Jae Youn Chung ACR

I produce clearly written digital condition reports and provide treatment options with accurate cost estimates. I regularly assess whether paintings are suitable for loan, highlight requirements for handling, display, and provide recommendations for preventive measures and environmental conditions; all written for it to be easily understood by key stakeholders. At times, I interview living artists to help with decision-making processes regarding treatment, framing, and future care. My role also extends to advising on mitigating safe transportation methods, and providing specialist knowledge for storage, overseeing technicians and installation of artworks for exhibitions.

I can travel on site for assessing works of art in-situ at galleries or storage, conduct collection survey at museums/private collections and carry out loan checks for virtual & real-life couriering for paintings traveling within the UK and around the world.

With years of experience, I have visual & intellectual sensibility and well-rounded practical skills as a Conservator working on a wide range of international works of art. When I take on a painting/project, I am responsible for carrying out varying degrees of conservation treatments, from the beginning to end.

The treatments can be from simple remedial treatments such as surface cleaning and consolidation, to more in-depth treatments requiring cleaning discoloured varnish and overpaint from solvent/water-sensitive paint surfaces, structural repairs such as mending tears in canvases & minor splits in wooden panels, brush/spray varnishing, filling and retouching. Based on observations made during treatment, I advise clients on technical investigations and formulate comprehensive technical reports.

When treatments are complete, I produce treatment reports clearly conveying complex ideas on decision-making, including photography taken at key stages of treatment and the materials used.

Research has taken up a large part of my career, and I consider it to be one of my greatest strengths. I believe my curiosity towards understanding how paintings are made heightens the visual sensitivity I require as an Easel Paintings Conservator, which has led me to unexpected discoveries whilst carrying out conservation treatments.

I provide services of interpreting technical information gathered from both non-invasive and invasive analytical methods; such as X-radiography, UV, IR, and elemental pigment analysis using XRF and SEM-EDX & medium analysis using staining tests on cross-sections taken from paintings.

Chung, J.Y., Kempski, M., Peggie, D., ‘Cracking the Dutch Painter Jan van der Heyden’s “Secret Tricks”’, Tales of the Unexpected, British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers conference postprint, Archetype publications, 2020.

Chung, J.Y. ‘Catherine of Aragon: technical study and conservation treatment’, The Picture Restorer, The Journal of the British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers, Number 53, Autumn 2018.

Chung, J.Y., Ormsby, B., Lee, J., Burnstock, A., and van den Berg, K.J. 2017. An investigation of options for surface cleaning unvarnished water-sensitive oil paints based on recent developments for acrylic paints. In ICOM-CC 18th Triennial Conference Preprints, Copenhagen, 4–8 September 2017, ed. J. Bridgland, art. 1309.

Chung, J.Y., Röstel, A., 'A wonderfully pure picture': Tracing Bartolomeo Montagna's Holy Family, Museo in Rivista, Notiziario dei musei civici di Pavia, 6, 2017, pp. 17-28.