Latest news with #Plowden&Smith
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Zayed National Museum hosts region's first ‘Preserving Our History Symposium'
30 May 2025 00:56 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI) The Zayed National Museum hosted the 'Preserving our History Symposium' on May 28–29 at Saadiyat Island Rotana Hotel in Abu the course of the two-day event, local and international conservation professionals came together to engage in workshops and scientific in collaboration with West Dean College and Plowden & Smith, the event included paper, metal, textile and paintings conservation workshops for also featured workshops on 3D printing and digitisation; shedding light on UAE goals to preserve cultural heritage through innovation and to Aletihad, Fatima Mansoor Al Tamimi, Head of the Conservation Unit at the Zayed National Museum, said that this symposium is the first of its kind.'We organised it in partnership with West Dean College and Plowden & Smith, and it covers theory, practical work and scientific analysis,' she event featured a diverse series of workshops in paper and parchment conservation, metals, ceramics, painting, textile, 3D printing, replica making and digitisation.'Our goal at the Zayed National Museum is to preserve the history and culture of the UAE —continuing the vision of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was deeply connected to his people,' she Tamimi explained that the symposium filled a major cultural void in the region.'We tailored this to address our needs in the UAE and the region. We are rich in heritage, but we lacked the programmes to educate the community on how to protect it.'She highlighted the importance of blending traditional conservation with modern tools: 'We are introducing 3D printing and replica-making as a way to safely display fragile items, especially when originals cannot always be shown. And in this digital era, we have also added digitisation and documentation into the programme.'The broader goal, she said, is about building a culture of preservation. 'We are creating a sustainable and aware community,' she added. Lizzie Neville, Head of the School of Conservation at West Dean College, told Aletihad: 'We wanted to show how conservation is a global, collaborative field.'She said the goal is to offer more specialist education: 'There is so much heritage here that needs to be preserved. We are now hoping to provide more specialist education to encourage people here to pursue conservation careers.'On 3D printing, Neville explained: 'If an object is too delicate to display or travel with, reproductions can be used instead — especially in schools or public exhibits.' Scientific analysis also comes into play.'We want to show what can be learned just by observing,' she said, noting examples like identifying materials and studying paper fibres under a materials were another focus.'Some modern plastics and papers are less stable than ancient ones,' she was a demonstration of proper textile handling too.'Our textile conservator showed participants the best ways to protect delicate garments.'Digitisation concluded the training.'Once records are safely preserved, they can be digitised and made accessible online,' said and founder of Al Majlis Abdulla Almansouri told Aletihad about his decades-long efforts to preserve Islamic and Emirati heritage.'I have major collections — Islamic, traditional Emirati, and one dedicated to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,' he said, listing items like swords and manuscripts, and pieces that hold real historical value for the UAE.'What started as a hobby over 30 years ago became a mission,' he the current symposium, Almansouri said: 'Last year, I asked Al Tamimi for access to training abroad. She replied, 'We will bring it here'. And they did.' The workshops, he added, taught him vital conservation skills: 'We learned how to store, transport, and restore different materials. It helped us a lot.'
Express Tribune
29-04-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
child damages multi-million-pound rothko painting at rotterdam museum
Listen to article A painting by renowned American artist Mark Rothko, valued at up to €50 million (£42.5 million), has been damaged by a child at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. The artwork, "Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8", suffered superficial scratches during what the museum described as an 'unguarded moment'. A spokesperson for the museum confirmed that small scratches are visible in the lower, unvarnished portion of the canvas. The piece had been on public display in the Depot, the museum's accessible storage facility. 'We are currently researching the next steps for the treatment of the painting,' the spokesperson said. 'Conservation expertise has been sought both in the Netherlands and internationally.' Despite the damage, the museum remains hopeful. 'We expect that the work will be able to be shown again in the future,' the spokesperson added. Sophie McAloone, conservation manager at the Fine Art Restoration Company, noted that Rothko's "modern unvarnished" paintings are particularly fragile. 'Even the smallest areas of damage are instantly perceptible,' she said. "In this case, scratching of the upper paint layers can have a significant impact on the viewing experience of the piece," Ms McAloone said. Jonny Helm a market manager at the art restorers Plowden & Smith said the incident raises concerns for UK institutions considering more open-access displays. 'How will this event affect other UK institutions who are opening up their archives in the same way?' he asked. Helm added that restoring a Rothko is no easy feat. 'His mixture of pigments, resins and glues were quite complex. The lack of varnish makes it more vulnerable.' The incident echoes a previous case in 2012 when another Rothko painting, "Black on Maroon", was defaced at Tate Modern. The vandal, Wlodzimierz Umaniec, was sentenced to two years in prison, and it took 18 months and roughly £200,000 to restore the work. The current damage is less severe, but experts acknowledge that even minor imperfections can significantly affect the viewing experience of Rothko's abstract pieces. Rachel Myrtle, Head of Specie and Fine Arts at insurance broker Aon, said that fine art policies generally provide comprehensive cover for physical loss or damage, including accidental harm caused by children or other visitors, although some exclusions may apply. In the event of damage, insurers typically assign a fine art loss adjuster to assess the situation on site. The adjuster will examine the artwork, review available CCTV footage to identify the cause, and explore appropriate conservation methods, Myrtle explained. The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has not disclosed who might be held liable for the recent incident involving Rothko's 1960 work, reportedly acquired by the museum in the 1970s. The institution has previously asked visitors to cover repair costs following damage to artworks. In 2011, a tourist who accidentally stepped on Pindakaasvloer (Peanut Butter Floor), a conceptual piece by Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, was asked to pay for the time, museum spokesperson Sharon Cohen told Algemeen Dagblad: 'It is normal procedure for people to pay if they damage art.' Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 is an example of colour field painting, a style defined by large areas of solid colour that dominate the canvas. The painting is one of several high-profile modern works to have been damaged in the Netherlands in recent years. In late 2024, several Andy Warhol screen prints were harmed during a failed robbery at the MPV gallery in Oisterwijk. Separately, a Dutch town hall acknowledged last year that it had likely thrown away 46 artworks—including a Warhol print of the former Dutch queen—during building renovations. Museums vary in how they respond to incidents involving children. In August 2024, a four-year-old boy accidentally shattered a 3,500-year-old jar at the Hecht Museum in Israel. Staff chose not to pursue the matter strictly, instead inviting the child and his family back for a guided tour.
