COLLASIA CONSERVING CULTURAL H ERITAGE

COLLECTIONS IN A S I A

1 SUMMARY

This report describes the results of the eager to work together to identify CollAsia 2010 programme. Special focus is innovative tools and solutions. This is given to the main activities implemented progressively changing the way between 2002 and 2011: the regional professionals view their own role, how they courses and field projects. Readers will also interact, and how they perceive the find extensive information on the structure heritage that they are responsible for. The of the programme, educational combined impact of new skills, methodologies, finances and partners. international exposure and a broad variety of didactic tools, is enabling the profession It is impossible to make generalizations as a whole to grow and make conservation when considering such a diverse region as decisions that are better informed and . However, when it comes to more efficient, all of which benefit conserving , library and archive collections around the region. collections, there are clearly a number of common challenges shared by countries at In the framework of CollAsia 2010 as in all the regional and/or sub-regional level. The ICCROM activities, the guiding principle is main ones were identified during the 2002 partnership. Stronger collaboration, not Seminar organized by ICCROM only within an institution but across and SPAFA and which led to the launch of borders and disciplines, can alleviate many CollAsia 2010. The report shows how of the problems attributed to a lack of programme activities have responded to resources, expertise or technology. these challenges. CollAsia 2010 relies on its growing network of former participants to advocate this CollAsia 2010 is a partnership between approach. ICCROM, an intergovernmental organization based in Rome, and SEAMEO- This is a challenging process in itself. SPAFA, a regional organization based in Language barriers, bureaucratic inertia, Bangkok. The past few years have shown lack of basic training in conservation the relevance and effectiveness of this and/or lack of awareness, are some of the partnership. From 2002 to 2011, 355 obstacles to continuous professional heritage professionals were mobilized development, as in many other countries through the CollAsia programme, and around the world. Also, professionals in nearly 250 professionals from over 145 local and provincial institutions face institutions participated in one or more enormous difficulties in accessing CollAsia activities. They are conservators, resources and opportunities available at curators, directors, scientists and the national and/or international level. collections care staff working in major , libraries and archives around The present report outlines the CollAsia the region. 2010 approach to meeting these challenges, with the aim of ensuring the Through CollAsia 2010, they have had the safeguarding of Southeast Asia’s heritage. opportunity to meet with their peers across borders and disciplines, increasing their capacity to address the complex challenges of conserving collections. CollAsia 2010 is now an emerging network of professionals

2 INTRODUCTION TO COLLASIA

History The CollAsia 2010 programme is ICCROM and SPAFA’s response to participants’ recommendations from the Seminar on ISSUES IDENTIFIED Conservation of Collections in Southeast Asia: • Southeast Asia faces dramatic Development of Regional Strategies , held at growth in the museum field • SPAFA headquarters 19-22 July 2002. The Collections are continuously expanding in size and variety seminar gathered high-level officials of heritage • Lack of sufficient training and institutions from nine Southeast Asian professional development for countries and representatives of ICCROM, staff of heritage institutions SPAFA and UNESCO. To address the issues • No systematic documentation of identified, participants recommended that a traditional skills and techniques long-term strategy be devised for the • Insufficient knowledge-sharing safeguarding of Southeast Asian collections. and professional networking • Limited and sporadic collaboration at the regional level Purpose • Low levels of public awareness The aim of CollAsia2010 was to improve and participation conservation conditions of heritage collections across the region. It was implemented by ICCROM, of Rome, Italy, and SPAFA (SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts), of Bangkok, . The programme was designed as a comprehensive, integrated approach to address relevant conservation issues involving the widest possible array of partners (local, national, regional, international).

Regional courses A dozen courses were organized to increase skill levels and provide networking opportunities for professionals working in heritage institutions across Southeast Asia. Two- and three- week courses focused on a specific topic or material, while the curriculum adopted a problem- solving approach designed to build on existing skills. Modules consisted of lectures by professionals from ICCROM and SPAFA’s networks, group work, and study visits to institutions in the vicinity of the course venue.

