Objects of art and heritage reveal their significance through different senses: their form and appearance; the messages and stories they contain; the knowledge and information hidden within them. Conservation efforts not only help to manage the inevitable changes that objects undergo as they age, but also assist with the study of the history and making of our heritage and help us to appreciate its beauty. Each form and artefact of East Asian art and heritage, in addition to assuming a unique and distinctive style and nature, carries an important meaning and testimony to the culture and history of the people and the region that created them.
This publication of the papers and posters from the 25th Biennial IIC Congress, An Unbroken History: Conserving East Asian Works of Art and Heritage brings together a wide variety of views and dialogues to address the various areas of work, study and analysis involved in the conservation of East Asian art and heritage. It focuses on how conservation helps to retain or recover messages that art and heritage carry, and addresses how history or meaning affects the decision-making processes in conservation treatments. Different conservation approaches and methodologies are discussed and examined, and link to the unveiling of traditional craftsmanship, manufacturing materials and patterns of use or previous restorations. With advances in technology, and increasingly efficient flow of information and a growing awareness of conservation ethics, more sustainable ways to conserve art and heritage are explored.
These different approaches to conservation may be applied to the treatment of a wide range of objects and materials: scroll paintings and calligraphy; prints; textiles and costumes; wall paintings; sculpture; furniture and lacquer wares; jewellery, ceramics and metalwork. The conservation of the built heritage, including historical and archaeological sites, monuments and historic buildings is an important aspect of conservation in East Asia. The intangible heritage of a community, its traditions, customs and rituals, its music, folk arts and crafts has a value that is incalculable, but it may wither and diminish, unable to compete with the pressures of the strident modern world, if we are unaware of its significance. Innovative conservation approaches are required if we are to preserve the relics and objects which are inseparable parts of intangible cultural heritage.
Alongside this publications sits a special edition of Studies in Conservation which is intended to inform the discussion session devoted to environmental standards for the safekeeping of cultural heritage objects and the management of environmental conditions within museums and other buildings in a responsible and sustainable way, bearing in mind the need to reduce the carbon footprint of museums and their activities.
藝術文物和文化遺產包含著多元的價值和意義，它們除了外觀形態散發着懾人的魅力，更是歷史文化的載體，承載着無數的記憶和許多鮮為人知的故事，有待發掘與探討。保存和修復工作不僅透過專業知識和嶄新科技減低歲月對文物造成的影響，還可以藉此解讀文物的構造特色及歷史，重溯這些瑰寶的原貌和光采。東亞藝術珍品和文化遺產源遠流長，有着獨特的風格和本質，是時間與歷史交織下的瑰寶，蘊含當地的歷史及文化內涵，教人心動和尊重。
本文集輯錄的論文和海報，都是環繞「東亞藝術文物與文化遺產的修護」這個第25屆國際文物修護學會會議的主題，滿載文保專業人員在保存和修復東亞文物的觀點及心得。文集重點檢視修復人員如何保存和復現這些文明瑰寶所蘊藏的涵意與智慧，以至文物的背後的歷史意義和文化價值如何影響修護方案的制定和執行過程。文章探討了不同的修復技術和方法，讓讀者從中了解匠心獨運的東亞傳統工藝、文物製作原料的特色、文物的使用方式及傳統的修復技術。隨着科技不斷發展、資訊流通的便捷以及修復專業益受重視，會議亦會揭示更多明確和持續可行的方法來修護這些文物珍品。
論文集內提及的多種修護方法，均可以應用在不同類型的文物上，從書畫、版畫、服飾與織繡、壁畫、雕塑、傢具、漆器、玉石、陶瓷，以至各類青銅器和金屬等。建築文物的保育，包括具東方特色的古蹟、考古遺址及歷史建築等亦是東亞地區內備受重視的文保議題。至於非物質文化遺產，如民族傳統、風俗禮儀、音樂、民間工藝亦有無法估量的價值，若得不到重視和承傳，便會隨年月變遷煙沒於瞬息萬變的新世代裏。因此，我們更需以創新的保存和修復技術來保護這些與非物質文化遺產息息相關的古蹟珍品。
除本論文集外，大會亦備有《文物修護文集》香港會議特別版，旨在為會議的專題研討提供討論的基礎。研討會主題訂為博物館的環境調控，將會以減少博物館及其活動所產生的碳排放量為前提，制訂出適合保存文物的環境準則，並達致一套持續可行的方法，妥善管理博物館和其他相關建築物內的環境狀況。