Wood is produced by the stems and roots of woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Structurally, wood is composed predominantly of cellulose polysacchharid fibers and lignin (a natural polymer chain). Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Wood Wood is produced by the stems and roots of woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Structurally, wood is composed predominantly of cellulose polysacchharid fibers and lignin (a natural polymer chain). Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Many products can be made from animal skin, such as parchment, vellum, and leather. By treating the collagen matrix of skin with different chemical processes (i.e. lime, tanning, etc.), the properties of the skin can be modified. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Animal skin Many products can be made from animal skin, such as parchment, vellum, and leather. By treating the collagen matrix of skin with different chemical processes (i.e. lime, tanning, etc.), the properties of the skin can be modified. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Art Bio Matters strives to proactively support and engage a community of curators/cultural historians, scientists, and conservators through a dedicated website, Slack workspace, and biannual meetings. MEETINGS 2023 | On Site Event Past Meetings Sponsors ABM 2023 JULY 19-21, 2023 Hosted by the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art ABM 2023 brought together a balanced community of experts for a dynamic forum for exchange. The goal of the ABM 2023 meeting was to nurture and grow the community that was established in previous meetings and through recent virtual programming. Key to the meeting was the updating of the website, which serves as a communication hub to identify connections between advanced scientific approaches (e.g., genomic, mass-spectrometry, antibody-based, and other techniques) and open research questions, thereby fostering focused and mutually beneficial collaborations, as well as providing educational resources. An important concern this year is also to secure funding for the continuation of ABM into the future. View meeting details PAST MEETINGS Art Bio Matters began assembling in 2018. You may view the details of our previous meetings here. If you would like to attend ABM meetings in the future, join the ABM community so you can hear the latest news from us. past meeting ABM 2021 The virtual ABM 2021 meeting aimed to bring together a balanced community of experts for a dynamic forum for exchange. The goal of the ABM 2021 meeting was to nurture and grow the community that was established in 2018. Key to the meeting was the development of an updated website, which will serve as a communication hub to identify connections between advanced scientific approaches (e.g., DNA, mass-spectrometry, and antibody-based) and open research questions, thereby fostering focused and mutually beneficial collaborations, as well as providing educational resources. View details ABM 2018 Art Bio Matters 2018 aimed to assemble, for the first time, scientists, curators/art historians, and conservators for a stimulating forum to explore new directions in the study of biological materials in works of art. Through guided and balanced discussions, participants identified connections between advanced DNA, mass-spectrometric, and antibody-based approaches and their own research questions, thereby, facilitating focused and mutually beneficial collaborations. View details sponsors SPONSORS A special thanks to the RLF for their support of Art Bio Matters.

A Cross-Disciplinary Hub for Biological Materials Research in Cultural Heritage ABOUT ABM Get in Touch Join the Community WHO WE ARE Art Bio Matters (ABM) is a dynamic and expanding gathering of curators, cultural historians, conservators, and scientists dedicated to exploring diverse research methodologies, perspectives, and objectives in the study of biological materials within cultural heritage collections. Here, your unique viewpoint is highly valued, whether you aim to enhance preservation, deepen analysis, or enrich interpretation. While rooted in the core disciplines of science, curatorial practice, and conservation, ABM enthusiastically embraces all participants interested in the exploration of cultural heritage studies. WHAT WE DO Art Bio Matters takes proactive steps to foster and empower a vibrant community of curators, cultural historians, conservators, and scientists through various platforms including a dedicated website, Slack workspace, and biannual gatherings. At artbiomatters.org, you can freely access educational resources, discover exciting opportunities, delve into descriptions of advanced scientific methodologies such as DNA analysis, mass spectrometry, and antibody-based techniques, explore historical and conservation materials, ponder open-ended research inquiries, and engage with emerging ethical considerations, among other offerings. We extend a warm invitation for you to join us, embark on a journey of exploration and learning, and share your invaluable expertise. As our website continues to evolve, we eagerly welcome suggestions and contributions to ensure that we effectively cater to the needs of our growing community. WHAT WE BELIEVE We believe that the identification and understanding of biological materials within collections is best achieved through active education and collaboration. In pursuit of this vision, Art Bio Matters (ABM) is guided by foundational principles that underpin our mission: Embrace the inclusive participation of specialists across all three disciplines—curatorship/cultural history, conservation, and science 1 2 3 4 Conduct candid evaluations of past projects, considering both logistical and aspirational aspects, to effectively prioritize crucial areas of study and optimize resource allocation. Cultivate curiosity, respect, and recognition for the invaluable contributions of each discipline to the field of cultural heritage studies. Foster an open environment in which the value of data from scientific analysis for non-scientific audiences is both debated and shared. By joining ABM, you gain access to our vibrant Slack workspace—a hub where you can connect with fellow members, engage in discussions on diverse topics, share noteworthy research findings, explore job opportunities, and stay informed about upcoming events. Additionally, you will receive exclusive invitations to our esteemed speaker series and updates regarding our highly anticipated biannual conferences. HISTORY OF ART BIO MATTERS Thanks to funding provided by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, ABM organized the first meeting of its kind to purposefully bring together a balanced group of science, conservation, and curatorial/cultural history representatives for open discussion and debate about the contributions of advanced DNA, proteomic, and antibody‐based techniques to the study of biological materials found in cultural heritage collections. This innovative, by-invitation-only meeting, which brought together 40 international specialists was co-hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York University. The ABM 2018 meeting was inaugurated by a public plenary session, Biological Material Matters in Works of Art, presented by Dr. Barbara Berrie , Head of Scientific Research, National Gallery of Art, Washington. Eight speakers were selected by a nine-person ABM 2018 Steering Committee to address pre-determined topics, including instrumentation, sampling techniques, and relevance to the information desired by conservators, historians, and curators. ABM 2018 resulted in the emergence of a cohesive and enthusiastic community, as well as the original artbiomatters.org website. It also accentuated the essential role of collaborative deliberations to maximize efforts to study, interpret, present, and preserve material cultural heritage. Advancements since 2018 have only reinforced the need for communication and continued discourse among all stakeholders. Engaging Dialogue Connection + Partnership Community Driven Why join the Art Bio Matters community? Members of the ABM community enjoy many benefits, regardless of their area of interest. Our website and Slack workspace have something for everyone: Access ABM 2018, 2021, and 2023 conference recordings and background materials. Anchor 1 Communicate through the ABM Slack workspace Connect with colleagues, discuss research questions, and network in the ABM Slack community. Visit our Join the Community tab for more information. Join the Community Participate in an ABM meeting ABM has biannual conferences sharing ongoing research through a dynamic forum of exchange. Visit the ABM Meetings tab for more information. ABM Meetings Build the ABM website We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested to do any of the following: Share a project Give a talk Provide a link to your publications, projects, or Opportunities to share with potential partners. Present an update on current projects through ABM's webinar lecture series. Educate and reach out Provide a link to a case study or video that applies to our Materials, Instrumentation, Ethics, and Sampling pages. Join and Help Build Art Bio Matters!

Lacquer is a hard coating applied to an object, often for decorative purposes. The materials and techniques of producing lacquer differ greatly by region. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Lacquer Lacquer is a hard coating applied to an object, often for decorative purposes. The materials and techniques of producing lacquer differ greatly by region. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Over time, dust, pollen, yeast, bacteria, etc. continue to be deposited and accumulate on the surface of objects providing a history of an objects lifetime since creation. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Surface History (Biome) Over time, dust, pollen, yeast, bacteria, etc. continue to be deposited and accumulate on the surface of objects providing a history of an objects lifetime since creation. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Plant fibers such as linen and cotton are made of cellulose, a natural polysaccharide, specifically a polymer of the sugar molecule glucose, produced by plants. Composition Conservation Historical Use Case Studies Plant Fibers Plant fibers such as linen and cotton are made of cellulose, a natural polysaccharide, specifically a polymer of the sugar molecule glucose, produced by plants. Previous Next Back to Materials Coming Soon We need you to develop new content for the ABM website. Please email info@artbiomatters.org or message in Slack if you are interested in building the ABM website.

