Abstract: 

The understanding that art conservation is solely a practical profession, with a narrow focus on acquiring just the information necessary to treat an object, is an outdated perception of the field. More akin to the history of art— which concerns itself with contextualizing art, for example, with more immaterial concepts of iconography, audience, and economics— conservation has evolved into a complex and conceptual field while still rooted in craft traditions. This panel, which is sponsored by the Museum Studies program at the University of Hong Kong, will examine how the pedagogy of conservation (and conservation science) can provide new information and fresh approaches to the study of material culture. This panel will thus explore conservation as a transdisciplinary space that combines traditional scholarship with scientific studies of the arts.

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Panelists:

Dr. Robert van Langh,

Head of Conservation and Science at the Rijksmuseum, Chair of Netherlands Institute for Conservation+Art+Science

 

Professor Pip Laurenson,

Director of the MSc Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media, University College London

 

Dr. Yong Lei,

Deputy Director, Conservation Department, The Palace Museum, Beijing

 

Moderator:

Professor Marc Walton,

Museum Studies Programme, The University of Hong Kong

 

Image Credit: Gui with taotie, animal mask and cloud design, Cast and chased bronze, China, Shang dynasty (c.1600–c.1046 BCE), 14.2 (H) x 27.2 (W) x 20.3 (D) cm, HKU.B.1953.0020