Core Areas of Work

ICKPAC has a dedicated team of trained conservators treating various artworks such as paintings oil on canvas, board, bromide paper, acrylic paintings on canvas and paper, mixed media, water colours on textile and paper support, traditional paintings of the Mysore and Thanjavur schools, miniature paintings, painting on glass and mica and other medium such as prints, oleographs, drawings, sculptures, metal objects, polychrome wood sculptures and surfaces, papier mâché objects, leather puppets etc. The lab is enabled with advanced equipment for detailed documentation and scientific examination of every artwork. The material and techniques used for conservation treatments subscribe to the highest conservation standards. The team also undergoes regular training and capacity building programs to augment their area of expertise. Conservators consult closely with artists, curators, collectors and all other stake holders on all important conservation decisions.

Conservation services involves examination, documentation, removal of previous interventions, cleaning, stabilisation of fragile areas, etc. Training programs in preventive conservation practices including proper handling, storage, display and collection care management.

The team undertakes Condition assessment of individual paintings or entire collections at the centre as well as on site. For those artworks (large-size, highly fragile, large collections and in-situ artworks) that cannot be brought to the centre, conservation treatment is carried out at site by the conservation team.

3.1 Oil on canvas/contemporary painting
3.2 Paper Conservation
3.3 Traditional paintings
3.4 Photographs
3.5 Objects
3.6 Picture frames

3.1 Oil on canvas /Contemporary Paintings

The team of Conservators is trained in conservation and restoration of oil painting on canvas from Colonial to contemporary. Major treatment processes of oil on canvas paintings like devarnishing, removal of previous interventions, consolidation of paint layer, strip lining, lining, revarnishing , inpainting with reversible material are carried out with utmost precision with the help advanced equipment like microscopes and low pressure suction table.

Works of prominent artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, Rabindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, D.P.Roy Choudhury, Jamini Roy, Nicholas Roerich, Svetoslav Roerich, F.N.Souza, K.K.Hebbar, Binod Bihari Mukherjee, Jatin Das, Sunil Das, M.F.Hussain, J.Swaminathan, K.G.Subramanyam, Adimoolam, Satish Gujral, Akbar Padamsee, T.Vaikuntam, Laxma Goud, Manjit Bawa, Redappa Naidu, Yusuf Arakkal, Surendran Nair, Bose Krishnamachari, Jogen Chowdhury, Anupam Sud, Sheela Gowda, Pushpamala N, Rekha Rodwittiya have been treated at our Conservation Centre

Oil on Canvas
Before Conservation-the artwork was
covered with several layers of yellowed
varnish and darkened overpaint from
previous intervention

Oil on Canvas
After Conservation-after cleaning and
stabilizing the problems, a protective
surface coating was applied.

Oil on canvas-Before treatment – The
artwork has suffered some serious
damages due to improper storage.
It was rolled tightly and kept in the
storage for several years. Due to this,
the paint layer was severely cracked
and the canvas had
undulations throughout.

Oil on canvas-After treatment-
After careful attempts to flatten the
canvas and consolidate the flaking
paint layer, the losses were
compensated with Conservation-grade
materials

Abstract-Akbar Padamsee
Oil on canvas Contemporary work
-Before Damage due to bad storage.
Problems included creases,
folds, losses

Abstract-Akbar Padamsee
Oil on canvas Contemporary work
-After Conservation treatment
included cleaning, flattening,
filling and inpainting

3.2 Paper Conservation

Conservators provide consultation and treatment of paper artworks including watercolours, pastels, drawings, prints including engravings, etchings, lithographs, woodcuts, and screen prints, scrolls and screens, maps, posters etc. While the majority of conservation treatments are performed on art works in the Indian tradition, the team also has expertise in conservation and mounting practices of East Asian scrolls and screens on paper and silk. The conservation and restoration treatments include cleaning, removal/reduction of stains, repair of tears and creases, lining, mounting etc.

Drawing on paper (Before
treatment) The paper was in a
very fragile condition with folds
, tears and creases

Drawing on paper (After treatment)
After flattening, mending and
compensating the losses

Oleograph
Before-with tears, creases

Drawing on paper (After treatment)
After flattening, mending and
compensating the losses

Before

After
Print: The Third Delhi Gate Bangalore- Daniells
Before: Stains, Cockling

After
Print: The Third Delhi Gate Bangalore- Daniells
After: Flattening, Cleaning, New Mount

3.3 Traditional paintings

Several traditional paintings like Mysore, Tanjore, Pichwais, Patachitras are treated at the centre.As the material and technique of these artworks is many times specific to the region of the origin, Conservators carry out indepth research to formulate suitable treatments. The typical treatment procedures include documentation, examination, reinforcing of broken or detached support, consolidation of cracks and flaking paint, compensation of losses, inpainting.

Before
Mysore traditional painting: Before
Stains, losses, tears

After
Mysore traditional painting: After
Cleaning, tear mending, filling, reintegration

3.4 Photographs

Conservators carry out basic preventive care and conservation mounting of photographs at the Centre.In case of fragile photographs,digitally restored prints can also be created for display while the original can be safely stored.The team also has expertise in treating complex artworks like oil on bromide or painted photographs

Before – Oil on bromide
Several problems like dirt, tears,
creases, abrasions, stains and over
paint were present

After – Oil on bromide
Solvent cleaning revealed a bright tone of
colours underneath a layer of dirt
.Mending and repairs were also carried
out.

Photograph Before
The image layer was in a fragile state due to
losses from silver fish activity

Photograph After
Digitally restored photograph

3.5 Objects

Conservators perform condition assessment, documentation, and treatments on artworks and artefacts of all types, including indoor and outdoor sculpture of metal, stone, wood, clay, fine and decorative art objects, lacquer, archaeological, ethnographic, historic artefacts, and contemporary mixed media artworks

Wooden inlay: Before
Dirt, cracks, loss, delamination of inlay

Wooden inlay: After
Cleaning, filling, consolidation

Before
Silver repousse work-Before
Was mounted on a wooden board
that had deteriorated, tarnished

After
Silver repousse work: After
Cleaned, mounted on a fresh support

Before
Silver repousse work-Before
Was mounted on a wooden board
that had deteriorated, tarnished

After
Silver repousse work: After
Cleaned, mounted on a fresh support

3.6 Frames restoration

Our Conservators emphasise on restoring and reusing the original picture frames as they form an integral part of the history and aesthetics of paintings. It is therefore imperative to preserve both.

Functionally, frames provide protection to artworks, prevent it from warping and provide ease in handling. Frame restoration services include cleaning, removal of previous interventions, consolidation of cracks or fragile areas, recreation of losses, and inpainting.

Painted frame-Before
Dirt, losses

Painted frame-After
Cleaned, inpainting

Frame-Gilded and carved-Before
Loss of gold leaf, loss of gesso, dirt