Glenn Wharton

Glenn Wharton holds the Lore and Gerald Cunard Chair in the UCLA/Getty Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage and serves as Professor of Art History and Conservation of Material Culture at the University of California, Los Angeles. His work bridges academic research with practical conservation through the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and Department of Art History.

His educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in Conservation from University College London (2005) and an M.A. in Conservation from Cooperstown Graduate Programs (1981). These credentials underpin his interdisciplinary approach to cultural heritage.

Wharton's research critically examines Archaeological Conservation, Illicit Trade in Cultural Heritage, and Contemporary Art Conservation with specialized focus on time-based media. He pioneers frameworks addressing social justice, inclusion, and climate change within conservation ethics. His methodology integrates community engagement with technical art history, particularly in Pacific heritage contexts and digital art preservation.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals three dominant trajectories: the conservation of digital/time-based media (40% of output), sustainability in heritage practice (30%), and ethical frameworks for community-engaged conservation (30%). His work consistently challenges traditional conservation paradigms through case studies of complex artworks and institutional collaborations.

His accolades demonstrate field-wide recognition:

• American Institute for Conservation Keck Award (2022) for educational impact
• Getty Conservation Institute Fellowship (2017)
• College Art Association Award for Scholarship (2014)
• Historic Hawai’i Foundation Media Award (2012) for The Painted King
• Digital Pedagogy Grant from NYU (2018)
• Pasold Research Fund support (2015)

Wharton directs the Artist Archives Initiative and collaborates with major institutions including MoMA and The Met. His grant-funded projects establish university-museum partnerships that transform media conservation training while developing sustainable practices for digital heritage. Current work focuses on ethical frameworks for conserving fragile digital artworks amid rapid technological obsolescence.

He leads cross-institutional teams developing the Joan Jonas Knowledge Base and digital preservation protocols for artist archives. These initiatives integrate computer scientists, conservators, and artists to address digital fragility through innovative documentation systems and institutional policy reform.