Conservator, Digital and Time-Based Media collection
The National Heritage Board (NHB) preserves, presents and promotes the cultural heritage of Singapore. Our vision is to make heritage as the Pride in our Past, Legacy for our Future.
The Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC) is a purpose-built facility for the storage and conservation of all artefacts under the custodianship of NHB (i.e. the National Collection), with the mission to care for, manage and facilitate access for these artefacts. To enhance the current and long-term access to the National Collection, HCC is committed towards consolidating its capabilities to care for the growing time-based media (TBM) collection, in analogue or digital format. HCC is now seeking for an experienced individual to spear-head the development of the preservation and conservation of the TBM subset of the National Collection.
The individual will join a large team of conservators with various specialities such as paintings, objects, paper/photo, textile alongside a small conservation science lab. The team is also involved in carrying out cross-department activities around issues pertaining to preventive conservation or to care of contemporary art/ design.
Reporting to the Senior Paper Conservator, you will be:
• Responsible for contributing to the preservation of the Singapore National Collection (SNC) by participating in a wide range of conservation activities such as producing condition reports and treatment proposals, providing expert advice on the condition and future maintenance needs of proposed acquisitions and works planned for loans and exhibition, and ensuring preventive maintenance necessary for digital and media works in the SNC;
• Playing an integral role to the development of conservation policies, procedures, and workflows within the HCC regarding the care of TBM collections in analogue and digital forms while likely contributing in the current HCC Contemporary Art Working Group. This includes but is not limited to supporting acquisition, developing guidelines for storage and display, best practices for conservation treatment, procedure and the proper care and handling of digital and media works of the collection;
• Conducting specialised research on the materials and techniques of artists represented in the collection whenever necessary and while working in collaboration with all relevant parties;
• playing a leading role in advising and training HCC staff in best practices for the care, handling, display, storage, packing and shipping of digital and media works;
• playing a fundamental role in supporting the planning and implementation for HCC digital storage and the HCC digital and media art conservation & preservation workstation and engaging as necessary in conservation and preservation-related special projects;
• supervising conservation volunteers or interns as required; and
• supporting the development of the professional field involved in the preservation of the
cultural heritage digital form in Singapore and SEA region by actively developing &/or contributing to knowledge and expertise sharing and dissemination activities.
Requirements:
• Background in conservation with specialisation in time-based media or digital art preservation; or equivalent skills and knowledge acquired through specialised professional experiences;
• Preferably at least 5 years of practical postgraduate experience working with digital and media artworks; Institutional / museum experience is preferred. Candidate with lesser experience may be considered for the assistant conservator level;
• Proven experience in treating a range of works to a high standard with full consideration of practical and ethical issues;
• Team player, at ease with dialogue-based decision-making process and involvement with a diverse group of stakeholders while actively developing and contributing to the collaborative effort that care of TBM works required;
• Ability to address the preservation needs of works that include film, slide, video, audio, software-based, web-based, electronic, and other types of digital art including migration strategies;
• Ability to contribute to preservation and assess needs of complex artwork such as installation, performance and other types of time-based media art, working collaboratively with the rest of HCC conservation team and other relevant stakeholders;
• Capable of assisting with collection care activities such as assessments for new acquisitions, facilitation of loans, securing appropriate storage, cataloguing of active and obsolete equipment and creation of installation instructions as well as dealing with the presentation and maintenance of digital and media artworks on display. Experience with complex contemporary installations is desirable;
• Ability to use diagnostic tools to examine condition and document the construction of digital art items;
• Familiarity and experience with cultural materials in South East Asia would be advantageous;
• Innovative and enthusiastic team player with strong critical thinking and problem solving skills;
• Have strong oral, written and interpersonal communication skills in English. Work Location:
Digital and Time-Based Media collection Conservator shall mostly be based at HCC, 32 Jurong Port Road, Singapore 619104.
Salary Range: est. $5000-7000 (Singapore Dollar) with attractive Relocation and Benefits Package
To apply, all interested applicants should follow the instructions at the Careers@Gov website to submit their application.
https://www.careers.hrp.gov.sg/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/ZGERCFA004/index.html#/JobDescription/13245540/005056a3-d347-1eed-afa4-b06512e8568c
Deadline for submission is 24 April 2023.
Please direct any questions to:
Phyllis Koh
Senior Conservator (Paper) - Conservation Services Heritage Conservation Centre Singapore
phyllis_koh@nhb.gov.sg