How do we preserve modern cultural heritage made from fast degradable plastic? What happens to historic parchment when temperatures rise and humidity increases on a global scale? How can we look after the Danish Viking ships, if Roskilde Museum gets storm floods again?
These are examples of the questions to be addressed at the largest conservation conference in the world: Linking Past and Future. The conference, of which KADK is a co-organiser, is taking place at the moment in Copenhagen.
Cultural heritage is vital for our identity
The conference was opened by Søren Pind, the Danish Minister for Higher Education and Research. In his speech he stressed the importance of safeguarding our cultural heritage: “Heritage is priceless. We cannot afford to let it go. I am sure that all of you present here today share this view. Common cultural heritage is a vital part of our identity. And the preservation of our cultural and natural heritage is an essential part of protecting a sense of identity. A sense of who we are.”
The Minister also praised the research that is being conducted in Denmark in the field, saying: “As the Minister for Higher Education and Science, I am proud to say, that we have a high level of research within the Danish conservation community”.
By way of example, the Minister mentioned the research into Krøyer’s paintings conducted by the School of Conservation, which suggests that the use of zinc white was one of the factors that led to the pigment falling off the famous blue beach paintings from Skagen.
Climate change threatens cultural heritage
The conference is taking place at a time when the world’s cultural heritage is hugely under threat as a result of climate change. Climate change results in higher temperatures and humidity, which, for one thing, cause increasing problems with mould in stores and archives all over the world. That places further pressure on the question of how to protect our cultural heritage for the future. The conference was organised by representatives of the Natural History Museum of Denmark, the National Gallery of Denmark, the National Museum of Denmark, the Royal Library and KADK under the aegis of the international museum organisation, ICOM-CC, which this year will have been going on for 50 years. The conference has attracted a great deal of media coverage in Denmark with TV features on P1 Morgen and DR2Dagen and articles in the Danish national newspapers, Berlingske Tidende and Kristeligt Dagblad. Queen Margrethe is the patron of the conference and was present at the opening.