Project: Assessment of and Long-Term Preservation Plan for Journals of David C. Driskell
By: Laura McNulty and Yungjin Shin
Course: ARTC 667 Preventive Conservation Research and Applications
Dr. Joelle Wickens, Assistant Professor of Preventive Conservation and WUDPAC Associate Director
Dr. Julie McGee, Curator of African American Art at University of Delaware Museums
Rodney Moore, Arts Manager of Prof. David C. Driskell
David Conway, Archivist at the David C. Driskell Center
Professor David C. Driskell (1931–2020) was a renowned artist and art historian dedicated to the study and celebration of African American art. As an artist, Driskell primarily created paintings, mixed media works, and prints. Beginning in the 1950s, he kept journals that chronicle his travels to Africa and other destinations, as well as his inspirations and creative ideas. These journals hold particular significance as they provide insight into Driskell’s artmaking process and serve as both visual documents and narratives of his life.
With a growing interest in Driskell’s work, his journals are increasingly requested for exhibitions and digitization. Currently, eight of the thirty-three journals are being digitized at the David C. Driskell Center, and three have been selected for conservation in the near future.
To prepare the journals for future access and long-term preservation, this project developed a comprehensive preservation plan that included preventive care guidelines and housing recommendations for Driskell’s journals. The plan aimed to survey all thirty-three journals, create preventive care guidelines, and house each journal in a custom-made enclosure. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only fifteen journals were individually surveyed, and the enclosures remain incomplete. Based on discussions with Dr. Julie McGee, the unassessed journals are believed to be similar in condition and structure to those surveyed, allowing the preventive care guidelines outlined in the final report to be applied to all journals.
The project included a literature review on survey and assessment methods, preservation approaches for scrapbooks, and agents of deterioration. The fifteen journals were surveyed at the item level using Google Forms. Throughout the project, consultations were held with Dr. Joelle Wickens, Rodney Moore, Dr. Julie McGee, and David Conway to ensure the guidelines and housing proposal were sustainable and to address concerns regarding the journals’ preservation and use.