| ■Tokyo National Research
Institute for Cultural Properties |
■Center for Conservation
Science |
| ■Department of Art Research,
Archives and Information Systems |
■Japan Center for
International Cooperation in Conservation |
| ■Department of Intangible
Cultural Heritage |
|
Commemorative photo of the participants
From January 14-16, 2009, the Expert Meeting on Cultural Heritage in Asia and the Pacific: “Restoration and Conservation of Immovable Heritage Damaged by Natural Disasters” was held in Thailand. This meeting was jointly sponsored by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo and Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture, Thailand. It was also supported by SEAMEO-SPAFA (Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts under the aegis of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization) and the Embassy of Japan in Thailand. On the first two days, a round-table conference was held at the Siam City Hotel in Bangkok, and on the final day there was an excursion to the sites in Ayutthaya where actual measures against and post-disaster restoration are being implemented. At the round-table conference, one representative each from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam as well as Thailand and Japan made presentations. Observers, including local university personnel, presented their opinions and asked questions, and active discussions were held. During the excursion, various types of information on restoration materials were shared by the participants.
Interview with the Australian Commonwealth Government
Interview with the New South Wales State Government
The Japan Consortium for International Cooperation of Cultural Heritage plans this year to study international cooperative structures in developed countries as part of its information collection activities. One of the study activities was a survey in Australia that we held from January 20 to 30. We interviewed a total of 14 organizations and individuals, including administrative organizations, research institutes, and private consultants engaged in international cooperation for cultural heritage. We also looked at the institutions Australia uses to create items of international cooperation in cultural heritage, and to develop business. As a result, we learned that Australia has some issues in common issues with Japan – coordination for economic development cooperation and supporting domestic youth – and some differences – a flexible information coordination network between related people and a distinct division of roles. We could collect useful information that will greatly help in examining Japan’s international cooperation structure in future.
Poster exhibition
Panel members
On January 18, the international symposium ‘Rediscovering My Cultural Heritage’ was jointly sponsored by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Asahi Shimbun, and the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation of Cultural Heritage. This symposium was our first attempt of focusing on ordinary people, and was planned with the goal of helping people feel familiar with cultural heritage and learn about the existence of international cooperative activities to conserve familiar cultural heritage. We invited author Mr. Asada Jiro and Ms. Brigitte Scholz, a representative of IBA Corporation Project who works on the use of the German industrial heritage, to introduce a new type of heritage. In addition, reports were given by Mr. Kwon Sujin of the Toyota Foundation, and Mr.
Shimizu Shin’ichi, the director of the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation of National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo; these individuals spoke about examples of international cooperation for cultural heritage. We also exhibited panels that introduced international cooperation activities for cultural heritage in Japan, and distributed pamphlets. Nearly 400 people participated, and the message could be transmitted to many people.
Six students from Tohoku University of Art and Design
On December 4, the students came to study restoration of cultural properties. They toured the Library of the Department of Research Programming on the second floor and the Training Section of the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
23 students from Shimane Prefectural Masuda High School
On December 19, the students toured the Conservation Science Section and Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor and the Center’s Analytical Science Experimental Laboratory on the fourth floor as part of “Exploratory Practical Learning (Tokyo Training) in Cooperation with the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation”, the main event of the Super Science High School (SSH) project that Masuda High School promotes. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Siku Quanshu
The bibliotheca of the late Suzuki Kei, Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University and a member of The Japan Academy, was donated to the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo (Prof. Suzuki died on October 18, 2007 at the age of 86). Among his books, all 1500 volumes of “Wenyuange Edition Siku Quanshu”, over 500 volumes of Si Bu Cong Kan Chu Bian Suo Ben and Da Qing Li Chao Shi Lu were offered by his bereaved wife Teruko, and brought to the Institute on December 11. As is widely known, Siku Quanshu was compiled by order of Qianlong, Emperor of China, and is highly valuable because it is the largest Chinese classical encyclopedia. This Institute praises the academic contributions of Professor Suzuki, who was the leading authority on Chinese picture history. We will consider the use and conservation of precise materials and proceed with formatting so that they can be used by many researchers. We also plan to issue a volume tentatively entitled Catalog of Books Donated by Professor Suzuki Kei next year.
Session 1 Discussions
Mr. Mark Barnard (The British Library) presenting in Session 3
All symposium presenters and chairpersons
For three days from December 6 to 8, 2008, the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo hosted the 32nd International Symposium on the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Properties entitled Capturing the Original: Archives for Cultural Properties in the Heiseikan Auditorium of the Tokyo National Museum. The purpose of this symposium was to consider how “original” cultural properties may be transmitted to posterity without affecting their essential value. Presentations were given and discussions were held by 25 persons, including 5 persons from overseas (USA, UK and Taiwan).
