Getting the hang of new art storage

New storage at the Church’s archives in Hobart will ensure artworks are preserved for years to come.

The six-metre long shelving will keep artworks upright, dust-free and protected from other artworks. The powder-coated stainless-steel structure also protects against rust damage to wooden frames.

Purchase of the Australian-made shelving was made possible through a Community Heritage Grant from the National Library of Australia.

The need for appropriate art storage at the Archdiocese of Hobart Archives was identified in a preservation needs assessment, said Archivist Eloise Armstrong.

“We were just following recommendations for improved art storage,” Ms Armstrong said.

She said that along with new art shelving, the storage area for artworks has moved from the ground floor to the first floor of the Archives where humidity levels are lower.

The renewed focus on artwork storage is the latest in series of preservation projects at the Archdiocese of Hobart Archives and Heritage Collection.

Two years ago, a grant enabled the purchase of appropriate storage for the Archives’ large textile collection, which includes vestments by prominent neo-Gothic designer Augustus Pugin.

Last year, the entire newspaper collection housed at the Archives and Heritage Collection was digitised.

A collection of artworks by the late West Coast artist Leo Kelly will be housed in the art storage, but there is room to expand as the need arises, Ms Armstrong said.

“We are a growing collection,” she said.

“We get donations from individuals, but we also get registers from parishes, like sacramental registers. For example, when a priest dies we might get some of his personal items. We also house other agencies’ files as well.

“… A parishioner from Richmond recently came and donated a lovely black and white photo of a parish picnic in the 1920s or ’30s. So, in every box, you always seem to just find one treasure.”

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