International Restoration and Arts Center in Tashkent

Restaurateurs Sans Frontieres
Project in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

This is a new project for the establishment of an International
Restoration and Arts Center in Tashkent in partnership with The
Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan (it has the authority of the Ministry
of Culture and UNESCO-Uzbekistan).

We are planning in November 2005 to open an office in partnership
with the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.  In the first
six months the team of the office that will be composed by our local
administrator and an RSF (Restaurateurs Sans Frontieres, Turkey)
staff will be in charge to develop the complete study for the
establishment of the Center in order to serve the needs of the
collections of the museums in Uzbekistan and the region of Central
Asia. This Center will be composed of seven departments, each
serving a different role, including an Archive/Inventory department;
Documentation/Diagnosis, Research; Dissemination/Pedagogy;
Library/International Relations; Painting Restoration; and finally
an Administration department.

The project will be submitted to the government  to be funded. After
the first year of operation, RSF Turkey will consider adding the
following conservation/restoration departments according to needs:

    Paper Conservation/Restoration Laboratory
    Ceramics/Stone/Marble/Glass Conservation/Restoration Laboratory
    Archaeological Material Conservation Laboratory
    Wall Paintings Conservation/Restoration Laboratory
    Textile Conservation/Restoration Laboratory

As mentioned above, the first task of the office will be to produce
the final implementation study of the Center and a needs assessment
for two of the local state museums.

Following this perspective of the establishment of the Center, RSF
Turkey will appreciate any kind of donations for the Library, as the
budgets are limited.  We are also looking for information on second
hand equipment for the Diagnosis/Research departments.  Any further
information or contribution regarding this initiative would be
appreciated.

The RSF Turkey, will be responsible for the creation, management,
operation and also responsible to staff the center. The Academy of
Arts, will finance, allocate property and will be the official
administrator/coordinator with the government, and finally
UNESCO-Central Asia office, will promote, endorse the center
internationally, contribute to fundraising and offer symbolic
patronage."

For more information: asteris<-a t->rsfturkey< . >org

    **** Moderator's comments: Until recently I had not known about
    the RSF and I imagine this is true of others, so I take the
    liberty of quoting from a description sent me:

      "Founded twenty years ago in France, Restaurateurs Sans
       Frontieres (RSF) is an international organization of art
       restoration experts committed to the preservation of world
       cultural heritage. With its headquarters in Avignon, France
       and centers in Istanbul, Bangkok and Thessaloniki, RSF has
       provided manpower, technical and scientific support for the
       restoration of fine artwork in the Eastern Mediterranean,
       Central Europe, East Africa, Southeast Asia and Central
       America.

      "With restoration and restoration training as its central
       effort, RSF activities have taken on new dimensions to
       maximize social impact. RSF now launches public awareness
       campaigns to surround its restoration work sensitizing the
       general public on conservation and its importance. In this
       way, RSF not only physically protects objects by restoration,
       they also promote the culture and traditions attached to
       those objects."

Asteris Apostolidis
Tashkent Office management staff
RSF Turkey


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:23
                 Distributed: Friday, October 28, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-19-23-002
                                  ***