In Session 1 (“Confronting Objects/’Originals’”) on the first day, the fundamental stance towards cultural properties was re-examined, seriously considering those objects deemed to be “original”. In Session 2 (“’Originals’ beyond Objects”) on the second day, various matters that remind people of “originals”, either those that remain or materials related to them, were chosen as topics. In Session 3 (“Handing over ‘Originals’”) on the final day, ways of operating archives for cultural properties that support and transfer the originals were examined, based on the discussions up to that point.
A total of 281 participants attended the symposium during the three days. There was great interest in the theme of the symposium, which especially sought to capture “originals” from the standpoint of archives for cultural properties. Although focus was placed on Japanese and East Asian art, western aesthetics, contemporary art, and intangible cultural properties were also considered. The Department of Research Programming, which is in charge of the Institute’s archives, served as secretariat for this symposium. There were numerous matters to be considered regarding how cultural properties should be documented while focusing on the original. The Department will continue to deal with these big topics. A detailed report of the presentations and discussions will be published next year.
Third Public Lecture by the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage
On December 16, 2008, the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage held a public lecture in the large lecture room of the National Noh Theater. Since 2006, the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage has held lectures on audio recordings made by the Cultural Properties Protection Comission (currently the Agency for Cultural Affairs) in the past. This year, a recording of noh-bayashi (musical accompaniment to noh) was introduced in a lecture that focused on the changes in noh as traced by audio materials.
It appears that the main purpose of the recordings of noh-bayashi made in 1951 was to document the performances of Kawasaki Kyuen, an o-tsuzumi player, and Ko Yoshimitsu, a ko-tsuzumi player. Both Kawasaki and Ko received the first individual recognition as holders of important intangible cultural properties (socalled “Living National Treasures”). This lecture allowed listeners to hear the consummate art of the two masters who supported noh in the Taisho and Showa periods and to learn about the significance of the recordings made by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in the past and the relationship of the recordings with the transmission of noh.
The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage is planning to hold another lecture next year based on audio materials made by the Commission in the past.
Lecture with a restored Urushi lacquer work
Practice of adhesion with mugiurushi and attachment with kokuso
The Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques held an Urushi restoration workshop at the Cologne Museum of East Asian Art in Germany as part of the Cooperative Program for the Conservation of Japanese Art Objects Overseas, in 2008. We held workshop I (elementary practice) with 10 trainees on November 5-7, workshop II (for first-time participants) with 10 trainees on November 8, workshop II (for students) with 7 trainees on November 8, and workshop III (mid-level practice) with 7 trainees on November 11-14. Two instructors who were experts performed restoration work at the local site. All participants were persons who were highly interested in the restoration of Japanese traditional Urushi lacquer works, such as curators and cultural property restorers from various parts of Europe outside of Germany as well, including the UK, Switzerland, Austria, and Poland. At these workshops we held various programs, including a report on examples of overseas Urushi lacquer works, the creation of Urushi spatulas, adhesion with mugiurushi and attachment with kokuso using hand plates for restoration practice, and core stretching practice using thin bamboo sticks. All the trainees were eager and asked many questions, resulting in a successful training session.
On December 15 and 16, we held trial training for 40 curators who are in charge of conservation in museums and art galleries: They studied the characteristics of atmosphere and indoor air contamination materials, damage examples, control methods, monitoring plan drafts, and examples of countermeasure implementation.
We continued difficult lectures and demonstrations, including state-of-the-art research results and technical content, in order to teach the ability to establish specifications for measuring contamination materials, read reports, evaluate the results, and determine countermeasures with architects and air-conditioning engineers. All participants worked diligently and earnestly.
The provision of a glossary, acquisition of information on necessary equipments and spaces, and other aspects of the workshop were highly regarded, and there were many requests for future disclosure on the Internet (38 of the participants expressed 100% satisfaction).
On December 4, 2008, a seminar on the theme of conserving energy at museums with a view to maintaining an appropriate environment for cultural properties was held in the seminar room of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. This theme had been chosen at a meeting of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques as one that the Institute would study in cooperation with museums.
Two lectures were given at this seminar: Mr. Maekawa Shin of the Getty Conservation Institute (USA) spoke on energy conservation for museums with consideration for storage and display environment and Mr. Shiraishi Yasuyuki of the University of Kitakyushu spoke on comprehensive assessment system building environmental efficiency (CASBEE) and its case studies. Reports on concrete endeavors on this matter were also given by the Kyushu National Museum and Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore.
A total of 141 people participated in the seminar and held active discussions.
Surveying the status after storing mural pieces
Since 2008, the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, has been working on the conservation and restoration of mural pieces owned by the National Museum of Antiquities, Tajikistan, together with the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography, Academy of Science, Tajikistan. As part of this project, we invited a total of six specialists in conservation and restoration to Tajikistan from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, and held a workshop at the National Museum from December 5 to10.
