Photo 1: Fabricating nanocellulose film (putting nanocellulose solution into a petri dish and drying it to form film)

Last year (2022), TOBUNKEN invited Mr. Remy Dreyfuss-Deseigne, an expert on the application of nanocellulose for restoration of cultural property, from France to conduct a workshop. Nanocellulose has unique characteristics not found in traditional conservation materials, such as a high degree of transparency and the ability to join paper and other materials without adhesives (see Activity Report here).

Photo 2: Hands-on restoration work using nanocellulose (applying nanocellulose solution on paper material with a brush to repair torn places)

For the workshop in 2022, the number of applications was more than double the capacity, in consequence, some applicants were only able to attend lectures and could not take part in practical work sessions. For these attendees, a one-day follow-up training session was conducted, focusing on the hands-on fabrication of nanocellulose films and their application to artworks and archival materials.

As with the 2022 session, Mr. Remy Dreyfuss-Deseigne was welcomed as the instructor. There were a total of 10 attendees, ranging from staff in charge of conservation and restoration at museums, libraries, and other institutions to freelance conservators. By handling various types of nanocellulose samples and using them to fabricate and apply nanocellulose films, the participants were able to further deepen their understanding of what they had learned during the lectures. There are high expectations for the use of this new conservation material in Japan in the future.

Toriumi Hidemi (National Center for Art Research)