The value of objects and instruments resides as much in their physical supports, that must be preserved, as in the representation of the cultural networks of meanings and interactions of which they were part. For some types of objects, this includes a particularly strong ‘performative’ element, where the object is a tool to accomplish an action. Musical instruments, vehicles, clocks and watches, machinery and objects of science and technology are few of the most obvious examples of this type of functional objects that are fully understood when they are played or operated.
For decades, museum approaches have been divided between preserving the capability of the object to operate and emphasizing the preservation of its material support.
This conference aims at offering a platform to discuss and compare current approaches regarding the preservation and interpretation of functional objects, comparing practices across collections, institutions and countries. It is hoped that, by highlighting overlaps and differences, it will be possible to develop a greater understanding of the practical and ethical reasons that inform different policies.
TUESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2020
MARDI 4 FÉVRIER 2020
9h30-18h
9h30 GREETINGS/ACCUEIL
9h50 – Frank P. Bär (Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg): Introduction to the research project “Preserving Functionality” and to the conference. Exact title to be confirmed.
10h10-11h10 – Interpretation of Functional Objects/Interprétation des objets fonctionnels (1)
10h15 – Ekaterina Grechikhina (Russian National Museum of Music, Moscow) “Collection of Mechanical Musical Instruments of the Russian National Museum of Music. Practical Usage”
10h35 – Hannah Grantham (Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Washington D.C.) “Revisiting Narratives: Demonstrating Black Music’s Power at the National Museum of African American History & Culture”
10h55 – Discussion
Morning break/Pause
11h40-13h15 – Interpretation of Functional Objects/Interprétation des objets fonctionnels (2)
11h45 – Jean-Philippe Échard (ECR, Musée de la Musique, Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris) “Musical performances on historical violins, and audience expectations
12h05 – Geerten Verberkmoes (Ghent University & School of Arts Ghent) “Instrument replication – just making copies ... or more?”
12h25 – Ech-Cherki Dahmali (Morocco Telecom Museum, Rabat) “Challenge of working old telephone switchboard system in Morocco Telecom Museum”
12h35 – Lingman LI (Chinese Museum Association, Music Museum of Xinghai) “Interpretation of Rehabilitation Instruments – Taking Chinese Music Museums as an Example”
12h45 – Discussion
Lunch Break/Pause déjeuner
14h50-16h30 – Interpretation of Functional Objects/Interprétation des objets fonctionnels (3)
14h55 – KEYNOTE: Masahiko Kako (Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, Nagoya) “Pursuing for Keeping Exhibits in Functional Condition”
15h25 – Laura Haendel (Deutsches Panzermuseum Munster) “Operating and Playing with Killing Machines – Pratices in the German Tank Museum”
15h45 – Isabel Tissot (NOVA University of Lisbon) “Can it work? Analytical strategies for the conservation of historical operating objects”
15h55 – Giovanni Cella (National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci of Milan) “Shooting with old cameras – Towards a new strategy of using old cameras from the Museum collections for a better conservation and valorisation of the objects”
16h05 – Discussion
Afternoon break/Pause
17h-17h45 – INTERVIEW: William Christie (founder of the baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants, conductor, harpsichordist)
17h45 – Conclusions
WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2020
MERCREDI 5 FÉVRIER 2020
9h30–18h
9h30-11h15 – The Ontology of Functional Objects/Ontologie des objets fonctionnels (1)
9h35 – KEYNOTE : Éric de Visscher (V&A Research Institute, London) “Tools and Objects - Engaging with Functional Museum Artifacts through Narrativity and Theatricality”
10h05 – Sebastian Kirsch (Musical Instrument Museum, University of Leipzig) “The sounding biography of a lute – about the diversity of the ‘original’ sound”
10h25 – Martin Grünfeld (Medical Museion and CBMR, University of Copenhagen) “Caring for objects beyond saving: Re-growing collections and the functions of deaccessioned things”
10h45 – Discussion
Morning break/Pause
11h45-12h35 – The Ontology of Functional Objects/Ontologie des objets fonctionnels (2)
