Hands-On Conservation: UCL Students Study Contemporary Works from The Roberts Institute of Art

As part of the programme with The Roberts Institute of Art, students undertook specialist research into the care and conservation of artworks made from unconventional materials. The first work we shared was ‘Alexandra’ (2008) by Jonathan Baldock. 

Image 1: Citlalli examining Alexandra by Jonathan Baldock with a Dino-Lite digital microscope

Belonging to a body of work made between 2006–2009, ‘Alexandra’ explores the face as a site of projection - something both familiar and unstable. Drawing on masking traditions, harvest symbolism and Greco-Roman busts, ‘Alexandra’ is made from domestic materials including flour, salt and cloves to create works that engage not only sight but also smell. This sensory element is something Baldock continues to explore in his practice, as it helps situate the work in the body and memory, rather than purely in visual terms. 

First year student Citlalli Escobar Acosta explored the material history and conservation considerations of unconventional artworks through a detailed study of Alexandra. Using a Dino-Lite digital microscope, Citlalli explored the materials and surface textures of the sculpture. The accompanying diagram identifies the location of each close-up image, providing a closer look at the work’s composition and the ways its different materials interact. 

Image 2: A diagram identifying the location of each close-up image taken with the digital microscope

Jonathan Baldock also generously supported the project by answering questions about the production, material qualities and themes of the work 

Citlalli said “It was a privilege to work with Jonathan Baldock’s Alexandra. Researching the sculpture’s unique conservation needs gave me valuable insight into the challenges of caring for contemporary organic materials. A major highlight was engaging directly with the artist and learning more about the work’s making and evolution. Huge thanks to UCL and the Roberts Institute of Art for the opportunity!” 

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Another of the works shared was ‘Untitled (heart)’ (2007) by Alastair Mackie. 

For this work, a single abandoned wasp nest was repulped and cast into a mould taken from an anatomical model of a human heart. Created from wood fibre mixed with wasp saliva, the fragile material carries traces of the colony’s lifecycle, from construction in spring to abandonment in autumn, transforming an ephemeral natural structure into a meditation on labour, fragility and survival. 

Image 3: Natasha examining the artwork

To support her research, first year student Natasha Chalmers visited the Grant Museum of Zoology at University College London to study its collection of wasp nests. She also met with Professor Seirian Sumner, a specialist in behavioural ecology, whose expertise provided valuable insight into the material qualities and natural processes that underpin Mackie’s work. 

Image 4: A Yellowjacket wasp nest at UCL’s Grant Museum; an example of how the wasp nest might have looked before the artist Alastair Mackie repurposed one for the artwork

Alastair and Fleur Mackie also contributed to the project through conversations around the work’s making, material properties and underlying ideas. 

Natasha said “It was a huge privilege to be able to work with and research this incredible work of art by Alastair Mackie. I loved having the chance to learn about such a unique natural material and see the ways in which its fragile physical existence is such a reflection of the materials used, its process of creation, and the processes of transformation and change in nature. It was a pleasure to be able to learn more about the work’s meaning and creation

Image 5: Close up image of Untitled (heart) by Alastair Mackie taken using a Dino-Lite digital microscope

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