Field projects The aim of the two field projects carried out under CollAsia2010 was to make concrete improvements in the conservation conditions of given collections in Southeast Asian heritage institutions and ensure the long-term safeguarding of those collections. National and local institutions of participating countries were invited to suggest initiatives that would provide tangible benefits to existing collections. Hands-on, practical activities ensured such results alongside of the expected educational outcomes, which illustrated firsthand the value of pooling available resources and expertise to accomplish target objectives.

Southeast Asian collections are growing fast and are increasingly diverse; as a result, professionals must manage increasingly complex threats.

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Methodology Based on the premise that the participants had as much to teach one another as the instructors and developed within a multi-lingual framework that leveraged non-verbal, hands-on learning, the CollAsia framework gave participants immediate opportunities to put theory into practice. Participants’ newfound confidence and proficiency were further demonstrated at the programme’s concluding forum, at which professionals reported on subsequent initiatives and shared their most valuable findings.

Through a series of unique learning experiences in which participants used the subject of conservation to learn about the essential components of education, by the completion of CollAsia2010 the programme both expanded its network and ensured its continuation by a new leadership cultivated from within. Both as leaders in their institutions, in their communities and across the region, the members of CollAsia now stand Participating countries of the CollAsia equipped and ready to proceed forward in their 2010 programme are the eleven ownership of Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage Member Countries of SEAMEO conservation efforts and education. (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization):

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

CAMBODIA

INDONESIA

LAOS

MALAYSIA

MYANMAR

PHILIPPINES

SINGAPORE

CollAsia 2010 international courses are opportunities to learn and network THAILAND with peers. From 2002 to 2011 heritage professionals attended from 34 different countries around the world. TIMOR-LESTE

VIETNAM

4 CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

May: Third regional course on conservation of 2002 Southeast Asian collections in storage (Manila, July: Pilot workshop on Preventive ) Conservation Strategies for Collections in Southeast Asia, followed by Directors’ Seminar on development of regional 2007 strategies (Bangkok, Thailand) January-February: First field project on teamwork for sustainable collections care (Hanoi, ) 2003 April : Pilot course, Flexible Materials in November-December : Fourth regional course on Asian Collections: Conservation, traditional knowledge and scientific principles of Presentation and Use (, conservation (Vientiane, ). )

August: SPAFA Governing Board 2008 endorses CollAsia 2010 programme Leaders in Conservation Education programme begins with additional Getty funding November: CollAsia 2010 approved at ICCROM XXIIIrd General Assembly October : First national training activity, Conservation and Context: Collections and their Heritage Sites (Siem Reap and Angkor, ) 2004 February: ICCROM and SPAFA sign a November : Fifth regional course on Buildings: Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Environments for Collections (Jakarta, )

November: The Getty Foundation (USA) awards a $250,000 grant to 2009 CollAsia 2010 for 2005-2006 activities September : Sixth regional course, Conservation of Underwater Archaeological Collections (Manila and Subic, Philippines) 2005 January: First regional course on conservation and exhibition of Southeast 2010 Asian collections (Bangkok, Thailand) August : Seventh regional course, Conservation, Communication and Community (Bangkok/Phrae, May: CollAsia 2010 website launched Thailand)

August-September : Second regional course on conservation of textiles in 2011 Southeast Asian collections (Leiden, the March : Eighth regional course, Conservation of Netherlands) followed by 14 th Triennial Collections and Intangible Heritage (Bandar Seri Meeting of the International Council of Begawan, ) Museums – Conservation Committee) in the Hague, Netherlands. May-June : Ninth regional course, Managing Risk from Climate Change: Southeast Asian Collections in Peril, Regional Course () 2006 April: ICCROM and National Museum of August : Concluding Forum, CollAsia: Next Steps Ethnology in Leiden sign a 5-year MoU (Manila, Philippines) 5 ACTIVITIES AROUND THE REGION

The fifteen activities organized within the CollAsia programme were held in 11 different countries, nine of which are within the Southeast Asian region. These nine countries along with and Timor-Leste make up the eleven member countries of SEAMEO (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization), all of which participated in the programme. For summary course descriptions, please see pages 8-26.

