objects.
I got involved with the conservation treatments of furniture and preparations for the opening. I assisted Lisa and Nick with several projects, like a "seaweed" cabinet, a “court” cupboard, staircase from Cassiobury Parkand, and I worked on a pair of candlestands as my individual project.
With the effort and hard work of the entire conservation team and in collaboration with different departments across and outside the museum, the British Galleries successfully reopened to the public on March 2nd, 2020. It's a unique and enjoyable experience to see my project displayed in the well-designed new galleries, and to introduce the objects to my friends and colleagues.
Only ten days after the opening, the Metropolitan Museum of Art experienced the longest temporary closure in its history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which it also celebrated its 150th Birthday. It's hard to imagine New York City without the MET, and I am heartbroken to see the whole world suffering. While working from home, I'm constantly inspired and encouraged by my colleagues, who share and care with their enthusiasm for art and love for humankind.
I'm proud to be one of them.
Hang in there, we never close.
Originally published in Student Blog, Department of Art Conservation, University of Delaware.
