CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 3

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

It's the final test!

This month's post will focus on the challenges surrounding cultural heritage. Every community has their own obstacles in regards to which stories they want to share with future generations, and how it should be passed on. Of course, cultural heritage will not survive all by itself. Most of the time, groups of people need to work together to keep it alive!

Nadampha Cultural Festival. Source.

When it comes to defending our own personal history and culture, some people go to great lengths to protect it. Want to see how far you might go? Based on my own knowledge, try this little quiz that I made to learn more about cultural heritage challenges.

If you answer "YES" to any of the statements in italics, give yourself five points! If you answer "NO," then add zero points. Keep a tally of your score, and read about your results at the end.

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Teaching the Next Generation

I would teach the next generations about my cultural heritage, by practicing some of my traditions.

Whether you're sharing a dinner recipe, practicing a wedding ritual, or telling a story, the passing down of cultural heritage traditions is the best way to preserve our history for the future. It is important that you find what is meaningful to you, and try sharing your passions and ideas with others.

Protesting Misrepresentations

I would protest any published work, public event, or governing body that misrepresents my community's history. 

If you have ever heard the phrase, "History is written by the winners" then you know that not all textbooks tell the whole truth. It is important to vocalize when you feel your community is being targeted or misunderstood. However, these actions can have grave consequences, like being jailed, or being publicly humiliated for speaking out. It is important to both protest, and listen to protesters, respectfully.

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Physical Suffering

I would suffer injury or death to protect my cultural heritage.

To many, cultural heritage is at the core of a person's identity. If people do not understand their culture, chances are that they feel lost or abandoned. For this reason, cultural heritage is especially significant in our understanding of one another, and our place in the world. This also means that a small number of people will go to extremes to protect it from harm, including putting their own lives at risk.

Genuine Interest

I would do further research about different cultural heritages, and try to learn more about it.

It is especially important to realize that cultural heritage will evolve overtime. Traditions change, borders change, people mix, cultures mix, and these are often unavoidable. Ultimately, we need to stay open to learning more about our own culture heritage and those belonging to others. How else are we supposed to learn about the world? Go and experience as much as you can!

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Results of Tallied Points
0 points = There's still time to try and learn more about cultural heritage! Try to research your ancestry, or join in on another culture's traditions to understand it better.

5 points = You're on your way to protecting cultural heritage! Keep looking for some safe and enjoyable ways to experience more.

10 points = Well done! You are an ally to cultural heritage! There's always more to learn, so try to keep up with the evolving changes.

15 points = Wow, you're a regular defender of cultural heritage! Remember to explore innovative ways to preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

20 points = You're all fired up to protect cultural heritage! Be wary of more dangerous methods of safeguarding your cultural heritage, but continue trying to learn as much as you can from varying perspectives on cultural heritage.

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There's a lot of challenges involved in protecting and preserving cultural heritage, like apathy, disrespect, or close-mindedness from others. The important thing is that we try to experience as much as we can, with as many people as possible, and from as many different cultures as possible. That way, cultural heritage will not only survive, it will thrive for many years to come.

Thanks for trying out the quizzes! See you again soon!

CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 2

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Ready to test your knowledge?

This month's post will focus on the varying levels of significance associated with cultural heritage. Now, we could easily write a whole book series on this subject, but I want to give you a light-read for the summer. So... here is another quiz to get you thinking about it!

As mentioned in the last post, this quiz is a little challenging because the significance given to a cultural heritage item will be different for everyone. Often, museum professionals and archivists (my other love) are faced with the problem of limited storage space and resources. As much as we'd like to, we can't keep everything! This quiz will hopefully give you an idea as to why some cultural heritage is worth keeping over others.

An image depicting Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours. Source.

For the following items, decide whether we should SAVE or TOSS each example of tangible or intangible cultural heritage. Remember: Cultural heritage can be material or immaterial, and it represents the legacy of a group of people, which has been preserved for future generations.

1. Oral History of Lake Saint Anne: A Métis story about the healing properties and spiritual energy associated with the waters.
2. "The Entombment": An unfinished painting by Michelangelo, depicting the burial of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion.
3. "Purple Rain" Cassette Tape: A 1984 song by Prince.
4. Two thousand pieces of pumice stone: These tiny 3 cm x 3 cm pieces of volcanic debris are from Pompeii.
5. Mapuche Language: Spoken primarily in parts of Chile and Argentina, there are approximately 100,000 speakers in the world.

Here we go! Answers will follow!

