Bringing together the international mountmaking community
The 10th International Mountmakers Forum
"Back to Basics, Outside the Box"
was held November 3-5, 2026 in San Francisco, California
at the Asian Art Museum.
Our theme for IMF2026 was “Back to Basics, Outside the Box."
AGENDA
Download a copy of
the agenda with times:
TUESDAY, Day 1
NOVEMBER 3
Opening Remarks by Sheila Payaqui, Head of Conservation, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
MORNING SESSION
Mountmaking at Asian Art Museum
Vincent Avalos, Conservation Mountmaker, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Controlled Sliding-Based Seismic Protection of Freestanding Museum Artifacts: A Study on Burnt City Pottery
MOUNTMAKING: A school where teachers are the community
How to use 4 basic materials to install 700 objects in 5 days
A Foggy Process: Making Mounts With Low Visibility
The Mounting a Qing Dynasty Ceremonial Armor
Corine Siegmund
Creating, Preparing and Installing exhibits in a museum without walls
Roman Korolev
Positives and Negatives: Magnet Stories from NMAI
AFTERNOON SESSION
Building Support: An International Partnership in Mountmaking Practice
Nick Clemens
Câtâlin Burtea
New Ways, Old Ways
The Setup is Everything! Reassembling a Korean Buddhist Bronze
Mounting Movement: Bringing Hula Regalia to Life in Ea Mai ‘Eiwa
Remarks by BJ Farrar & Peter Rosen
Panel Discussion: IMF: Past, Present, and Future
Moderated by Sheila Payaqui
Closing Remarks by Sheila Payaqui
WEDNESDAY, Day 2
NOVEMBER 4
Welcome Back remarks by Sheila Payaqui
MORNING SESSION
Bringing Artist Books to Life: Object Mounting Strategies for Complex Book Structures in Paper Universe
Aluminum Book Cradles: a non-toxic, sustainable alternative to plastics
Repurposing Insect Pins: Precision Mounting Techniques for Jewellery and Lightweight Artefacts
Rasyiqah Nabilah (Syiqah)
A Reversible Mechanical System for Interchangeable Hanging Scroll Knobs
Mountmaking as Medium
Mom Said to Share: DIY mount padding and alphabet blanks
AIC Materials Working Group
Jack of All Trades
The Importance of Installation Templates and How to Make Good Ones
Ringbearer: Mounting a Tree Slice at Green-Wood Cemetery
Access Calling: A Conservation Treatment Prioritizing Future Accessibility
Basics of methods and materials around museum habitats, exhibitions and aquariums
Michael Hubbard
Ian Hart
From Broken to Rebuilt: 3D scanning and printing as a solution for irreparable specimen damage
AFTERNOON SESSION
Introduction of Posters and Demonstrations by Vincent Avalos
From Timber to Aluminium: Developing Crate Systems for Active Storage
Sunhee Moon
Yiqing Wang
From Storage to Display: Conservation-Oriented Mounting Solutions for Medieval Seals
Wedgular: Developing a Modular, Sustainable Book Cradle System at the State Library of New South Wales
Samurai armor
Denise Migdail
Demonstration of Apps
Philip Brutz
One Object, One Position: Modular storage for fragile objects
Closing Remarks by Vincent Avalos
THURSDAY, Day 3
NOVEMBER 5
TOUR DAY
Tours will be available by sign up for the following:
Asian Art Museum facilities
IMF2026 SHIRTS
GET YOURS NOW!
All proceeds of shirt sales go to Youth Art Exchange.
YAX primarily serves public high school students, the majority of whom are youth of color, and their staff and faculty reflect the communities they work with. Racial equity is central to how they design programs, build partnerships, and invest resources.
Beyond youth programming, their centers welcome adult learners, working artists, families, cultural practitioners, and neighbors seeking creative connection, skill-building, and community. Whether someone is attending a class, joining a drum circle, exhibiting work, or dropping into a community event, YAX is a place to belong.