Historical artefacts and buildings reveal valuable information about the society that developed them, but they do not last forever.
More than 30 conservators at the Leisure & Cultural Services Department's Conservation Office devise preservation plans, strategies and treatments to protect ageing relics.
The conservation laboratory based at the Heritage Museum contains specialist equipment that conservators use to carry out detailed examinations of ancient objects.
Two recent restoration projects were from Tat Tak Communal Hall in Ping Shan, Yuen Long. The hall was built in 1857 and is now a declared monument. It is under threat of serious deterioration due to prolonged flooding and landslides, and is being restored to its original state.
Meticulous detail
Conservation Office Assistant Curator II Jimmy Wong worked on restoring the hall's wooden door and plaster couplet. He said the door was mouldy and beyond repair. Conservators had to saw off the damaged areas and replace them with the same type of wood.
The carved "door gods" had almost disappeared. Detailed analysis was necessary to determine the right paint to restore them.
"Most of the colour had been washed away. Tiny samples were taken and we discovered flecks of gold on the door gods' armour. We used gold leaf to restore it to its original lustre. Gold leaf is different from gold paint. The colour of gold paint dulls down over time, while gold leaf has a brighter hue," Mr Wong said.
The Conservation Office team worked on the door for nearly a year, and spent more than six months on restoring the plaster couplet, which was badly cracked and almost completely faded away.
The couplet was tested to establish the type of plaster it was made from so they could use compatible material to strengthen it.
"The mixture of sand and mud used to create the couplet made it fragile. We were worried that it would break easily during the restoration process. To prevent the couplet breaking again during installation, we placed a carbon fibre cloth behind it to reinforce it," Mr Wong noted.
High-tech gadgetry
Conservators use state-of-the-art technology to restore ancient artefacts. A nitrogen chamber is used to eradicate insect infestation found in organic artefacts such as furniture or wooden sculptures. A colour spectrophotometer helps measure wavelengths of light reflected by a paint.
Assistant Curator I Jonathan Tse specialises in restoring metal artefacts. He said X-ray machines are routinely used in his line of work.
"Archaeological finds are often buried deep in soil, so we use an X-ray machine to find out how many of them are underneath and what kinds of artefacts they are. Then we can decide how to treat and preserve them."
Assistant Curator I, Angela Liu is responsible for restoring old paintings. She uses a simple cleaning agent to remove impurities such as dust and mould: de-ionised water.
Ms Liu believes conservation has a meaningful purpose. During the restoration process, she may discover a painting's unique backstory.
"I restored a painting from the Hong Kong Museum of Art collection. It was folded a number of times. After some research, we found out that it came from the Government House art collection during the time Japan invaded Hong Kong. To prevent Japanese soldiers from stealing it, a housekeeper folded it, hid it in some clothing and escaped. I appreciate what the housekeeper did as it enabled the Hong Kong Government to get the artefact back."
The Conservation Office has eight specialised units to handle the conservation of paintings, photographs and prints, historical documents, textiles and natural history specimens, organic materials, ceramics, metals and archaeological finds. Its team provides expert support to more than 10 public museums, the Antiquities & Monuments Office and the Art Promotion Office.
Community effort
Conservation Office Head Evita Yeung hopes they can raise awareness of their work.
"Without conservation, these artefacts will deteriorate and soon disappear. Future generations will have nothing left to help them understand the history, art and technology of their predecessors. It would all be lost."
To help with its mission, the office recruits volunteers through its website every year. New recruits are given simple tasks, such as reviewing the condition of artefacts and making records.
The office is launching its first Conservation Clinic which will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from late June to mid-July. It gives people a chance to consult with a conservation specialist who can assess and provide advice on how to preserve family heirlooms such as old documents, paintings or silverware.
The clinic is free and people can sign up until June 18.
