Exhibitions in the Niguliste Museum and the Kadriorg Art Museum shed light on the process of conservation of both older and newer art

The Conservation Department of the Art Museum of Estonia is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the triple exhibition From Restorer to Conservator. Two of these exhibitions will open on 10 April: the one in the Niguliste Museum will focus on the restoration of mediaeval and contemporary art, and the one in the Kadriorg Art Museum will take a look at the work of conservators of paintings. The third exhibition has been open in the Adamson-Eric Museum since 6 March and focuses on works of art on delicate and fragile paper. 

“The exhibition From Restorer to Conservator highlights the shift in both methodology and mindset. “Repairing” a work of art in the 19th century often meant overpainting it or “renewing” it visually, but nowadays the task of a conservator is to preserve, understand and respect the unique history of a work and its various layers and fragility,” said one of the curators of the exhibition, Grete Nilp.

The exhibition in the main hall of the Niguliste Museum sheds light on the long and often contradictory restoration history – from the early modern period to the present – of some of the works in the permanent exhibition of Niguliste, which are among the oldest and most seminal works of art in Estonia. Over the centuries, these works have been cleaned, repaired and overpainted, reflecting shifts in the way their value and vulnerability have been perceived. “The story of restoring Danse Macabre and the late-mediaeval retables of Tallinn began in the 17th century and continued through changing times to the present. The history of the preservation of a work of art makes up an important part of its biography, while also reflecting cultural and political changes on a broad scale,” said the Director of the Niguliste Museum, Merike Kurisoo.

Case studies and timelines reveal earlier interventions, disputes and alterations, shedding light on the journey from restoration to conservation: the exhibition reflects changes in how we perceive our responsibility for preserving a work of art and its historical integrity.

A separate display showcasing the conservation of contemporary art will open at the same time in the Tower Gallery of the Niguliste Museum: it will focus on contemporary works of art and the peculiarities of preserving them. The diverse materials and techniques used in contemporary art – from video installations to space-specific works, kinetic mechanisms and ephemeral solutions – present unique challenges to conservators.

Works by Villu Jõgeva, Edith Karlson, Jass Kaselaan, Kaarel Kurismaa, Anna Mari Liivrand, Mark Raidpere, Sigrid Viir and Kristina Õllek exemplify how conscious and responsible preservation helps to preserve the identity of art and the integrity of materials and ideas.

The display in the Kadriorg Art Museum is dedicated to the conservation of classic paintings. It provides a comprehensive overview of the working methods of conservators and the methodologies of analysing artworks, revealing the behind-the-scenes side of conservation through videos and multimedia. As an exception, a work in a complicated condition has also been put on display: its conservation has only just begun. This work exemplifies the challenges that conservators face on a daily basis. The other half of the exhibition consists of twelve masterpieces that are regularly part of the permanent displays of the Kadriorg Art Museum and the Mikkel Museum, which have been displayed alongside fascinating and revelatory stories of their conservation.

To celebrate the anniversary of the Conservation Department, the Art Museum of Estonia has published a compilation introducing the department’s work over the decades. The book was compiled and edited by Isabel Aaso-Zahradnikova, Kärt Lend, Grete Nilp and Terje Tammearu, and designed by Tuuli Aule.

The exhibition From Restorer to Conservator will remain open in the Adamson-Eric Museum until 7 June, in the Niguliste Museum until 27 September and in the Kadriorg Art Museum until 22 November.

The exhibition in the main hall of the Niguliste Museum:
Curators: Isabel Aaso-Zahradnikova, Hedi Kard, Merike Kurisoo, Grete Ots, Kaisa-Piia Pedajas and Tarmo Saaret
Graphic design: Inga Heamägi
Public programmes: Annika Teras
Educational programmes: Keidi Kaitsa-Pihlamägi
Exhibition manager: Villu Plink

The exhibition in the Tower Gallery of Niguliste:
Curator: Kaisa-Piia Pedajas
Exhibition design: Isabel Aaso-Zahradnikova
Graphic design: Inga Heamägi

The exhibition in the Kadriorg Art Museum:
Curators: Grete Nilp, Alar Nurkse and Mihhail Staško
Video materials: Villu Plink
Exhibition design: Peeter Laurits
Graphic design: Peeter Lauritsa and Inga Heamägi
Coordinator: Aleksandra Murre