In May 2003, the Getty Conservation Institute and the Getty Research Institute cosponsored a symposium devoted to current research and practice in art history and conservation of 20th-century mural painting in the Americas.

Designed to provide a forum for discussion regarding the many meanings and functions of murals, the two-day event, held May 16 and 17, 2003, brought together a variety of disciplines that included art historians, conservators and conservation scientists, muralists, paint manufacturers, community leaders, and legal experts. The group took a holistic and big-picture approach to the subject, with presentations covering the social, artistic, and political dimensions of murals, the value they hold for different constituencies, and the rationale and conservation techniques for their long-term survival.

The following are selected presentations from May 17, 2003—day two of the symposium.

Opening Remarks

		Will Shank, "Before the Paint Hits the Wall" (8pp., PDF format, 102KB)

Keynote Respondent Panel

		Timothy W. Drescher, "Priorities in Conserving Community Murals" (14pp., PDF format, 347KB)
		John Pitman Weber, "Politics and Practice of Community Public Art: Whose Murals Get Saved?" (16pp., PDF format, 348KB)
		Jon Pounds, "The Gift of Absence: Mural Restoration in a Policy Void" (10pp., PDF format, 91KB)

Presentations

Leslie Rainer, "The Conservation of Outdoor Contemporary Murals" (reprinted in Conservation Vol.18, No.2)

		Ann Garfinkle, "The Legal and Ethical Consideration of Mural Conservation: Issues and Debates" (22pp., PDF format, 141KB)
		Mark Golden, "Mural Paints: Current and Future Formulations" (14pp., PDF format, 290KB)

A complete program of symposium events can be found on the Getty Web site.

Related articles in Conservation, The GCI Newsletter

		Mural Painting and Conservation in the Americas: A Symposium (Summer 2003)