Restorer Research Articles

Powerful Patina: The Value of Odors in a Tibetan Buddhist Temple

ABSTRACT In the past decades, attention towards a more sensory perception in the arts and architecture has gained momentum and concerns a variety of disciplines. Nonetheless, hands-on conservation efforts still overwhelmingly concentrate on the visual qualities and values of places. In the following article, I present a case study of a Tibetan–Buddhist temple in Ladakh/India that empirically examines questions of value as they extend to the idea of patina found on wall paintings inside the temple produced by the burning of butter lamps. The layer of soot which obscures these centuries-old wall paintings has particular olfactory qualities. The paper draws from my professional and personal experience as art conservator working with an NGO from 2004 until 2014. It is a methodological re-thinking of our original conservation approach through the framework of Alois Riegl's value model applied to olfactory perceptions of patina. Examined are the meaning of odors concerning heritage values, memory, and the formation of identity. Odors are site-specific, therefore, conservation work at heritage sites needs to include the documentation and value assessment of their olfactory qualities to determine the impact a removal of patina may have on stakeholder communities.

Creation through conservation processes

ABSTRACT When an artwork needs a material intervention, the authority to physically alter and change that work is primarily assigned to the roles of the artist and art conservator. While the subjectivity of artists is celebrated and supported, the subjectivity of conservators is conventionally viewed as an unfortunate reality. More energy has been invested in limiting conservation’s subjectivities than in contemplating the images and new meanings that conservators inevitably create, and exploring the possibilities these open. The following paper comprises a series of conversational meditations on creations made through conservation processes, cowritten by paintings conservator Annika Svendsen Finne and artist Gala Porras-Kim. Through the themes of newness, potentiality, and possession, the authors reflect on ways in which the conservation needs of objects can lead conservators to take part in their authorship, as well as on the relationships that form, have formed, and could form between their two respective practices of art-repair and art-making.

Detection of Active Infestation by Wood-Boring Insects via Acoustic Emission using the IADS (Insect Activity Detection System)

The preservation of wooden art and cultural artifacts is severely threatened by the infestation of wood-boring insects. Distinguishing between active and inactive infestations in practice poses a significant challenge, often leading to unnecessary treatments or delayed actions. This article focuses on the examination of the Insect Activity Detection System (IADS), an innovative AE measurement device for the detection of feeding noises of wood-boring larvae. Starting with an overview of the theoretical framework, the results of practical experiments are shown. Finally, we will present some possible applications of IADS in the conservation of art and cultural heritage.

Han Dynasty Portrait Image Feature Extraction and Cloud Computing-supported Symbolic Interpretation: A New Approach to Cultural Heritage Digitalization

The study introduces the Cloud Computing-based Cultural Heritage Digitization (CCBCHD) framework, a groundbreaking approach that utilizes advanced convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transfer learning techniques for digitizing and analyzing Han Dynasty portraits. This innovative method addresses the challenges associated with extracting features and symbolically interpreting these culturally significant artworks. CNNs play a crucial role in the CCBCHD system, enabling the efficient extraction of complex features and patterns inherent in the Han Dynasty portraits. These features are essential for understanding the historical and cultural context of the artworks. The integration of transfer learning is another pivotal aspect of this framework. It allows the model to leverage pre-existing knowledge from extensive image datasets, thereby enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of the system in recognizing and interpreting the unique characteristics of these portraits. Moreover, the incorporation of cloud computing within the CCBCHD framework provides scalable computational resources. This scalability is vital for handling extensive data processing and enables real-time analysis, a critical factor in the digitization process. The synergy of deep learning with cloud computing not only ensures precise feature extraction and interpretation but also plays a significant role in preserving and making cultural heritage accessible in the digital domain. This accessibility is particularly important for artworks like the Han Dynasty portraits, which hold immense historical and cultural value. In essence, the CCBCHD framework represents a significant advancement in the field of digital preservation of cultural artifacts. It offers a solution that is not only scalable and efficient but also intelligent, ensuring that the rich legacy of cultural heritage can be preserved and appreciated in the digital era. By adopting such technologies, the study underscores the potential of AI and cloud computing in transforming the ways we preserve, study, and interact with cultural heritage, opening new avenues for exploration and understanding in the realm of art history and conservation.