SIEM REAP, ANGKOR, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR HANOI, VIETNAM CAMBODIA Nov. 19 - Dec. 14, 2007 Jan. 8 – Feb. 9, 2007 October 2008 Regional Course Regional Field Project National Field Project Lao National Museum, host Department of Cultural APSARA National Authority, host Heritage, Ministry of Information and Culture , host

BANGKOK, THAILAND July 1-20, 2002 Pilot Regional Course SPAFA, host MANILA, PHILIPPINES January 10-28, 2005 May 8-31, 2006 Regional Course Regional Course Office of the National Museum, September 7-25, 2009 Fine Arts Department, host Regional Course (also Subic) August 15-29, 2010 August 9-12, 2011 Regional Course (also Phrae) Concluding Forum Luk Lan Muang Phrae Network, National Museum of the host Philippines, host

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA April 7-25, 2003 Pilot Regional Course Department of Museums and Antiquities, host

SINGAPORE JAKARTA, INDONESIA BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, May 23 – June 3, 2011 November 10-28, 2008 BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Regional Course Regional Course March 13-26, 2011 Asian Civilisations Museum, host National Museum of Indonesia, Regional Course host Brunei Museum Department, host

OUTSIDE THE REGION

LEIDEN, THE HAGUE, NEW DELHI, INDIA NETHERLANDS September 15-28, 2008 Aug. 24 – Sept. 17, 2005 Regional Course and Regional Course and ICOM-CC Conference ICOM-CC Conference National Museum of Ethnology, host

6 SPOTLIGHT ON INTERNATIONAL COURSES & FIELD PROJECTS

A participant from Indonesia receiving her certificate of attendance from the director of SEAMEO -SPAFA.

Pilot Courses 2002 : Preventive Conservation Strategies for Collections in Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Thailand) 2003 : Flexible Materials in Asian Collections: Conservation, Presentation and Use (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Regional Courses 2005 : Conservation and Exhibition of Southeast Asian Collections (Bangkok, Thailand) Conservation of Textiles in Southeast Asian Collections (Leiden, the Netherlands) 2006 : Conservation of Southeast Asian Collections in Storage (Manila, the Philippines) 2007 : Traditional Knowledge & Scientific Principles of Conservation (Vientiane, Lao PDR) 2008 : Developing Appropriate Skills in Conservation (New Delhi, India) Buildings: Environments for Collections (Jakarta, Indonesia) 2009: Conservation of Underwater Collections (Manila/Subic, the Philippines) 2010: Conservation, Communication and Community (Bangkok/Phrae, Thailand) 2011: Conservation of Collections and Intangible Heritage (Brunei) Managing Risk from Climate Change: Southeast Asian Collections in Peril (Singapore) CollAsia: Next Steps, Concluding Forum (Manila, Philippines)

Field Projects 2007 : Teamwork for Sustainable Collections Care (Hanoi, Vietnam) 2008 : National Training Activity - Conservation & Context: Collections & their Heritage Sites (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

7 2002 PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR COLLECTIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Aim Partners The aim of the course was to ensure the ICCROM conservation of Southeast Asian collections SPAFA for long-term services to the community, National Museum of His Majesty the King’s through professional development and the Golden Jubilee, Thailand implementation of sustainable collection conservation management strategies. Duration 3 weeks (July 1-20, 2002) Participants 19 professionals selected from 9 countries: Venue Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, SPAFA Headquarters, Bangkok, Thailand Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

A staff member of the Chao Sam Praya national museum in Ayutthaya gives a presentation of the museum’s collections. Study visits to local heritage institutions are an important feature of regional courses. Through discussions with staff, participants gain an understanding of conservation issues in a broad variety of contexts.

