DIANACenter for Preventive Conservation
NationalMuseumBelgrade
Mila Popović-Živančević, museum counccellor
Head of DIANACenter
DIANACENTER FOR PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION
Development of DIANA Centre
When eight years ago we started searching solutions for a huge pack of problems in conservation and looking for the right way of organizing efficient, complex and interdisciplinary conservation service for archaeological objects, we were not aware of the fact that we actually had started building system of preventive conservation in our country. Soon, it became clear that this process was going on at the same time as the process of its final defining in Europe and worldwide.
Specialists involved in the work of DIANA Centre for Preventive Conservation have been analyzing their role in conservation practice for a long time now, applying coherent policy and strategy of safeguarding, but also the role of the Centre within NationalMuseum and beyond it. In mid-90’s, while the country was isolated, we were still successfully following development of the new approaches in the world, trying at the same time to solve problems at home. Experiences and knowledge were generated into a general project, which was aimed at three major problems of our conservation at the time:
- Education and specialization of professionals on the new, multidisciplinary, scientific and expert basis,
- Creation of new approach in conservation and safeguarding of archaeological objects,
- High quality of conservation treatments, under surveillance of national and international experts.
DEVELOPMENT OF DIANA CENTRE
1995/6 Organisational preparations of the Project
1997DIANA Summer School for Conservation of Archaeological Ceramics at Karataš (Đerdap)
1998DIANA Summer School for Conservation of Archaeological Ceramics, Glass and Stone at Karataš
1999DIANA Centre for Conservation active round the year
2000DIANA Centre, one of few active in promotion and implementation of preventive conservation in Yugoslavia
2001DIANA Centre for Preventive Conservation, officially positioned within the frame of reorganization of the National Museum Belgrade
Actual reasons for founding DIANA Centre
What was the condition of conservation and safeguarding services at the time?
When preparations for DIANA began, there were only few professionals who could adequately meet the requests of the job. Conservation centres and workshops in our country already started losing pace with changes in profession and one could say that they were the first to be imperiled by economic and political sanctions, and that the consequences of isolation reflected on conservation workshops in the worst possible way.
That is the reason why today, if we consider our museology generally, the conservation departments in museums are the ones that suffer the most. All this is quite clear since conservation is a field with very dynamic development and since special efforts and resources are necessary to follow the progress of the profession, specialization, literature, and constant consultations, new technologies and markets – or better said – conservation requires continuous exchange of information, openness and contact with the world. When our culture is concerned, that is the reason why hard times we left behind had produced worst consequences on conservation services. One could say condition of the profession was most alarming, there were unequipped laboratories and workshops, lack of basic working material, almost inhuman working conditions, which ultimately made impact on the present condition and future of cultural heritage here.
In mid-90 the situation in museology becomes increasingly worse and there were almost no finical investments in development and museum building maintenance. Safekeeping and displaying condition of culture property have become drastically bad.
For all these reasons, wide social activity and engagement of the entire community are necessary, in order to revitalize and modernize museums, which would lead to reorganization of conservation departments and museum workshops, as well as bind them into a well organized system.
Another important reason for creating DIANA Centre lies in the fact that our country is very rich and significant archaeological region and large explorations are yet to come. In the Balkan region there is a huge amount of archaeological ceramics and glass, and its number is constantly growing. Therefore it is urgent to prevent its deterioration in an organized and systematic way. That is to be achieved through establishing adequate safeguarding conditions and appropriate conservation treatments. There are large quantities of ceramics, glass and other archaeological material not having been conserved because of the small number of professional conservators who could conserve this delicate material. Not even a small part of this huge and important work is likely to be done in the near future without a significant number of well educated professionals.
Preventive conservation is most important as a strategy when safeguarding of cultural heritage in transition countries is concerned, and particularly in the Balkans. Long-lasting economic poverty, lack of investments covering museum buildings, protection institutions and development of activities, uncommunicativeness and inertia in reactions to general social trends and changes in the world, non-existence of a defined state cultural policy and strategy – these were the reasons that caused almost complete devastation of heritage so much so that there is a real danger of its devaluation, damaging, destruction and final loss.
Well-developed, effectively and strictly implemented preventive conservation system can be realistic possibility that would diminish or even eliminate all potential risks threatening cultural heritage in the transition countries and elsewhere.
So, the most important reason for carrying out activities of DIANA Centre is to save from deterioration archaeological material of Serbia and Montenegro and from other areas as well.
MEANING OF THE IDEA
The plan was to gather the most eminent conservators and other experts from the country and abroad in this Centre with Summer School. They would, through specific theoretical and practical training, teach interested talented students and conservators the new approaches, methods and techniques of preventive conservation. At the same time, through this training a prompt and highly professional conservation of archaeological materials would be done, under tutoring of experts.
It was necessary to treat conservation as an interdisciplinary combination of archaeology, history of art, history, technology, physics, chemistry, environmental control, microbiology, disinfectants, special artistic skills with ceramics and sculpture, sociology, legislation etc.
