International Conservation Services

Memorial marble 🤍🌺 The Victoria team recently visited Portland VIC, the earliest European settlement in the state, to treat the Glenelg Shire Council War Memorial. The marble statue was thoroughly cleaned of an abundance of lichen, moss, cobwebs, and other debris that had accumulated over time. Although some discolouration remains this is expected to fade over the Australian summer as it is exposed to the sunlight. ☀️ #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #CulturalHeritage

AICCM Award wins 💫 The national professional body for conservation in Australia has nominated two of our projects for awards! Katie Smith, State Manager Victoria, attended the AICCM awards celebration in Carlton to collect two ICS wins, for our NSW and Melbourne offices. The Outstanding Conservation Treatment of the Year – Winner - ANZ 'Gothic Bank' Mosaic floor, Melbourne, VIC Beneath the old carpet at the ANZ ‘Gothic Bank’ at 380 Collins St were the remains of mosaic flooring from the original 1883-1887 build. As part of larger refurbishment works to the banking chamber, ICS was engaged to assess and develop a treatment methodology, then conserve the original mosaic. From the badly damaged remains, a stunning vista emerged. Learn more about the treatment and the methodology > https://bit.ly/3ZwNdsv The Outstanding Conservation Project of the Year – Winner - The South Solitary Island Lighthouse Optic (SSILO), Coffs Harbour, NSW. ICS was engaged by Coffs Harbour City Council to undertake the relocation and restoration of the South Solitary Island Lighthouse Optic (SSILO). The optic was moved from a suburban table tennis club to its new prime and accessible position on the Coffs Harbour foreshore. The optic is one of the most significant items in the Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) collection, and now rightly described as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the beautiful Coffs Harbour precinct. Learn more about the project > https://bit.ly/49wlXPw #InternationalConservationServices #AwardWin #CulturalHeritage #CulturalConservation

Many ICS Values were on full display at the first ICS Training Day 💚 ICS staff came together from all over Australia for a day of training where our conservators could share their powerhouse knowledge and skills with one another. Our team's Passion for their work with cultural heritage; their joy of Discovery for new insights and learning; their Pragmatism and practical approach to problem-solving; and importantly their sense of Collaboration. All these values came to the fore in a fantastic and productive day of learning and sharing. Sessions included: 🧵Single-thread bonding technique in the paintings lab 📃Training with a karibari board and iron gall ink in the paper lab 🪡Textiles training 🚂Industrial Heritage Assessment   🖼️Conservation framing 🎨In-painting 📈Project management Learn more about working for the largest private conservation company in Australia > https://bit.ly/3BfenMB

Dolphin delights 🐬 Keir Bayley, Principal Conservator Metals, has been working with Waverley Council to conserve Diana Webber’s bronze dolphin sculpture. The dolphin underwent surface treatments including cleaning, repatination, and the application of a protective layer of wax. A new supporting stand was added through the body of the dolphin. It was also decided that the base needed further stabilisation in preparation for interaction with the public: this took the form of a sympathetic wave design in bronze, added to the base of the original sculpture. The dolphin is now reinstalled at a new Bondi Beach location, safe and secure to delight a new generation of beach-going public. #InternationalConservationServices #CulturalHeritage #Metalwork #PublicArt

Congratulations to all the highly commended and award-winning museums, galleries and Aboriginal cultural spaces that participated in the IMAGinE Awards 2024. And well done to Museums and Galleries of NSW for all their hard work putting this event together. Each nominee showcased the community-building value and impact of museums and galleries in NSW. Through local stories their collections provide historical, contemporary and future contexts, helping to build resilient and sustainable communities. ICS was a major sponsor of the awards, which were held at the heritage Paddington Town Hall. Julian Bickersteth AO, ICS CEO, spoke about the urgency for sustainability and climate action within the museum sector. Download the awards catalogue and learn more about the array of exhibitions, engagement programs and curators at work in NSW today >> https://bit.ly/3ZiUaPc #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #Awards

Portrait of Two Sisters 🎨 A 19th century oil painting undergoes treatment by Paintings Conservator, Eden Christian, at ICS Melbourne. A tear on the left-hand side is flattened and stabilised. Discoloured varnish and overpaint are removed to reveal the young ladies’ original beauty.     #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #PaintingConservation

Lest we forget 🌺 Australia’s war memorials are cherished spaces where communities come together to reflect on the past and honour those who serve and sacrifice for country. Many of the memorials incorporate guns and war trophies from WWI and the story of how they came to be in Australia is an interesting one shared by Julian Bickersteth AO https://bit.ly/4fJwed1 Regular maintenance and conservation are key to preserving these important sites. Grants and funding for memorial conservation are available in every Australian state. Learn more about the grants available here >> https://bit.ly/3AtzAlJ To find out how our conservators can improve your local war memorial please get in touch. #LestWeForget #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #WarMemorials #CulturalHeritage 

Seaweed adhesive 🌊 Rebecca Clendinen, Paper Conservator, makes traditional Japanese funori adhesive. The Japanese seaweed is left to bloom in hot water before the adhesive is extracted by straining the water/seaweed solution through cheesecloth. The gloopy result, funori, has traditionally been used by Japanese scroll mounters and is used to consolidate flaking paint. It is a popular choice in paper conservation as the solution dries matte, not glossy, and can be generously applied without appearing bulky. Rebecca pours out the excess adhesive to dehydrate in the sun, making it easy to store and reconstitute for future uses. #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #ConservationTechniques

Helping to lower carbon footprint 💚 Julian Bickersteth AO, was a keynote speaker at last week's ‘Roadmap to Net Zero Conference and Workshop’.  The event, a collaboration between ICS and the Australian Museum, was attended by museums and galleries across NSW, all coming with the goal of sharing new strategies to lower individual institution emissions and aspire to net-zero status. Eighteen cultural institutions came together to learn from the insights of others, gain practical and applicable knowledge, and brainstorm future developments in steps towards a cleaner future. #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #NetZero #ClimateAware

The QFM Catalina Flying Boat relocates✈️🛶 It’s so exciting to see the Qantas Founders Museum putting into action the Conservation Management Plan that ICS prepared in 2023. One of the priority recommendations was to provide sun protection for the Catalina by bringing it undercover. She now has a new home in the QFM Airpark, along with other historically significant QFM aircraft >> https://bit.ly/3Yu5iqD #InternationalConservationServices #ICS #CulturalHeritage #Conservation