Kintsugi: Aesthetic Value-led Conservation

Kintsugi is a traditional gold-joinery ceramic restoration technique. It restores the practicality and functionality of broken objects, while adding decorativeness. Influenced by the culture of Wabi sabi, Kintsugi stresses significance in the aesthetic value of objects. This poster presents the origin and cultural background of kintsugi, and its dialectical vision of authenticity.

Eva Hesse's Latex and Fibreglass Sculptures: A Case Study in Contemporary Conservation

 

Latex and fibreglass sculptures of pioneering artist Eva Hesse present a number of contemporary conservation challenges including rapidly degrading and fragile materials, conflicting commentary from the artist, arguments for and against refabrication, and the possibility of unstoppable destruction. 

No Object is an Island: the necessity for collaboration in Conservation Practice

Conservation is a specific discipline, but it does not work on its own. In order to successfully start the conservation process, participation in the decision-making process is important from the international level, to internal museum departments to smaller external interest groups.   

Preserving Moments: Challenges in the Conservation of Street Art

    Street art conservation is one of the more prominent and contentious topics in the field. This poster begins by briefly defining street art, framing it within the body of cultural heritage. Issues of legality, authenticity and practicality in its conservation are addressed. This is then highlighted through a case study of the recently ‘missing’ Bristol Banksy Gorilla.

Challenges between contemporary art and conservation work

 

Nowadays, the conservation of contemporary art becomes an important challenge. In this poster, the general introduction of contemporary art is given at first, and then the challenges occur during conservation. Finally, Damien Hurst's 'The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991' is represented as case study.

How Can Conservators Aid Conflict Recovery?

 

Over fifty world heritage sites are currently at risk, many of which are as a result of conflict. This poster demonstrates that an integrated approach of legislation, interventive conservation and training for local and governmental groups is the most effective way for conservators to aid conflict recovery.

Values-Led Conservation in a Small Museum: A Case Study From the Museum of Peoples and Cultures in Provo, Utah

 This poster explores a case study of values-led conservation at a small University museum in Utah. The conservation of a collection of Andean textiles is discussed in relation to the values and resources of the institution.

Here today, gone tomorrow: Questions posed by the work of Ai Weiwei to the conservation process

Both makers and users of contemporary art are questioning values that underpin the conservation process. The work of Ai Weiwei, as this poster illustrates, neatly encapsulates one such challenge. Through reconfiguring and destroying Neolithic vases’ Ai pose’s questions about the value attributed to original material or specific conditions. 

A Tale of Two Contexts: Values-Led Conservation, Whose Values?

There have been increasing debates about how to safeguard objects that are held by Western museums but originate from a non-Western culture. Value interpretation of these objects is a constant challenge in conservation practice. 

The poster demonstrates the possible divergence of value perception occurred in different cultural contexts, hoping to improve the understanding of the significance of a holistic value-assessment approach in any conservation effort. 

 

Participatory Conservation and the West's Superiority Complex

Participatory conservation is necessary when dealing with cultural heritage. The conflicting values between western scientific methods and intangible beliefs held by indigenous communities needs to be resolved through a compassionate and collaborative approach. This poster discusses the importance of preserving human connection and the intangible aspects of artefacts.

Restoring cultural loss: conservation and restitution

 

This poster explores the role of the conservator in restitution debates. Recent emphasis on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage can be used to consider colonial taking as an act of cultural loss. Replicas have the potential to fill the material void after restitution, while also gaining new significances. 

What can conservators do to aid recovery?

 This poster explores what can be done before and after a disaster or armed conflict to speed up the recovery process while retaining value within the local community. The fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral was chosen to display the effectiveness of a disaster recovery plan when conveyed to response teams.

The Value of Vandalism: The challenges that conservators face when considering the conservation of street art

Street art can be simultaneously viewed as both an art-form and a crime. This presents conservation decision-makers with a range of considerations concerning its historical, illustrative and social value. The poster examines historically significant works of graffiti and the complications inhibiting the creation of an applicable conservation framework.

 

The Challenges of Conserving Appropriation Art

 This poster explores the practice of artists using pre-existing objects which can pose many challenges for conservators in both ethical and technical decision making.

Emerging Conservation Dilemmas: How to treat new and mixed media in contemporary art?

Challenges of conservation in the territory of contemporary art mainly originate from its new and mixed media. This poster highlights four questions for conservators to notice and understand the significance of identifying special characteristics of each item, reflecting their practices and roles facing complex conservation situations.

Poster assessment

 

3D/VR technology has become a new method that helps conservators document heritage information. This poster intends to introduce VR conservation briefly and analyze its advantages. Moreover, the poster explores its related issues that arise in conservation ethics—— technology probably damages heritage attributes and challenge conservators' guideline.

Object Assessment: A.0015 - Nepalese Kukri Knife Set

A.0015 is of Nepalese origin and comprises a sheath with two knives (figures 1 and 2). The sheath is constructed from wood, leather and organic fibre, and features embossed decoration. At the tip is a copper alloy section. The small knife, or ‘karda’ is constructed from wood and iron. The blade is curved with a single edge and hidden tang. The large knife, or ‘kukri’ is constructed from iron. The blade is broad with a single, very sharp edge, double fullers and a notch. Both handles have a flared shape. The kukri handle has a raised ring, copper alloy decoration and embossed patterns. 

