Priests show part of their collection of manuscripts.
Addis Ababa, February 2019 — Just before the beginning of spring, Federica Delia undertook a mission to Ethiopia. The aim of the visit was to assess the state of conservation of several important book collections and to meet the individuals responsible for their preservation and protection.
The trip also provided an opportunity to engage with local communities on their culture, history, and traditional crafts, as well as to exchange knowledge and information. It proved to be a highly constructive experience, laying the groundwork for a future and fruitful collaboration.
Berlin, July 2017 — Last week I was in Berlin again. After almost three years, I returned to attend a workshop on the conservation of byōbu Japanese folding screens at the Museum für Asiatische Kunst in Dahlem.
Once again, I had the opportunity to meet my teachers from Japan as well as colleagues from all over the world. During the week, I learned about complex objects such as byōbu and the traditional techniques used to construct and restore them. It was, once more, a wonderful and valuable experience for both my professional and personal growth.
This five-day workshop on the conservation of byōbu is intended for conservators and restorers who already have an advanced knowledge of Japanese conservation and restoration techniques. Applicants are required to have previously attended either the course “Basics of Japanese Paper and Silk Conservation” or similar workshops organized by the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, such as the JPC program.
Participants learn the fundamental techniques of Japanese paper conservation, the structure of Japanese screens such as byōbu (folding screens), and methods for analyzing damage to these objects through hands-on practical work conducted under the guidance of Japanese specialists.
In the photographs: moments from the workshops; life in Berlin.
Doha, July 2017 — I have just returned from my trip to Qatar, my second visit to Doha.
After ten years, I visited the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar this summer, where I worked in 2007 as a paper conservator. It was one of the most challenging experiences of my life and certainly the most rewarding in terms of what I learned about the world.
At that time, the museum was still under construction and existed only as an empty space. Today, I was finally able to see it open to the public.
In the photographs: the dome of the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar as seen from the inside; a view of the city skyline from the museum terrace; and myself in front of the museum entrance.
Lisbon, March 2017 – On 9 March, the Italian Cultural Institute in Lisbon invited Barbara Cattaneo and Federica Delìa to give a presentation on the conservation of paper and photographs together with Luis Pavão, one of the pioneers of photographic conservation in Portugal.
It was a pleasure to meet him and all the participants, and to share and compare conservation practices and principles at an international level. Moreover, they had the opportunity to visit Luis Pavão’s amazing conservation laboratory, where he also hosts professionals for training courses and internships.
In the pictures: the conference flyer; Barbara and Federica getting ready for the presentation; a visit to Luis Pavão’s photographic conservation lab; Lisbon.
Seoul, December 2016 – I recently returned from South Korea, where I attended a workshop on hanji papermaking for foreign specialists, organized by the Korean Craft & Design Foundation.
My colleagues and I had the opportunity to personally practice the traditional Korean oebal and ssangbal techniques and to make our own sheets under the expert supervision of highly skilled Korean masters.
In the pictures: masters making paper using the oebal technique; the master and me; the group of participants, Korean tutors, teachers, and government representatives.
Hamburg, November 2016 – This week Federica Delìa went to Hamburg, Germany, to the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures, where she had the pleasure of meeting once again passionate scholars and researchers investigating Himalayan papers, their handmade production processes, and their trade routes across the highest regions on Earth.
Such a wonderful workshop!
In the pictures: presentations during the workshops; the port of Hamburg.
Brussels, October 2016 – Brussels is not far from Amsterdam, so Federica decided to take the opportunity to attend the RE-ORG seminar held on 29 and 30 September. She came away with many new ideas and a great deal of enthusiasm after the final brainstorming session!
To learn more about the ICCROM RE-ORG project, please visit the following websites:
Amsterdam, September 2016 – Last week I was in Amsterdam to attend the ICOM-CC Photographic Materials Working Group Triennial Conference 2016 at the Rijksmuseum.
During the conference poster session, my colleague Barbara Cattaneo and I presented our research on the physical and aesthetic properties of hanji and its usefulness in the field of photographic print conservation.
To download a copy of the poster, please click here.
A few days before the event, we also had the opportunity to visit the wonderful Impossible Project factory in Enschede (the Netherlands), where instant photography is still very much alive.
In the pictures: the group of participants; my conference pass; the opening of the conference; a visit to the Impossible Project factory.
Rome, September 2016 – On the occasion of the 9th edition of the Festival of Travel Writing, held from 22 to 25 September at the Italian Geographical Society in Villa Celimontana in Rome, Federica Delìa assisted with the installation and mounting of several exhibitions.
The Festival features a rich program of events and is usually attended by a large audience of travelers, writers, journalists, and curious enthusiasts.
In the pictures: visitors at the entrance of the exhibition in 2015; visitors in the reading room of the Italian Geographical Society; Elizabeth Chatwin viewing photographs by Antonio Politano.
Istanbul, August 2016 – Last week Federica Delìa had the opportunity to visit the paper conservation laboratory of Serendip Restorasyon in Istanbul and to discuss paper and photographic conservation with the team, sharing knowledge and skills at an international level. It was truly a great experience—thank you!
Federica sincerely hopes they will have the opportunity to meet again soon.
In the pictures: Sükrü Oral and Federica Delìa evaluating some tools; Federica examining a photograph; a lovely group of people from Italy, Turkey, and Pakistan at dinner; the city of Istanbul.
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