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Oral History of Lake Saint Anne: SAVE

The whole purpose of oral histories is to keep telling them to the next generation! We cannot discard an example of intangible heritage that is closely linked to the present-day functions of a culture. Storytelling that is representative of a culture's ideologies and practices can be preserved by talking in-person, or by audio-visual recordings, and should be considered a priority. This is particularly important for indigenous groups, but intangible heritage is generally valuable for every culture.

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"The Entombment": SAVE

Now, if an artwork is incomplete and we cannot communicate with the owner, there are all kinds of debates about whether the piece should be sold or displayed at all. However, unfinished work by a famous artist, such as Michelangelo, now that's definitely a keeper. For art historians, it is rare and fascinating to study the creative process of a well-known painter. To add, it is rumored that Michelangelo stopped working on this painting, because he was commissioned to start his best known work, the "David" sculpture. The context of the cultural heritage item is important!

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"Purple Rain": TOSS

I'm not saying that Prince's music is bad. I'm saying that cassette tapes are not worth keeping. In this technological era, music is digitally preserved. If an archive chooses to keep a cassette tape, this means that they also need a cassette player, and they need to keep it in good condition for a long, long, time. How many cassette tapes should they keep? For how long? There will be a time when these formats are no longer accessible, so we should update these records to their latest versions, before discarding the old ones. 

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Pumice Stones: TOSS

Do you know how many pumice stones exist from the eruption of Vesuvius? Many. I don't have space in my storage closet for all of those rocks. Not only that, but pumice stones are created all the time, and are not unique to just Naples. (You can even buy them at the drug store.) It's true that the ancient site of Pompeii is historically significant, which is why I suggest the local museums keeps a couple of stones from that particular event, if any. No more than that! It's interesting to preserve a piece of history, and perhaps new information can be discovered about the artifact in the future. Most importantly, this piece of natural heritage needs to stay at it's site of origin, preferably in situ.

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Mapuche Language: SAVE

Real talk: The sad truth is that you don't always have the power to save cultural heritage. The amount of money your institution may have, the number of resources, or the level of expertise of your staff does not matter. Much like oral histories and ceremonies, languages are difficult to preserve because it depends on the participation of the public. You cannot keep having Mapuche speakers, if no one is willing to learn the language. We cannot force people to see the value in preserving cultural heritage. The best we can do is educate others on why it is important to keep, work as a team, and try to save it for as long as possible.

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That's it for this month's post! Deciding to save or toss cultural heritage is never easy, because we hope to keep it all. Everyone has their own opinions on what is important to preserve. To help facilitate our choice, we assess the needs of the public, the item's importance to future generations, and our available resources for preservation. See you next time for our final quiz!

Further Reading

- "Lake Saint Anne" as told by Marge Friedel, a Métis Elder from Edmonton

- University of Saskatchewan Indigenous Studies Portal for oral histories

- More examples of unfinished artwork

- The Guardian's list of endangered languages in the world

CULTURAL HERITAGE QUIZ: PART 1

Heritage Moments | Selin Kahramanoglu

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How much do you know about cultural heritage?

This summer, I'm super excited to be taking on the Heritage Moments column! All three of my blog posts will feature a quiz, gradually introducing readers to more complex topics on cultural heritage. This month's post will be a general overview of its definition.
Are you up for the challenge?

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Pick TRUE or FALSE for each question. Answers will quickly follow, so don't scroll down too much.

1. Cultural heritage is studied in History. 
2. Cultural heritage always takes on a material form.
3. If a culture has no tangible cultural heritage, then it does not exist.
4. Objects are larger than they appear. (Threw you off with this one, didn't I?)

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Answer to #1: TRUE

Cultural heritage is broadly defined as the legacies of a group of people (cultures, or societies), which have been passed on and continues to be preserved for future generations.

• From this definition, of course cultural heritage is found in History! Studying and preserving the past is what historians do best! You know who else would love doing that? Anthropologists, political scientists, writers, artists, urban planners, biologists... 

Oh wait. That's a lot of different professions. (wink wink) That's right, practically every discipline has a reason to study cultural heritage. Everyone can learn something from it!

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Answer to #2: FALSE

When I (poorly) sing a song by ABBA, did I just create it? As much as I'd like to claim "Super Trouper," the song is not mine. The only reason why I know all the words to the '80s song is because that track has transcended generations. I do not have any sheet music, but the melody has been shared globally, and it will continue to circulate for many more years. Sound familiar?

• Tangible: Some cultural heritage takes a physical form - an ancient Greek amphitheater, a painting by Jackson Pollock, or the early drafts of George Orwell's "1984."
• Intangible: Other types of cultural heritage is not a material, but they're still just as valuable - a spoken word poem, oral histories, music, a wedding ceremony, or a digital blog post.