11h45 – Emanuele Marconi (Musée des instruments à vents, La Couture-Boussey) “Icons, myths, relics, symbols, and totems: the necessity of playing original instruments. An historical overview of why we need to believe”
12h05 – Panagiotis Poulopoulos (Deutsches Museum, Munich) “Manufacture, Usage, Recycling, and the Concept of Functionality on Historical Objects”
12h25 – Discussion
Lunch Break/Pause déjeuner
14h – Poster Session
14h30-15h55 – The Ontology of Functional Objects/Ontologie des objets fonctionnels (3)
14h35 – Tamar Hestrin-Grader (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam) “In Life I was Silent, In Death I Can Still Sweetly Talk: listening in new ways”
14h55 – José Carlos Rodrigues de Oliveira (UFMG Engineering Memory Center, Belo Horizonte) “Using models to give functionality to museum technical objects in the bicentenary of the discovery of electromagnetism"
15h15 – Discussion
Afternoon break/Pause
16h05 - Madeleine Leclair and Isabel Garcia Gomez (Ethnographic Museum of Geneva) “A project of creation around the instrumental collection of the MEG”
16h35 – Esther Kabalanyana Banda (Lusaka National Museum) “Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Case of Traditional Instruments in the Lusaka National Museum”
16h50 – ROUND TABLE: “Raising the Volume? The playability of historical non Western musical instruments: Relevance, Approaches and Actors” moderated by Alexandre Girard-Muscagorry (ECR Musée de la musique, Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris), names to be announced
17h55 – Conclusions
THURSDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2020
JEUDI 6 FÉVRIER 2020
9h30-18h10
9h30-13h15 – Objects Functionality in the 21st Century/La fonctionnalité des objets au XXIe siècle
9h35 – KEYNOTE: Marie-Pauline Martin (Musée de la Musique, Paris) “How does that sound today? When historical instruments experience the sound poetry of present”
10h05 – Byron Pillow (National Music Museum, Vermillion S.D.) “Touching the Untouchable: Facilitating Interpretation through Musical Instrument Virtualization”
10h25 – Tom Everrett (Ingenium - Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation, Ottawa) “Playing the world's first synthesizer: exploring a hybrid mechanical-digital approach to restoring electronic instruments”
10h45 – Niko Plath (Hamburg University of Applied Science) “From Bone Fragment to Sound - Virtual Reconstruction of an Unplayable 15th Century Flute”
11h05 – Dorothea Zimmermann (ETH Library, Zurich) “The Collection of Scientific Instruments and Teaching Aids at ETH Zurich – First Ideas for its Usability in Virtual and Real Space”
11h15 Discussion
Morning Break
12h-13h15 – Musical papers in the Musée de la Musique
- Henri Boutin (STMS Ircam- Sorbonne Université-CNRS, Paris) “Towards facsimiles of Ondes Martenot. An ergonomic replica of the Onde 169”
- Stéphane Vaiedelich and Mina Jang (ECR Musée de la musique, Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris) and Claudia Fritz (Sorbonne Université, Institut Jean le Rond d'Alembert, Équipe LAM, Paris) “A transverse flute by Hotteterre – Original and copy by rapid prototyping”
- Marie Loeper-Attia and Thierry Maniguet (ECR Musée de la musique, Cité de la musique-Philharmonie de Paris) “The restoration of a Bruder barrel organ, towards a new way of playing a musical instrument in a museum”
Lunch Break/Pause déjeuner
14h15-16h – Good Practice and Risk Management/Bonnes pratiques et gestion du risque (1)
14h20 – KEYNOTE: Nina Robbins (University of Helsinki) “Museological value discussion as an aid in finding balance between usability and durability”
14h50 – Marco Fioravanti (DAGRI - University of Florence) “Wood ageing and its implication on playing of wooden musical instruments”
15h10 – Adrian V. Steiger (Music museum Klingende Sammlung/Bern University of the Arts, Bern) “To Play vs. To Display – Towards Guidelines for Brass Instruments”
15h30 – Discussion
Afternoon break/Pause
16h20-18h10 – Good Practice and Risk Management/Bonnes pratiques et gestion du risque (2)
16h20 – Katariina Mauranen (London Transports Museum) “Stories on wheels. London Transport Museum’s operational buses and trains”
16h40 – Louisa Burden (Science Museum Group, London) “Operating Objects – practical use of policy and procedures”
17h – Rosène Declementi and Laurent Rabier (Musée de l'air et de l'espace, Le Bourget) “Functionality of museum airplanes as a measure of their historical importance for the institution”
17h20 – Marco Galloni and Mara Fausone (ASTUT - Archivio Scientifico e Tecnologico dell’Università di Torino, Turin) “The instruments for the selection of airplane pilots during WW1 in Italy”
17h30 – Discussion
18h – Conclusions