Ishikawa Cultural Properties Conservation Studio

Introduction

Ishikawa Cultural Properties Conservation Studio was established in 1997, in affiliation with Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art (IPMA). We aim to preserve cultural properties in Hokuriku region, through conservation, investigation, and encouragement of experts specializing in conservation and restoration.

The old studio had been used as other facility, so was nearly 50-years-old in 1997. Then, we discussed over and over, and finally decided to establish new studio next to Hirosaka Annex. The new studio opened in April 2016, is managed by IPMA, and whose members belong to Ishikawa Cultural Properties Conservation Association.

The context of opening the studio

Our studio for conservation of cultural properties is the first one that is operated by a municipality in Japan. We have made specialty of cultural properties made of silk, or papers.
Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum (predecessor of IPMA) established in 1959, have preserved and exhibited many works, and accepted the deposit of treasures from the temples and shrines in Ishikawa. From 1983, when IPMA established, we started conservation of the collection and deposits in museum’s backyard. On the other hand, some members have been to where cultural properties were, in order to protect them from risk of damage by transfer. The studio has developed from those action, and been established in 1997.

The new studio: open to public always

The new studio is 533m² (total floor area), a single-story building made of reinforced concrete. The wall separating the conservation rooms can be moved, enables to place large works. And we established a restoration room for lacquer works newly by requests of people in here, where have been famous for lacquer works traditionally.

Conclusion

We held the special exhibition “Restored cultural assets”, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of establishment of the studio, in 2017. It was significant that most works which we had conserved were exhibited.
Most important is the fact that we have many cultural properties here. It means there are many we have to preserve. Our members endeavor to improve their skills, and numbers of conservation requests have been increasing.