The magic of conservation

Exhibition shows the results of the work and devotion of specialists bringing the past back to life, Wang Kaihao reports.

In many respects, they are often the unsung heroes of exhibitions. The public view the works on display but few consider those that were responsible for putting them there in the first place. If it were not for the devotion of conservators, these artifacts would remain unseen and certainly unappreciated.

From Terracotta Warriors to bronzeware, silk pieces and paintings, the 50-odd cultural relics from 23 museums and research institutes nationwide gathered in a gallery of the Capital Museum in Beijing pay homage to those "cultural relic doctors "who gave them a second life in the public eye.

The three-month exhibition Pursuing Eternity: Conservation of Museum Collections opened to the public on May 18, aptly coinciding with the 45th International Museum Day.

"The reason why these artifacts were selected is not only because they are of high historical value and reflect their time or show extraordinary aesthetics," says Zhou Yang, a researcher from the Hangzhou-based China National Silk Museum in Zhejiang province, the main curator of the exhibition. "These items were selected for this exhibition because they reflect the growing concept and technology of collection conservation."