Conservation Experience
Art Preservation Index / APIx, LLC, Miami / Los Angeles July 2014 - Current
Co-Founder and CEO
The Art Preservation Index/APIx is the stability rating system for fine art. A patent-pending invention, the
APIx, is the first of its kind and was designed to standardize the measurement of stability risks of blue-chip
paintings and other types of artwork that may deteriorate over time. Art conservators know that a great deal of art being sold today may deteriorate quickly and cause the monetary value to decline precipitously in some cases. Art is created with many materials that are visually appealing and seem innocuous but most artists, gallery owners, and buyers of art know very little about the stability of these materials or how they interact with each other over time. The APIx was designed to reduce and protect investment risks for fine art. APIx scores are generated by scientific and historical research that is completed by a staff of professionals who base their artwork analyses on multi-layer assessments of the materials, their application, and the way they interact chemically and physically to determine their stability. Selected Press: Wall Street Journal/Barron's; Worth Magazine; Miami Herald 20 Under 40; Reuters; FINalternatives; LA Business Journal; more press
Longevity Art Preservation, LLC, Los Angeles/Miami September 2013 - Current
President
Longevity Art Preservation specializes in fine art research and preservation of artworks from all time periods, antiquity to contemporary. Longevity carries out: conservation of painting, frames, and architectural surfaces; gallery, artist, and collections consulting; historic paint analysis of architecture with in situ excavations, sampling, microscopy, material documentation, and color measurement; scientific analysis including pigment and fiber identification, cross-sectional optical microscopy, and binding media characterization.
The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, CA September 2011 – May 2014
Associate Project Specialist, Field Projects Department
Herculaneum Project: Casa del Bicentenario; graphic documentation, treatment testing, scientific analysis, and dissemination; assisted with graduate intern management
Conservation of David Alfaro Siqueiros, America Tropical, 1932: graphic documentation, treatment testing, treatment, reporting, and dissemination; assisted with team management. Winner of the LA Conservancy Preservation Award 2013. Voted one of ten "Best Art Museum Exhibits of 2012" by the LA Times.
Download publication - Watch Video Selected Press: LA Times (Muchnic) - LA Times (Knight) - LA Times (Best of)
Eames House Conservation Project: in-situ paint analysis of exterior metal finishes; paint excavation, optical microscopy, reporting, and dissemination
The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, CA September 2010 – September 2011
Getty Graduate Internship Fellow, Science Department, Modern and Contemporary Art Material Research
Herculaneum Project: Casa del Bicentenario: condition mapping of Tablinum murals
Anti-Graffiti Coatings Project: research and experimentation on coatings for outdoor murals
Treatment of Jack Youngerman, Red-Vermillion, 1961
Clyfford Still, Materials and Techniques: cross-sectional optical microscopy and ESEM of paint samples
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, China Summer 2010
Collaboration with Tsinghua University, Fengguo Temple, Yixian County, China
Conservation Intern and student team leader
Examination and documentation of 12th-century Buddhist murals; on-site microscopy, ultraviolet illumination, and graphic documentation mapping with Metigo Map software
Material analysis of paint samples taken at Fengguosi, including cross-section optical microscopy and FTIR, performed at the Winterthur labs
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, China Summer 2010
Collaboration with the Palace Museum, Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Conservation Intern and student team leader
Examination and documentation of 12th-century Buddhist murals including graphic documentation mapping with Metigo Map software and dissemination.
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation August 2008-August 2011
Wilmington, DE
Graduate Fellow, Paintings Conservation
Treatment of Alice Neel, Grade Crossing, estimated 1935
Treatment of Felrath Hines, Sentinel II, 1983
Treatment of Adolf Luben, Untitled, late 19th century
Conservation Intern, Willard Borow, Reba and Muriel, mid 20th century
Conservation Intern, mural, Taber Sears, Ave Maria, 1923, Holy Innocent’s Church, Brooklyn, NY
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, January-May 2010
Teacher’s Assistant, Undergraduate Internship in the Conservation of Paintings, Instructor: Joyce Hill Stoner
Instructed undergraduate students in consolidation, filling, and inpainting
Taught students about optical microscopy and aided them in cross-sectional microscopy
Interactive Curriculum Vitae (Selected)
Download PDF of complete CV
Education
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation
Fall 2008-Summer 2011, Master of Science in Art Conservation, Certificate in Painting Conservation
Pratt Institute of Art and Design, Brooklyn, NY
Fall 1997-Spring 2001, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking
Awards, Grants, Fellowships
Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge 2015, Finalist, for work on the Art Preservation Index / APIx.