Caring for the living: the conservation of performance art

ABSTRACT As many disciplines are beginning to reckon with their contributions to historical injustices, so conservation must acknowledge and reflect on the number of its practices that continue to reinforce colonial and imperial legacies. Though such work is currently taking place in ethnographic museums, rethinking conservation and repairing its harms should be the aim of the entire museum community. Using case studies drawn from performance art, this paper demonstrates how performance challenges traditional paradigms of institutional collecting and conservation, and calls for a rethinking of certain museum procedures. It proposes the emerging scholarship on performance art conservation as a potential force for an expanded definition of conservation that puts people at its center. To this end, it presents performance as not only a conservation object to be cared for, but also a tool to care with, reframing the aim of conservation as preserving the vitality of relationships between objects and communities.

The impact of traditional Chinese paper-cutting in digital protection for intangible cultural heritage under virtual reality technology

Under the impact of the digital wave, traditional paper-cutting art faces unprecedented challenges in preservation and dissemination. Given the urgent need for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) protection, this study explores the application of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in the preservation of paper-cutting art. VR efficiently digitizes and widely disseminates paper-cutting art by skillfully integrating modern technological elements. The study not only deeply analyzes how VR technology can safeguard and inherit traditional Chinese paper-cutting art but also focuses on the meticulous design and optimization of the paper-cutting VR system. The constructed VR system integrates cutting-edge technologies such as 3D modeling and modular design. It showcases outstanding performance in virtual environment rendering and user interaction, rigorously validated through precise evaluation methods. Experimental results demonstrate the paper-cutting VR system's response time of only 10 ms and a high frame rate of 90 frames per second, highlighting its exceptional performance. Furthermore, comprehensive research on the profound impact of the VR system on various stakeholders contributes a new perspective and profound insights into the digital preservation of ICH. In summary, this study successfully innovatively applies VR technology to the protection and dissemination of paper-cutting art, achieving digital preservation goals and injecting new vitality into its inheritance. This pioneering research path opens a hopeful new channel for the digital preservation of ICH and provides a valuable reference for the conservation of other traditional cultures. The study holds critical academic value and significant practical implications. Moreover, the extensive prospects of VR technology in the cultural heritage conservation field urgently require further exploration and investigation.

Blues from Tikuna/Magüta Masks and a Still Unknown Blue Colorant in Technical Art History and Conservation Science

Blues from Tikuna/Magüta Masks and a Still Unknown Blue Colorant in Technical Art History and Conservation Science

Distributionally robust sequential load restoration of distribution system considering random contingencies

AbstractNatural disasters would destroy power grids and lead to blackouts. To enhance resilience of distribution systems, the sequential load restoration strategy can be adopted to restore outage portions using a sequence of control actions, such as switch on/off, load pickup, distributed energy resource dispatch etc. However, the traditional strategy may be unable to restore the distribution system in extreme weather events due to random sequential contingencies during the restoration process. To address this issue, this paper proposes a distributionally robust sequential load restoration strategy to determine restoration actions. Firstly, a novel multi‐time period and multi‐zone contingency occurrence uncertainty set is constructed to model spatial and temporal nature of sequential line contingencies caused by natural disasters. Then, a distributionally robust load restoration model considering uncertain line contingency probability distribution is formulated to maximize the expected restored load amount with respect to the worst‐case line contingency probability distribution. Case studies were carried out on the modified IEEE 123‐node system. Simulation results show that the proposed distributionally robust sequential load restoration strategy can produce a more resilient load restoration strategy against random sequential contingencies. Moreover, as compared with the conventional robust restoration strategy, the proposed strategy yields a less conservative restoration solution.

Current Status of Conservation and Exploitation of Unique Values of Typical Folk Art Forms in Tourism Development in Ethnic Minorities in Ha Giang Province, Vietnam

Ha Giang is a province in the northeastern region of Vietnam, adjacent to the border with China. The 21 ethnic groups living alternately created Ha Giang with a vibrant and diverse cultural picture. Implementing the strategy of taking traditional culture as a driving force for tourism development and promoting tourism to preserve culture, over the past time, Ha Giang province has been quite successful in bringing tangible and intangible cultural values to the world, in which there are types of folk art and literature into the model of community-based tourism to serve tourists. This article presents the current status of exploitation, conservation, and unique values of folk art and literature on ethnic minorities in the socio-economic development of Ha Giang province. This article also evaluates the achievements and limitations of several policies that have been implemented in the past. Hence, the solutions proposed to develop policies to exploit and preserve the values of natural resources include folk art and literature of the ethnic minorities in Ha Giang Province appropriately and effectively, contributing to the province's socio-economic development in the current context.

