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Update by Srimal Fernnado Global Editor

Restoring in Italy

On the occasion of the “XIII week of Italian Language and Culture”, an event which takes place every year all over the world to celebrate Italian culture, the Italian Embassy in Colombo is organizing an exhibition on the art of restoration at the JDA Perera Gallery from October 12th to 15th.

In fact, not only Italian artists have created some of the most beautiful and worldly renowned works of art and masterpieces of all time, but also they have developed one of the finest school of restoration in order to preserve them and trade them from generation to generation, from century to century.

The exhibition celebrates the activities of the Italian “Istituto Superiore per la Conserva¬zione e il Restauro” (ISCR – Higher Institute for Conservation and Restoration), founded in Italy in 1939 with the aim of directing restoration activities away from the field of empirical practices towards an interdi¬sciplinary methodology based on the integrated efforts of restorers, historians and scientific experts.

For many years the ISCR has played a fundamental role in the fields of research, conservation and resto¬ration at international level. As a permanent member of the General Council of ICCROM (International Centre for Conservation and Restoration of Monuments), it has taken part in several projects promoted by the European Commission and the UNESCO World Heritage Council, for which it is one of the privileged partners. One of ISCR’s goals in international activities is the on¬going training of technicians able to deal with the conser¬vation and restoration problems of archaeological and historical sites, monuments, decorative complexes and movable works of art.

The exhibition, to promote awareness on conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, displays 25 panels that describe restoration processes carried out by the ISCR of important UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy, such as the Tower of Pisa, the Domus Aurea in Rome, the Church of Assisi, just to mention a few.

Furthermore, in order to strengthen cultural cooperation between Italy and Sri Lanka, something which has been done already last year organizing the Italian Srilankan Film Festival, some panels of the Srilankan Department of Archaeology will also be displayed together with some restored paintings by art conservator Udaya Hewawasam to show examples of conservation activities performed in Sri Lanka.
By doing so, the exhibition will provide the opportunity to confront experiences and share knowledge on the art of restoration.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 10am to 7pm, the entrance free of charge.