SCIENTISTS FROM THE CENTRE OF POLYMER SYSTEMS ATTEND A CONFERENCE ON CONSERVATION

Zlín, September 12, 2023 – The 31st Annual Conference of Conservators and Conservators took place on 12–14 September 2023 in the U2 Auditorium of the Faculty of Management and Economics (FaME) of Tomas Bata University in Zlín. The event was organised by the Methodological Centre for Conservation of the Technical Museum in Brno (TMB MCC) together with the Committee of Conservators – Restorers of the Association of Museums and Galleries of the Czech Republic, the Museum of South-East Moravia in Zlín and the Tomas Bata University in Zlín (TBU).

The conference brought together more than three hundred experts, mostly conservators/restorers from museums, galleries, libraries and other heritage institutions as well as from the private sector, together with researchers and other specialists in the field of cultural heritage management, including teachers and students of conservation/restoration and other specialist schools. The possibilities of cooperation were also presented by Prof. Vladimír Sedlařík, the CPS Director, who also attended the opening of the event together with Prof. Milan Adámek, the TBU Rector.

“We have reached a time when early plastic products, dating from before 1950, have become collector’s pieces and are of interest to conservation and restoration. Plastics are materials that are subject to decomposition like any other, and the ravages of time and the imperfections of technology and materials of the time are reflected in them. One of the topics of the conservators and restorers was how to preserve plastic products from the second half of the last century,” said Vladimír Sedlařík.

The Centre of Polymer Systems is one of the best-equipped research centres in Central Europe in its field, offering both expertise and technology. Among other things, it also cooperates with the Faculty of Restoration at the University of Pardubice. Together, they are looking at how to effectively protect artworks from bacterial infestation, which can cause irreversible damage to the items. “We can design procedures for slowing down degradation changes on plastic products, for example, everyday objects and designer furniture, so that the ageing process is significantly slowed down,” says Vladimír Sedlařík.

The meeting aimed to present and share the results of research on historical materials, conservation and restoration and preventive care of monuments, as well as new/proven methods and means in the field of cultural heritage protection or ethical principles of this profession. “Conservators and restorers need to keep up with current

scientific approaches to the examination and treatment of monuments and artefacts; they must be familiar with the microclimatic parameters of the environment for their preservation and at the same time have sufficient experience and training to perform their profession. The conference provides space for multidisciplinary exchange and sharing of the latest knowledge and experience in the field,” notes Ing. Alena Selucká, Deputy Director of the Methodological Centre for Conservation of the Technical Museum in Brno.

This year’s schedule also featured a wide range of presentations on the treatment and conservation of cultural heritage objects such as silk textiles, wall oil paintings, enamelled artefacts, archaeological finds, tin baptismal fonts and technical monuments. Experts also discussed advanced technologies, such as computed tomography or laser cleaning, which are increasingly being applied to the examination and treatment of historical objects.