J. Paul Getty Trust

In honor of International Day for Monuments and Sites, we're calling attention to cultural heritage under the growing threats of conflicts and natural disasters. The Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025 demonstrated how quickly irreplaceable heritage can be endangered. We initially developed Arches, our open-source software platform, to address the urgent need in the heritage field to create comprehensive inventories for cities, regions, and countries. In the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, heritage professionals used data imported from Arches to identify historically significant buildings at risk. This information allowed them to alert emergency responders about the cultural significance of each structure, helping guide the response and protect what remained. Because Arches structures data for easy sharing, recovery personnel had immediate access to vital information needed to respond quickly and decisively. Implemented worldwide, the Arches Project continues to serve as a resource for tracking millions of cultural sites. Learn more: https://archesproject.org Image credit: Adapted from Architectural Resources Group Image caption: GIS map of assessment of impacts to historic resources from the Palisades Fire, incorporating data from the City of Los Angeles HistoricPlacesLA Arches implementation #IDMS #WorldHeritageDay

“With Getty’s commitment to continuing PST ART every five years, we conclude Art & Science Collide with an eye toward 2030,” said Joan Weinstein, Director of the Getty Foundation. “The artistic and scholarly achievements that result from each edition of PST ART are profound and will endure far into the future. So, too, will the spirit of cooperation that PST ART fosters, which in January 2025 was indispensable in mobilizing the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. We have seen how powerful and resilient we can be when we work together.” THANK YOU for joining us for PST ART: Art & Science Collide! We recently concluded six months of thought-provoking exhibitions and programs about the intersections of art and science supported by Getty grants. Here’s a by-the-numbers look back at the landmark arts event. Stay tuned for more on the outcomes of the inaugural Climate Impact Program and check out the 19 exhibitions and programs still happening until April 2026: https://lnkd.in/ggWQ3FUE

Join us for a free screening and conversation with Lita Albuquerque! 🗓️ Tuesday, May 13, 2025 🕑 5 PM 📍 Getty Center and online 🔗 RSVP to attend in person or online: https://gty.art/4jcgmBV The latest film in the Getty’s Artist Dialogues series features artist Lita Albuquerque, whose work blends environmental themes, cosmic imagery, and elemental materials. In the short film "Lita Albuquerque: Dust to Dust (12:13)", the artist reflects on her creative practice and its influences, from her childhood in Tunisia, to her role in the Light and Space movement in Los Angeles, to her overarching fascination and connection with Earth and cosmos. Following the screening, Albuquerque will join the Getty Conservation Institute's Ellen Moody, conservator of contemporary art, for a discussion on the conservation of her work and audience Q&A. The event will be followed by a reception for in-person attendees. Artist Dialogues is part of the Conservation Institute's Art in L.A. project, exploring art, conservation, and Los Angeles’s cultural heritage. 🖼️ Malibu Line, 2024, Lita Albuquerque. Courtesy of the artist and Los Angeles Nomadic Division. © Lita Albuquerque 📸 Photo: Mitchell Maher

Who was Mavis Pusey? Last month, the Getty Research Institute hosted a Conservation Study Day focused on Mavis Pusey, a Jamaican-born American painter and printmaker. In partnership with ICA Philadelphia, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Getty Conservation Institute, 30 art scholars and conservation professionals convened at the Getty to present and discuss scientific observations and conservation research gained from close examination of Pusey’s art, life, and legacy. Although her work was included in a few important museum exhibitions, it did not receive the critical acclaim it deserves during her lifetime. Pusey is now getting her first retrospective opening at ICA Philadelphia this Summer. The research and scientific outcomes will be published to address the lack of technical studies on African American Artists, thereby aligning with Getty’s African American Art History Initiative (AAAHI) which aims to uplift cultural legacies of Black artists and preserve Black visual culture. Photos by Cassia Davis

