Conservation of traditional cultural heritage artifacts

Indigenous Art and Traditional Cultural Artifacts Conservation

Working with art and artifacts from Indigenous and non-Western cultures requires not only traditional art conservation skills, but careful consideration of the points of view of other cultures. It is not always appropriate to clean or restore these objects in the same way that one might do for Western art. KCI has experience working to conserve many types of traditional cultural heritage objects made from many materials. We take a culturally sensitive approach to these artworks, consulting with experts and cultural community members when appropriate, to undertake the following services:

  • Condition Assessments

  • Appropriate Cleaning, Stabilization, & Replacement of Parts

  • Preventive Conservation Strategies for Long-Term Preservation

  • Conservation Treatment of Many Types of Objects:

    • Hide, skin, leather

    • Hair, fur, wool

    • Feathers and quills

    • Beads

    • Ivory and bone

    • Shell

    • Silver, copper, brass, tin, and other metals

    • Stone

    • Ceramics

    • Unfired clay and mud

    • Wood and bark

    • Painted objects

    • Baskets