Valinda Carroll, Kayla Henry-Griffin, Nylah Byrd, and Ariana Makau of Black Art Conservators on Black objects, performance, and the future of conservation - A conversation with Hanna B. Hölling, Jules Pelta Feldman, and Emilie Magnin

The group Black Art Conservators was founded in 2020 to address racial injustice in conservation. Here, four members of the group—Valinda Carroll, Kayla Henry-Griffin, Nylah Byrd, and Ariana Makau—discuss the significance of conserving Black art and culture, highlighting the lack of resources in many institutions to properly preserve these artifacts. Their experiences as Black conservators allow them to bridge cultural gaps and better understand the context and value of artworks within their communities. The conservators advocate for people-centered conservation, where objects hold emotional and cultural significance, and they recognize the importance of oral traditions and body language in preserving performance art, which may not be adequately captured in written documentation. Regarding biases in conservation, the conservators argue for the inclusion of specialists from communities associated with the items to ensure a more equitable and contextual preservation process. They envision a future in conservation that embraces diverse cultural practices and perspectives, calling for more research and recognition of the work of Black artists, like Elizabeth Catlett, to better understand their contributions to the field. The conservators also discuss conserving emotionally charged artworks and the challenges of preserving objects that may have been used to oppress marginalized groups. They emphasize the need to approach such objects with sensitivity and to involve the community in decision-making processes.