This international two-day symposium celebrates the 20-year anniversary of the HKB’s contemporary art conservation program and will reflect on evolving roles and practices in the field.

27.01.2022 bis 28.01.2022 – Online + Live streaming (Grosse Aula, Fellerstrasse 11, Bern)

The contemporary art conservation program’s launch was a response to changing contemporary artists’ practices and a commitment to the preservation of artworks outside traditional disciplines, embodying unconventional technologies and materials. The necessity of a different approach to care for and treat these works of art is reflected in its curriculum, incorporating methodologies and techniques from social sciences, affirming the importance of documentation as a preservation strategy, and corroborating the significance of artistic concepts within a decision-making process.

Looking back on the last 20 years, we can observe shifts in the field of contemporary art conservation, which compel us to (re)define our roles and question existing structures and modes of operating. A variety of perspectives and positions will reflect on these developments, both pioneering and recent, and will serve as the foundational framework to consider new tools, new skills, and new thinking needed within the field and our training programs.

Information and registration