Uncovering the Secrets of the Amazon Climate in Collection Conservation: A Case Study of the Arts Collection of Casa Das Onze Janelas, Brazil

Research article Intervención ISSN 2448-5934 ENERO-JUNIO 2025 JANUARY-JUNE 2025 OJS Uncovering the Secrets of the Amazon Climate in Collection Conservation: A Case Study of the Arts Collection of Casa Das Onze Janelas, Brazil Ir a la versión en español Índice / Contents DOI: 10.30763/Intervencion.311.v1n31.90.2025 • YEAR 16, ISSUE NO. 31: 139-168 Submitted: 06.18.2024 • Accepted: 03.14.2025 • Published: 01.07.2025 Bruna Maria Araújo de Melo Maranhão Maranhão Jéssica Tarine Moitinho de Lima Federal University of Pará (ufpa), Brazil Federal University of Pará (ufpa), Brazil orcid: orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3520-3725 Sue Anne Regina Ferreira da Costa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2481-1225 Rosangela Marques Britto Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Brazil Federal University of Pará (ufpa), Brazil orcid: orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3314-5148 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9458-3515 Translated by Richard Addison ABSTRACT This research examines the environmental elements crucial for conserving collections. It centers on the Contemporary Art collection of Casa das Onze Janelas in Belém do Pará, Brazil. The aim is to foster critical analysis and offer insights into the preservation challenges of this collection in the Amazonian climate. Data were collected over three months using data loggers and meteorological stations. Preliminary results showed temperature and humidity variations, with average temperatures and humidity levels slightly differing between the Provisional Technical Reserve and the Visual Arts Reserve. These results emphasize the need for tailored conservation strategies in tropical climates, highlighting the unique challenges faced in maintaining stable conditions for art preservation in the Amazon region. KEYWORDS preservation of collections, contemporary art, preventive conservation, amazon region Uncovering the Secrets of the Amazon Climate in Collection Conservation: A Case Study of the Arts Collection of Casa das Onze Janelas, Brazil CONVOCATORIA 2025 CALL FOR PAPERS 2025 139 Research article Intervención ISSN 2448-5934 ENERO-JUNIO 2025 JANUARY-JUNE 2025 OJS Índice / Contents INTRODUCTION his paper investigates the conservation of cultural collections in the challenging Amazon climate, focusing on the Casa das Onze Janelas Cultural Space (cojan) in Belém do Pará, Brazil. The study highlights strategies and challenges in preserving Visual Arts within this unique climate, contributing to the understanding and improvement of artistic heritage conservation in the Amazon. From this perspective, it is crucial to emphasize several key institutions fundamental to this research. Starting with the Integrated System of Museums and Memorials (simm), established in 1999 by the Government of the State of Pará, as part of the Executive Secretariat of Culture of the State of Pará (Silva, 2022, p. 8). This system was designed with the objective of maximizing the museological potential of Belém’s historic center. Its function is to facilitate the integration of museums and memorials in this region (Maranhão & Britto, 2023, p. 2). The institutions linked to simm are the Museum of Sacred Art of Belém (mas), Corveta Museu Solimões, Museu do Forte do Presépio or Museu do Encontro, Museu de Gemas do Pará, Memorial do Porto and Memorial da Navegação, the Museum of Image and Sound of Belém, Pará State Museum, Círio Museum and Casa das Onze Janelas Cultural Space (Maranhão & Britto, 2023, p. 2; Britto & Borges, 2010, p. 162). Among these, the Casa das Onze Janelas Cultural Space (cojan) and the Pará State Museum (mep) will be further discussed. While mep serves as a historical museum, narrating both the architectural transformations of its building and Pará’s political history (Leão, 2021, p. 7), it also focuses on visual arts (Mokarzel, 2013, p. 106). Despite the apparent contradiction between these institutional categories, both align with the collection organization model adopted by simm, a technical reserve unified at mep organized into spaces based on museum typology. This approaches the challenge that not all institutions possess adequate space for safeguarding (Maranhão & Britto, 2023, p. 2). This study focuses on the connection between collections and preservation, encompassing conservation, preventive conservation, and restoration. Conservation aims to protect heritage by preserving both the physical and cultural essence of items. Preventive conservation uses indirect methods to prevent future deterioration without altering materials, while restoration involves modifying an object’s appearance to restore its original condition (Lima & Granato, 2016, p. 462; Lima, 2017, p. 6). A key aspect of preventive con- T Uncovering the Secrets of the Amazon Climate in Collection Conservation: A Case Study of the Arts Collection of Casa das Onze Janelas, Brazil CONVOCATORIA 2025 CALL FOR PAPERS 2025 140 Research article Intervención ISSN 2448-5934 ENERO-JUNIO 2025 JANUARY-JUNE 2025 OJS Índice / Contents servation is assessing behavior and controlling the environment (Gühts & Carvalho, 2007, p.36). This paper focuses on environmental control to mitigate the adverse effects of physical, chemical, biological, anthropogenic factors, and disasters on artworks (Teixeira & Ghizoni, 2012, p. 15-16). Environmental control measures must be planned and preceded by environmental monitoring, adapting to the institution’s needs, collections, and investment possibilities. The research highlights the lack of literature on conservation in hot and humid climates, contrasting with the focus on cold climates and advanced technological support in North American and European contexts (Corrêa, 2003, p. 10). The objective of this research is to contribute to the development of critical thinking and promote substantial reflections on the conservation of Visual Arts collections preserved in an environment as unique as the Amazon climate. We seek to understand the specific challenges and effective strategies needed to ensure the integrity and durability of these works of art, considering the unique and often challenging environmental conditions of the region. By developing critical thinking and proposing grounded considerations, this study contributes to the advancement of the field of Contemporary Art Conservation and benefits the preservation of this valuable artistic heritage for future generations. METHODS AND MATERIALS This paper involved a comprehensive literature review on collections conservation and environmental control, establishing a knowledge base and context for data analysis (Lunetta & Guerra, 2023, p. 151). This review also identified knowledge gaps, highlighting areas needing further investigation for conserving Visual Arts in the Amazon climate. At the same time, data was collected regarding the temperature and relative humidity of the monitored spaces at cojan. The macro and microenvironment readings were carried out by three da (...truncated)