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2002 PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR COLLECTIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (CONTINUED)

A participant handling collections during a practical exercise The balance between theory and practice is an important concern during regional courses. Working in collaboration with local institutions allows participants to study and practice their skills on a wide variety of objects.

Programme structure and activities In the third week, after the practical The workshop consisted of three modules, session, participants worked together to which comprised lessons, discussions, draft a conservation plan for the National group work, presentations, and Museum of HM the King’s Golden Jubilee. assessments. They also learned other aspects relating to museum and collections such as During the first week , the participants community involvement and public learned about each other through awareness, fund-raising, networking, and presentations and group work in order to partnership. On the last day of the course, get a better overview and understanding of participants shared their learning the situation of the conservation and experiences, through presentations, with management of collections in Southeast the participants of the Seminar on Asia. General knowledge on collections Preventive Conservation of Collections in conservation, including the use and Southeast Asia , which was organized in sensitivity of collections and risks Bangkok on 19-22 July 2002. identification, was taught and discussed.

In the second week , participants went to the National Museum of HM the King’s Golden Jubilee, in Pathumthani province, to work with the museum’s staff and acquire hands-on experience on collection conservation assessment, risk assessment and management, documentation, storage management, etc.

9 2003 FLEXIBLE MATERIALS IN ASIAN COLLECTIONS: CONSERVATION, PRESENTATION AND USE

Aim methods and products for mounting and The aim of the course was to establish storage were emphasized, and a mechanisms for sharing knowledge, methodology for developing these methods and approaches among those techniques in the future was established. caring for Asian collections. The course focused on flexible materials, in particular Participants basketry, fibres, textiles and leather. 21 professionals from museums and other Flexibility depends upon the nature of the heritage institutions representing 15 materials, the methods of fabrication and countries: Brunei, China, Czech Republic, construction, modified by the condition of Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the object. It is also a key characteristic in Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, evaluating the object and its need for Sri Lanka, Sweden, United Kingdom, and support. The course offered opportunities Vietnam. to review and exchange information, also about craft-based traditions, and discuss Partners its application in specific contexts. ICCROM ASEMUS (Asia-Europe Museums Network), Course activities through ASEF (Asia-Europe Foundation) In the first unit - “Getting to know the Malaysian Department of Museums and object” - explored the diversity of values Antiquities and messages associated with and The Swedish National Museums of contained by an object as part of a World Culture collection. The principles and skills necessary for meaningful observation and Duration documentation were developed through 3 weeks (7-25 April, 2003) investigation of the influence of flexibility of constituent materials and construction Place methods on the appearance and behaviour Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia of the object.

The second unit - “Exploring mechanisms of change” - examined the different stages in the life cycle of an object and the resulting influence on flexibility. Changes in flexibility as a result of the introduction of water in different forms and circumstances (e.g. treatment, climate, flood) were discussed.

During the third unit - “Supporting objects in diverse contexts” - translated the knowledge acquired in the previous units into action to reduce stress in use and presentation of objects, and in respecting the original function and spirit of A presentation during a study visit at the National Archives of Malaysia. Regional courses bring together the object. Appropriate and sustainable professionals from libraries, archives and community forms of support for flexible objects organizations as well as museums. This multidisciplinary approach allows professionals from different kinds of (folded/flat, rolled/unrolled; etc) were institutions to share their expertise. discussed. The potential of traditional 10 2005 CONSERVATION AND EXHIBITION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN COLLECTIONS

Aim In the second week , participants The aim of the course was to enhance the discussed exhibition planning and the capacity of heritage institutions in design process, visitor flows and the Southeast Asia and beyond to develop and relationships between buildings and implement sound exhibition strategies collections, as well as key exhibition appropriate to the nature and needs of the concerns in historic houses, a common region’s heritage. The course addressed heritage structure in Southeast Asia. conservation concerns when planning and implementing the presentation of In the third week , participants worked on Southeast Asian collections in an exhibition specific technical issues such as exhibit context. The values and iden