Articles & Press
Below you will find a wealth of information about the care of textiles, their importance in our lives, and the movement to preserve them for future generations to enjoy.
The buttons below will help you find articles on a variety of textile topics.
Global Conservation
Franz, Angelika.
“A Delicate Fabric”.
PM History Magazine,
July 2021
English Translation and
German original (PDF)
MacLeod, Ian D., Brennan, J., Car, R.,
“Metal Textile Composites and Improved
Treatment Outcomes Through Application
of In-Situ Corrosion Data.” International Council
of Museums CC, Metal, Switzerland, 2019.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M., and Moreau, Linh A.
Our Ancestors Knew Best:
Traditional Southeast Asian Textile Treatments
and Their Place in Modern Conservation.
SEAMEO SPAFA & QSMT publication,
Bangkok, Thailand, 2019.
Read the pdf.
Our Ancestors Knew Best
2 posters, Caring for Your Textiles, Traditional
Methods, “Traditional Solutions for Pest Mitigation” and “Wet Cleaning Special Textiles,” Bangkok, 2019. Design and Illustration by Ayu Fadira Pospos.
View Poster 1
View Poster 2
Pitchitmarn, Parisa.
“A Walk Through Royal Fashion.”
Bangkok Post, August 2016
See the post
Brennan, Julia., Garcia-Alonso, L., Pianprasankit, N.
“Before They are Gone Expanded: Capturing Traditional Textile Preservation Knowledge in Southeast Asia and Latin America.” International Council of Museums Conservation Congress
(ICOM CC), 18th Triennial.
Read the paper (pdf).
Brennan, J. and Moreau, L.
“Back to the Sources: Reviving Traditions in Textile Preservation in Southeast Asia and Beyond.”
SEAMEO SPAFA, part of International Collaboration on Conservation in the Tropics, Bangkok, 2015.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M.
“Bringing Old Batik Back to Life: Conservation of the American Embassy’s Historic Iwan Tirta Collection.”
Journal Wastra, September 2015.
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia. and Saengsirikulchai, Parichat.
“Textile Conservation in Southeast Asia:
Weaving Together East and West.”
Gaja Mada University, Jogja, Indonesia, 2015.
Read the pdf.
Subkhan.
“Agar Batik Terus Cantik.” Koran Tempo, April 22, 2015.
(“So That Batik Continues to be Beautiful”)
View the pdf.
“Julia Brennan, Textile Conservator.”
Blog post, Tissus & Artisans du Monde, December 2015.
Read the blog
Watch the video
Brennan, Julia M. and Bunnag, Y.
“Thai Official Rank Robes (Sua Khrui) History, Fabrication and the Conservation of Admiral de Richelieu’s 19th c Robe.” Arts of Asia, 2014.
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia.
“Before They are Gone:
Capturing and Sharing the traditional method of textile preservation in Thailand.”
International Council of Museums Conservation Congress (ICOM CC),
17th Triennial, Melbourne, 2014.
(ISBN 978-92-9012-410-8)
Read the PDF.
Coverage of the first conference on Protection of Cultural Property in Asia, 2 parts 2013.
Read the pdf.
Sukhsvasti, U.,
“Conservation Crusader.”
Bangkok Post, Life, February 24, 2011.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia., and Saengsirikulchai, Parichat.
“To Give Without Discrimination:
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 40-year Effort to Preserve Thai Textile Traditions.”
International Council of Museums Conservation Congress (ICOM CC), 16th Triennial, Lisbon, 2011.
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia, M.
A Handbook: How to Take Care of Sacred Objects in the Monasteries.
Friends of Bhutan Culture, Getty Foundation,
Kuensel Publication, 2008.
Read the article.
Brennan, Julia, M.
“Simple Anoxic Storage for Textile Collections in Bhutan”.
International Council of Museums Conservation Congress (ICOM CC),
16th Triennial, New Delhi, 2008.
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia M.
