You build a coalition, Owczarek said. You start talking to people.
You do research to find out if there is a safe way to document that is
not harmful to the artifact or the people it comes from. Its not as
straightforward as you may think, and I am hoping my students come away
with this sensitivity.
Some pandemic-era pivots have been so successful, UD professors
say they will hold on to them, even if and when the coronavirus is no
longer an issue.
In one of Wickens classes, for example, she teaches emergency
preparedness and response in the event of a hurricane or flood,
students learn best practices for rescuing submerged objects. In one
exercise, the students are presented with large plastic tubs filled with
water and artifacts, like paintings and ceramics, in need of saving.
What I really want the students to do is assess the situation, to
really figure out which objects are most at risk and which can probably
sit in the water for a while without becoming more damaged than they
already are, Wickens said. But, in a traditional, in-person class, this
is challenging. As soon as a conservator sees something that is wet,
there is this need and desire to get it out of the water right away. It
is difficult to get them to take more than a minute or two to really
talk things through.
But during the pandemic, Wickens has conducted this exercise over
Zoom. Her co-teacher, affiliated assistant professor William Donnelly,
was in his kitchen with the tub of wet objects, while the students tuned
in from their respective kitchens and bedrooms. Donnelly pretended to
be someone without conservation expertise who needed help figuring out a
plan of action. And the students, connecting in this virtual manner,
took the time to flesh out this plan before having Donnelly dive in.
They had no choice but to talk to one another, Wickens said. Im
pretty sure even when were back on site, Im going to continue doing
the exercise in this way.
This isnt to say the restrictions of COVID-19 have been easy. The
professors attest long Zoom sessions can feel more formal and
disconnected than in-person instruction, which is why they choose to
humanize their courses by building in time for discussions that have
nothing to do with curriculum about, say, household pets who wander
across the screen.
We take our work very seriously, but its nice to allow for
those moments of joy or lightheartedness in the day, said Mina, the
owner of a particularly fluffy cat who is part Maine Coon. It helps you
feel more connected to one another, even when we cant physically be
together.
And when things feel too tough even for a cute kitten or puppy to
rectify? The professors and students say their Blue Hen values of
resilience and adaptability see them through. As does dedication to the
mission that remains at the heart of all conservation work even, or
perhaps especially, during a pandemic.
Artifacts bring us together, Owczarek said. They show us who we
are as people. They help us feel connected to our history and our
present, and they can shape the direction we go in our future. Taking
care of them inspires us to be our best selves.
Article by
Diane Stopyra
Photos by Evan Krape and courtesy of Annabelle Camp,
Miriam-Helene Rudd, Joelle D. J. Wickens and Laura Mina
Published Oct. 13, 2020