Brewing Chemistry Lecture Series March 16, 2009

American Chemical Society – Detroit Local Section – Younger Chemists Committee Presents:
Brewing Chemistry
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Meghann Mouyianis
313-993-1259
[email protected]

The Art of Chemistry
Lecture reveals the science of identifying and preserving art works of DIA and other Michigan museums
DETROIT, March 16, 2009 – Behind every great art collection are highly trained artists and scientists who analyze works pending acquisition and preserve them for generations to come. One of the most sophisticated laboratories in the Detroit area is Conservation and Museum Services. On Tuesday, March 16, conservator Kenneth Katz will reveal the science behind the art in an informal, e ntertaining lecture at one of Detroit’s iconic restaurants.
Kenneth B. Katz received his Masters Degree in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works from the State University of Oneonta, Cooperstown Graduate School in 1979. Before becoming a conservator of paintings at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1986, he worked at the Intermuseum Laboratory in Oberlin Ohio, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Kimbell Museum and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. In 1983, he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship to study at the Istituto del Restauro in Rome, Italy and in 1987 was elected a Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation, presently the only Painting Fellow in Michigan. Ken left the D.I.A. in 1990 to establish Conservation and Museum Services, which provides preservation services for museums, historical societies, corporations and private individuals.
Occupying 4000 sq. feet in downtown Detroit, Ken and his staff treat paintings, frames, and decorative objects. Ken is President of the Board of Directors for the Etruscan Foundation, is Vice President at the Detroit Athletic Club and is on the Restoration Committee for the Spirit of Detroit Sculpture, as well as an advisor to the Michigan State capital archivist and Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society. His publications in “American Art Review”, “Mahltecknik Restauro” and the “Journal of the Americ an Institute for Conservation”, include articles on conservation adhesives, German Expressionists and the conservation of large architectural surfaces.
Kenneth Katz will explain the treatments, approaches and scientific analysis of paintings, paper, textiles, frames and art objects.
The lecture is the fifth in a series of accessible chemistry lectures organized under the banner “Brewing Chemistry” by the Younger Chemists Committee of the Detroit Local Section of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.
The evening of libations, edible delights and science inquiry begins at 7:00 p.m. at Traffic Jam & Snug, 511 West Canfield Street on the corner of Second Avenue, Detroit, just south of Wayne State University. There is no admission charge, and free parking is available. For directions, visit http://www.trafficjamdetroit.com/location.php
“We chose the name for this series, ‘Brewing Chemistry,’ to emphasize the lighthearted nature of these get-togethers of curious people who aren’t intimidated by science – and of course in recognition of the restaurant where we meet: one of our local treasures, known for its microbrewery,” said Meghann Mouyianis, ACS Detroit YCC chair.
The informal lecture series schedules speakers at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month. The Younger Chemists Committee welcomes suggestions for future speakers. Contact [email protected].

Official Website: http://www.brewingchemistry.com