“One, Two, Three, Viva Algerie.”
Textile Society of America Newsletter, Fall 2007.
Read the article.
Brennan, Julia.
“The Conservation of Textiles in Bhutan:
Cultural and Conservation Challenges.”
Talk at Siam Society, Bangkok, Thailand, 2007.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M.
“Conservation: The Past as Prologue,
The Legendary Lamba”.
Textile Society of America Newsletter, Spring 2005.
Read the article.
Brennan, Julia M.
“Textile Conservation in the Kingdom of Bhutan”.
Textile Society of America Newsletter, Spring 2005.
Read the pdf.
Dorji, Kinley Y. “A new way to preserve textiles.” Kuensel, Bhutan, December 17, 2005.
Read the pdf.
“Conserving History”. Tashi Delek Magazine,
Druk Air, Bhutan, June 2004.
Read the article.
“Conservation Training Workshop Bhutan”. Kuensel online, February 28, 2004.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M.
Handicrafts in Bangladesh, Tearcraft, UK, 1976.
(Senior HS photo journal study Bangladesh’s jute,
grass, and textile handicraft traditions
and the women who make them.)
Read the handbook (pdf).
Haq, Fayza,
“Julia Brennan, Headway with Handicrafts.”
Bangladesh Times, November 25, 1976.
Read the paper (pdf).
General Conservation
Brennan, Julia M. “Teaching Preventive Conservation and Textile Treatments in Asia and Africa.”
In book: Textile Conservation Advances in Practice,
2nd Edition, edited by Ewer, P. and Lennard, F., Routledge, 2024.
Read the chapter (pdf)
Brennan, Julia.
“Inclusive Conservation: Heart-Based Science.”
In Conserving Active Matter,
printed with permission from Bard Graduate Center,
New York, 2022.
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia, M., and Moreau, Linh A.
“Protecting Textiles from Insects
with Traditional Plant Methods.”
Textiles Asia, Vol. 12, Issue 1, May 2020
Read the pdf.
Koncius, Jura.
“Julia Brennan of Caring for Textiles
on Preserving Heirlooms.”
Washington Post Home, September 26, 2019.
Read the article.
Alter, Cathy.
“Noble Effort: Bringing Lady Astor’s Coronation
Outfit Back to Life.”
Washington Post Magazine, May 10, 2015/
Read the Article.
“Ask the Archivist: Preserving Heirloom Quilts.”
Family Tree Magazine, May/June 2013.
Read the pdf.
Koncius, Jura.
“Treasured. Amid a national decluttering frenzy,
5 families share the heirlooms they cannot part with.” Washington Post Magazine, September 22, 2019.
Read the PDF.
Sider, Sandra and Berthon, Magali, A.,
“Julia M. Brennan talks about textile conservation.”
SAQA Art Quilt Collector, 2017.
Read the PDF.
Greco, JoAnn,
“Saving Clothing for History’s Sake, Julia Brennan’81.”
Barnard Magazine, Spring 2017
Read the PDF
Warner, Sherida.
“Conservator Gives Aging Textiles New Life.”
The Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, March 23, 2014.
Read the PDF.
Lee-Young, Joanne.
“A Guardian of Rare, Exotic Fabrics.”
The Wall Street Journal, Mansion, March 8, 2013
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia, M. “Preservation Begins at Home:
How to Care for Your Textile Collection.”
Textiles Asia, Vol. 5, Issue 2, September 2013.
Read the pdf.
Koncius, Jura.
“The Real Fixers of D.C.”
Washington Post, Local Living, October 10, 2013.
Read the PDF.
Huber, Jeanne.
“How to mend or store an old quilt.”
Washington Post, Home, May 19, 2011
Read the article.
“From the Executive Director Leslie Buhler.”
Tudor Place Times, Spring/Summer 2006
Read the article.
Robbins, Valerie S.
“A Love of Textiles.”
Bulletin of Miss Porter’s School, Summer 2003.
