Conservation: Craft or Science?

The practice of conserving objects has undergone a big change throughout the years, from merely repairing and beautifying an object to a more scientific approach during the nineteenth century. Although the basic concept of preventing the deterioration of culturally significant materials have always existed, the emergence of scientific analysis placed greater emphasis on understanding materials and its behaviour in order to better preserve objects of cultural significance. This exhibition offered a broader perspective of modern conservation practice through a series of case studies featuring selected artefacts from the collection of the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. It was opened to the public from 24th June until 31st October 2019.