Art Conservation and Digital Technology
Art Conservation and Digital Technology
The session was conducted by SME – IITJ on “Art Conservation
and Digital Technology” on 23rd April 2021.
In this session, we heard Mr Achal Pandya talking about the
Conservation and Preservation of Artefacts.
Speaker:
Dr Achal Pandya
Conservation Division
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
New Delhi
Speaker's Bio:
Dr. Achal Pandya is currently Associate Professor (Conservation) and the Head of Division (Conservation) at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). Before joining IGNCA, Dr. Pandya taught the Masters degree programme at National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology (NMI), New Delhi. Dr. Pandya holds a doctorate in Conservation and holds Master’s degrees in Conservation and Chemistry. Dr. Padya is the fellow of International Institute of Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) and was the Vice Chair of the Directory Board of International Council of Museums- Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC) between 2017 to 2020.
The session was hosted by Dr. Mayurakshi Choudhary (Asst. Prof., IITJ).
Mr Pandya explained that the Art Objects deteriorate over
time due to Natural or Human Aggressors. The Artefacts do not deteriorate in a
single day. It takes time.
Natural Aggressors which can have an immediate and drastic effect (within 2 days) on the Cultural Heritage:
Earthquake, Volcanic Eruption, Storm, Hurricane, Lightning, Hailstorms, Flood, Tidal wave, Fire,
The Human Aggressors could be due to:
1. Lack of certain aspects
2. Improper Execution
Lack of :
1. Cultural Project
2. Legislative Framework
3. Administrative Framework
4. Respect
5. Awareness
6. Motivation
7. Training
8. Security
9. Choice
10. Programmes
11. Internal Communication
12. External Communication
13. Control
Improper Execution:
1. Excavation
2. Transport
3. Building
4. Distribution
5. Documentation
6. Handling
7. Organization Storage
8. Furniture of Storage
9. Exhibition
10. Support
11. Climate
12. Lighting
13. Intervention
14. Remedial Conservation
15. Preventive Conservation
16. Restoration
17. Maintainance
He gave us the example of the Taj Mahal stating that when we walk
on the floor wearing shoes, it puts a mark on the Marble. So, nowadays, the
staff people there, they give us the footwear to wear on the Marble floors.
Through this, he explained that if you touch an Artefact or Statue every day, it gets harmed. So, this happens in some cases due to the Professional persons working in the Museum or the Preservation Laboratories.
Here, in the current session, the speaker laid his focus on
the Conservation of Artefacts based on Digital Technology.
As per some of the Archaeological sources, around 13000 BC,
the “Adimanavs” lived. A few of the sources which we have of ancient times are the
Paintings and the Textiles. Many textiles are found in the burnt state. They did
not find it from the Harappan civilization. When we see Artefacts, Bangles and
Shawls etc., we see textile marks on the Pottery.
The speaker said that Organic objects will deteriorate
faster and Inorganic objects will deteriorate slower.
The Paper if we keep properly in Almirah, will survive
for long period. If it is exposed to insects or High Humidity, it will
deteriorate faster.
The speaker said that before 2008, 64000 terms were used for
Conservation, but in 2008, the International Council of Museums, voted for Terminology.
Cultural Heritage is of two types, Tangible and
Intangible. The tangible objects are those which can be touched. Music is an example
of an Intangible object.
How can Digital Technology help in the Preservation of Artefacts?
If Digital Technology is not used properly, it can cause
disasters. Photograph needs to be kept properly following Traditional
Conservation Mechanisms.
Problems with those artefacts which are stored using Digital
Technology:
1.
Sometimes the format changes
2.
Sometimes the files will get corrupt.
3.
Expensive Servers
Preventive Conservation
“Preventive Conservation” deals with the actions
done around the object. Eg- Scanning using HD Scanner and Digitising
Manuscripts.
Remedial Conservation
It is done by specialists who are Art
Conservatives. This is needed when the textiles are infected by Insects.
The speaker explained that the documentation system is important for Administrative Management.
It involves:
1.
Accession Number
2.
Accession Register
3.
Main Card Index
4.
Any data /info. Published or unpublished – It goes
to the individual files.
The Scientific Management deals with the
Art History of the object. It tells us about what material the object is made
up of.
Localisation System – It explains where my object is kept in the museums. This was further explained as if we go to a Museum and we ask the authorities to search for an object and if they are able to find it within 5 minutes, that means they have a professional way of finding the object.
The speaker further explained to us that there
are how many ways to identify a particular showcase in a Museum, this multiple details can be stored about the objects:
1.
Type of Objects
2.
Place of Origin
3.
Type of Furniture etc.
Tanjavur Brhadisvara Temple
Check out the following links:
http://ignca.gov.in/divisionss/cultural-informatics/brhadisvara-temple/
http://ignca.gov.in/brhadisvaratemple/index.html
Project from 1992- 2013.
There were many layers involved in making this Multimedia.
The speaker further explained that Digitisation
and Conservation both require an interface.
The project is extended and has gone to 200 thousand hours for the next years.
The speaker introduced us to the only current trusted archive of audio-
visual in India.
Ncaa.gov.in/repository/common/about
National Cultural Audiovisual Archives
He further introduced us to DStretch Software.
DStretch is a software tool for the digital enhancement of rock art.
Jon Harman's D'Stretch software is simple to use and can produce useful results for analysis and presentation.
DStretch is a tool for rock art researchers who wish to enhance images of pictographs.
RTI as a documentation Tool:
1. It involves taking Digital Photographs enabling no contact acquisition of data.
2. Although it is a 2D Recording Technique, it is often described as a 2^(1/2) D technique, because of the high - level visual information that is provided by highlights and shadows.
3. Inexpensive and widely available hardware (in many cases just a digital camera and a light ) and freely available software (culturalheritageimaging.org)
4. Flexible technique that can be used in many scenarios (such as at remote sites and on horizontal and vertical surfaces, on large and small objects.
5. Provides detailed qualitative surface information but not quantitative metric data. For 3D metrically accurate measurements, techniques such as laser are used.
The speaker concluded with the session explaining to us the importance of
hard copies of the archaeological sources and manuscripts because the digital
sources, if lost then at least we can recreate them using the hard copies of
the sources and also explained that when these sources are stored in Cellulose Acetate,
so there is no standardization concerning the temperature at which it is
preserved around the globe because different countries store it at different
temperature and it varies from -4, -17 etc.
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