Project Leader: Dr. Marta Chylińska
The established team will carry out a project aimed at developing new materials and technological solutions dedicated to the broadly understood protection of cultural heritage. This includes the conservation and restoration of monuments, including archaeological ones, as well as the development of methods for presenting and thus disseminating knowledge about the history and value of heritage objects.
The main goal of the planned work is the design and synthesis of previously unknown polymer materials and the testing of their suitability for cleaning sensitive historical matter. Cleaning is a fundamental and one of the most important stages of conservation treatment. This operation requires great precision and caution in order not to damage the priceless historical substance. Various mechanical, physical, or chemical methods are used for cleaning, all of which interfere with the original surface of the monument. However, if an active agent—such as a suitably selected solvent—is embedded in an appropriate matrix, e.g. a polymer one, which enables its controlled and slowed action, the risk of damage can be minimized. It is crucial that undesirable and harmful contaminants be removed selectively during the cleaning process, while continuously monitoring the condition of the object. Within the project, such systems will be developed and studied, with an additional emphasis on deriving them from environmentally friendly substrates. These materials will subsequently be tested on model samples, and after appropriate selection, chosen candidates will be verified in situ on heritage objects.
The scope of planned work includes activities related to the removal of dirt, harmful and unsightly chemical layers, yellowed varnishes, etc., but also research on materials dedicated to cleaning objects affected by microbial attack. Such materials will ensure controlled spot disinfection, targeting only those surfaces where harmful microbial activity has been detected. The project will also explore the use of biological preparations, containing for example mycoparasites, as effective solutions for combating fungi and more, which represents a completely new approach to the problem of disinfecting heritage objects.
Another objective of the project is the application of modern digital tools, which may be useful, among other things, in the study and assessment of the conservation state of monuments. Various methods, including optical and digital techniques (macro- and microscopic observation, photogrammetry, as well as 3D scanning), will be used to monitor surface changes after cleaning. These methods will also be applied for imaging during reconstruction work to recreate the shapes, sizes, and spatial relationships of missing elements of heritage objects, thanks to their ability to produce highly detailed three-dimensional models. Photogrammetry, 3D scanning, and augmented reality (AR) are technologies that together allow precise digital representation of objects and their flaws. This opens up the possibility of enhancing the perception of reconstructed heritage objects by adding computer-generated information. In the field of conservation and restoration, “to see more” means to travel back in time to the object’s creation—for instance, to observe the sculptor’s chisel strokes. Such information is invaluable for conservators, historians, and art researchers. The development of digital tools increasingly makes it possible to obtain this kind of information directly from the object, while simultaneously making the presentation of conservation and restoration outcomes more engaging for the public.
The team’s work will be interdisciplinary and will aim at the development and implementation of new materials and technologies that may be applied in the conservation and restoration of monuments. A key criterion for the successful execution of such a complex project is the recruitment of team members with the required qualifications and skills, including chemists, microbiologists, art conservators, art historians, archaeologists, as well as specialists in augmented reality, 3D scanning and modeling, and photogrammetry (e.g., physicists, computer scientists, cognitive scientists, visual creators, sculptors). The project leader is open to collaboration with experts from diverse disciplines.