Many people also consider a third category: Natural heritage. This includes cultural landscapes, like Grand Pré, the Medici Villas, or the Matobo Hills.

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Answer to #3: FALSE

What if I told you that dragons are real. I have no animal bones, no reports of sightings, no drawings, or photographs. Do you believe me? No, because I can't prove it.

• If one day, I did find tangible heritage, like a fossilized dragon scale, then it is no longer a myth, right? The physical materials become evidence of its existence. However, did the dragon suddenly become real when I found the bone? No, it was real before, but we just couldn't be sure.

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This idea is true for cultural heritage. Just because we don't have any tangible remains of a culture, that does not mean that they do not exist. Perhaps the group left no trace? Maybe their legacies are all intangible? Think about it!

Answer to #4: TRUE

I’m not just talking about the side-view mirrors of your car. The significance of cultural heritage changes for each person. Perspective is everything!

• Think about a family photo album. If you belong to the family to which the photo album belongs, then this heritage is probably more meaningful to you, than to a non-family member.
• Meaningfulness is not always apparent from the outside. Think about intentionality and symbolism involved in the creation and expression of our heritage. 

Phew, and that's the basics!

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Cultural heritage helps us know more about this world, who lived here, and how these groups interacted. What similarities do we have? How did we develop that idea? Cultural heritage is invaluable to know where we’ve been, so that we can better predict where we’re going.

Stay tuned for next month's post and quiz!

Further Reading
The Khan Academy's definition of Cultural Heritage
UNESCO's World Heritage List
Listen to ABBA's 1980 song "Super Trouper"

HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?

Conservation Tips & Tricks | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Let's talk about ethics.

Picture this: You're a conservator in a prestigious museum (congrats!), and you are tasked with restoring the painting, Woman with a Parasol, by Claude Monet. In this scenario, the painting has been cut along the top of the canvas during its transportation to the museum's collection storage.

It's only ripped. No big deal. Just patch it up, right?

Yes, the tear is near the frame, but in this imaginary scenario the tear also thinly runs down the canvas, and clearly strikes through the image of the young woman in the painting. There's no way to hide the damage. Suddenly, the slashed painting is more problematic than we initially thought. You sure that you want to keep going?

Woman with a Parasol, painted by Claude Monet. Source.

Door Number One: If you choose not to restore the painting, the rip would likely get bigger over time, and it could never be displayed in such a state. Shame would cast a shadow over your institution (sorry, I'm excited for Game of Thrones), because the Monet painting was damaged while in your care. Too bad. There goes your reputation. 

Door Number Two: If you choose to restore the painting, you will need to repair the canvas in the back, but also paint over the front image to cover the ripped edges. The question is, are you willing to paint over an original Monet? If the answer is yes, then welcome to the dark side of conservation practices.

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The restoration of art is a task frequently given to conservators. Sometimes objects get accidentally damaged when moving between spaces, and other times it is an action that was purposefully done. Still, how much work can reasonably be done to repair a work of art, or an artifact, before the restoration impedes the integrity of the original work? At what point would a conservator become a contributing artist?

Now, I know these ethical decisions are hard to make, but don't worry. Remember our golden rule: The point of conservation is to protect the current state of the object, using techniques that are reversible in the future.

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Ethically, conservators are restricted to doing only what is necessary to conserve the object. That's why we would have to repair the painting's canvas. However, adding more paint to the artwork, on top of Monet's existing work, is another moral dilemma.

Here's the good news: Paint can be removed. Impressionism art has layers upon layers of paint, which can be taken off, even if the paint has been dry for decades. If a conservator chooses to paint on top of Monet's work in order to cover the rip, then yes, the conservator's paint job is reversible. So far, so good.

Sorry, there's bad news: The extent of conservation on an object is subjective. Unfortunately, each conservator is not watched by a jury of experts in the lab, telling them when they've overdone it. How can we trust that a conservator knows when to stop tinkering, repairing, altering?

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Don't forget, you are the conservator in this scenario. No one else. The decision is yours to make. The mistakes are also yours to make. Here are four important tips to following best practices when it comes to ethical dilemmas in conservation:

1. Consult another conservator or specialized expert. Try to not to pick a friend, or a colleague in the same institution, when consulting for a second opinion. You wouldn't want any biased remarks in this case. You need brutal truths on how to proceed with the job.
2. Research previously completed conservation treatments. There are many examples of a job gone wrong, and it is equally helpful to see what decisions you shouldn't be making. At the same time, a similar situation would show you the processes that someone else has already tested out before you.
3. Trust your instincts. If you think that you're in danger of going too far, then the answer is probably yes. Do you think your hand is too shaky to patch up the painting today? Then, take a break. Are you unsure as to which solvent test to do? Ask someone. Don't guess, and don't push yourself to do the job.
4. Take some risks. I know ethical dilemmas are scary, especially if you're the one in charge. Still, we should be trying to push the boundaries of our professions. Demand an answer to tough questions. If you have a strong rationale behind your decision, then do it!