The Voynich Manuscript was composed in an unknown alphabet with mysterious drawings, and has been interpreted as a hidden cipher, a feminist proclamation, a forgery, or even evidence of aliens. On June 13th, join us for this online conversation with Lisa Fagin Davis and Elizabeth Morrison to look at this enigmatic puzzle. 📖 Cipher manuscript (Voynich manuscript) (detail), about 1401-1599?, Central European?. Parchment. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Lacquer traditions from Asia, Europe, and Latin America converged last month at the Getty Center, where global experts gathered to address conservation challenges for lacquers. Co-organized by the Getty Conservation Institute and Getty Museum, the meeting brought together professionals from various countries and institutions, along with Getty staff, to explore ethical and cultural considerations, treatment approaches, research gaps, and training needs. Highlights included a visit to our Decorative Arts and Sculpture Conservation studio to discuss an 18th-century French commode by Bernard II van Risenburgh and a tour of lacquered objects in our collection. A comprehensive report on the meeting will be published by year-end. Learn more about our scientific work on lacquers: https://gty.art/43uyqCv

Are you a conservation student, emerging conservator, or regional professional from the Southern Mediterranean or the Middle East who works with mosaics? We're supporting fellowships to attend the 15th Conference of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics (ICCM Foundation) in Athens, Greece. Held from October 20-24, 2025, the conference will be hosted by the Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments (DECAMM) under the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. This opportunity is connected to Getty's MOSAIKON initiative, a partnership of the Getty Conservation Institute and the Foundation with ICCROM and ICCM that brought a regional approach to preserving ancient mosaics in the Mediterranean Basin. The conference theme is "Mosaic Conservation: Current Challenges and Future Prospects.” Topics include threats to cultural heritage caused by climate change, limited funding, and geopolitical conflicts while empowering emerging professionals to explore strategies addressing these modern challenges. Learn more about guidelines and how to apply by May 22: https://lnkd.in/gSj2pBEU Photo 1: ICCM conference participants in Bosa, Sardinia Photo 2: ICCM conference participants in Hammamet Photo 3: ICCM conference participants in Palermo

"Ancient Roman Villas: The Essential Sourcebook," edited by Guy Métraux, is a captivating collection of newly translated primary sources that unveils the fascinating world of Ancient Roman villas. From the intricacies of buying, building, and decorating, to the joys of entertaining and leisure, this authoritative compendium offers a comprehensive look at the role of villas in Roman life and culture. “Dipping into this carefully curated compilation is both informative and engaging, like sitting in a Roman tavern hearing conversations about the occupants of local estates, current concerns, and shared aspirations—a delight for scholarly and general readers alike!”—Diane Favro, Distinguished Research Professor, Architecture and Urban Design, School of the Arts and Architecture, UCLA #Scholarship #Antiquities

Celebrate Earth Day at Getty! Join us Saturday, April 26 for Resonant Exchange: Meditation with a Tree with artist Aroussiak Gabrielian. Resonant Exchange invites participants into deep, sensate contact with a tree. Through a multi-speaker sound installation, a guided meditation syncs breath with sap flow, wind, and unseen energies, fostering shared perception and expanded communication. Artist Aroussiak Gabrielian will also present her forthcoming book and design series “Near-Extinction Rituals” featuring prototypes that catalyze new rituals that force humans out of their exploitative relationship with the more than human world. Guests are invited to drop into the meditation between 12 and 3pm PT in the Getty Center’s Central Garden, followed by an artist talk from 4–5pm PT in the Museum Lecture Hall. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/g5F79U63

📚 New Getty Conservation Institute Publication 📚 Like most modern building materials, concrete poses specific conservation challenges, and there is much work to be done to secure good conservation outcomes. Our new publication, Conserving Concrete Heritage: An Annotated Bibliography (Second Edition), aims to assist those interested in the conservation of concrete by identifying and describing specific resources on the subject. Focused on English-language literature, the bibliography covers mass, reinforced, cast-in-place, post-tensioned prestressed, and precast concrete. This second edition revises and significantly expands the first edition's reference list, removing or relocating outdated references and adding new ones published between 2015 to 2023. 🔗 Explore the free publication: https://gty.art/4lmZ1aV