“Eso Parece Español”. El Patrimonio Conflictivo Compartido de las Dictaduras

The following article is a local case study that examines the shared heritage of German and Spanish fascism in Berlin and its critical artistic reappraisal using the example of historical sites and monuments of art and architecture of the 20th century. The text is based on the experiences and controversial discussions of the heritage conservation andrestoration in the German capital after the opening of the Berlin Wall (1989/90) and the fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe (1989/1991). Characteristic differences in the reception of history and heritage between the western sectors of Berlin and East Berlin after 1945 also became apparent. The text owes essential impulses to the recent Action Group ‘Integrated and Comprehensive Approaches for Dissonant Heritage in Europe’ of the ‘Partnership Culture and Cultural Heritage’ within the framework of the ‘Urban Agenda of the EU’ and is intended as a contribution to the current discussion at the II International PAMEFRAN Conference “Heritege and conflict Debate on the management and treatment of a multifaceted object”. The article opposes a politically motivated iconoclasm of symbols and monuments of autocratic systems of the past and advocates for their critical reappraisal and commentaryin situ.

Leveraging Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs) for enhanced artistic creation: Exploring quality improvement and content control through conditional inputs

Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs) have revolutionized digital art by enabling the creation of high-quality, artistically coherent images guided by conditional inputs. This paper examines key factors influencing the performance of cGANs, including the quality of training data, network architecture improvements, and loss function optimization. We introduce a mathematical model to quantify training data quality, emphasizing dataset diversity, data augmentation, and cleaning. Network architectural enhancements such as residual connections, attention mechanisms, and progressive growing are explored for their impact on image quality. Additionally, we discuss the integration of conditional inputs, such as labels and textual descriptions, for precise content control. Challenges in balancing realism with artistic expression, managing mode collapse, and interpreting conditional inputs are also addressed. This study provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing cGAN-generated artworks, offering insights into applications in personalized art generation, art restoration, and collaborative art projects.

Preventive Conservation: Continuously Defining Itself at the Crossroads of Theory and Practice

ABSTRACT This article discusses the ongoing maturation of the practice of preventive conservation in the US, from something focused on exacting, singular “best practices” to a context guided practice that identifies success when our work supports the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of people, institutions, towns, countries, and the world. It uses the lens of the last 15 years of preventive conservation curriculum at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC), to illustrate a stark contrast between 2009 and 2022. It uses the lens of work done primarily within the framework of AIC to illustrate the stark contrast was achieved by the slow, deliberate, continuous work of many. It offers the perspective that this shift does not require practitioners to disavow and contradict the careful, intentional, purposeful work of the past. Instead, it asks them to see the shift as an outcome of the constant effort to redefine conservation at the intersection of theory and practice.

Art Studio as Preservation Engine: Performance Art Conservation Management Strategies in Purworejo Regency

Performing arts, as the highest manifestation of human creative wisdom, reflect the soul and cultural identity of a nation. In Indonesia, performing arts not only mirror diversity but also are deeply rooted in cultural sustainability. However, traditional arts are fragile in the era of modernity, facing challenges of continuity and extinction. Preservation efforts become an eternal call, with art studios becoming loci for cultural preservation and transformation. Research in the Purworejo region emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional arts in both local and global contexts, reinforcing the spirit of unity in cultural diversity. This research employs a qualitative approach using literature review methods. Saripurnomo Art Studio and Prigel Art Studio in Purworejo Regency employ management strategies to preserve traditional arts. Saripurnomo Art Studio recruits the younger generation to uphold Incling art and promote it through activities and social media. Prigel Art Studio modifies Dolalak dance while maintaining traditional values through adaptation, including collaboration with the government to support its continuity.

