Central Conservation Section
To conserve public museum collections for the present and future generations, the Central Conservation Section completed the restoration and treatment of 666 cultural objects in the past year, including paintings, documents, prints, textiles, metals, ceramics, organic materials and archaeological finds. It also provided technical support for thematic exhibitions and assisted in the management of some 200 000 collection items pertaining to 14 public museums, two heritage centres, the Antiquities and Monuments Office, and the Art Promotion Office.
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Following its achievements in previous efforts, the Section organised a new thematic exhibition, Discovering Hong Kong's Cultural Traditions, in February in collaboration with Airport Authority Hong Kong. A colourful exhibition showcasing 24 items from various traditional festivals in Hong Kong was held in the Departures Hall of Terminal 1 at Hong Kong International Airport. These enchanting objects not only impressed local residents and overseas visitors, but also enabled them to savour the joyful atmosphere of Hong Kong's festivals once again prior to departure.
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With a view to spreading the message of the importance of artefact conservation and widening the horizons of school students, the Section organised a Conservation Outreach Week under the auspices of the School Culture Day Scheme. The conservation talks, workshops and exhibitions held in the participating schools were well received by teachers and students alike. The Section also organised 25 conservation workshops, guided tours and thematic talks in 2009-10, attracting a total of 1 723 visitors. To elicit greater community support for the preservation of Hong Kong's cultural properties, the Section recruited a volunteer conservation team that together generously contributed 1 100 service hours to various conservation projects throughout the year.
The launching of an internal web-based museum object conservation system has facilitated the composition, sharing, transmission and maintenance of object treatment records amongst conservators and curators to increase operational effectiveness and efficiency within the Section. The Section's recent acquisition of an infra-red micro-chemical imaging system will provide non-invasive micro analysis of various museum materials for identification purposes and to better understand their chemical changes and deterioration to ensure that an appropriate course of treatment can be formulated.
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The Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts invited the Central Conservation Section to attend its China‧Painting (Oil Painting) Restoration and Conservation International Seminar at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in December 2009, during which a Section representative presented an academic paper entitled the 'Conservation of China Trade Oil Paintings'. This invitation and presentation not only attest to the Section's conservation excellence, but also conferred an opportunity to engage in a professional exchange with its Mainland and international counterparts.