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Like most ethical issues, this topic can be debated, and I won't pretend to have a definite solution. However, I encourage you to think about these problems when you go on a museum visit, or tour a historical site this summer. Take a walk through the unknown and dangerous side of conservation!

MORE THAN JUST BROKEN ARTIFACTS

Conservation Tips & Tricks | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Imagine if the wings of Winged Victory were smashed into so many little pieces that it was impossible to recover. It is true that the statue’s head and arm are already missing, but the artwork is made famous by its wings. Currently housed at the Louvre, and dated to almost the 2nd century BCE, this statue demonstrates the essence of Hellenistic marble and artistry. The wings are the iconic part of the statue. They are at the very core of the statue’s significance. The wings are everything.

For conservators, this is a critical moment.

Do they make plaster replicas of the wings, and add it back to the statue so that it is whole again?

Or, do they leave it the way it is?

Statue of Winged Victory, also called Nike of Samothrace. Source.

When it comes to restoration, some of our conservation decisions will be questionable. People will agree with us, and people will certainly disagree too. Still, these tough decisions need to be made. Who is to stay which choice is right? In this post, we think about the general advantages and disadvantages to the restoration of artifacts, and how they are more than just broken objects. 

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Advantages

There are a lot of reasons why we might choose to restore a damaged artifact. Especially if it is within the museum’s budget, expertise, and resources to do so, why wouldn’t we try to rescue it? The whole point of conservation is to try to keep the original state of the artifact as much as possible, so of course, conservators would try their best to accomplish that. 

To add, if an artifact is damaged while under the protection of the museum, the institution may wish to erase any evidence of the incident. A museum’s reputation is at risk when pursuing future acquisitions, if the museum has a history of not keeping good care of its artifacts. 

Generally, restoration helps…

• visitors envision the historical, original state of the artifact on display 
• forget that the artifact was ever damaged
• show that the museum has sufficient and up-to-date resources to assist conservation efforts
• demonstrate the knowledge and skill of the conservator 

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Disadvantages

Here's where things get fuzzy. Choosing not to restore an artifact can be considered brave, forward-thinking, or more often, risky. If a museum decides to keep a damaged artifact on display, this might show visitors that the incident is now a part of the object's biography. Conservators might say that the damage has been done, and we need to acknowledge this history, not erase it.

Many people might disagree with this tactic, because the sight of the damage could overwhelm the entirety of the artifact. Perhaps, the broken outline is all you see, and any hope at restoring the whole artifact fades. Sometimes, visitors might be angered when seeing the damaged artifact on display, because it reminds us of the damage that had been unwillingly inflicted. However, should we try to subdue this anger? Couldn't this frustration add more significance to the artifact?

Briefly, the lack of restoration means...

• acknowledging the incident that caused the damage
• accepting that the original state of the artifact is now unattainable
• possibly insinuating that the museum does not have the conservation resources to restore it
• allowing visitors to think critically about not restoring every artifact

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Whether we choose to save a damaged artifact, or not, the decision is difficult and with some consequences. The next time you visit a gallery with a damaged artifact on display, or an object that has had obvious repairs made, let's consider why a conservator might choose to present the object in that way. Maybe, there's more to the story?

See you next month for the next post!

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DIGITIZATION TO THE RESCUE

Conservation Tips & Tricks | Selin Kahramanoglu

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The much-anticipated (just humour me, you guys) third and final part of the "Alternative Conservation" series has arrived! This post will address the digitization approach to conservation, using the Lascaux Caves as our case study. Hold onto your floppy disks and let's get going!

Wall painting in the Lascaux Caves. Source.

Don't Get Too Excited

Now, I'm not going to sugar coat this (partly because I'm on a diet), but digitization is some tricky business. Creating digital records is an everyday occurrence that can't be helped. Left and right, born-digital records are being produced almost as often as superhero movies. Unfortunately, with digital records, we can never go back to the original context of the record's creation. For this reason, records are unstable.

Let's say that I want to remember my trip to the Lascaux Caves. I can take a picture, a video, an audio recording, or even a 3D scan of the site. What if I want to post a shorter version of the video of my trip on Instagram? Then, it's no longer the same video. It doesn't matter that the edited video is from the same source, and has the same content. It's been changed, and that's that. No turning back.

