Paintings on display at ITC The Sonar Calcutta, Pala. Picture by Rashbehari Das

On July 10, Young Ficci Ladies Organisation (YFLO) turned a usual lazy Saturday afternoon into a vibrant, productive meeting of minds with a panel discussion on art restoration and conservation at ITC The Sonar Calcutta. “Our member base is made up of 20 to 40-year-old women with deep pockets. Art is such an investment… we would like to spread awareness about upcoming artists and also how to keep the existing family art in proper condition,” said Rashmi Poddar, chairperson of YFLO.

Aparajita Jain, owner of Seven Art Limited gallery in Delhi, moderated the discussion. The two speakers were Swapan Seth, CEO, Equus Red Cell and Priya Khanna, owner of The Art Life Restoration Studio in Delhi.

Seth spoke candidly of his own policies on buying and appreciating art and showed images of his extensive collection through a slide show. Some Swapanisms: “If it makes you scratch your head, it is art”; “Art is not too expensive for anyone. There is great art available at all prices.”

Khanna, on the other hand, provided a comprehensive presentation on the various methods applied by her company in restoring damaged art. She also spoke about the causes of the damage, the most predominant of which was human negligence. She then went on to display pictures of art before and after restoration and the transformation was amazing.

The floor was then opened to questions from the audience. “It is great that young people are so interested in art. Art is not just for fun or for the brain to analyse. It comes from the heart but you should have some knowledge of how to display and preserve it,” said artist Suvaprasanna, present in the audience at Pala.

Tips on art preservation

Do

• Display your painting in temperatures ranging from 16°C to 25°C and 50-55 per cent humidity..
• If the painting is heavy, hang it on two pegs and provide a support at the base to prevent any distortion.
• Always separate the paint from the glass with a mount board.
• Keep your painting away from damp and direct sunlight. Do not hang it directly under an AC unit or over a working fireplace.

Don’t

• Clean painting with detergent. Dust them regularly on both sides.
• Roll up your painting.
• Stick labels directly on your painting.
• Rest your painting against any furniture.
• Leave your painting hanging while the wall behind it is being painted.