Seeking preservation assistance

Before embarking on seeking external help to preserve cultural heritage, custodians should be aware that there are a number of actions they can take to preserve their valued possessions Just as medicine has many self help strategies for individuals to maintain their own health, so are there strategies that custodians of cultural heritage can apply to preserve the items in their possession (if there is any doubt contact a professional such as a conservator or a preventative conservation framer before taking any unnecessary risks). The first thing for individuals to understand is there are a number of environmental factors which can cause artworks and artefacts to deteriorate. These include:

Being aware of the risks

Inherent faults
The physical structure of papers, fabrics and materials used to create the items as well as chemicals in the materials.

Humidity
Humidity has the potential to damage many artworks and objects. Works of art on paper are particularly susceptible to the dangers of humidity.

Air Pollution
Air pollution remains one of the ever-present hazards of the air which surrounds us. Toxic fumes and gases combined with airborne soot and dust causes atmospheric pollution which poses a real threat to the longevity of cultural heritage.

Insects
Insects will devour materials of cellular structure eg paper, create nests on or in heritage items, lay eggs or deposit their droppings in or on items of value

Light
Light can cause permanent damage to prints, photographs, drawings and paintings. Although light rays can be harmful the most destructive rays are the invisible UV rays. Heat and light accelerate fading and discolouration of artworks and materials, but the amount of destruction depends on the intensity and duration of exposure to these elements.

Natural disasters
Floods and fire are the most common of natural disasters to damage cultural heritage in Australia.

Human handling
Handling of cultural heritage causes more damage than all of the above!

Through awareness of the risks listed above owners of artworks and artefacts can take appropriate action to minimise the risks to their possessions. By controlling many of the above risks and by making regular “health checks”, owners of cultural heritage have taken positive, constructive and responsible actions to preserve their items of value.

However, there are many occasions when owners of artworks and artefacts will require the services of preservation specialists. The specialists required will fill one of the following roles:

• Restoration – The objective of restoration is to return work of art to its assumed original appearance.

•   Conservation – The objective of conservation is to stabilize work of art and minimize further damage

• Preventative care – The objective of preventative care is to improve the environment surrounding the work of art and ensuring that the materials in contact with the art are of archival quality. The attachment of the works of art must be done in a manner which leaves the treatment fully reversible.

• Preservation – The objective of preservation is to maintain the physical integrity of cultural property and prolonging its existence.