The application of chromatography and complementary techniques for wood identification — State of the art and future directions

Summary Wood identification, whether it involves distinguishing between known species or identifying unfamiliar wood samples, is a scientific field increasingly valuable across various disciplines ranging from biology to criminology, structural engineering, and art conservation. It carries a growing economic, commercial, social, and ecological significance. Numerous scientific methods have been employed for wood identification. Visual analysis techniques, such as macroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray tomography, and computer-assisted wood identification, play a pivotal role. Analytical approaches like mass spectrometry, near-infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and DNA barcoding have also been utilised. However, chromatography stands out due to its exceptional precision in providing quantitative and qualitative results, prompting its development and widespread use. This paper offers a critical review of the role of chromatography in wood identification. Advantages are highlighted, including the capability to identify specific components unique to each wood species, thus achieving remarkable differentiation at the species level. Additionally, potential drawbacks are discussed, such as the time-intensive sample preparation procedures, mainly when dealing with materials like wood-polymer composites (WPC), and the absence of an open-source database. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide a broader perspective on the possibilities and limitations of this technique.

A Review on Organic Additives Used in Historic Indian Murals

The scientific identification of organic additives in plaster and mortars has become an appropriate principle in the preparation of compatible repair material. Besides the need to characterise inorganic components, the conservation of mural art is facilitated by the unabridged documentation of organic components particularly mixed in ancient decorative mud/lime plasters support. The review addresses the influence of organic additives in the historic artworks and analytical methods used for their investigation. The paper has considered, the various plant-based organic additives recommended by ancient Indian texts like the Vishnudharmottara purana, Samaranga sutradhara, Silparatna etc., which have been documented and reported. With regard to the mentioned historical texts, plant-based products such as fermented juice, gum, fibres, straw, husk, resin etc., were used as organic additives for the preparation of wall plaster which provides disparate attributes to the plaster thus making it crack free, durable, antioxidant, antibacterial and insect-resistant. Furthermore, the recently reported destructive and non-destructive characterisation techniques based on chromatography, spectroscopy, ionization, and microscopy have also been described here. The mentioned techniques contribute as a fundamental tool to identify proteins, polysaccharides, fatty acids, resinous materials, starch, plant product etc., extracted from the mud/lime plasters and mortars.

Development of insects in newly established grassland over six years: Increased conservation benefits through diverse plant communities

Agri-environmental schemes seek to mitigate the loss of biodiversity by subsidizing the restoration of grassland in Europe. However, little is known about the colonization of newly established grasslands by insects, especially over periods exceeding 1–2 years. Therefore, we investigated the development of species richness, abundance and species assemblages of wild bees, syrphids, butterflies, orthopterans and true bugs in two types of newly established grassland strips in an agricultural landscape in Austria over a six-year time span. We compared currently subsidized plant-species poor grassland strips (SG; Ecological Focus Areas) with newly established grassland strips (NG) that were created with a diverse, regionally adapted seed mixture, to find out whether diverse seed mixtures can ensure lasting improvements in the insect species richness of grassland strips over a 6-year period. We used permanent seminatural grasslands (old grassland OG) as reference habitat. From the first year after establishment, we found no differences in syrphid assemblages between OG and NG. In contrast, true bug assemblages in NG differed significantly from those in OG still five years after establishment. Wild bee, butterfly and orthopteran species composition differences between grassland strips (NG, SG) and permanent grasslands (OG) were decreasing over time. However, we found no evidence of a successional change in insect species assemblages in NG and SG. NG promoted a significantly higher wild bee richness and equivalent syrphid, butterfly, orthoptera and true bug richness compared with OG. Over the study period, NG showed sustained insect diversity, outperforming plant species-poor SG in promoting wild bee, syrphid and true bug richness. Therefore, we suggest that diverse and regional seed mixtures could enhance the effectiveness of grassland restoration for insect conservation and could make re-sowing within the first 6 years after establishment unnecessary.

Amplifying Indigenous Australian Voices in the Conservation and Management of Rock Art

ABSTRACT Rock art is internationally recognised as a tangible connection to cultures past, whose conservation, and management programmes should be developed accordingly. When these heritage places are located within living cultural landscapes and are part of the continuing culture of First Nations people as they are in Australia, there is a fundamental requirement for programmes to be owned and implemented by the relevant communities. However, giving primacy to the voices of those with cultural authority and agency does not always amplify these efforts. To address this challenge, Traditional Owners came together, supported by a land management agency and researchers, to stage a rock art forum for Indigenous Australians in early 2023. This ground-breaking initiative is significant, because the first manual on conserving and managing rock art that gives primacy to the worldviews of Australia’s First Peoples will be an output from the forum. Past Australian publications om this subject have been authored by non-Indigenous scholars and practitioners who considered only an international framework for conserving and managing rock art as a cultural treasure. This paper considers discussions from the forum and the developing manual as shared stories of resilience to manage, protect and celebrate rock art through Indigenous-led initiatives to inform the present and prepare us for future advances in the discipline.

