OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
This Textile Conservator role will be part of our small team of conservators and a technician to manage all aspects of the care of the textiles within the National Collection and on loan to the gallery. The National Collection has an exciting and diverse collection of textiles with feature holdings in Southeast Asian textiles, costume and fashion and Ballet Russe Costumes. The Gallery is also passionate on developing a contemporary textile collection.
As a leader in lending, touring and exhibiting traditional and contemporary art this role will play a key part in all processes of preparing and treating the collection and works of art on loan to the Gallery to meet all lending, exhibition and collection care requirements. You will work closely with a wide variety of internal stakeholders, borrowers and clients and be required to advice on the storage of the textile collection and designing, manufacturing and managing the unique display systems for these works of art. This role will also assist the Senior Textile Conservator with project management and corporate reporting and assist with complex treatments and research. This role will provide information on textiles and their history to the gallery community.
This position reports to the Senior Textile Conservator and you will be expected to assist with training and monitoring the workflow for junior staff as required. This position of Textile Conservator is an ongoing full-time role with the conservation team.
The key duties of the position include:
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
In accordance with the APS 6 work level standards, you will:
* Carry out advanced examination, conservation, and restoration of the Gallery's broad range of textiles including Asian, European, theatre costumes and fashion. Prepare textiles for exhibition and loans, transportation, and storage. Demonstrate your knowledge of historical and contemporary materials and techniques of a wide range of textiles and your understanding of art and costume history.
* Assist the Senior Textile Conservator in the routine operation and workflow of the textile conservation section.
* Maintain a high level of documentation on all treatments undertaken and prepare clear and accurate condition reports to a professional standard and maintain data using the collection management system, EMU. Provide expert advice on all matters relating to the preservation of the wide variety of textiles.
* Liaise with Curatorial staff, Registration, and other technical staff and advise the Senior Textile Conservator on the conservation needs of the textile collection, including its display, packing and storage.
* Supervise subordinate staff, student conservators and volunteers as required. Assist in the mentoring and guidance of less experienced staff and provide professional advice and training on care of the collection to staff and external stakeholders as required.
* Develop, participate in and contribute to research programs on artists' materials and techniques and conservation materials and techniques relevant to the care of the Gallery's collections as required.
* Provide support to the conservation team and undertake other duties as directed by the Head of Conservation and the Senior Textile Conservator to assist with disaster response and achievement of goals.
* Implement and uphold the NGA Work Health & Safety (WHS) policies and assessment process and ability to promote and apply the principles of workplace diversity and participative management practices
Eligibility
Citizenship – to be eligible for employment with the Gallery, you must be an Australian citizen.
Police Check – to be eligible for this role you must complete a police check.
Security Assessment - the successful applicant will be required to obtain and maintain a Baseline.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - Qualifications, Certifications and Registrations.
Role specific mandatory qualifications /certification and/or registrations include:
* Tertiary qualification in the conservation of cultural materials
* Drivers Licence
* Accurate colour vision excellent manual dexterity and the ability to lift, climb ladders and use tools and equipment.
Notes
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for this role please go to the National Gallery's Careers portal.
You should provide a tailored CV (maximum of three pages) along with a statement of no more than two pages that outlines your skills, capabilities and experience, against the information above.
In your statement response you should keep in mind the capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role, as identified in the information above. Try not to duplicate information that can be found in your CV but do highlight any specific examples or achievements that demonstrate your ability to perform the role.
Getting to know the National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery is one of Australia's leading visual arts institutions. The National Gallery is based in Canberra and is a vital part of the Australian cultural landscape. Our Purpose is to collect, preserve, promote and share the national collection of art. The Vision of the National Gallery is to be the international reference point for art in Australia, inspiring all people to explore, experience and learn. Our Values include Boldness, Integrity, Respect, and Excellence.