Take a sneak peek into this new zone at CSMVS in Mumbai for visitors to dive into the art of restoration

What does it take to restore an ageing painting or repair a fragile sculpture At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya CSMVS a new Digital Experience Zone brings these processes into view A tap on its multitouch screen opens up case studies from the museumrsquos collection tracing an artefactrsquos condition before treatment and the work that went into its conservation Images reveal repairs to broken pieces and the removal of discoloured varnish while videos and documentation explain the processes behind each interventionldquoThe idea behind this is to create a multitouch experience for visitors to come and engage and learn about the profession which is essentially hidden behind the scenesrdquo says Nikhil Ramesh Curator Conservation CSMVS The transformation can be striking In some cases the contrast between an objectrsquos original condition and its appearance after conservation highlights the precision involved in the work Up to four visitors can explore the screen at once making the experience a shared opportunity to look closer and learn moreThe bilingual art conservation booklet launched by the museumDeveloped over twoandahalf years with support from Citi India and in collaboration with IIT Bombay the Zone currently features 36 objects It is designed to evolve as new research imaging methods and conservation technologies emerge The museum hopes the space will also encourage school and college visits and introduce more young people to conservation as a careerAt Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Mahatma Gandhi Road Kala Ghoda FortEntry Rs 200 Museum entry ticket applicableAlso Check OutThe launch marks the release of A Career in Art Conservation Where Science Meets Art a booklet designed to familiarise young adults with the profession CSMVS Director General Sabyasachi Mukherjee says ldquoIndia is blessed with an extraordinarily rich cultural heritage both tangible and intangible Yet surprisingly awareness of the importance of its conservation remains limitedrdquo The booklet aims to bridge this gap through illustrations and accessible language Available in English and Marathi it will be distributed among schools and colleges to encourage students for their careerThe Guidersquos top picksA look at the varnish removal process on Phryne in Eleusisgtgt Phryne in Eleusis19thcentury oil on canvas A copy by Emmanuel Oberhausen of Henryk Siemiradzkirsquos painting this work depicts the courtesan Phryne disrobing before entering the sea The paint was flaking and the canvas was fragile Conservators consolidated the paint layer and lined the canvas under suction They removed the discoloured varnish filled areas of paint loss and retouched the surface before reframing the painting Microscopy scientific imaging and photographic documentation were used to study and record the workA digital view of Junogtgt Juno 17thcentury oil on canvas A copy after Italian artist Luca Giordano this painting depicts Juno the Roman queen of the gods The canvas had detached from a warped stretcher while a discoloured varnish obscured the paintingrsquos surface After removing it from its frame conservators cleaned the painting and removed the varnish They reinforced the canvas edges using striplining before mounting it on a new stretcher The painting was then varnished and reframed to restore its stability and appearanceA graphic documentation of the front view of Hawkgtgt Figure of a hawkWooden sculpture This wooden figure depicts a hawk clutching its prey and features metalinlaid eyes A major split in the base and figure along with a detached digit required attention Xray imaging revealed rusted metal clips from an earlier repair which were removedThe display view showcases the conservation processConservators consolidated the split and reattached the broken digit Missing areas were filled and reshaped before being chromatically integrated to restore the sculpturersquos structural stability and visual coherence