News from
the Institute for Conservation and Restoration
Institute for Conservation and Restoration
15.
September 2023
World Heritage in Focus
UNESCO Chair on Conservation and
Preservation of Tangible Cultural Heritage guest at the 18th Austrian World Heritage Conference
Managing and conserving
our UNESCO World Heritage in a sustainable way - this complex topic is the focus of the 18th Austrian World Heritage Conference,
which will take place this year from 12-13 October in Hallstatt. The Institute of Conservation, to which the UNESCO Chair
has been affiliated since 2019, will participate again as in previous years in order to bring the perspective of conservation
into the discussion and to further intensify the exchange with representatives and managers of the Austrian World Heritage
Sites.
18th Austrian World Heritage Sites Conference
12-13 October 2023, Hallstatt
13
years of conservation commitment in Nepal
... and it goes on!
The Institute of Conservation looks back
on a busy August. For one month, a 17-member team was once again active in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Patan Durbar Square
and Royal Palace. Under the direction of Prof. Krist and teachers from the Institute, students of conservation and the CHCM
Joint Masters worked together with Nepalese students and local museum staff on terracotta reliefs of the Narashima Temple,
the fire-gilded metal decorative elements of the Degutaleju Temple and a wall painting in Bhaktapur. At the same time, the
collection care at the Patan Museum was successfully completed. After more than 13 years of engagement in Nepal, it is far
from over and the Institute is working with its long-time partner, the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, to continue the
campaigns in 2024!
Cooperative Conservation in Sutivan: University Partnerships in Stone Preservation
In a collaborative effort, stone conservators, including both students and staff from the University of Applied Arts
Vienna and the University of Split, came together for the third time during the first half of September. Their mission: to
conserve and restore the historic stone altars within the Church of the Assumption of Mary in Sutivan, Croatia, with a primary
focus on cleaning the heavily discoloured/soiled stone surfaces.
This endeavor provided students with invaluable hands-on
experience, enabling them to enhance their skills and knowledge in stone conservation. Moreover, the exchange of expertise
and cultural experiences among participants was a positive outcome of this joint venture.
This successful collaboration
opens the door to future partnerships, further expanding our global commitment to preserving our cultural heritage.