In the ruins of Central Asia, beautiful murals from the 5th to 12th century were discovered, but the number of specialists who can conserve and restore the murals is insufficient, so conservation and restoration activities have been delayed. Also in this area, mural conservation and restoration methods established in the former Soviet Union were widespread, so common problems have occurred, such as color change color of the mural surface due to the deterioration of reinforcement. At the workshop, we asked participants to report on the current status of conservation and restoration of murals in their home countries. We also introduced the new trials that we had performed in Tajikistan, and requested them to actually experience them in their work. We will hereafter hold similar workshops in which Japanese specialists and those at the local site will work together and exchange opinions, aiming to promote conservation and restoration activities for the murals in Central Asia, and improving the conservation and restoration methods thereof.
Five researchers from the Hunan Province Cultural Heritage Bureau and Museum in China
On November 11, the researchers came to study the repair, maintenance and conservation of old buildings, and toured the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. The person in charge of the facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Director of Culture and Fine Arts Bureau of Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in Mongolia, along with four researchers
On November 13, the group visited us and toured the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor, the Library of the Department of Research Programming on the second floor, the Restoration Studio and the Analytical Science Section of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third and fourth floors, and the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
25 Cultural Property Volunteers from Kawasaki City’s Tama Citizen Hall
On November 18, the group visited us to see our organizations and facilities for conserving cultural properties, as part of fostering volunteers to focus on using local cultural properties. They toured the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor, the Conservation Science Section and the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor, and the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Six Researchers from the National Palace Museum in Taiwan
On November 25, the researchers visited us to inspect scientific research on conservation technology and traditional techniques concerning ancient Japanese roof tiles. They toured the basement X-Ray Photographing Room, the Conservation Science Section and the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques and the Fumigation Chamber on the third floor, and the Analytical Science Experimental Laboratory of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
An offer for donation was made by the Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association to subsidize projects for the publication of the results of investigation and studies related to cultural properties conducted by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. Another offer was also made, this one by the Tokyo Bijutsu Club, to subsidize the Institute’s research projects.
The Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association has donated 1 million yen each spring and autumn since the autumn of 2001; this was their 14th donation. The Tokyo Bijutsu Club has also donated 1 million yen in spring and autumn since the autumn of 2006, making this donation its fourth.
On November 28, we received bank transfers of donations from the Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association (Director Shimojo Keiichi) and the Tokyo Bijutsu Club (President Asaki Masakatsu).
Although we did not have an opportunity to meet either Director Shimojo Keiichi of the Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association or President Asaki Masakatsu of the Tokyo Bijutsu Club because they were busy, we are most grateful for their understanding of the Institute’s work and their donations. We would like to use these donations for valuable projects conducted by the Institute.
The Department of Research Programming concluded an agreement on collaborative investigation with the Nara National Museum (an optical survey of Buddhist art and a contract on the creation of high-definition digital content), as part of the research project Survey Research on Applications of High-definition Digital Images. From Tuesday, November 4 to Friday, November 7 of this year, we performed non-destructive analysis using fluorescent X-rays, high-definition full-color recording, high-definition fluorescent recording with visible light excitation, and reflective near infrared recording in the Nara National Museum. Our targets were the pedestal that is stored in Kasuga Taisha Shrine and used in reading the picture scroll Kasugagongenkenki, and the pedestals of Sakyamuni Buddha trinity and the Buddha of Healing, stored in the Golden Hall of Horyu-ji Temple. The purpose of this survey was to examine the materials and production processed used and create high-definition digital content based on the above optical survey. In this survey, we acquired various types of information that were not likely to be confirmed by the naked eye because of changes brought about by aging in every case. We are considering reporting our findings in discussions with the Cultural Department of Nara National Museum.
3rd Conference on Study of Intangible Folk Cultural Properties
The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage held its third conference on the study of intangible folk cultural properties on November 20, 2008. This year’s topic was Conservation of Goods Related to Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. To conserve intangible folk cultural properties, including manners and customs, folkloric performing arts, and folklore techniques, not only must the skills be transferred, but many goods such as materials and tools, huge decorations, floats, and stalls must be appropriately secured and maintained. From this viewpoint, we listened to examples of four cases reported by relevant organizations engaged in actual maintenance and protection, and had discussions with people involved on the floor. Eager discussions were held on the difficulty of “conserving while using” (i.e. the organization of conservation activities with a view to new creation) and building a system to conserve both the tangible and intangible as a whole. The detailed agenda for this conference will be summarized and issued in March 2009.
Detaching painting of constellations
Ceiling after painting of constellations was detached
The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo is now engaged in the detachment of wall paintings from the Kitora Tumulus, as part of the project Survey on Conservation of Kitora Tumulus, a Special Historic Site entrusted from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. In July 2007, we started to detach the painting of constellations from the ceiling, and we finished the operation at the end of November, 2008. The status of plaster over the painting of constellations varied in different positions, as did work on the ceiling, so we had difficulties detaching the work. However, we eventually detached it as a total of 113 pieces of plaster. The completion of this work means that all paintings confirmed in the stone chamber have now been detached, including the paintings of the four guardian gods of the directions and the twelve horary signs. Hereafter we plan to detach the unpainted plaster around the painting of constellations. We will then combine the detached plaster pieces to reform the painting of constellations with plans to exhibit in the future.
