Carla Salem

What inspired you to study Conservation of Fine Art?

The urgency to be useful in a context of war and destruction – when the port of Beirut exploded in 2020, I found myself gearing into conservation work given that I could not ‘create’, as an artist, at the time. I was suffering and turned towards safeguarding heritage at a time of crisis. That is and was my form of activism as an immediate reaction to the violence.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

It is the uniqueness of this program here. It currently seems to be the only program in the UK that offers such a strong focus on the conservation of modern art on paper, specifically. Although the content is quite richly condensed, it paves the way for further research after graduation.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

As I find significance in content, and safety in intellectual growth: I truly believe that Northumbria was able to offer me a haven, especially during these two past years of violence and crisis. It is not just the University itself, its library, the staff, but also the city of Newcastle where I find the people kind, outgoing and friendly. They like to build bridges, in every sense.

What impressed you most about our academic staff?

The staff, being the highly qualified professors who helped guide and monitor the course, complement each other in background and teaching strategies. Dr. Penelope Banou, in her own ways of vigorously shaking the students’ interests in the material provided during the first year, is a master of the craft. Having been a painting conservator prior to studying paper she truly has her roots set deep into the subject material. She is also constantly dedicated while making sure that tasks are being followed up with on a one to one and day to day basis. During the second year, Dr. Richard Mullholland’s multifaceted guidance and background in theoretical background studies helped shape the way critical thinking is conducted in condition writing and treatment reporting. All through the course, chemistry classes help shape our knowledge of what is happening in detail and trigger the need to understand in a wholesome way with Dr. Charis Theadorakopoulos. Overall, quite a fulfilling circle of knowledge throughout two years of study.

What's it like studying in the historic Burt Hall?

The building itself is charming, so the experience of learning in a historical building is quite appealing. What complements that experience or perhaps precedes it, is the dedicated technical support that we received at Burt Hall. Both Jonathan Nield and Sofia Pascual spend a generous amount of time caring for each of the students’ needs and wants to help them achieve what they came here for. They truly helped provide us with all that we need to achieve our goals in this place.

Have there been any real-world learning experiences/industry connections that have enhanced your course experience?

I think it’s the summer placements that take care of this bit. Whether it’s working with larger institutions or smaller private studios; each and every experience exposes us to new content. This is where I believe it is up to us to connect, understand, and reach out to extend our knowledge and our connections and try to be as useful as possible in a new context. I’ve personally learned to set some boundaries in certain instances and learned to embrace kindness and generosity by giving the most I can in other instances.

What are your next steps or future aspirations after graduating?

The content is what keeps me going, no matter where I end up: it is mostly about finding value and significance in what it is that I am doing. What is important to me at this stage is to keep learning and to keep going forward. I do come from a conflicted part of this planet where the economy, status and power overshadow human dignity. Maybe focusing on cultural heritage and safeguarding that belongs to us is one way of not letting our dreams passively fade out, while the land itself and people living in it are being aggressively tortured.

How has studying at Northumbria equipped you with the skills needed for your future?

Given my background in papermaking and printmaking, the program is a natural extension of all that I had studied so far. In a way, it summed up most of my interests in one condensed and concrete pathway. I did realize that a lot of the answers that I was seeking lie in the chemical understanding of the material that I am using, and this is the explanation that I was looking for. I suppose that the course gave me a lot of resources to keep moving forward in what I initially had started for myself.

What was the best thing about your course?

The microscopes, the technical studies, the gels and the new technologies I was able to access that I hadn’t experienced anywhere else. Seeing things under different lights is always helpful in finding solutions to treatments.

If you had to give a one piece of advice to someone starting their studies at Northumbria, what would it be?

I would say: make sure you know how to cook, and how to make time for it, pet.