Tip: Metadata is always changing and updating, so it's important to acknowledge that it's difficult to keep up with digital records, but not impossible.

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More Bad News

One thing we can't ignore is that digital records live fast, and die young. In the next couple decades, some hardware and software will be obsolete. This means that some records will no longer be accessible, retrievable, or even comprehensible. If you want to record an audio file on your visit to the Lascaux Caves using the recording app of your smartphone, think twice. In two years, that phone won't charge anymore, the battery will die, and your file will be lost.

With planned consumerism, the lifespan of digital mechanics are getting shorter and shorter. Still, the digital method is convenient. Especially when it comes to phones, laptops, and tablets, these digital resources are right at our fingertips. The question is, do you think constantly paying for the newer update is worth the trouble?

Tip: The reality of the matter is that restoring an older digital format or reader is time-consuming, requires resources, expertise, and money. A lot of money.

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ANYTHING Positive to Say?

After all those limitations, why in the world would we use digitization as a conservation method? Remember that digital records are easy to create, to manipulate, and to dispose of. That's why it can be an excellent method for conservation! Let's say that you want to teach someone about how the light dances in the Lascaux Caves. Just take a video and show them. You've just created a digital record of an entire experience, easy-peasy.

With so many artifacts in a museum collection, it is not very realistic to put them all on display. However, digitizing the catalogue and making it available for public online viewing is similar to displaying them. Some museums are strictly digitally accessible. In any case, digitization allows the museum visitor to see and experience much more, pushing the boundaries of the physical museum.

Tip: Limited exhibition space? Place a tablet containing digitized artifacts relevant to the exhibition theme in the gallery to compliment the physical objects on display.

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Finally, Good News

With the digitization of artifacts, rare, and unique object can be seen at any time, and anywhere in the world. We can simulate realistic, and immersive, interpretations of lost heritage to our heart's content! Through landscape digitization, we can visit the Lascaux Caves, and even walk among the site in a virtual reality experience. Digital copies of artifacts and archaeological sites also protects the originals from the damages that can occur from too many physical interactions. Not only that, digitization can be useful for wayfinding. Have you ever gotten lost, or unsure of what your destination looks like? The Google Maps app and Street View can get you to where you need to go because global geography has been digitized!

Tip: The digital record has the potential to become an exact replication of the original, but it can never replace it. Rather, the digital adds another dimension to comprehending information.

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The next time you're considering alternative conservation methods, digitization is a very real and frequently used approach in the modern age. Of course, the more traditional methods of preservation and restoration are good options too. It all depends on what you're trying to salvage, for how long, and if you have enough resources to do so. Good luck with your upcoming conservation practices, my friends, because I know that choosing one method is not as easy as it looks.

NON-MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS

Special Feature | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Welcome back, our holiday hiatus is over! The third part of my “alternative conservation” series will be completed in the following two articles of Conservation Tips & Tricks. However, this month, we will briefly turn our attention to a special feature about non-museum exhibitions!

Gucci store front window reminds of a museum display. Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

Let’s consider the “non-museum” exhibition, which is a type of exhibition that is outside the realm of the museum. This does not mean outdoor installations, or art gallery exhibitions, because those are still museum-context exhibitions. I am talking about exhibitions that are on display for public viewing, which have no association to any cultural institution (meaning, they have nothing related to museums and galleries of art, history, or science).

What are you talking about Selin? Has your brain stopped working from eating too many chocolate chip cookies over the holiday break? That may be true, but I’m also very interested in this topic! Whether you’ve noticed it or not, you’ve probably come across these special kinds of exhibitions.

Hermes' store front window resembling an art display. Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

If it’s outside of the museum world, then what do I mean by an “exhibition”? Based on my own knowledge, I’ve generated some criteria that is necessary to define exhibitions...
To me, an exhibition would:

• Present a “big idea” or main topic
• Display a select number of objects from a larger collection, which interprets the main topic
• Be curated for a particular public audience
• Correlate with the larger organization’s mission and/or vision
• Seem aesthetically and/or intellectually stimulating
• Likely have an explanatory panel, or curatorial statement

Sounds like a museum exhibition, doesn’t it? Except, we can apply these criteria to non-museum displays. Think about these two cases:

1) The department store window. 

Have you ever passed Swarovski, Louis Vuitton, or Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street and thought, “Wow, that’s some display they’ve got” and then sigh because you can't afford such extravagances? Is that just me, then? In any case, these clothing displays are an example of a non-museum exhibition! 

