Architectural Heritage Conservator Ip Kin Hong told reporters on the sidelines of a symposium yesterday that the Ruins of St. Paul’s (Mater Dei Church) bronze statues restoration (Phase III) project is slated to be completed by mid-February, adding that the restoration of the highest bronze statue, depicting a dove, has been relatively complicated due to its height and its poor condition, requiring the involvement of structural engineers and bronze experts.
The one-day “Symposium on Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration”, organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s (IC) “Centre for the Preservation and Transmission of the Cultural Heritage of the Palace Museum in Macau”, was held at the Macau Museum of Art (MAM) auditorium in Zape. Experts who participated in the restoration works on the façade of the Ruins of St. Paul’s explored the cutting-edge concepts, technologies and practical case-studies of cultural heritage conservation from the Chinese mainland and the international community.
Ip pointed out that the core restoration approaches consist of deeply integrated technology, science and traditional restoration techniques, adding that the restoration process is essential to first identify the root causes of cultural relic issues through instrumental testing and analysis before carrying out targeted restoration, moving away from traditional, rather ineffective methods, that rely solely on appearance.
Ip noted that the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia (next to Guia Lighthouse) suffered weathering damage, and her team will probably be involved in the future restoration process.
Regarding the shortage of local professionals with restoration experience, Ip said that her heritage restoration team welcomes science and engineering students to fill related positions in areas such as technological testing.
IC President Deland Leong Wai Man said in a speech that the IC heritage preservation centre has selected the façade of the Ruins of St. Paul’s as its first restoration project, which has witnessed centuries of Chinese and Western cultural exchange by safeguarding the iconic heritage site, adding that the centre aims to foster further exchanges between traditional and contemporary restoration techniques from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Leong added that the centre will assemble multinational teams of specialists to undertake collaborative restoration projects according to requirements of different projects and will leverage Macau’s unique blend of Chinese and Western cultural resources to advance international cultural exchange.
The symposium aimed to enhance the public’s understanding of heritage site preservation such as the Ruins of St. Paul’s ongoing restoration project, facilitating exchange, collaboration and mutual learning on the subject, and injecting new perspectives and vitality into the preservation of Macau’s cultural heritage, according to an IC statement about yesterday’s symposium.
Tourists visit Macau’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ruins of St. Paul’s during its ongoing restoration project yesterday afternoon. – Photos: Ida Cheong
Architectural Heritage Conservator Ip Kin Hong speaks to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s Symposium on Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration at the Macau Museum of Art (MAM).