Hen Hatch Startup Funding Competition 2015, University of Delaware Horn School of Entrepreneurship, Third Place, for work on the Art Preservation Index / APIx.
ArtSlant Showcase Winner, Round 1, 2015, for BLOODWORK series microscopy-based artwork
Miami Herald 20 Under 40 Emerging Leaders, 2014, for work on the Art Preservation Index / APIx
Getty Graduate Internship Fellowship, 2010 - 2011, for work in the Modern and Contemporary Art Material Research department at the Getty Conservation Institute
Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation George Stout Grant, 2011, for travel to present at the American Institute for Conservation annual conference
Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation Graduate Fellowship, 2008 – 2010, for master’s level education in art conservation
Betty Fiske Award in Asian Art Preservation, 2010, for international travel related to Chinese art connoisseurship
Samuel H. Kress Foundation Grant, 2010, for international travel to participate in the Tsinghua University/University of Delaware Fengguo Temple Project
The Society of Winterthur Fellows Professional Development Award, 2009, for international travel to attend a conference in the conservation of paintings
Research
Stability rating system for fine art, 2014-Current
Materials and techniques of Roman wall paintings, 2011-Current
Graphic documentation methods for art conservation, 2009-Current
History of exterior metal finishes on the Eames House, 2012-2013
Anti-graffiti coatings, supervised by Tom Learner and Leslie Rainer, 2010-2011
Murals in America, 1893 to present, supervised by Joyce Hill Stoner, Spring 2010
Materials and techniques of Chinese wall paintings, Summer 2010
Materials and techniques of Spanish Colonial paintings, Spring 2010
16th-century European paneled strainer construction, specifically El Greco strainers, supervised by Brian Baade, Fall 2009
Methods of measuring morphological changes in acrylic films, and experimental set-up design, assisting Richard Wolbers, Summer 2009
Publications
Fifteen Shades of Grey…? Paint Color Analysis on the Eames House. Getty Conservation Institute. Coauthored by Alan Phenix, Tom Learner, and Kyle Normandin; expected 2016.
Observations on Materials and Techniques Used in Roman Wall Paintings from the Tablinum of the House of the Bicentenary at Herculaneum. Selected Papers in Ancient Art and Architecture, AIA Monographs, vol. 1. Coauthored by Leslie Rainer and Francesca Pique; expected late 2015.
Research into Anti-graffiti Coatings for Acrylic Murals: Preliminary Testing and Evaluation. Modern and Contemporary Mural Paintings 2012 Conference Proceedings. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Coauthored by Leslie Rainer and Tom Learner. May 2015.
Preserving a Legacy, Getty Conservation Institute Contribution [the conservation of America Tropical by David Alfaro Siqueiros]. Getty Research Journal. Coauthored by Leslie Rainer; expected early 2014. Download
Speed, Precision, and a Lighter Load: Metigo MAP 3.0, a Great Advancement in Condition Mapping for Large-Scale Projects. American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting, Painting Specialty Group Postprints. June 2012. Download
Emily MacDonald-Korth and Carlos Moya: Fengguo Temple, Yixian, China. UD Daily (University of Delaware). Coauthored by Carlos Moya. July 2010. Link to article
Report from Emily MacDonald-Korth, Western Center for the Conservation of Fine Arts, Denver. UD Daily (University of Delaware). August 2009. Link to article
Presentations and Lectures
“Conservators in Private Practice/Emerging Conservators Professional Network Discussion Panel”
Presenter and Panelist, American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting, Miami, May 2015
“Art Preservation Index / APIx”
Presenter, University of Delaware, April 2015
“Art Preservation Index / APIx Business Plan Challenge Video Pitch”
Presenter, Miami Herald, March 2015
“Miami Herald Top 20 Under 40 Award - Art Preservation Index / APIx Overview”
Presenter, Miami Center for Architecture and Design, December 2014
“Reuters Global Market Forum Live Chat”
Interviewee, Reuters, September 2014
"Mounting Paint Samples Using the Phenix Method"
Lecturer and Instructor, Getty Conservation Institute, April 2014
“Fifteen Shades of Grey…? Paint Color Analysis on the Eames House”
Presenter, American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, June 2013; coauthored by Alan Phenix, Tom Learner, and Kyle Normandin Link to presentation
