Ateliers
Ateneum Conservation Atelier
The Ateneum Conservation Atelier is responsible for the care of the most important paintings and sculptures by Finnish artists. It also looks after a small modernist collection consisting of artworks by international artists. The atelier’s conservators care and preserve the in-house collection and individual artworks. They also monitor the installation of artworks in various exhibitions as well as artwork storage and transport conditions. Through its extensive outward loan and deposit policy, the atelier also serves other Finnish art museums. The conservators study the way Finnish artists work and examine the techniques and materials they use.
Kiasma Conservation Atelier
The Kiasma Conservation Atelier is responsible for the care of contemporary art collections and exhibition artworks. The increase seen recently in the general interest in conservation, especially contemporary art conservation, has emphasised the Atelier’s role as a contemporary art specialist organisation. The Atelier strives to answer to the increased interest with active communications and various publications. It augments and maintains a data repository on the materials used in contemporary art for future conservation treatments and research.
Sinebrychoff Conservation Atelier
The Sinebrychoff Conservation Atelier’s focus is on the conservation and restoration of old European visual art objects. The preventive conservation of the objects, which uses a wide range of materials, in the Sinebrychoff Interior Museum collections and the problems associated with the material and structural research of old paintings place special demands on the conservation work carried out at the Atelier.
Paper conservation
Paper conservators collaborate with all the Finnish National Gallery museums. They are responsible for the documentation and conservation of the graphics and drawing collections as well as watercolours and gouache and pastel paintings. Paper conservators also conserve and restore sketch books and ensure that artworks are stored and displayed in appropriate conditions.
Materials Research Laboratory
The Materials Research Laboratory was established in 1999. Its main duty is to research painting materials in co-operation with conservators and art historians. The Laboratory has a large and comprehensive reference library with books on the history and characteristics of painting materials and various analytical methods. The Laboratory has the necessary equipment for material analysis, cross-section sample casting, sanding and microscopic imaging. Its research areas include pigments, adhesives, fibres, glass, minerals, and metals.
Framing Atelier
The main duties of the Framing Atelier include the conservation of frames in the Ateneum and Sinebrychoff Art Museums and producing new stylistically appropriate frames. The Atelier’s frames conservators restore and reframe collection objects and help prepare frames for paintings that are loaned or deposited to other institutions. They also design and create exhibition frames with conservators and curators.