Photo: SUPSI construction site, Villa Imperiale, Pesaro
The Swiss Conservation-Restoration Campus brings together the four schools in Switzerland that offer university education and research in the field of conservation. Cultural heritage is at the heart of the mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Conservation and the Master of Arts in Conservation-Restoration at the Department of Environment Construction and Design at SUPSI in Mendrisio, as well as the other three schools in the network: Abegg-Stiftung, Berner Fachhochschule (BFH), Riggisberg; Haute Ecole Arc Conservation-restauration (HE-Arc CR), Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale (HES-SO), Neuchâtel; Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB), Berner Fachhochschule (BFH), Bern.
SUPSI in Mendrisio is active in the field of wall paintings, stucco and stone surfaces.
What would our future be without those involved in conservation?
To celebrate the (first) twenty years of the Swiss Conservation-Restoration Campus, the four schools have decided to showcase their work and how works of art and cultural artefacts are examined, analysed and preserved.
This is a unique opportunity for visitors of all ages to learn about the history of certain objects, the problems of conservation, the techniques used for their restoration, but also to understand how each intervention is the result of the expertise of scientific, technical and historical experts, who are fundamental for preserving heritage and providing an insight into the fascinating world of conservation and restoration. This is an opportunity to meet restorers, see them at work, ask questions and discover curiosities and secrets.
Representing SUPSI in Mendrisio will be Giacinta Jean (full professor of History and Techniques of Conservation and Restoration, head of the Bachelor of Arts SUPSI in Conservation and the Master of Arts SUPSI in Conservation-Restoration), Marta Caroselli (lecturer-researcher, Conservation and Restoration Sector, Institute of Materials and Constructions), Francesca Piqué (full professor of Science of Cultural Heritage Conservation, head of the Conservation and Restoration Sector, Institute of Materials and Constructions), Naima Spina (graduate) and Angela Walther (student on the Master of Arts in Conservation-Restoration).
Saturday, 18 October
The first day will take place at the Landesmuseum (Swiss National Museum) in Zurich (Museumstrasse 2) from 11:00 to 16:30. It is also possibile to bring a ‘treasured object’ such as a painting, textile, clock, sculpture, book, photograph, glass or ceramic item to receive personalised advice: an initial assessment of its condition and tips on how to keep it in good condition over time.
Programme for 18 October (in German)
Sunday, 19 October
At the Sammlungszentrum Affoltern in Affoltern am Albis (Lindenmoosstrasse 1) from 10:00 to 17:00, it is possible to discover how conservators work with some of the most precious objects in the Swiss National Museum’s collection. Former students from the four schools of the Swiss Conservation-Restoration Campus will reveal how restoration solutions are explored and developed. There will also be an opportunity to visit the studios and storage facilities of the Sammlungszentrum Affoltern to gain a better understanding of the responsibilities and daily work of conservators.