Experience and information obtained were another proof that it was most urgent to leave traditional ways in conservation of archaeological objects and to start building new, modern, complex and complete awareness of conservation itself and how to apply it properly.
We were aware of the fact that every segment of cultural heritage preservation, and especially conservation of archaeological objects, requires a complex interdisciplinary and specific theoretical knowledge and great skill. Extreme value, importance and sensibility of these objects require to be treated by well-educated and specialized conservators and other experts.
Experts participating in DIANA Centre’s activities have been examining their role in conservation practices for quite some time now as well as the role of Centre within the National Museum Belgrade but also on a broader scale, by applying a coherent policy and strategy in conservation. During mid-90’s, while country was kept isolated, we did manage however to keep up with the development abroad, to learn about new approaches to safeguarding while trying to solve problems at home. Our experience and knowledge grew and developed into a comprehensive project, which was simultaneously providing solutions for the three basic problems in the then situation in conservation:
-Education and upgrading of staff on the most recent, multidisciplinary scientific and professional basis;
-Creating a new system approach to conservation and safeguarding of archaeological objects;
-Achieving high quality conservations of archaeological objects under the control of national and foreign experts.
With theoretical and practical tasks in conservation of archaeological objects that belonged not only to the National Museum collections, but to other museums as well. With an elaborated multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach in training of different levels of students and highly structured theoretical and practical lectures, DIANA Centre became in 2000 one of the few participants in promotion and application of preventive conservation in the then Yugoslavia.
The activities of DIANA Centre already proved that preventive conservation could be implemented in long-term institutional plans, that use of reliable methods, training and access to information can be proved, and public can become fully aware of preventive conservation concept. These are all subjects or activities successfully included in DIANA’s programmes and the results obtained made it the nucleus of the new Centre for Preventive Conservation of the NationalMuseum. This is a new position in our system of safeguarding and in organization structure of the NationalMuseum, the new body of great importance and, obviously, of great necessity. Use of experience, knowledge, flexibility and energy accumulated in DIANA Centre and around it, will ensure and improve the application of preventive conservation concept.
In summer 2002 preventive conservation was implemented in the new strategic plan of development of the NationalMuseum and at the end of 2002, during the structural reorganization of the NationalMuseum, DIANA Centre for Preventive Conservation was founded.
The fundamental objective of DIANA Centre is to establish preventive conservation system as the fundamental museological principle in safeguarding cultural heritage. This implies multidisciplinary management (governance and handling) of cultural property in order to reduce the losses of cultural heritage and including preventive conservation into European strategic project and global system of safeguarding heritage. Thus, the National Museum Belgrade as central institution of safeguarding carries out tasks and duties in establishing an inter-museum network in Serbia whose aim is to create a functional system of preventive conservation of moveable cultural property.
DIANA Centre represents a system of effective, modern preservation implying interdisciplinary approach to preventive conservation (museology, environmental control, conditions of safekeeping, displaying and transport, microbiology, emergencies, legislation, chemistry, physics, technology, petrography, archaeology, history of arts, IT, specific artistic crafts, practical conservation treatments, etc.).
DIANA Centre considers cultural property an international category, not a local one. It creates preventive conservation integrally and regionally, aiming at becoming centre of excellence for Serbia and Montenegro, the Balkans and Southeast Europe as well.
DIANA Centre gathers the most renowned conservators and experts, who, through specific theoretical and practical training, share with the interested and talented students and conservators the up-to-date body of knowledge in preventive conservation and conservation skills. DIANA Centre continues its work in building new, accomplished staff who are adequately (in a multidisciplinary and specific way) educated and trained so as to be able to take over tasks and duties of modern, timely and highest-quality preventive conservation of moveable cultural property.
DIANA Centre organizes conservation workshops (autumn-winter and spring ones) and summer schools. DIANA Centre also organizes seminars with the help of YU NC ICOM and in cooperation with other museums. The seminars are aimed at educating in order to help organization of adequate preventive conservation of museum objects.
DIANA Centre promotes application of passive conservation in museums emphasizing the need for establishing optimal environmental conditions for museum collections and objects.
In the same time, through education, active conservation is carried out and timely and high quality professional safeguarding of archaeological objects is done under supervision of eminent experts.
DIANA prepares the background for researching preventive conservation, conservation, archaeology and arts.
DIANA Centre is active in providing, publishing and educating professional literature.
DIANA Centre develops significant international, regional and local cooperation.
DIANA Centre takes active part in promoting principles of preventive conservation and raising awareness of the public aimed at increasing the level of care for cultural heritage. It is duty of DIANA Centre to carry out all its activities on the local, regional and international level.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF DIANA CENTRE:
I Education
IIApplication of passive conservation
IIIApplication of active conservation
IVResearch
VDocumentation
VIPublications
VIIPromotion – presentation
VIIIPartnership
IXMarketing
EDUCATION
In accordance with the European Preventive Conservation Strategy, DIANA Centre set the following education strategies:
-Define and develop the content of fundamental knowledge of preventive conservation;
-Include preventive conservation in all study programmes dealing with cultural heritage;
-Provide curricula in preventive conservation for conservation-restoration training institutions;
-Create opportunities for specialization in preventive conservation such as postgraduate diplomas and PhDs;
-Organize regular opportunities (such as seminars, expert meetings, round tables, etc.) for updating knowledge;
-Stimulate research in preventive conservation.
