Alert ! French conservators-restorers are in danger !

Very important part of our roles in passing art to future generations!!

Because conservation of art and artefacts is a science based profession that requires dedicated skills to preserve the cultural heritage. It is a valued, skills based profession and should not be diminished by allowing the untrained to attempt to restore items of cultural sensitivity.

So important!

Torben Ernst

The cultural heritage in France matters to the world. France needs educated professionals to care for it.

While not a conservator myself I work with many of them. The field of conservation involves a large combination of knowledge far beyond basic craftsmanship. Science, photography, art, are all involved.

I'm a paintings conservator-restorer and hence I fully support the need for the recognition of my profession anywhere in the world!

Conservators are among the lowest paid professionals relative to their required education and training. This is true across the board. What is happening in France sets up a terrible precedent and should be actively decried by arts organizations internationally, and not just by other conservators.

Craftmanship ánd academic values are basic to the profession of the restoration-conservation of cultural heritage. The France education system and its heritage is more than worth it!

Because I believe in their position. Our art needs protection.

Its important that conservators every where are recognised for their skills, knowledge and scientific training

I believe in the profession. I am an American trained art conservator.

Both conservators and curators are at risk. Their work is important - like slow cooking and old growth forests. these form rich and vital parts of the world's cultural heritage.

Conservators play a vital role in maintaining our cultural heritage for future generations. The advancement of technology and science has made great leaps in knowledge and practice in this rare field, world wide. When applied by the talented few drawn to the field of preservation, selected and continually trained throughout their careers, the world's treasures will continue to educate and be enjoyed by all in person and now also electronically. Recognition and support are necessary as we strive to become recognized for the facinating research and necessary work we undertake.

Having received my training and diploma from the Sorbonne program, it is essential to me that the profession of conservator-restorer be recognized as such in French law, and not be subsumed into a profession that does not represent it.

As A conservator in the United States I agree with my fellow conservators in France and elsewhere in the world that we have a unique profession with enormous responsibility and often no recognition of the responsibilities that we have . Conservators are a dedicated group of people who play an important and vital role in the protection of the artistic , historic and cultural heritage of human culture .

Conservation is not a handicraft, even though we use also those skills. We are to objects what librarians are to books - we keep the collective memory of humankind alive. We fight against mold, fire, insects, rodents, the stupidity of men - and time itself in order to prevent the memory loss now escalating in many countries.
And if we do our job well, nobody will ever know we have done something. It is not about us - it is about the generations to come and their right to see history with their own eyes.

I have been a professional paintings conservator-restorer for 40 years. I own a private practice with my wife, a conservator of artwork on paper, and I have taught paintings conservation-restoration at the graduate level for over 30 years. Professional conservator-restorers contribute enormously to the longevity and understanding of the world's cultural heritage.

The profession of art conservation must not be misrepresented and marginalized by classifying it as a craft instead of a profession. Doing so will place artworks at risk.

There is absolute mandate to entrust the preservation of our cultural heritage to those specialists trained in this area of expertise. Having studied for 8 years in Germany, the USA and Belgium and having been involved in the education of Conservators returning to European countries including France, Germany and Switzerland I wholeheartedly support the petition.

If this passes it would be a tragedy for French art collections and cultural heritage. So much knowledge & expertise goes into caring for, restoring and prolonging the life of an art work. I believe this would also halt the lending of works between institutions if there is no one qualified to care for the art while on loan to France.

As paintings conservator and conservation scientist I think that the situation related to murky status of the profession is scandalous and requires consolidated action from all professionals requesting for an official due recognition of conservator's profession. Although conservation incorporates a great deal of bench work, it is by no mean a "craft", which is self evident. Conservation is inteletual activity founded on scientific principles in first place and should be classified as interdisciplinary science, comparable to medicine, which also involves a great deal of manual skils (like surgery), but is not downgraded to "arts and crafts". Encore and ECC have been working on a document related to the European recognition of conservator's profession, but this document was not implemented and all conservators should raise their voice requesting that this document is adopted and implemented by the European Commission without delay!

We are in the same situation in our country so I perfectly understand your demand and support it.

I support them. Lithuanian conservators-restorers are in similar danger too

I am a stained glass conservator in the US. While visiting France several years ago and seeing Chartres for the 1st time, I was engaged in a conversation with Malcom Miller who was doing a tour that day. Some of the windows had been removed and I asked if treatment was in process. He partially grimaced and said unfortunately yes. I asked who was doing the work and his comment was - "the lowest bidder". He then told me that's the way France's conservation protocols worked - low price compared to qualified conservators.

I'm assuming this is accurate and from the article attached to the petition, it sounds as if it is.