2-year survival and cost analysis of occlusoproximal ART restorations using encapsulated glass ionomer cement in primary molars: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe survival of ART restorations can be influenced by the choice of the restorative material. The aim of this randomized non-inferiority controlled trial was to compare the 2-year survival rate and cost analysis of two encapsulated glass ionomer cements (GIC) as occlusoproximal restorative materials in primary molars.MethodsChildren from public schools in Tietê (Brazil), aged 4–8 years with occlusoproximal dentine carious lesions in primary molars were selected and randomly assigned to receive either Equia Forte (EF) or Riva Self Cure (RSC) as restorative materials. Treatment was carried out by two trained final-year dental students in schools following ART premises. Restorations were assessed by a trained and calibrated examiner after 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The primary outcome was restoration survival after 2 years, analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analysis (α = 5%). Professional and materials costs for each group were collected in Brazilian Reais (R$) and converted into US dollars (US$) and analyzed using Monte-Carlo simulation.ResultsA total of 152 children (76 per group) were included in the study, and 121 (79%) were evaluated after 2 years. The overall 2-year restoration survival rate was 39% (EF = 45%; RSC = 32%) with no difference between the groups. The baseline and 2-year total cost of restorations using RSC was lower when compared to EF (incremental cost: US$ 6.18).ConclusionAfter two years of follow-up, Riva Self Cure shows comparable restoration survival rates to Equia Forte, being more cost-effective in the Brazilian perspective.Trial RegistrationThis randomized clinical trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.Gov - NCT02730000.

Analytical Evaluation of Laser Cleaning Effectiveness in the Context of Contemporary Muralism

Contemporary murals and street art play a critical role in urban culture, serving as platforms for social activism and reflecting the vibrancy of city life. This study within the SuperStaAr project framework examines the challenge of graffiti removal while safeguarding the original synthetic paint layers. Through a detailed investigation using Q-Switch and Long Q-Switch lasers (Nd:YAG), we evaluate the effectiveness and safety of laser cleaning techniques on both unaged and artificially aged mural mock-ups. The initial findings highlight the Q-Switch and Long Q-Switch lasers as promising for removing graffiti without compromising the paint integrity. Our assessment criteria—encompassing residue presence, surface roughness, color changes, cleaning effectiveness, and pigment pickup—were validated through empirical evaluation and supported by colorimetric, micro–ATR–FTIR, and Py–GC/MS analyses. Notably, the incorporation of a passive sampling system for Py–GC/MS analysis facilitates a deeper understanding of the ablated materials without direct sampling from the artwork. This research contributes a foundational framework for the evaluation of laser cleaning in mural conservation, emphasizing the importance of tailored strategies to enhance the sustainability of urban art conservation efforts.

Melanin for Photoprotection and Hair Coloration in the Emerging Era of Nanocosmetics.

Nanotechnology is revolutionizing fields of high social and economic impact. such as human health preservation, energy conversion and storage, environmental decontamination, and art restoration. However, the possible global-scale application of nanomaterials is raising increasing concerns, mostly related to the possible toxicity of materials at the nanoscale. The possibility of using nanomaterials in cosmetics, and hence in products aimed to be applied directly to the human body, even just externally, is strongly debated. Preoccupation arises especially from the consideration that nanomaterials are mostly of synthetic origin, and hence are often seen as "artificial" and their effects as unpredictable. Melanin, in this framework, is a unique material since in nature it plays important roles that specific cosmetics are aimed to cover, such as photoprotection and hair and skin coloration. Moreover, melanin is mostly present in nature in the form of nanoparticles, as is clearly observable in the ink of some animals, like cuttlefish. Moreover, artificial melanin nanoparticles share the same high biocompatibility of the natural ones and the same unique chemical and photochemical properties. Melanin is hence a natural nanocosmetic agent, but its actual application in cosmetics is still under development, also because of regulatory issues. Here, we critically discuss the most recent examples of the application of natural and biomimetic melanin to cosmetics and highlight the requirements and future steps that would improve melanin-based cosmetics in the view of future applications in the everyday market.