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Some stores even have a statement by the store’s artistic director about the collection on display: If it is an especially expensive brand, there can be an easel mounted in the store’s entrance, where a poster can explain the reasons behind the mannequins’ poses, colour palette, and quality of items selected in the window display. Have a look at Amy's article about Muji, the Japanese retail store, for an example of in-store curatorial statements!

When it comes to the department stores, the goal is to inspire upper-middle purchases, by advertising the store’s products in the window. The displays catch the attention of a passerby, and draws their interest for the items being sold. Here, the department store’s motivation is commercial, which is also frequently seen in museum gift shops. To add, the display is a direct reflection of the store’s vision of their own brand, and the type of customer that would purchase their merchandise.

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2) The trade show or fair.

There’s a reason why the Exhibition Place in Toronto is given that name. Consider the motorcycle and boat shows, or a fair with food stalls. How many times have you passed by a poutine stand and thought, “Ohh, that looks good,” before you bought two orders? Recall the world fairs, where people from all over the world would have their own booth to present their newest innovations. These scenarios also present non-museum exhibitions.

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Again, a select number of items are being displayed in the hope that the audience finds it interesting, appealing, and worth seeing. There are even pamphlets and maps being handed out to provide more information, similar to museum guides. All the items for sale at these shows and fairs, are set up in a way that is easily seen and accessible for visitors. Sometimes, there may be labels describing the items and wayfinding signs to help navigate the space.

There are “tour guides” that exist, providing you with context for the items on display: Think about the farmer at the food fair who is eager to tell you about his best produce, and how much care and effort it took to make his famous peach jam. These people have a target audience, and a pitch, as they try to draw in a customer to look at the items on display.

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Non-museum exhibitions are mimicking the cultural institution's approach to attracting customers, through their displays of objects. I hope you take a good look around the next time you go shopping, or when you visit a fair. Think about which items are on display and how they are organized in a way to attract your attention. Do the objects reflect the organization’s brand or their mission? Are there any contextual guides that help you understand the items better? 

Keep an eye out for other non-museum exhibitions, because there are many all around us!

DEBATING THE AUTHENTICITY OF RESTORATION

Conservation Tips & Tricks | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Welcome to the second article of my three-part series about different conservation methods! This week, I will discuss restoration practices, and use a recently reworked famous Italian painting as our case study. Cominciano!

The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci, found at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Source.

What's the story?

According to a report by The Independent in 2012, The Last Supper was restored out of Leonardo da Vinci's modern studio, by Pinin Brambilla Barcilon and Pietro Marani. The painting had particular damage from grime and also suffered from bad restoration techniques in the past. In 1999, the artwork was finally revealed after twenty years of conservation efforts, but not everyone was pleased.

In situ, the 1498 painting is located on the wall of the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. In true Leonardo da Vinci fashion, the tempera painting is on top of sealed stone, which is prone to discolouration and deterioration, especially when exposed to humid climates overtime. However, some people think that the recent restoration overwhelms the painting, and the original work is barely present. People start asking the question: Is it even a Leonardo da Vinci anymore?

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Why bother with restoration?

As mentioned in my previous article of this series, humidity is a major threat to historical artifacts and sites! In this case, there were only two options: 1) The conservators intervene and restore the painting, or 2) The painting continues to deteriorate naturally. What do we do when it comes to an original Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece? Most conservators will choose to rescue it.

The choice to restore a piece of history is not an easy one. For The Last Supper, there isn't much to think about, because the painting was produced from a famous artist. It is culturally valuable, and thus deserves conservation efforts. Yet, other artifacts are not so smussato - for example, some pieces may be ancient and historically interesting, but not too publicized, and often overlooked by the general public. Both scholars and the average person needs to be able to find the object culturally important, so that the artifact is worth the money, labour, and resources for conservation.

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Focus on the good!

Apart from saving an artifact from completely disappearing off the face of the earth, restoration is useful for two related reasons: First, a restored piece gives the impression that it is one "whole." From the outside, a good restoration job means that you can't tell between the original and the recent reworkings. The artifact gives the illusion that it has not been slowly deteriorating, but instead seems visually complete and untouched. Molto bene!

Second, a restored artifact (especially a Leonardo da Vinci work) attracts tourists. It is the same idea when something new and sparkly comes on display at a jewelry store. When a historical objects comes out of storage for the first time in years, the public wants to see it - in its entirety. Speaking from experience, visitors don't typically enjoy seeing a tiny fragment of an object, while the rest of the item is lost, or fading to dust.

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We can't ignore the bad...