Read the PDF.
Person, Judith.
“Conserving the Past.”
The Washington Times, December 6, 2002
Read the pdf.
Negative Heritage | Difficult Histories
Brennan, Julia M., Berthon, M.A.
“Threads of Evidence: Textile and Clothing Remains at Tuol Sleng.” In Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum: A Multifaceted History of Khmer Rouge Crimes, edited by Stéphanie Benzaquen-Gautier and Anne-Laure Porée, Brill, Leiden, 2024.
Read the chapter.
Brennan, Julia M., “Preservation of Clothing and Memory in Cambodia: A Collaborative Model.” AICCM Bulletin, 2023, DOI:10.1080/
10344233.2021.1982539
Read the pdf.
Berthon, M.A.
“Remembering S-21 Victims Through Their Clothes.”
Studies in Fashion, Vol.4, Issue 2, Article 2, 2023.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M., and Peterson-Grace, J.
“Ethical Flexibility and the Principles of Preserving Genocide Clothing.”
North American Textile Conservation Conference (NATCC), 2022
Read the paper (pdf)
Watch the presentation (video)
Poll, Zoey.
“Preserving Brutal Histories, One Garment at a Time.”
New York Times, The Saturday Profile, January 22, 2021.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M. and Kho, C., Chheang, S.,
Chean, C., Ping, S., Choub, S.,
“Textiles of Human Tragedies: Preservation Efforts at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.”
Washington Conservation Guild video talk, May 6, 2021.
View the video.
Hul, Reaksmey, “Khmer Rouge Victims Welcome Preservation of Textiles at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.” Voice of America (VOA) Khmer, January 2020.
Read the article.
Mesa, Sun.
“US Provides Grant Aid to Preserve S-21 Prison Items.” Khmer Times, January 17, 2020.
Read the pdf.
Brennan, Julia M., Peterson, J., Kho, C. “Establishing a Collaborative and Creative Approach to the Preservation of Genocide Clothing.”
International Council of Museums Congress (ICOM), Kyoto, 2019.
Read the pdf.
Ten, Soksreinth.
“Cambodian Museum Protects Clothing Worn by Khmer Rouge Victims.”
VOANews.com, February 16, 2018.
Read the article.
Peck, Grant, and Cheang, Sopheng. “Cambodian genocide documented in victims’ preserved clothes.”
The Associated Press (AP), March 1, 2018.
(photos Heng Sinith)
Read the article (pdf).
Greco, JoAnn,
“Protecting ‘Negative Heritage’ in Rwanda.”
The Pennsylvania Gazette, January/February 2017
Read the pdf.
Nkurunziza, Michel.
“CNLG starts conservation of artifact of Genocide victims.” New Times, Rwanda, February 2017.
Read the article.
Coverage of the first conference on Protection of Cultural Property in Asia, 2 parts 2013.
Read the pdf.
Cultural Heritage Protection
Brennan, Julia, M.
“Deterring the Illicit Art Trade and
Preserving Cultural Heritage”.
International Conference on Protection of Cultural Property in Asia, Bhutan, 2013.
Read the PDF.
Brennan, Julia M.
“MA Thesis. Art Trade and Preserving Cultural Heritage: Redefining the Preventive Conservation Mandate”. MA Thesis. Association for the Research into Crimes Against Art, 2011.
Read the PDF.
ARCA Articles
Coverage of the first conference on Protection of Cultural Property in Asia, 2 parts 2013.
Read the pdf.
Restoring the Ottoman style wall fabrics at the Turkish Residence ballroom 3 parts 2011.
Read the article.
Renowned Conservator Discusses Art, Art Crime and Van Eyck suite 101 & ARCA, 2010.
Read the article.
Art Crime exhibition in DC, The Dark Arts,
Thieves, Forgers and Tomb Raiders, 2010.
Read the article.
ARCA Alum Julia Brennan speaks to
ICOM Legal Issues Committee 2010.
Read the article.