“Observations on Materials and Techniques Used in Roman Wall Paintings from the Tablinum of the Casa del Bicentenario at Herculaneum”
Presenter, Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting, Seattle, January 2013; coauthored by Leslie Rainer
“Research into Anti-graffiti Coatings for Acrylic Murals: Preliminary Testing and Evaluation”
Presenter, Modern and Contemporary Mural Paintings, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain, June 2012; coauthored by Leslie Rainer and Tom Learner Link to presentation
“Speed, Precision, and a Lighter Load: Metigo MAP 3.0, a Great Advancement in Condition Mapping for Large-Scale Projects”
Presenter, American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, June 2011 Link to presentation
“Tsinghua University/University of Delaware Collaboration: Fengguosi Documentation and Research Project”
Guest Lecturer, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, May 2011
“University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation: Education on Campus and Abroad”
Guest Lecturer, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, May 2011
“New Technology for an Ancient Practice: Documentation Mapping with Metigo Map 3.0”
Conservation Lecture Series, The J. Paul Getty Museum, January 2011
Guest lecturer, The Getty Conservation Institute, January 2011
Guest lecturer, Winterthur Museum, July 2010
Guest lecturer, University of Delaware, July 2010
Guest lecturer, The Palace Museum, Beijing, China, July 2010
Guest lecturer, Fengguosi Temple, Yixian County, China, June 2010
“Authentication of Two Spanish Colonial Paintings”
Graduate Lecture Series, Winterthur Museum, May 2010
“Introduction to Optical Microscopy for Art Conservation”
Guest lecturer, University of Delaware, July 2010
Guest lecturer, University of Delaware, April 2010
Guest lecturer, University of Delaware, February 2010
“Conservation Out West,” Summer Work Project Presentation
Graduate Lecture Series, Winterthur Museum, November 2009
Guest lecturer for ARTC 101, University of Delaware, November 2009
Art Exhibitions
Emily MK, Solo Exhibition, Glass Wheel Studio Gallery, Norfolk, VA, 2016 (Artist)
Title TBD, Placeholder Gallery, Miami, FL, 2015 (Artist)
Emily MK, Solo Exhibition, Placeholder Gallery, Miami, FL, 2015 (Artist)
Slide Luck, Bass Museum of Art, Miami, FL, 2015 (Artist)
Back to the USSR…?, Temple House, Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL, 2014 (Artist)
The Whitney Houston Biennial, DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY, 2014 (Artist)
Wish You Were Here, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY, 2006 (Artist)
Generations V, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY, 2006 (Artist)
Life of the City, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 2002 (Artist)
Reactions, Exit Art Gallery, New York, NY, 2002 (Artist)
Senior Pratt Show, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 2001(Artist)
Dynamic Print Show, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 2001 (Artist and Co-curator)
Relief Printing, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 2001 (Artist)
Pratt Printmakers, Tillie’s of Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, 2000 (Exhibitor and Co-curator)
Summer Show, Pratt Institute, NY, 2000 (Artist)
Emily M-K, Life, New York, NY, (Solo Exhibition) 1999 (Artist)
American Fancy, Second Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, 1999 (Exhibitor and Co-curator)
Selected Press Coverage
Smithsonian Magazine, interview, for forensic work at Herculaneum archaeological site, 2015
Miami Herald, Business Plan Challenge, 2015
Private Art Investor, interview, art world leaders give expert insights into 2015 art market, 2015
Miami Herald, interview, Top 20 Under 40, 2014
Private Art Investor, interview, discussion of art markets and Art Preservation Index/APIx, 2014
Worth Magazine, feature about Art Preservation Index/APIx, 2014
FINalternatives, interview, discussion of art markets and Art Preservation Index/APIx, 2014
Reuters, interview, discussion of art markets and Art Preservation Index/APIx, 2014
Reuters Global Market Forum, interview, discussion of art markets and Art Preservation Index, 2014
Barron’s/Wall Street Journal, interview, discussion of art markets and Art Preservation Index, 2014
LA Business Journal, feature about Art Preservation Index/APIx, 2014
LA Times, for work on Eames House paint analysis, 2013
LA Times, for work on Siqueiros America Tropical, 2013