Restoration involves intervention. In my opinion, the moment you alter an artifact, it is no longer 100% original. The Last Supper, for example, is still an authentic work, but the object's identity now has an added layer. Despite efforts to replicate the item as smooth and exact as possible, the object's biography changes, and we add a chapter of restoration to its history. 

Not only this, restoration resources are expensive, difficult to acquire, and need advanced expertise - not the easiest to come by! Mi dispiace, but you need a large amount of funding and support to get a restoration project approved and completed. Moreover, in the past, a bad restoration job is often met with a fierce public outcry and have not always been fixable.

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I'll leave the decision up to you! Which do you prefer, restoration or natural deterioration? It's a bit of a debate among conservators, but one thing is for sure - as long as the conservation technique is reversible without causing damage, why not give it a try? Arrivederci amici!

Additional References

The Independent. (November 26, 2011). "Last Supper restoration May 28, 1999."

Clark, N. (March 14, 2012). "A demanding, daunting - and in some cases destructive - profession." The Independent. 

Alberge, D. (March 14, 2012). "Have art restorers ruined Leonardo's masterpiece?" The Independent.

Richmond, A. (2016). "All restoration is not the same." ICON: The Institute of Conservation.

Where are Sue and Mike. [Bloggers] (n.d.). "Old Milan and Leonardo."

PREVENTING THE INEVITABLE

Conservation Tips & Tricks | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Curious about the title? I'm glad I caught your attention!
For the next few months, my articles will feature a three-part series about different methods of conservation. This week, we will focus on preventive conservation, and use the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul (Aya Sofya, in Turkish) as our case study. It is also my favourite place in the whole world, so I'm excited to dive in!

Hagia Sophia during May. Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

Preventive conservation is a strategy that is always used in museums - it is basically Conservation 101. The purpose is to predict how an artifact will decompose overtime (because it is inevitable), and how we can take early measures to slow it down. It is incredibly important that all conservation methods are reversible. Nothing at all is permanent, so leave your Sharpie marker at home!

When we're talking about preventing the deterioration of cultural heritage, we are referring to both the artifacts, and the housing institution. This means that the historic object should be regularly checked for damage over time, but also the building's environment requires regular maintenance. Shall I go on?

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Using the Hagia Sophia museum as our example, let's look at the main components of preventive conservation...

Is it getting hot in here?

Idris Elba aside, Turkey is very hot in the summer and throughout most of the year (I swear it was 40 degrees Celsius in June and I was melting). This extreme heat can cause major damage to the artifacts and historic infrastructure. With the Bosphorus Strait nearby, the Hagia Sophia also suffers from high humidity, causing even worse long-term problems.

Can you see my sweat glistening? Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

Solution: Central air-conditioning is essential for conservators to stay sane in the high heat, but also to save the artifacts and historic structure. Small, portable humidifiers and dehumidifiers can help control the moisture in the air. According to the International Council of Museums and the Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC), the typical museum should stay at around 20 degrees Celsius and roughly 50% relative humidity.

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Turn that light out! Or, maybe not?

If you've ever walked through Hagia Sophia, the upper gallery has many windows that overlook the lovely gardens outside and provide natural lighting for visitors inside. However, this is a total nightmare! It may be beautiful, but inconsistent lighting will cause damage to anything touched by sunlight or direct artificial lighting.

Beautiful but damaging natural lighting. Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

Solution: Rather than cover-up the scenery with blackout blinds, the museum can invest in lighting the rest of the gallery space at an indirect angle, so that the room is lit as evenly as possible throughout the day. Along with the chandeliers, these lights will have to be altered with each change of season, and need to be readjusted on overcast days too. Light blinds will also reduce the intensity of sun rays streaming in.

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This is a 'No Spider Zone'

Nobody likes dusty air and creepy crawlies. As an old building in the heart of the city, Hagia Sophia is naturally prone to both of these threats. With open windows, bugs can fly in and nest, or eat up the textiles. The doors are left open because of the numerous visitors constantly walking in and out of the building, this invites other air pollutants to enter as well.

Ongoing excavations outside means a lot of dust for the inside. Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

Solution: Keeping doors and windows closed would help, but it could cause the museum to get stuffy. Ideally, the windows would have screens to keep the bugs out, and protect everything inside. Still, the museum should have numerous air filters throughout the space to help keep the environment clean, even with the AC on.

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Now you know the basics of preventive conservation! Conservators also consider the possibility and intensity of vibrations (from earthquakes, or subways), sterilizing equipment before treating an artifact, using a fume hood for chemical treatments, and wearing gloves when handling metal artifacts.


