About us
Dear Emerging Conservators and Experienced Professionals, Students and Lecturers, Researchers, Authors, Supervisors, Readers.
Dear Colleagues
Editorial Board of ICAR – International Journal of Young Conservators and Restorers of Works of Art is extremely proud to present you the first issue of the Journal.
The idea behind ICAR dates back to the 24th of October 2015, when four students and fresh graduates from the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in
Warsaw Poland, held their first Editorial Board meeting. On that day we agreed to cooperate and create a professional academic journal, where young conservators would be able to publish their own research. The process of educating ourselves on how to establish and run such an enterprise began. It resulted in registering the journal on 8th of March 2016 – ICAR’s birthday.
From the very beginning we aimed to create a publishing platform, that would allow new authors to practice their writing skills and to familiarise themselves with the publishing procedure. On the other hand it was clear to us that to be successful, the journal had to be organised according to the highest international academic standards. As a result, we created a framework that merges the two. ICAR is a peer-reviewed journal with a multiple-stage selection process and strict criteria for publishing materials. Authors are granted advice and guidance throughout the whole publishing process.
It’s been almost two years since the idea of ICAR was born and they were a time of extremely intense work and learning. We definitely dedicated more time and effort, than we had expected. In return we received many words of gratitude and felt profound satisfaction, when this enormous task was completed. We want to thank everyone who have their share in ICAR’s success – authors, readers, supervisors, editors, Scientific Council members, reviewers, volunteers. We would also like to thank the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, professor Adam Myjak, Prorectors for Scientific and Educational Matters – professor Wiktor Jędrzejec, his predecessor professor Paweł Nowak and the Dean of the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art professor Marzenna Ciechańska, for putting their trust in our actions and for constantly supporting ICAR.
We believe, that the journal you are holding in your hands will meet your expectations. We put great care in publishing only original papers, of the best academic quality. We hope that you will enjoy your reading.
Founders of ICAR
FOUNDERS
Anna Kowalik, MA
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
PhD student and teaching assistant of Full Professor Iwona Szmelter in Inter-Cathedral Devision NOVUM Care and Conservation of Modern and Contemporary Art “NOVUM” at the Academy.
A graduate of the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, the Institute of Art History at the Faculty of History at the University of Warsaw and the Study of Intellectual Property Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw. Scholarship holder under the Erasmus program at the University of Turin in Centro Conservazione e Restauro La Venaria Reale.
My research interests focus primarily on issues related to the conservation of interdisciplinary modern and contemporary art. I have devoted numerous publications and speeches at national and international conferences to this issue. In this area, I collaborate with major state institutions such as the Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, as well as with private collectors. I participate in national and international research projects, incl. CAPuS – Conservation of Art in Public Spaces implemented under the Knowledge Alliances of the Erasmus + program. In addition, I deal with the broadly understood protection of cultural heritage. As a young scientist, I represented Central and Eastern Europe during the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum in Bahrain organized by the UNESCO World Heritage Center.
I was honored with the award of the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. I have received an artistic scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage twice.
Anna Konopko, MA
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
I have begun my studies in October 2009, firstly on the specialty of Conservation and restoration of painting and polychromed sculpture. Then after three very satisfactory semesters I joined a second one – Conservation and restoration of historical textiles. From this moment on I am having twice as much work but I prefer to see it as double mind-opening experience.
Currently I am on my master year and my diploma is also double. I am working on two contemporary sculptures and a baroque church banner, all sharing a common trait – they’re made with mixed textile and painting techniques. Above all, I learn how to perceive conservation as a whole.
In the future I see myself as the conservator of atypical, eclectic objects that cannot be simply categorised. In the afterhours I make copies of paintings and enjoy a good reading on human and neural sciences, physics and other powers that shape us as species and beings.
Sylwia Popławska, MA
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
I am a paper conservator and I love my job. As a part of my Master Thesis I conserved very special and atypical artistic herbarium. This project lasted 3 years and allowed me to notice how much I like to look for the answers for the questions which no one has asked earlier and how exciting it is to solve issues connected with atypical artifacts. After my studies I had a short experience with working as a conservator in the National Museum in Warsaw and in the private sector. I took part in a few conferences and I am author and coauthor of a number of articles.
Most of my time I spend at the Faculty where I conserve various kinds of objects, teach bookbinding and take part as an assistant in a conservation-research project. Slowly, I am looking for an interesting issue on which I could focus my Phd research. I spend my evenings on reading scientific articles or writing conservation documentations. During free time, which does not occur very often, I reload my batteries through painting, guitar playing, horse riding or hiking.
Piotr Popławski, MA (archaeology)
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
In 2007 I started to study archaeology at the University of Warsaw. It was a big adventure which opened my mind and expanded my horizons. During my 4th year I felt that archaeology was not enough for me so I started to look for something that could show me new perspectives. In 2012 I started to study at the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw on specialization of Conservation and Restoration of Old Books, Prints and Ancient Leather.
In 2014, at the end of my 2nd year I finished my Master Thesis on archaeology and could focus even more on my new studies. Shortly after I have became elected for the President of the Students Council of our Faculty, for the Student Representative to the Faculty Board and also for the Chairman of Students Scientific Association. Since then I have participated in many projects that were initiated by students and lecturers of our Faculty and have tried to involve as much fellow student as possible.
I have not specified in what field of conservation I will specialize, so now I just learn, observe and let my horizons expand even more than before.