Need guidance or willing to share your expertise? Find a mentor or be one! OPPORTUNITIES Events Fellowships Funding Internships Jobs Studentships Mentorship Workshops + Courses Categories MENTORSHIP Need guidance or willing to share your expertise? Find a mentor or be one! Coming Soon

Advance your research skills - and jump start your career! OPPORTUNITIES Events Events Fellowships Fellowships Funding Funding Internships Internships Jobs Jobs Studentships Studentships Mentorship Mentorship Workshops + Courses Workshops + Courses FELLOWSHIPS Advance your research skills - and jump start your career! There are no current active opportunities to show today! If you have something you'd like to share, please send it to info@artbiomatters.org so we can upload it. Wallis Annenberg Curatorial Fellowship Deadline March 1, 2025 Location Los Angeles, CA, USA The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) announces a search for candidates for the Wallis Annenberg Curatorial Fellowship. This two-year fellowship in the museum’s Latin American Art department will provide general curatorial training, support scholarly research on the permanent collection, and engage the Fellow in the organization of an international traveling exhibition on the connection of Asia and Latin America in the early modern period. Explore Andrew W. Mellon Postgraduate Fellowship in Scientific Research Deadline March 1, 2025 Location Philadelphia, PA, USA The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) invites applications for a two-year Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Scientific Research, which begins September 2025 and ends August 2027. The fellowship will provide the opportunity to gain working knowledge of and proficiency in the scientific research and instrumental analysis of cultural heritage materials within a museum setting. During the first year, the fellow will be introduced to the workings of the PMA, including those of the curatorial and conservation divisions. The fellow will be incorporated into the daily activities of the Department and will receive instruction on the proper usage of core analytical instruments (FTIR, Py-GCMS, Raman, SEM-EDS, and XRF). In the second year, the fellow will develop original research focused on the PMA’s collections culminating in work of publishable quality. Explore Short-Term Resident Research Fellowships Deadline March 1, 2025 Location Philadelphia, PA, USA One- to three-month fellowships are available for Ph.D. candidates, holders of the Ph.D., and degreed independent scholars, within any field of study that requires using the collections of the APS's Library & Museum. This opportunity is closed for 2024, but will reopen annually. Explore Mellon Foundation Native American Scholars Initiative (NASI) Digital Knowledge Sharing Fellowships Deadline Mar 1, 2025 Location Philadelphia, PA, USA These short-term fellowships support university- and community-based scholars working on digital projects that connect archives and Indigenous communities. This opportunity is closed for 2024, but will reopen annually. Explore Engen Conservation Fellowship Deadline Feb 15, 2025 Location Chantilly, VA, USA The Engen fellowship will introduce the candidate to conservation techniques for a wide range of composite objects, metals, organic materials, and painted surfaces. This fellowship is intended to contribute to the education of recent graduates by allowing them to delve into the complexities of working with modern composite materials, refine treatment process, learn management, and conduct a small-scale research project. The Fellow's independent research will be derived from our diverse collection materials. Fellows will be encouraged to publish or present their research at the end of their tenure. This opportunity is closed for 2024, but will reopen annually. Explore Conservation Science Fellow Deadline February 10, 2025 Location London, UK We are looking for a Conservation Science Fellow to join our team based at Rangers House, London. The role is full time and fixed term of 20 months. You'll be on a fixed term, full time basis, working 36 hours per week. As conservation science fellow, you will undertake research in the international Go-Green project, Green Strategies to Conserve The Past And Preserve The Future Of Cultural Heritage. Specifically manage and deliver a series of experiments to develop damage functions and analytical regimes to reduce the carbon footprint of preventive conservation. Explore Beal Family Postgraduate Fellow in Conservation Science Deadline Rolling Basis Location Cambridge, MA, USA The Harvard Art Museums’ Fellowship program is designed to broaden the experience of those embarking on professional museum careers in art history and related fields, conservation and conservation science, and/or education. Harvard Art Museums’ global collections encompass cultures across Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the Americas from ancient times to today. The Fellow is an integral member of the Museums staff whose work serves the Museums’ purpose, vision, and values. Explore

