THE BETTER IMAGE
Third Year Internship PlacementSeptember 2023 to August 2024
About The Better Image
The private practice studio was established in 1991 by Nora Kennedy and Peter Mustardo. The Better Image currently has two locations, one within the historic Milford Opera House along the Delaware River, and the other in Chelsea, New York City. The Better Image focuses on fine art and historic photographs and offers conservation treatment services, surveys, insurance claim support, environmental monitoring, emergency response, disaster recovery, XRF analysis, and workshops. Clients include museums, estates and foundations, archives and libraries, corporate clients, and artists. Visit website: https://www.thebetterimage.com/
About the Internship and Key Projects
This internship was part of my third year internship experience, as part of my final graduate school requirements at the Winterthur/University of Art Conservation. I split my third year between MoMA and The Better Image, spending 2-3 days at each location each week. While a Photography Conservation Intern, I have worked on a variety of projects, including: - Developed conservation reports, treatment proposals, and carried out both complex and minor treatments.
- Worked a large range of photographic materials for various clients including artist foundations, auction houses, galleries, and private collectors.
- Had the opportunity to work closely with a variety of important works by significant photographers throughout the history of photography, including Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Cindy Sherman.
- Major project included assisting in the installation and treatment of Francesca Woodman’s Blueprint for a Temple II, an assemblage of diazotypes and silver gelatin prints.
Image by Pavel Romaniko
CONSERVATION LAB
Peter Mustardo
DirectorNancy Reinhold
Photograph ConservatorHannah Shapiro
Conservation AssistantAnne Spence
Administrative AssistantMAJOR TREATMENT PROJECTS
FRANCESCA WOODMAN, BLUEPRINT FOR A TEMPLE II, c. 198X, DIAZOTYPES AND SILVER GELATIN PRINTS︎︎︎
Assited in the treatment, hinging, and installation of this once-believed lost 14-foot tall collage while also working closely with an NYC gallery and artist foundation on the project.
ANSELM KIEFER, DIE SEFIROTH, 1997, SILVER GELATIN PRINT WITH APPLIED MEDIA︎︎︎
Large silver gelatin print with significant losses across the center of the piece. Treatment included extensive consolidation and inpainting to reduce the apperance of the losses. 
MING SMITH, VARIOUS PRINTS, c. 1970s-90s, SILVER GELATIN︎︎︎
Treatment of four gelaitn silver prints by Ming Smith for an art museum in Maryland. Works were in varying conditions, which required different treatment options catered towards each print.
CINDY SHERMAN, UNTITLED #546 (WATER NYMPHS), 2010/2012, CHROMOGENIC PRINTS︎︎︎
Large chromogenic diptych damaged in a water event. Treatment involved reducing the appearance of tidelines along with adhesive reduction and minor cosmetic compensation.
ARTISTS WORKED WITH
- Cory Arcangel
- Richard Avedon
- George Ayers
- Philip diCorcia
- Deborah Jack
- Peter Hujer
- Anselm Kiefer
- George Platt Lyons
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Cindy Sherman
- Ming Smith
- Vittorio Sella
- Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Karl Struss
- Francesca Woodman
CLIENTS WORKED WITH
- Christie’s
- Chubb Insurance
- Gagosian Gallery
- Glenstone Museum
- Mapplethorpe Foundation
- Nicola Vassell Gallery
- Lisson Gallery
- Sotheby’s
- Woodman Family Foundation
- Various private collectors
TREATMENTS PERFORMED
- Consolidation
- Humidification
- Flattening
- Tear Repair
- Tape/Adhesive Removal
- Surface Cleaning
- Crease Reduction
- Stain Reduction
- Filling of Losses
- Cosmetic Inpainting
