Cultural materials are items in our society that are deemed to be significant. They can be significant just to us as individuals or they can be significant to society. When an item is designated as taonga, it inherits significance. When we elevate an object, artwork or material to a venerated status, there comes a responsibility to preserve the item. Professionals conservators are trained in materials science and cultural studies which ensure that these ‘special things’ in our lives last into the next generation and beyond.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, conservation is a term more often associated with the natural resources, but we think of cultural materials as resources too. As objects conservators, we work with any materials that are three-dimensional. These can include taonga, artworks, archaeological objects and finds (subjected to a sediment or submerged burial environment), historical objects (passed down generation to generation) and natural history specimens. We also work with other private practice conservators for more advanced processes by bringing specialists to the region in paintings, textiles, books, photographs and works of art on paper.

We like to say ‘we care for special things’. Our clients are private individuals, government agencies, local councils, museums, art galleries, framers, community groups, collectors and artists.

The conservation process generally consists of a condition report to understand what the risks are to the stability or longevity of the item, treatment to mitigate those risks and advice for the long-term care.

We can look at cultural materials at an individual level or provide condition assessments and treatments at a collections level. Please reach out today if you have an item or items that are in need of care.