Participate, expand you network and have some fun with these events on biological materials in heritage. OPPORTUNITIES Events Fellowships Funding Internships Jobs Studentships Mentorship Workshops + Courses Categories COMING UP These events are coming up soon! If you have an event to post, please email info@artbiomatters.org . No events or deadlines coming up now. Check again later! Perceptions of Human Remains Cynthia, an art historian, and Kat, a conservator, will be holding an informal conversation on how practices around interacting with bodily remains vary across cultures and time periods. Which may well be of interest to a wider range of scholars and practitioners: curators, scientists, and academics whose work involves human remains, and anyone else who may be concerned with thoughtful approaches regarding the study and stewardship of physical remains and associated belongings. Details PAST EVENTS These events have already passed. If you like what you see, don't miss upcoming events! Symposium—Chia Oil in 18th Century Mexican Lacquerware and Paintings Details Gain insight into the art of Mexico with a live demonstration by celebrated artisans from Michoacan, Mexico and presentations from Met scholars and multidisciplinary experts. Join us to explore the scientific, historical, and cultural implications of the use of chia oil in colonial Mexican artworks and hear about exciting advancements in the study of this versatile plant material. This program is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mex-Am Cultural Foundation Inc. ECBSM2024 - 6th European Conference on Biodeterioration of Stone Monuments Details A great opportunity to gather researchers, heritage professionals, industry experts, teachers, and students working for the conservation of historic and culturally relevant objects and buildings. Abstracts due by September 9, 2024 Registration deadline: September 18, 2024 Milan, Italy on 7-8 November 2024 36th CIHA World Congress - Lyon 2024 Details The 36th CIHA Congress is organized under the aegis of the Comité français d'histoire de l'art (CFHA) in partnership between the CFHA, the Institut national d'histoire de l'art (INHA), the Université Lumière Lyon 2 and the Laboratoire de recherche historique Rhône-Alpes (LARHRA CNRS UMR 5190). The main aims of this internationally-renowned scientific and cultural event are to share and disseminate research by bringing together communities of art history and heritage around a unifying theme. AMNH Techniques Tuesday Details Lindsey Paskulin is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia and lab manager of the ADaPT Archaeological Laboratory that is a dedicated space for ancient DNA and paleoproteomic analysis. Her talk will provide background on collagen mass fingerprinting and shotgun proteomics techniques as well as discuss her research focused on applying proteomic techniques to vessel interiors and vessel residues to reconstruct elements of food processing, preparation, and consumption in the past. Please see ABM members' Slack for Zoom link. Reimagining Materiality: Artistic Interventions and Sustainable Innovations in algae-based polymers Details Jessica French May 17th, 2024 6:30 PM ET In this seminar, French delves into her pioneering work with algae-based polymers, a cornerstone of her artistic practice. Through 'Other Matter', her experimental design studio, French champions sustainability with innovative outcomes for algae-based bioplastics, impacting beyond the cultural sector. The talk will offer an overview of her artistic journey, showcasing how traditional techniques are transformed by groundbreaking sustainable materials, including her innovative non-petrochemical decal signage—Other Matter Decals™. These exemplify the practical implementation of closed-loop, zero-waste systems. The discussion not only highlights French’s unique blend of research and creative experimentation but also fosters a broader conversation on the role of sustainable practices in transforming artistic production and environmental responsibility. Additionally, the seminar will address ongoing research questions and spotlight knowledge and data gaps inherent in working with unconventional materials, underscoring the critical need for continued investigation and collaboration in this evolving field. Identification of a lichen dye source in a fifteenth century medieval tapestry Details Rachel Lackner Apr 18th, 2024 11:00 AM ET As part of a long-term campaign to clean, conserve, and treat the Heroes tapestries from The Cloisters collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, organic colorant analysis of Julius Caesar (accession number 47.101.3) was performed. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of several dark brown samples revealed the presence of several molecules produced only by certain species of lichen. Various lichen dye sources have been documented in the literature for centuries and are classified as either ammonia fermentation method (AFM) or boiling water method (BWM) dyes based on their method of production. However, none of these known sources produce the distinctive metabolites present in the tapestry. Lichen metabolites were definitively identified in the tapestry by LC-MS based on comparison with a reference of Lecanora sulphurata. This finding marks the first time that these lichen metabolites have been identified in a historic object, and the first evidence that BWM lichen dyes may have been used prior to the eighteenth century. This is a members-only event. Registration links will be sent directly to ABM members. ABM March Round Table Details ABM members share their current research projects and challenges to spark conversation and connect with relevant colleagues: Thainá Vígio is seeking other fungicide methods other than freezing and anoxia treatment for 19th c. silk textiles. Pamela Hatchfield will discuss an outdoor Chinese sandstone sculpture compromised by a myriad of microbiological growth, and how to evaluate the risk of further damage from these species. Micheal Galardi (Celeste Mahoney) will discuss light spots uncovered on a Huastec sandstone relief and wonders about the possibility of biological growth as a factor. This is a members-only event. Registration links will be sent directly to ABM members. 2024 Edition: 'New Perspectives in the Study of Medieval Manuscripts' Details Inaugural Seminar. Jiří Vnouček Conservator of parchment, paper & bookbinding The Royal Library, Copenhagen Changes in production of parchment during one millennium: 4th to 14th centuries Facultad de Geografía e Historia, Sala de Grados 2 de febrero de 2024 · 16:00h The seminar will take place in a hybrid format and is open to the general public. To register, please send an email to ainoacastro@usal.es The cause of much chagrin: using marine shagreen for the marine historical ecology of elasmobranchs Details Rachel Winter December 14th, 2023 11 AM ET / 4 PM GMT Marine shagreen is a luxurious, storied leather made from the skins of elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, and skates). Demand for marine shagreen peaked between the 17th-19th centuries in northwestern Europe. Once elasmobranch skins have been turned into shagreen, more precise taxonomic identification than shark or ray is not possible. Preliminary review of historical sources indicates at least 17 species, spanning the Atlantic Ocean to the Indo-Pacific, were targeted. One third of all elasmobranch species are classified as being threatened with extinction by the IUCN. A key challenge to conservation efforts is the lack of historical data, long term perspectives, and ecological baselines. This talk will discuss some of the potential avenues and challenges for studying marine shagreen museum objects for insights into which species and seas were targeted. Exploring how shagreen can be used to investigate the ecological consequences of historic elasmobranch fisheries and investigate past species biogeography. Animal mummy genomics: success, failure and collaborative interpretation Details Evon Hekkala Fordham University and American Museum of Natural History November 14th, 2023 11 AM ET / 4 PM GMT Silk and Science: Collaborative research into a knitted waistcoat associated with Charles I Details Jane Malcolm-Davies (Project Leader, Knitting in Early Modern Europe), Beatrice Behlen (Senior Curator, Fashion and Decorative Arts, Museum of London), and Paula Nabais (Junior Researcher at LAQV-REQUIMTE Research unit) May 18th, 2023 11AM EDT/3PM GMT Since 1924, the Museum of London has had an undergarment, knitted of fine silk, said to have been worn by King Charles I at his execution in 1649. Several attempts have been made to analyse stains on the front of what would then have been called a waistcoat, and to fill gaps in its provenance. A new research project has brought together a curator, a knitting historian, a conservator, scientists, and expert craftspeople, including knitters. Different methods have been used to broaden knowledge of this rare garment: detailed object examination and description, comparison with other extant garments, radiocarbon dating, various dye analysis techniques, and silk sample knitting. In this talk, the challenges and advantages of this work will be discussed: from discoveries that can be made by looking at objects together to the difficulties of grappling with science for those unfamiliar with laboratory techniques. Click "Explore" below to learn more about the project! Compound Specific Radiocarbon (14C) Dating of Our Colorful Past: from Theory to Practice Details Laura Hendriks, Branco Weiss Fellow at the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR), Switzerland April 20th, 2023 11AM EDT/3PM GMT Join us for a 20-minute presentation by ABM member Laura Hendriks, Branco Weiss Fellow at the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR), Switzerland. Laura’s presentation will be followed by a discussion/Q&A with current ABM members. For more information, click “Explore” below to view her abstract.