If you use all these strategies, then you will create a safe and stable museum environment for historical sites and collections for many years to come. Well done!

References

ICOM-CC Environmental Guidelines

Museum Association Guide for Lighting

MONSTERS ON DISPLAY: AN EXHIBITION AT THE THOMAS FISHER RARE BOOK LIBRARY

Special Feature | Selin Kahramanoglu

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Interested in unicorns? Giant sea creatures attacking sailing ships? The tales of world travels and scientific discoveries? The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library has a new exhibition open, called De Monstris: An Exhibition of Monsters and the Wonders of Human Imagination. This month's post will be a featured article about this exciting new exhibition, including some of my insights as an intern with the project!

Photo courtesy of Selin Kahramanoglu.

Curated by Fisher librarian, David Fernandez, this exhibition explores how the West came to understand monsters and ideas of monstrosity throughout history and varying disciplines. The exhibition utilizes literature and illustrations from areas such as science, religion, philosophy, and arts. The exhibition incorporates texts from the classical period, up until the modern age.

Through physical displays and interactive iPads, the exhibition highlights five main themes:

1. On Monstrous People: Classical and medieval texts explore the creation of monsters through topics like divine rejection and prodigies. 
2. On Monstrous Encounters: Journals of exploration and geographies tell the tales of finding monsters while discovering the world. 
3. On Monstrous Nature: Philosophers and natural historians ponder the origins of monsters, and how society understands them.
4. On Monstrous Bodies: Medical theorists debate whether human deformities and diseases are elements of monstrosity. 
5. On Monstrous Stories: Items such as children's storybooks and illustrative pamphlets reveal artists' creations of monsters in recent popular culture.

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Is it starting to catch your interest? Let me tell you how much I enjoyed working on this project...

As a summer intern, I had the privilege of assisting the curator with this project by preparing the digital exhibition content. The goal of my work was to digitize images for the online catalogue, some of which are used in the iPads. With these devices, visitors can "flip through" the iPad and see more hidden illustrations from the books behind the glass cases. Here is how I helped with this component of the exhibition:

Research & Curation: David already had a preliminary list of items he wanted to include in the exhibition, so I started from there. I searched the catalogues of the University of Toronto and other institutions to find items that suited David's criteria. Then, I would request the items, and sift through every page to find suitable imagery to display. I created a list of items that didn't have the appropriate exhibition requirements, so that I wouldn't repeat myself and search for them again.

• This was the exhibition phase that took the longest to complete. However, as a book nerd, I often admired the large stack of 18th century books with intricate bindings and cover art on my desk. 

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Data Documentation: All illustrations and texts have data associated with them, and I needed to record this information accurately and efficiently. It was important for library visitors to clearly understand the labels, and for future scholars to be able to retrieve all necessary information. I made two metadata documents with differing levels of detail - one document had only the necessary "tombstone" information for the labels, while the other document had all the detailed data for all researched items.

• This phase was very rewarding, because it allowed me to apply all the knowledge that I gained from my Archives & Records Management courses up to that point. 

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Digitizing: I can tell you first hand that all of the illustrations that I scanned have stunning artistry. By consulting my metadata document with the tombstone information, I digitized all the illustrations that were meant for the iPad displays. I also did some basic editing like cropping the image, resizing it to a standard measurement, and changing the file format.

• This phase was the most enjoyable for me, because I got to work with beautiful illustrations and bindings. My favourite item is a map of a sea voyage, where a sailor documented an encounter with a female marine creature (and it's on display, so go see it)!

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Uploading: Once all the items were selected, with their data collected, and then digitized, all of this information was finally uploaded to the library's server. I met with other colleagues involved with the project and we discussed the iPad interface, and how to best organize the data so that it makes sense to visitors and is visually appealing.

• This phase was finished last, and it was also the quickest to complete. I really felt like a true library professional, especially by contributing to staff discussions and by utilizing modern library technologies.

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Even though I'm biased, this exhibition is not only interesting, but is also easy to access and has free admission! The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library also showcases some of their rarest and most famous items, like the illustrations of Ulisse Aldrovandi. Visiting the exhibition is a great way to discover the library, if you haven't already visited it.

Lucky for iSchool students and visitors to Toronto, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is located in the middle of the University of Toronto's St. George campus. If you need to take a class on a field trip, you have an hour until your lunch meeting, or if you're excited about the topic, stop by the exhibition! Grab a friend and go to the main Robarts Library building, head up to the second floor's south wing and see for yourself.

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Let me know what you think about the exhibition in the comments below! Stay tuned for the return of my column, Conservation Tips & Tricks, starting up next month.