Figure 1

A.0015 - Kukri, Karda and Sheath 

Side 1 

Figure 2 

A.0015 - Kukri, Karda and Sheath 

Side 2

The kukri has been used in Nepal since at least the 18^th Century (Gurkha Brigade, Easton 2014, part 1+2). A.0015 likely dates from the 19^th Century due to the manufacturing techniques used (Easton 2014, part 1+2). The object was originally donated to the British Museum in 1960, 9 years after Nepal opened to foreign visitors (Delphine Mercier, Personal Communication January 2020). It may have been collected in this time or the earlier colonial period. There is insufficient documentation to state its origin with certainty. The notch, or ‘cho’, is likely to be Buddhist imagery (Gurkha Brigade). Its function is not fully understood. It is fairly ubiquitous, and its longevity hints at its significance. It has been suggested that it relates to the trinity of Bramah, Vishnu and Shiva (Gurkha Brigade). It is commonly speculated that it prevents blood from running onto the hand. Personally, I find this unlikely as blood does not travel exclusively on the edge of a blade.   

The attachment of the blades is sound. There are no areas of deteriorated stitching on the sheath. The surface condition of the leather is good, although desiccated. There is no indication of mould or pest damage. The only existing damage is a split in the side, likely from repeated removal of the kukri. The brass section has corroded, leaving a light-brown patina. There is widespread corrosion of the knife blades (figures 3-6). 

Figure 3

A.0015 Kukri Corrosion Detail (Side 1)

Potential fingerprint damage is highlighted in orange.

Figure 4

A.0015 Kukri Corrosion Detail (Side 2)

Figure 4

A.0015 Karda Corrosion Detail (Side 1)

Potential fingerprint damage is highlighted in orange. 

Figure 5

A.0015 Karda Corrosion Detail (Side 2)

There is notable accumulation of corrosion products and pitting in some areas (figure 7). Some damage appears to have been caused by improper handling, leaving fingerprints (figure 8). The kukri handle is corroded between the brass decoration (figure 9). There is very little use damage. Both edges are sharp, without brittle fractures or chips. There are some areas of erosive wear, leaving small surface scratches. 

Figure 7 

A.0015 DinoXcope Image (Mag. x80)

Kukri Blade Corrosion Products (Side 1)

Figure 8

A.0015 DinoXcope Image (Mag. x80)

Kukri Blade Fingerprint Corrosion Products (Side 1)

Figure 9

A.0015 DinoXcope Image (Mag. x80) 

Kukri Handle Corrosion Products (Side 1)

Bibliography 

Easton, M. 2014 Kukri – The Gurkha Knife of Nepal – Part 1 [Accessed 9^th February 2020] 

Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPSjdj82KLM

Easton, M. 2014 Kukri – The Gurkha Knife of Nepal – Part 2 [Accessed 9^th February 2020] 

Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXpthLnp_wM

Teague, K. 1995 Tourism, Anthropology and Museums: Representations of Nepalese Reality 

Journal of Museum Ethnography, No. 7 (May 1995) pp. 41-62 [Accessed 10^th February 2020]

Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40793564 

The Gurkha Brigade Association [Accessed 11^th March 2020] 

Available at: https://www.gurkhabde.com

The Gurkha Museum [Accessed 10^th March 2020] 

Available at: https://thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/category/collections/

R.0045, wooden staff from Zimbabwe

This object is a long wooden staff from UCL’s Ethnographic Collection. Its accession number is R.0045. It has a wooden round, ball-shaped attachment at one end (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Staff, Object R.0045

This staff is 142 cm long. It appears to be carved in wood and then polished for smoothness. It is possible to see the tool marks made by carving, at the top of the object where the ball-like shape is connected to the staff and along the length of the staff.

This staff is from Zimbabwe. It was a part of the George Henry Walker’s Collection. George Henry walker lived in Bulawayo in about 1910. The object was donated by his niece G. Penwarden after his death. According to the UCL database, this object is a “plain wooden staff”. However, this staff resembles “knobkerrie” — a weapon used in Zimbabwe.

The history of the staff, provides an understanding of its significance to several groups of people. Firstly, a staff in itself, if considered as a walking stick, falls into a category of household objects that have been a necessity for the elderly and the disabled. Secondly, this object was for personal use for its original owner. Therefore it could be significant for their descendants.

On the other hand, if this object is a knobkerrie, it has cultural and historical value for two stakeholder groups — the people from Zimbabwe, and the students and admirers of Zimbabwe’s culture and history. Moreover, as a knobkerrie, this object was used in different ways by two different communities. The differences in the use, adds another aspect to the value of this object.

The staff or knobkerrie is currently stored by hanging it on a metal rack by tying it with twill tape. Overall this object is stored in a stable condition. However, certain parts

of this object show signs of deterioration. They are indicated in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Illustration of signs of deterioration on the staff

There are water stains on the length of the staff in 4 locations (see Figure 2). There is a crack on the ball or knob shaped part of the staff (see Figure 3). It starts in the middle of the knob and continues onto the length of the staff.

Figure 3: Crack on the staff

There is an old sticker on the staff. Some discoloration of the wood is visible where the sticker has been peeled off (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Discoloration of wood where the sticker is peeled off

There is a new scratch on the staff (see Figure 5) that was not observed until the last examination. These signs of deterioration need to be monitored to prevent further damage.

Figure 5: New scratch on the staff