Laura Vodanovich: Conserve and protect

MOTHER LOVE: This 1985 painting by Robyn Kahukiwa, He Aroha Whaereere He Potiki Piri Poho He Whakatauaki, was purchased, conserved and gifted to the Hawke's Bay Museums Trust Ruawharo Ta-u-rangi collection by the MTG Foundation last year. It is on display in Free Radicals until October 4.

ONE of the important roles for a museum is to look after the collections it holds in trust, to make the collections available today through exhibitions, loans and research, and for future generations.

To ensure the longevity of the collection, objects at times need specialist conservation. Conservation can get confused with restoration but, in museum terms, they're quite different.

Restoration, an invasive discipline, is about returning an object to its original condition. It can include completely replacing parts, repainting, using permanent glues and so on. Conservation is far less invasive, focused on preventing deterioration and, importantly, is reversible (should this be required in the future).

Conservation involves stabilising objects, reattaching pieces that may have become loose and cleaning. During conservation, meticulous notes are made on work undertaken, identifying all materials.

Sometimes the conservation work is designed to give the viewer a sense of the work in its original condition, say paintings or pottery. Working on objects like these can require infilling missing areas.

With a conservation approach, the infilling would be done so that from a normal distance the new and old areas are indistinguishable but, if you move closer to the painting or pottery, it is clear where the old and new areas are. The idea is not to trick anyone and pretend the object is pristine but enable people to appreciate the original integrity of the object.

A vital part of museum practice is preventative conservation. These are all the practices that aim to ensure objects don't get damaged. First on the list is pest management (just think what an infestation of silverfish would do to our archive collection, or borer to our furniture and carvings). Objects are checked for signs of insects or mould before allowing them into the collection.

Managing the environment is a critical part of preventative conservation as warm, humid environments encourage insects, dry cold environments can lead objects to crack and shrink and, perhaps most importantly for museum collections, fluctuating environments lead to a combination of these problems and can cause marquetry and inlay to "pop" off objects. Acid-free archival packing materials protect objects and custom storage prevents overcrowding, allows access and keeps objects off the floor.

But the biggest immediate danger to objects is actually people, and the greatest risk is when objects are being handled or transported.

So careful planning and attention to detail when we handle our objects is the most important factor in preventing damage.

The team at the museum works hard to keep our objects in good condition but we do have objects that have been collected over many decades and are not always in the best condition.

We're lucky the MTG Foundation, which fundraises and purchases items for the collection, also includes the cost of any conservation work required at the time of purchase to ensure that new items coming into the collection are in the best condition possible.

Meanwhile, our staff are methodically working through conservation priorities on existing collection items as funds and resources allow.

-The Pirates of Penzance, performed by English National Opera screens in the Century Theatre tomorrow at 1.30pm. Tickets at the door.

-Give Me Shelter, an exhibition of recent works by local artist Tim Thatcher, ends on Monday.
Laura Vodanovich is director of Napier's Museum Theatre Gallery.