ICI Bengaluru has got a dedicated team of trained conservators who work on artworks including oil medium on canvas, board and on bromide paper, acrylic paintings on canvas and paper, water colours, traditional paintings of the Mysore and Thanjavur styles, miniatures painting, painting on glass and other art works such as prints from the ancient period to the present form all over the world, drawin
gs, old sculptures and other metallic objects, wooden sculptures, paper mache articles, leather puppets etc. The lab has expertise in the full range of materials and techniques for detailed photographic documentation, examination and conservation and restoration treatment of works of art. Conservators consult closely with artists, curators and collectors on special challenges and also augment professional expertise with scholarly research, analytic imaging, and scientific analysis from the specialised research team of INTACH material Heritage Division, Delhi. Conservation services involves stabilization, cleaning, and repairs, as well as proper storage and display practices including surface, aqueous, and solvent cleaning, loss compensation preservation framing, and exhibit mounts, pest and mold eradication preventive conservation consultations and collections, examination and documentation before and after treatment etc. The team works with institutions or collectors to perform condition assessments for individual paintings or entire collections. Other services include on-site facility and condition assessments for large collections and over sized projects. Conservators are trained to equip museum and gallery staff in safe handling, housing, and storage procedures of works of art. Team undertake in-house as well as on site documentation reports or public, private
agencies and individuals. This kind of documentation reports helps in understanding different
aspects of the treatment, and creates a record of procedure and condition for future curatorial
conservation reference also a vital source for collection care, loan and travel etc. The centre offers documentation, investigation, conservation and restoration services of wall paintings across the region. The team of conservators has considerable experience in the conservation of wall paintings, in all sizes, of various forms and techniques. Most commonly, these include decorative scheme, painted directly on plaster/ secco media on lime/ clay plaster and oil paintings on canvas adhered directly to the plaster surface. The paintings are carefully examined to ascertain their condition and determine the necessary treatment to be undertaken. This may progress into a more detailed study that involves investigating the structure of the painting, support, its materials and the techniques of the artist.Our conservators have worked on numerous prestigious heritage projects, many of which have involved the conservation of works, cultural as well as of historical significance. We havecarried out conservation treatment on many wall painting sites, in temples and palaces. Thelatest being the conservation of mural paintings on the ceiling of the Devasiriya Mantapam alsoknown as the Thousand- pillared hall in Sri Thiagaraja Swamy Temple, Thiruvarur, TamilNadu. Education and training has always been a primary mission of the centre. We conductworkshops and awareness programmes for the public, art community and connoisseurs in the‘Care and Preservation of Cultural Property’ in Bangalore and outside. The team is passionate to conduct information seminars and training workshops on issues of importance to institutions and private owners alike, including preventive care and handling practices materials and methods of packing, storage, display and transportation and annual maintenance and preservation of outdoor works of art. The centre offers internships to students from various disciplines and serves as a workshop venue for advanced-level conservation training. Acceptance is on-going and competitive. Preservation of Palm leaf and paper manuscripts in Karnataka State under National Mission for Manuscripts, (NMM) Gov. of India, Department of Culture, ICKPAC has been a nominated Manuscript Conservation Centre (MCC) since 23rd September2003. Different repositories of old palm leaf and paper manuscripts in the State, including religious institutions like Mutts and educational centres like Universities are being visited regularly and Preventive conservation of the collections is being carried out. Local staff is trained in Preventive conservation and custodians in the proper maintenance of the collections. Curative conservation of manuscripts is also done whenever necessary. Many workshops and training programs were conducted in different parts of Karnataka, the objective being to impart theoretical knowledge and practical training in the Preventive Conservation of manuscripts to persons working on the collections of the matter as well as people from surrounding area dealing with manuscripts. ICI Bangalore is an independent, non-profit, regional centre providing comprehensive conservation services in Paintings, Furniture, Objects, Paper and Textiles. The team is collaborative, very collegial and works innovatively with the conservation and restoration treatments on hundreds of artworks every year.