Preventive conservation education is aimed at:
-Creating a broad span of professional young staff who would deal with preventive conservation in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary way and in accordance with the principles gained through specialized training and education in preventive conservation;
-Establishing teamwork and insistence on professional ethics and moral standards implementation;
-Recognition of the profession: Coherent conservation strategy implies general changes in the approach to safeguarding but also to conservation as profession since it includes complete care for cultural property;
-Education of staff from Serbia and Montenegro, neighboring and West Balkan countries.
THEORETICAL EDUCATION
General theoretical lectures
Specialized theoretical lectures
Targeted lectures (singular or as a series)
Specialized and master courses
Theoretical education includes:
- Museology
- Preventive conservation
- Introduction to materials
- Technology of archaeological materials
- Geology with petrography
- Survey of prehistoric, antique and mediaeval ceramics, glass and other
- Application of expert system
- English for conservators and museologists
- French for conservators and museologists
- Legislation and legal regulations
- Theory of modeling and shaping
- Drawing and theory of colors
SPECIALISED LECTURES
Within the frame of theoretical education DIANA organizes most specialised lectures that represent a new approach to particular issues of safeguarding, conservation, archaeology and archaeological objects.
Specialised lectures
-Use of Lasers in Conservation
In Preventive Conservation
-Preparing Plans for Preventive Conservation
-Storing Conditions in Storages
-Storing Conditions in Display Rooms
-Packing and Transporting of Archaeological Material
-Equipping of Storages and Display Cases
-Diseases of Museum Objects
-Disinfections of Museum Objects, etc.
In Museology
-Museology and marketing
-Relations between museums and media
-Opening of museums and preventive conservation to the public and audience
-Cultural tourism
-Marketing
-Professional awareness and ethics
-Activities of NGOs and professional associations in safeguarding cultural heritage
-Activities of the International Committee “Blue Shield”
Experience gained during reorganization of institutions of culture
-Hermitage: history and education; concept of Hermitage in the 21st C, Louvre Museum etc.
-Strategic planning in museums and reorganization of institutions
Strictly conservation topics
-Interdisciplinarity in conservation
-Raman spectroscopy in museology and conservation
-Special techniques in glass conservation (technique of glass fusion)
-Nature of materials used in restoration of glass, etc.
Archaeological interdisciplinary issues
-Cultural and historical significance of Djerdap (the Iron gate)
-Geophysical survey
-Roman ceramics – production, Trading and cultural ties in Europe, Production and Trade of Roman Ceramics in Europe and the Balkans
-Digital technology applied at archaeological excavations
-Historical Development of Glass, Specialised techniques of glass production, etc.
-The Nature of Amber
PRACTICAL TRAINING
It is a combination of practical conservation methods and theoretical explanations of methods and materials used. It consists of study and application of:
-Basic active conservation knowledge and skills,
-Specialised knowledge, artistic skills and craftsmanship.
It is carried out in workshops adjusted to the respective level of theoretical aducation.
It is applied on
-inorganic,
-organic and
-composite archaeological material.
Presently practical training is conducted on ceramics, glass, stone, plaster, synthetic materials, and amber.
There are still no conditions for dealing with other kinds of archaeological material as the working space and relevant equipment are lacking.
Practical part of the programme implies:
-Conservation documentation,
-Conservation examination,
-Cleaning,
-Consolidation,
-Bonding of fragments,
-Restoration,
-Reconstruction,
-Final protection,
-Mastering of specific artistic finesse.
Three levels of education
Basic level for beginners
Higher level for seniors
Specialization and advanced learning
Carrying out of education in cycles by engaging experts from the country and abroad.
- Summer cycle – Summer school DIANA, 9 weeks, June – September
- Autumn cycle – Autumn workshop DIANA, 8 (10) weeks, October – December
- Winter-Spring cycle – Winter-Spring workshop DIANA, 12 (16) weeks, February – May
- Specializations
- Seminars, conferences, consultations
1. SUMMER SCHOOL DIANA
It has been established in order to provide basic theoretical and practical knowledge for new students – beginners. This cycle is open to the new students only.
Education of seniors is done on a permanent basis and this cycle offers continuation of training started in previous cycles and specialization.
At present we can hold the following courses:
-Conservation of soft body ceramics
-Conservation of glazed and solid ceramics
-Conservation of Roman and medieval glass
-Conservation of stone
-Making of moulds and copies
-Refreshing and renewal of old conservations
-Conservation of plaster, polyester etc. copies
2. AUTUMN WORKSHOP DIANA
The Workshop continues activities of the Summer school DIANA with the selected beginners and with the senior students and collaborators.
For senior students and collaborators specialized programmes are prepared within specific projects, such as: