In the News: Art Restoration

Hi everyone, It's been so interesting to me how art restoration has been in the news more and more lately. Paintings celebrated artist Sobha Singh have been withering away in a Himachal Pradesh gallery. But it has caught the attention of international experts who are coming to the Sobha Singh Museum in Andretta village near Palampur in Kangra Valley later this month to restore and preserve them.

Two art restorers from Britain will be visiting the museum to critically inspect and restore some of the works, Hriday Paul Singh, general secretary of the Sobha Singh Memorial Art Society and in-charge of the museum, told IANS.

Ian Barrand, a restorer who works at a prestigious museum in Yorkshire, and artist Bhajan Hunjan would assess and advice on what needs to be put in place for future longevity of Sobha Singh`s lifetime works, he added.

According to him, some cracks have appeared in six works which include the portraits of the late Amrita Pritam, a Gorkha soldier, paintings of Guru Teg Bahadur - the ninth Sikh guru, and Lord Krishna.

Museum caretakers attributed high rainfall in the region for damage to the artefacts. "Excessive moisture and exposure to dust ate damaging the paintings," a caretaker said. -----> On a side note: Be very careful with water and moisture. Even in places you would think are ok. we see more wate damage that you could imagine and is one of the most difficult issues to deal with because you are not only dealing with warping, but usually mold and mildew as well. All of this can be treated and mended with careful cleaning, conservation and restoration.